Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
- We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
- On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.
By learning about Holmes (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.
As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Holmes. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.
Neighboring Counties ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived: their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Holmes is located in Tazewell County.
To see how the shape of Illinois' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Tazewell County: Fulton, Logan, Mason, McLean, Peoria & Woodford.
Below are the counties that are near Holmes. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Holmes:
- Tazewell County (The home county of Holmes)
- The following are listed by their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- Delavan
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Green Valley
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Winkel ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Winkel is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkel
- Brownwood ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Brownwood is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownwood
- Dillon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dillon is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillon
- Boynton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Boynton is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boynton
- South Pekin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- South Pekin is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pekin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,081 people
- Hopedale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hawley ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Hawley is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawley
- Midway
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Midway is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Parkland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Parkland is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland
- Burt
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Burt is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
- Mindale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Mindale is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mindale
- De Witt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- Waynesville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Tabor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Tabor is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabor
- Midland City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Midland City is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland City
- Hallsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hallsville is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsville
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- Banner
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Breeds
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Breeds is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breeds
- Liverpool
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Dunfermline
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Saint David
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Canton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Brereton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Brereton is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brereton
- Bryant
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Norris
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sepo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Sepo is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
- Lewistown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Farmington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Logan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- Emden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- New Holland
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Bell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bell is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Evans
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Evans is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Middletown
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Lawndale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Atlanta
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lincoln
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Broadwell
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Broadwell is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Chestervale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Chestervale is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestervale
- Elkhart
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Beason
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mason County
- The following are listed by their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- San Jose
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Natrona
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Natrona is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- Manito
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Union
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Union is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Mason City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Forest City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Forest City is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
- Teheran
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Teheran is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teheran
- Easton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Goofy Ridge
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Goofy Ridge is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goofy Ridge
- Topeka
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Poplar City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Buzzville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Buzzville is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzville
- Havana
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- Stanford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- McLean
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Danvers
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Danvers is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danvers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
- Danvers has also been known as:
- Danver
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danvers <1>
- Shirley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Carlock
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Yuton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Yuton is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuton
- Menard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- Greenview
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Croft
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Croft is located in Menard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croft
- Oakford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Petersburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Athens
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Peoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- Mapleton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Kingston Mines
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Glasford
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bartonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Bellevue
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bellevue is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,037 people
- Maxwell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Maxwell is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
- Peoria
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- West Peoria
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- North Peoria
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- North Peoria is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Peoria
- Norwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Norwood is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
- Pottstown
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Pottstown is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottstown
- Hanna City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Peoria Heights
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Sangamon County
- Williamsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Woodford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- Goodfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Congerville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Germantown Hills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Eureka
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bay View Gardens
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Bay View Gardens is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View Gardens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 407 people
- Metamora
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Spring Bay
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Spring Bay is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 456 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Holmes, see our County-by-County Page for Holmes.
Cemeteries Near Holmes ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Holmes.
This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.
Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Holmes - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Holmes covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Prairie Rest Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Green Valley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Bratt Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bratt Cemetery
- The Bratt Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old Sand Hill Cemetery
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
- Patterson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Danforth Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danforth Cemetery
- The Danforth Cemetery has also been known as:
- Devore Burial Ground Cemetery
- Tullamore Cemetery
- Greenhill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Old Sand Prairie Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Sand Prairie Cemetery
- The Old Sand Prairie Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hamson Cemetery
- Weyhrich Cemetery
- Breedlove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breedlove Cemetery
- The Breedlove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Nannen Cemetery
- Langston Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Woodrow Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodrow Cemetery
- The Woodrow Cemetery has also been known as:
- Woodrow Union Church Cemetery
- Continue List (333 more) ...
- Orendorff Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Antioch Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Dillon Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillon Cemetery
- The Dillon Cemetery has also been known as:
- Fisher Burial Grounds
- Fisher Cemetery
Nearby Communities in 1895 ...
We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<3>
While we didn't find Holmes in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Holmes.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Holmes, with the one closest to Holmes listed first.
- Delavan
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Green Valley
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- San Jose
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Dillon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dillon is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillon
- Emden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Natrona
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Natrona is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- Boynton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Boynton is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boynton
- Hawley ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Hawley is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawley
- Hopedale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Manito
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Hartsburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Stoehrs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Stoehrs is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoehrs
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Tremont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Union
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Union is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Pekin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Holmes. See our List of 1890's Communities around Holmes.
Newspapers Published in Holmes ...
An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).
To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.
Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 198 newspapers that have been published in the area around Holmes.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Holmes, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Holmes.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Holmes:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Tazewell County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- De Witt County
- Fulton County
- Logan County
- Mason County
- McLean County
- Menard County
- Peoria County
- Sangamon County
- Woodford County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Illinois
Footnotes ...
| <1> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <2> | The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com. |
| <3> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Holmes, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Holmes) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |