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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 Hudson (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 Hudson. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.

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 east contained birth and death records; the county to the north 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.

Hudson is located in McLean 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 McLean County: Champaign, De Witt, Ford, Livingston, Logan, Piatt, Tazewell & Woodford.

Below are the counties that are near Hudson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Hudson:

  • McLean County     (The home county of Hudson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hudson, with the one closest to Hudson listed first.
    • Towanda
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Normal
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Yuton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Yuton is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuton
    • Carlock
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Bloomington
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Lexington
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Merna
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Gridley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Brokaw
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Brokaw is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brokaw
    • Danvers
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • 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>
    • Meadows
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Meadows is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
    • Cooksville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
  • De Witt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hudson, with the one closest to Hudson listed first.
    • Wapella
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Waynesville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Watkins
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Watkins is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins
    • Parnell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Parnell is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
    • Birkbeck
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Birkbeck is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birkbeck
    • Tabor
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Tabor is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tabor
    • Farmer City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Fullerton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Fullerton is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fullerton
  • La Salle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hudson, with the one closest to Hudson listed first.
    • Dana
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Dana is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dana <1>
    • Rutland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Leeds
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Leeds is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
  • Livingston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hudson, with the one closest to Hudson listed first.
    • Flanagan
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Graymont
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Fairbury
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • McDowell
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • McDowell is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDowell
    • Pontiac
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Pontiac is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pontiac
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,176 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pontiac <1>
    • Long Point
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Avoca ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Avoca is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
    • Cornell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Ancona
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hudson, with the one closest to Hudson listed first.
    • Atlanta
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Lawndale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hudson, with the one closest to Hudson listed first.
    • Toluca
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • La Rose
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Evans ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Evans is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
    • Wenona
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Tazewell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hudson, with the one closest to Hudson listed first.
    • Lilly
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Lilly is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
    • Deer Creek
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Tazewell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Tazewell is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tazewell
    • Mackinaw
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Mackinaw is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackinaw
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,861 people
      • Former name for Mackinaw:
      • Mackinawtown
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mackinaw <1>
    • Minier
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Walnut
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Walnut is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
    • Allentown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Allentown is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allentown
    • Fravert ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Fravert is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fravert
    • Cooper
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Cooper is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper
    • Mayfair
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Mayfair is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfair
    • Washington
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Crandall ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Crandall is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crandall
  • Woodford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hudson, with the one closest to Hudson listed first.
    • Kappa
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Kappa is located in Woodford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kappa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
    • El Paso
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Congerville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Panola
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Panola is located in Woodford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
    • Secor
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Goodfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Woodford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Woodford is located in Woodford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodford
    • Eureka
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Roanoke
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Benson
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Minonk
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Metamora
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Hudson, see our County-by-County Page for Hudson.

Cemeteries Near Hudson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hudson.

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 Hudson - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Hudson covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Hudson, with the one closest to Hudson listed first.

  • Hudson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Havens Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Kaufman Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Ropp Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Hinthorn Union Chapel Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinthorn Union Chapel Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Hinthorn Union Chapel Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 10 miles [16.1 km]<2> to the north of Bloomington.
    • The Hinthorn Union Chapel Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Hinthorn Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1934183 <3>
  • Messer Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Troyer Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Bishop Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Wilcox - Coon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Denman Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Kappa Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Holy Cross Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (282 more) ...
    • Pennell Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Lantz Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Smith Grove Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)

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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Hudson had a population of 273 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Hudson had a population of 1,810 people.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Hudson, with the one closest to Hudson listed first.

  • Kappa
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Kappa is located in Woodford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kappa
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
  • Towanda
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Yuton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Yuton is located in McLean County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuton
  • Normal
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Carlock
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Bloomington
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Barnes
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Barnes is located in McLean County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnes
  • Twin Grove
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Twin Grove is located in McLean County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Grove
  • El Paso
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Merna
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Lexington
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Danvers
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • 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>
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Brokaw
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Brokaw is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brokaw
    • Gridley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Congerville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Hudson. See our List of 1890's Communities around Hudson.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Hudson ...

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 331 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hudson.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Hudson. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Hudson and those printed in the larger area surrounding Hudson.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2> of Hudson.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Hudson:

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>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 from Point A (ie- Hudson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Hudson, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.