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 Jamestown (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 Jamestown. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Jamestown is located in Perry 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 Perry County: Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Randolph & Washington.
Below are the counties that are near Jamestown. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Jamestown:
- Perry County (The home county of Jamestown)
- The following are listed by their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Conant
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Conant is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conant
- Cutler
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Denmark
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Denmark is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
- Willisville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Winkle
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Winkle is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkle
- Pinckneyville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Pyatts
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Pyatts is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pyatts
- Saint Johns
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Saint Johns is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Johns
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Sunfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Sunfield is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunfield
- Du Quoin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Du Quoin is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Du Quoin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,591 people
- Tamaroa
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Clinton County
- New Memphis
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Mulkeytown
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Coello
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- North City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- North City is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 566 people
- Royalton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Christopher
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Sesser
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Valier
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Zeigler
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Buckner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Rend City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Rend City is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rend City
- Cambon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Cambon is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambon
- Plumfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Plumfield is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plumfield
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Campbell Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Ava
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Degognia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Degognia is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Degognia
- Vergennes
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Oraville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Dowell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Elkville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Hallidayboro
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hallidayboro is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallidayboro
- Jacob
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Murphysboro
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Gorham
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- De Soto
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Carbondale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Scheller
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Emerson City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Emerson City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerson City
- Fitzgerrell ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Fitzgerrell is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitzgerrell
- Waltonville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Monroe County
- Hecker
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Percy
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Steeleville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh Hill is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh Hill
- Coulterville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sparta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Welge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Welge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welge
- Blair
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Blair is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
- Leanderville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Leanderville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leanderville
- Bremen
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Tilden
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Houston
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Houston is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston
- New Palestine
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- New Palestine is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Palestine
- Rockwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Marissa
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Lenzburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Libory
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Fayetteville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Fayetteville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 336 people
- New Athens
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- New Athens is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Athens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,865 people
- Lementon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lementon is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lementon
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Oakdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Clarmin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Clarmin is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarmin
- Elkton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Elkton is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Posen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Posen is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posen
- Caspars
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Caspars is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caspars
- Du Bois
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Du Bois is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Du Bois
- Population from the 2020 Census: 189 people
- Nashville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Stone Church
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Stone Church is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone Church
- Addieville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Venedy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Venedy is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venedy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 130 people
- Radom
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Okawville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Ashley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Williamson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Hurst
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bush
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bush is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bush
- Population from the 2020 Census: 263 people
- Blairsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Blairsville is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsville
- Cambria
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Colp
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Colp is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colp
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Former name for Colp:
- Colpville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colp <1>
- Dewmaine
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dewmaine is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewmaine
- Perry County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- McBride
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- McBride is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBride
- Lithium
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lithium is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lithium
- Sereno
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sereno is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sereno
- Farrar
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Farrar is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
- Brazeau
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Brazeau is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazeau
- Eureka
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Eureka is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
- Frohna
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Frohna is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frohna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
- Perryville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Altenburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Longtown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Longtown is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longtown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
- Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Saint Mary
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Quarry Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Quarry Town is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quarry Town
- Quarry Town has also been known as:
- Quarrytown
- Little Rock Landing ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Little Rock Landing is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock Landing
- Sainte Genevieve
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Ozora
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ozora is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ozora
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Jamestown, see our County-by-County Page for Jamestown.
Cemeteries Near Jamestown ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Jamestown.
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 Jamestown - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Jamestown covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Cutler Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutler Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Cutler Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Cutler.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #989970 <2>
- Weitzel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Galum Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Immanuel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Galum Baptist Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Jenkins Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Bradley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Hopewell Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cotton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Stoker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Tangen Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (338 more) ...
- Galum Presbyterian Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- IOOF Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mueller Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
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 Jamestown in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Jamestown.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Jamestown, with the one closest to Jamestown listed first.
- Cutler
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Conant
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Conant is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conant
- Denmark
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Denmark is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
- Kampenville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kampenville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kampenville
- Percy
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Steeleville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Campbell Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pinckneyville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Swanwick
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Swanwick is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swanwick
- Shiloh Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh Hill is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh Hill
- Pyatts
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Pyatts is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pyatts
- Coulterville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Denny
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Denny is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denny
- Sparta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Welge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Welge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welge
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Jamestown. See our List of 1890's Communities around Jamestown.
Newspapers Published in Jamestown ...
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 148 newspapers that have been published in the area around Jamestown.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Jamestown, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Jamestown.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Jamestown:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Perry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clinton County
- Franklin County
- Jackson County
- Jefferson County
- Monroe County
- Randolph County
- Saint Clair County
- Washington County
- Williamson County
- Perry County
- Sainte Genevieve 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 Jamestown, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Jamestown) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |