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 Kell (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 Kell. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.
Kell is located in Marion 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 Marion County: Clay, Clinton, Fayette, Jefferson, Washington & Wayne.
Below are the counties that are near Kell. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Kell:
- Marion County (The home county of Kell)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Cartter
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cartter is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartter
- Walnut Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hickory Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Hickory Hill is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Hill
- Union Town
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Union Town is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Town
- Bannister
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bannister is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bannister
- Salem
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Iuka
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Odin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Central City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Central City is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,107 people
- Junction City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Junction City is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 468 people
- Sandoval
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Alma
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Xenia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Kenner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Kenner is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenner
- Flora
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Iola
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Louisville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Centralia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Hoffman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Boulder
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Boulder is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder
- Huey
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Posey
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Posey is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posey
- Keyesport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Carlyle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Marydale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Marydale is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marydale
- Beckemeyer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Bartelso
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Farina
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Saint Paul
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Saint Paul is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
- Saint Peter
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Shobonier
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- La Clede
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- La Clede is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Clede
- Loogootee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Frisco
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Frisco is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frisco
- Taylor Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Taylor Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor Hill
- Ewing
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Whittington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Sesser
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Dahlgren
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Belle Prairie City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Belle Prairie City is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Prairie City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Lovilla
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lovilla is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovilla
- Piopolis
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Piopolis is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piopolis
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Texico
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Dix
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Idlewood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Idlewood is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idlewood
- Shields
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Shields is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shields
- Pigeon ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pigeon is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
- Jefferson City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Jefferson City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson City
- Summersville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Summersville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summersville
- Mount Vernon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Marlow
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Marlow is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlow
- Woodlawn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bluford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Markham City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Markham City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Markham City
- Perry County
- Tamaroa
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Wamac
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Wamac is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wamac
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,117 people
- Baldwin Heights
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Baldwin Heights is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin Heights
- Irvington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Richview
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ashley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hoyleton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Radom
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Du Bois
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Du Bois is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Du Bois
- Population from the 2020 Census: 189 people
- New Minden
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- New Minden is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Minden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
- Nashville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Posen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Posen is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posen
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Keenes
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Johnsonville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Wayne City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Sims
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rinard
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Cisne
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Boyleston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Boyleston is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyleston
- Geff
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Jeffersonville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Jeffersonville is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffersonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 350 people
- Enterprise
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Enterprise is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
- Fairfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Kell, see our County-by-County Page for Kell.
Cemeteries Near Kell ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Kell.
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 Kell - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Kell covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Purdue Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Zion Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jordan Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Antioch Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Harveys Point Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Hickey Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hall Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Romine Prairie Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gilead Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Panther Fork Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Old Panther Fork Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Byars Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Continue List (423 more) ...
- Bell Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wham Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Moriah Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
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 Kell in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Kell.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Kell, with the one closest to Kell listed first.
- Foxville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Foxville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foxville
- Dix
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Divide
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Divide is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Divide
- Idlewood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Idlewood is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idlewood
- Walnut Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Boyd
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Boyd is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Hickory Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Hickory Hill is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Hill
- Salem
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bannister
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bannister is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bannister
- Pigeon ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pigeon is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
- Iuka
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Odin
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Drivers
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Drivers is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drivers
- Mount Vernon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Tonti
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Tonti is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tonti
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Kell. See our List of 1890's Communities around Kell.
Newspapers Published in Kell ...
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 110 newspapers that have been published in the area around Kell.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Kell, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Kell.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Kell:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Marion County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clay County
- Clinton County
- Fayette County
- Franklin County
- Hamilton County
- Jefferson County
- Perry County
- Washington County
- Wayne 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 Kell, 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 from Point A (ie- Kell) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |