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 Kensington (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 Kensington. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.
Kensington is located in Cook 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 Cook County: DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, Lake (IN) & Berrien (MI).
Below are the counties that are near Kensington. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Kensington:
- Cook County (The home county of Kensington)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
- Pullman
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Pullman is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pullman
- Gano
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Gano is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gano
- Riverdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Calumet Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Burnside
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Burnside is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Stony Island
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Stony Island is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Island
- Washington Heights
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Washington Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Heights
- Dolton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Hegewisch
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hegewisch is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hegewisch
- Blue Island
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Blue Island is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Island
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22,616 people
- Calumet Heights
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Calumet Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calumet Heights
- Burnham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Burnham is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,040 people
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
- Hinsdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Willowbrook
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Clarendon Hills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Darien
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Oak Brook
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Westmont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Downers Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Elmhurst
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook Terrace
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook Terrace is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Brook Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,094 people
- South Elmhurst
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
- Utopia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Utopia is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
- Kankakee County
- Grant Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
- Steger
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Frankfort Square
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Willowbrook
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Crete
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- University Park
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Frankfort
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mokena
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Goodings Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Homer Glen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Homer Glen is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer Glen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,281 people
- Homer Glen has also been known as:
- Homer Glen village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Homer Glen <1>
- Goodenow
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Goodenow is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Monee
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gilletts is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
- Whiting
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- East Chicago
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Hammond
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hessville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Munster
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Highland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dyer
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Dyer is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,955 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyer <1>
- Gary
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gary is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74,693 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gary <1>
- Griffith
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Ross
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Ross is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Schererville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Porter County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
- Ogden Dunes
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Ogden Dunes is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden Dunes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,083 people
- Portage
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Woodland Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Wheeler
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Burns Harbor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Babcock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Babcock is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- Dune Acres
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Dune Acres is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dune Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- South Haven
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- South Haven is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Porter
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Chesterton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Porter Crossroads
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Porter Crossroads is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Crossroads
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Kensington, see our County-by-County Page for Kensington.
Cemeteries Near Kensington ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Kensington.
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 Kensington - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Kensington covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
- Cedar Park Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Berger Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Oakland Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Greenwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Blue Island.
- The Mt. Olivet Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107055 <2>
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Ever Rest Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Beverly Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Beverly Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Blue Island.
- The Beverly Cemetery has also been known as:
- Beverly Memorial Park Cemetery
- Beverly Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104753 <2>
- Lincoln Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- First Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- St. Benedict Catholic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (333 more) ...
- Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Woods Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Kensington had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Kensington, with the one closest to Kensington listed first.
- Roseland
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Roseland is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseland
- Pullman
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Pullman is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pullman
- Gano
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Gano is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gano
- Riverdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Blue Island
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Blue Island is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Island
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22,616 people
- Berger
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Berger is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berger
- Hegewisch
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hegewisch is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hegewisch
- Stony Island
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Stony Island is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Island
- Washington Heights
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Washington Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Heights
- Morgan Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Morgan Park is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Park
- Burnham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Burnham is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,040 people
- Brainerd
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Brainerd is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brainerd
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Beverly Hills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Beverly Hills is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Hills
- Brookline
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Brookline is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookline
- Harvey
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Kensington. See our List of 1890's Communities around Kensington.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Kensington ...
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 96 newspapers that have been published in the area around Kensington.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Kensington. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Kensington and those printed in the larger area surrounding Kensington.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4> of Kensington.
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 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 Kensington:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Cook County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DuPage County
- Kankakee County
- Will County
- Lake County
- Porter 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 Kensington, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Kensington) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |