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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 Keptown (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 Keptown. 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 hospitals and 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.

Keptown is located in Effingham 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 Effingham County: Clay, Cumberland, Fayette, Jasper & Shelby.

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

  • Effingham County     (The home county of Keptown)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keptown, with the one closest to Keptown listed first.
    • Dexter
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Dexter is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter
    • Funkhouser
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Funkhouser is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Funkhouser
    • Altamont
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Moccasin
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Moccasin is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moccasin
    • Gilmore
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Gilmore is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
    • Watson
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Heartville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Heartville is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heartville
    • Shumway
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Effingham
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Mason
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Mason is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 333 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mason <1>
    • Beecher City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Beecher City is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beecher City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 451 people
    • Edgewood
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Christian County
    • Pana
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Pana is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pana
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,327 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pana <1>
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keptown, with the one closest to Keptown listed first.
    • Iola
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Louisville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Ingraham
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Sailor Springs
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Flora
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Kenner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Kenner is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenner
    • Xenia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Coles County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keptown, with the one closest to Keptown listed first.
    • Trilla
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Magnet
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Magnet is located in Coles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnet
  • Cumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keptown, with the one closest to Keptown listed first.
    • Neoga
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Neoga is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neoga
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,585 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Neoga <1>
    • Jewett
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Walla Walla
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Walla Walla is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walla Walla
    • Toledo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Toledo is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toledo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,185 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Toledo <1>
    • Bradbury
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Bradbury is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradbury
    • Johnstown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Johnstown is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnstown
    • Greenup
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Janesville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keptown, with the one closest to Keptown listed first.
    • Howards Point ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Howards Point is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howards Point
    • Saint Elmo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Holliday
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Holliday is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holliday
    • La Clede
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • La Clede is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Clede
    • Avena
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Avena is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avena
    • Loogootee
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Brownstown
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Farina
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Saint Peter
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Paul
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Paul is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
    • Bluff City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Bluff City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Dressor
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Dressor is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dressor
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keptown, with the one closest to Keptown listed first.
    • Wheeler
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Lis
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Lis is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lis
    • Bogota
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Bogota is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogota
    • Newton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Falmouth
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Falmouth is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falmouth
    • Hidalgo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Rose Hill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Rose Hill is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keptown, with the one closest to Keptown listed first.
    • Kinmundy
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Omega
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Omega is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omega
    • Alma
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Vernon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Moultrie County
    • Gays
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Gays is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gays <1>
  • Richland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keptown, with the one closest to Keptown listed first.
    • Wakefield
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Wakefield is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakefield
    • Passport
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Passport is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Passport
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Keptown, with the one closest to Keptown listed first.
    • Stewardson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Mode
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Mode is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mode
    • Sigel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Fancher
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Fancher is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancher
    • Cowden
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Trowbridge
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Trowbridge is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trowbridge
    • Strasburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Herrick
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Lakewood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Lakewood is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Sexson Corner
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Sexson Corner is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexson Corner
    • Middlesworth
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Middlesworth is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlesworth
    • Shelbyville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Keptown ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Keptown.

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

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

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

  • Fremington Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Miller Chapel Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Funkhouser Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Little Prairie Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Porter Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Arborcrest Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • McCoy Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • German Methodist Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • New Salem Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Old Salem Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (489 more) ...
    • Turner Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Ewington Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Brown Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 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 Keptown in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Keptown.

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

  • Dexter
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Dexter is located in Effingham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter
  • Funkhouser
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Funkhouser is located in Effingham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Funkhouser
  • Blue Point
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Blue Point is located in Effingham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Point
  • Altamont
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Gilmore
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Gilmore is located in Effingham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
  • Watson
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Moccasin
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Moccasin is located in Effingham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moccasin
  • Effingham
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Shumway
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Mason
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Mason is located in Effingham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 333 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mason <1>
  • Beecher City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Beecher City is located in Effingham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beecher City
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 451 people
  • Saint Elmo
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Edgewood
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Teutopolis
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Saint James
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint James is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint James

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

Newspapers Published in Keptown ...

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 102 newspapers that have been published in the area around Keptown.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Keptown, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Keptown.

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 Keptown:

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 Keptown, 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- Keptown) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.