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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 Kewanee (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 Kewanee. 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 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.

Kewanee is located in Henry 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 Henry County: Bureau, Knox, Mercer, Rock Island, Stark & Whiteside.

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

  • Henry County     (The home county of Kewanee)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kewanee, with the one closest to Kewanee listed first.
    • Galva
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Annawan
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Bishop Hill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Atkinson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Cambridge
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Geneseo
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Hooppole
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Andover
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Osco
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Morristown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Morristown is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morristown
    • Woodhull
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Lynn Center
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
  • Bureau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kewanee, with the one closest to Kewanee listed first.
    • Neponset
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Mineral
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Sheffield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Buda
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Milo
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Milo is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
    • Wyanet
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Manlius
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Tiskilwa
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • New Bedford
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Yorktown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Yorktown is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorktown
    • Princeton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Walnut
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Knox County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kewanee, with the one closest to Kewanee listed first.
    • Altona
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Victoria
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Oneida
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Williamsfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Dahinda
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Wataga
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Appleton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Appleton is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
    • Henderson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Rio
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Knox
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Knox is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
    • East Galesburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • East Galesburg is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Galesburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 761 people
    • Gilson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kewanee, with the one closest to Kewanee listed first.
    • Camp Grove
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Sparland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Henry
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Henry is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,230 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Henry <1>
    • Hopewell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Hopewell is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
    • Lacon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Lacon is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,713 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lacon <1>
  • Mercer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kewanee, with the one closest to Kewanee listed first.
    • New Windsor
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • New Windsor is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Windsor
    • Windsor
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Windsor is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 760 people
    • Griffin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Griffin is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin
    • North Henderson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Sherrard
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Peoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kewanee, with the one closest to Kewanee listed first.
    • Elmore
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Elmore is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
    • Laura
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Monica
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Monica is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monica
    • Princeville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Edelstein
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • West Hallock
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • West Hallock is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hallock
    • Brimfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Dunlap
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Putnam County
  • Rock Island County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kewanee, with the one closest to Kewanee listed first.
    • Rustic Acres
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Rustic Acres is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rustic Acres
    • Joslin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Joslin is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joslin
    • Hillsdale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Barstow
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Carbon Cliff
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Silvis
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Silvis is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silvis
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,473 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Silvis <1>
  • Stark County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kewanee, with the one closest to Kewanee listed first.
    • Osceola
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Osceola is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
    • La Fayette
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Toulon
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Modena
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Modena is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
    • Bradford
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Castleton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Wyoming
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • West Jersey
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • West Jersey is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey
    • Speer
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Whiteside County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Kewanee, with the one closest to Kewanee listed first.
    • Tampico
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Deer Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Prophetstown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Erie
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Erie is located in Whiteside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,482 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Erie <1>

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

Cemeteries Near Kewanee ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Kewanee.

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

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

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

  • Wethersfield Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • South Pleasant View Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Pleasant View Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Old Kewanee Public Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Mt. Olivet Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Orthodox Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Evergreen Memory Garden Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • St. Michael Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Garden of Peace Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Pace Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Cavanagh Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Cosner Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (252 more) ...
    • St. Johns Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Saxon Community Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Elmira Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Kewanee had a population of 4,569 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Kewanee had a population of 12,174 people.

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

  • Saxon ‑ Historic
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Saxon is located in Henry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxon
  • Elmira
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Galva
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Osceola
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Osceola is located in Stark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
  • Neponset
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • La Fayette
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Bishop Hill
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Toulon
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Mineral
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Annawan
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Modena
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Modena is located in Stark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
  • Waldron ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Waldron is located in Stark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldron
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Ulah
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Ulah is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ulah
    • Atkinson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Sheffield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Kewanee ...

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 92 newspapers that have been published in the area around Kewanee.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Kewanee. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Kewanee and those printed in the larger area surrounding Kewanee.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Kewanee.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Kewanee:

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 Kewanee, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Kewanee) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.