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 Koster (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 Koster. 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 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 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.
Koster is located in Kankakee 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 Kankakee County: Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Livingston, Will, Lake (IN) & Newton (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Koster. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Koster:
- Kankakee County (The home county of Koster)
- The following are listed by their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Sun River Terrace
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Sun River Terrace is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun River Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Hopkins Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hopkins Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopkins Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 608 people
- Hopkins Park has also been known as:
- Hopkins Park village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hopkins Park <1>
- Momence
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Saint Anne
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Aroma Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Litchfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Litchfield is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield
- Saint George
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Illiana Heights
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Illiana Heights is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illiana Heights
- Bradley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Kankakee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Grant Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Illinoi
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Illinoi is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Park Forest
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Richton Park
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- South Chicago Heights
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- South Chicago Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,957 people
- Chicago Heights
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Sauk Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Ford Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Matteson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Olympia Fields
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Flossmoor
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lynwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Cabery
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Kempton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Clarke City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Clarke City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
- East Brooklyn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Papineau
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Beaverville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Martinton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Chebanse
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Donovan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- L'Erable
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- L'Erable is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for L'Erable
- Clifton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Iroquois
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Ashkum
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Watseka
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Crescent City
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Effner
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Effner is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Effner
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Beecher
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Peotone
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Goodenow
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Goodenow is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Monee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Wilton Center
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wallingford
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Crete
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- University Park
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Custer Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Symerton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Steger
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Benton County (IN)
- Raub
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Raub is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raub
- Jasper County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Fair Oaks
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Forest City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Forest City is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- DeMotte
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- DeMotte is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeMotte
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,172 people
- DeMotte has also been known as:
- De Motte
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for DeMotte <1>
- Virgie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Virgie is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgie
- Rensselaer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Egypt
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Egypt is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egypt
- Stoutsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Stoutsburg is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoutsburg
- Collegeville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Collegeville is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collegeville
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Illinoi
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Illinoi is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Schneider
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Schneider is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schneider
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Shelby
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Shelby is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby
- Lowell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Dalecarlia
- Cedar Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Dinwiddie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Dinwiddie is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dinwiddie
- Saint John
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Crown Point
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Leroy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Leroy is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leroy
- Dyer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- 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>
- Hartsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Newton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Lake Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Sumava Resorts
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Morocco
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver City is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver City
- Roselawn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Roselawn is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselawn
- Thayer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Thayer is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Brook
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Ayr
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Ayr is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Ayr
- Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
- Foresman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Foresman is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foresman
- Kentland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Newton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Newton is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton
- Goodland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Porter County (IN)
- Hebron
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Koster, see our County-by-County Page for Koster.
Cemeteries Near Koster ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Koster.
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 Koster - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Koster covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Oakwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Concordia Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Leggtown Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Old Baptist Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Guiding Star Memorial Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Airy Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Rice - Bebe Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice - Bebe Cemetery
- The Rice - Bebe Cemetery has also been known as:
- Rice - Day Family Cemetery
- St. Anne Catholic Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Anne Twp. Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Anne Twp. Cemetery
- The St. Anne Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Anne Cemetery
- Shrontz Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Momence Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (220 more) ...
- Beebe Family Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beebe Family Cemetery
- The Beebe Family Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bebe Family Cemetery
- Beebe Cemetery
- Beebee Cemetery
- Beebetown Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104680 <2>
- Aroma Park Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bible Witness Camp Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
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, Koster had no post office or railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Koster, with the one closest to Koster listed first.
- Hopkins Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hopkins Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopkins Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 608 people
- Hopkins Park has also been known as:
- Hopkins Park village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hopkins Park <1>
- Saint Anne
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Momence
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Exline
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Exline is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exline
- Papineau
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Saint George
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Beaverville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Kankakee
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Grant Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Otto
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Otto is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
- Sherburnville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Martinton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Lake Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Greenwich
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Greenwich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwich
- Chebanse
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Koster. See our List of 1890's Communities around Koster.
Newspapers Published in Koster ...
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 50 newspapers that have been published in the area around Koster.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Koster, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Koster.
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 Koster:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Kankakee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- Ford County
- Grundy County
- Iroquois County
- Will County
- Benton County
- Jasper County
- Lake County
- Newton 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 Koster, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Koster) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |