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 Lanton (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 Lanton. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.
Lanton is located in Moultrie 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 Moultrie County: Coles, Douglas, Macon, Piatt & Shelby.
Below are the counties that are near Lanton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Lanton:
- Moultrie County (The home county of Lanton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lanton, with the one closest to Lanton listed first.
- Lovington
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Lake City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Lake City is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- Cushman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Cushman is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushman
- Cadwell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cadwell is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadwell
- Dunn
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dunn is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
- Sullivan
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Bethany
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dalton City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Allenville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Allenville is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
- Coles
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Coles is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coles
- Gays
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Champaign County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lanton, with the one closest to Lanton listed first.
- Ivesdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Sadorus
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Pesotum
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Tolono
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Seymour
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bondville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Savoy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Philo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Staley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Staley is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Staley
- Longview
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Champaign
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Christian County
- Assumption
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Coles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lanton, with the one closest to Lanton listed first.
- Cooks Mills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cooks Mills is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Mills
- Humboldt
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Dorans
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Dorans is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorans
- Mattoon
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Magnet
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Magnet is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnet
- Bushton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bushton is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushton
- Rardin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Rardin is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rardin
- Lerna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Charleston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Trilla
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- De Witt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lanton, with the one closest to Lanton listed first.
- Weldon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Lane
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- De Witt
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- De Witt is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Witt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
- Rowell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Rowell is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowell
- Douglas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lanton, with the one closest to Lanton listed first.
- Arthur
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Garrett
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Garrett is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
- Chesterville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Chesterville is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterville
- Chicken Bristle
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Chicken Bristle is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicken Bristle
- Ficklin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Ficklin is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ficklin
- Arcola
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Tuscola
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Hayes
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Hayes is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayes
- Filson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Filson is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Filson
- Kemp
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Kemp is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kemp
- Patterson Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Patterson Springs is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson Springs
- Camargo
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Villa Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Villa Grove is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,414 people
- Macon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lanton, with the one closest to Lanton listed first.
- Casner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Casner is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casner
- Long Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Long Creek is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,262 people
- Hervey City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Hervey City is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hervey City
- Sangamon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sangamon is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sangamon
- Mount Zion
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Turpin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Turpin is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turpin
- Argenta
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Oreana
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Decatur
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Elwin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Forsyth
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Macon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Bearsdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Bearsdale is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearsdale
- Piatt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lanton, with the one closest to Lanton listed first.
- Hammond
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Burrowsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Burrowsville is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrowsville
- Lintner
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lintner is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lintner
- Voorhies
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Voorhies is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- La Place
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Atwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Milmine
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bement
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cerro Gordo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cisco
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Monticello
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- White Heath
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- De Land
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lanton, with the one closest to Lanton listed first.
- Findlay
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Yantisville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Yantisville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yantisville
- Windsor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Moweaqua
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Middlesworth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Middlesworth is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlesworth
- Sexson Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Sexson Corner is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexson Corner
- Shelbyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Strasburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Lanton, see our County-by-County Page for Lanton.
Cemeteries Near Lanton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lanton.
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 Lanton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Lanton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Lanton, with the one closest to Lanton listed first.
- Turner Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Hewitt Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hammond Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Keller Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- LaPlace Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- LaPlace Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pea Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Taylor Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Mackville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Moore Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- St. Isadora Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Yoder Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (286 more) ...
- Antioch Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Souther Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Seass Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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>
While we didn't find Lanton in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Lanton.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Lanton, with the one closest to Lanton listed first.
- Hammond
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Burrowsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Burrowsville is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrowsville
- Lovington
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Williamsburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Williamsburg is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
- Ullrich
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ullrich is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ullrich
- Lintner
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lintner is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lintner
- Fairbanks
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Fairbanks is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairbanks
- Voorhies
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Voorhies is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- La Place
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Lake City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Lake City is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- Cushman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Cushman is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushman
- Atwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Arthur
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Milmine
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Garrett
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Garrett is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Lanton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Lanton.
Newspapers Published in Lanton ...
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 203 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lanton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Lanton, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Lanton.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Lanton:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Moultrie County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Champaign County
- Christian County
- Coles County
- De Witt County
- Douglas County
- Macon County
- Piatt County
- Shelby 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 Lanton, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Lanton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |