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 Lewistown (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 Lewistown. 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.
Lewistown is located in Fulton County and is the County Seat.
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 Fulton County: Knox, Mason, McDonough, Peoria, Schuyler, Tazewell & Warren.
Below are the counties that are near Lewistown. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Lewistown:
- Fulton County (The home county of Lewistown)
- The following are listed by their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- Sepo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sepo is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
- Bryant
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Cuba
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Liverpool
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Saint David
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dunfermline
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Smithfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ipava
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Summum
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Summum is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summum
- Fiatt
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Marbletown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Marbletown is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
- Canton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Blyton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Blyton is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blyton
- Cass County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- Chandlerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Newmansville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Newmansville is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
- Sylvan ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Sylvan is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
- Bluff Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Oak Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Grove is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Jules
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Jules is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jules
- Virginia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Beardstown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Knox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- Saint Augustine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Maquon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Yates City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- De Long
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- De Long is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Long
- Abingdon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mason County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- Buzzville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Buzzville is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzville
- Havana
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Goofy Ridge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Goofy Ridge is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goofy Ridge
- Topeka
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Long Branch
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Long Branch is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
- Bath
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Poplar City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Forest City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Forest City is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
- Union
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Union is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Kilbourne
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Manito
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Snicarte
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Snicarte is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snicarte
- Easton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- McDonough County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- New Philadelphia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- New Philadelphia is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Philadelphia
- Adair
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Bushnell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Prairie City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Prairie City is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
- Bardolph
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Industry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Doddsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Doddsville is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doddsville
- East Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- East Village is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Village
- University Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- University Village is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Village
- Lamone Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Lamone Village is located in McDonough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamone Village
- Macomb
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Good Hope
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Menard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- Oakford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Greenview
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Peoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- Glasford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Kingston Mines
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Mapleton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Trivoli
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hanna City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Elmwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Bartonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Schuyler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- Bluff City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Bluff City is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Bader
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Bader is located in Schuyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bader
- Browning
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Frederick
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Littleton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rushville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- Radville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Radville is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radville
- Talbott
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Talbott is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talbott
- Parkland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Parkland is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland
- Stoehrs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Stoehrs is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoehrs
- Green Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Powerton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Powerton is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powerton
- Midway
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Midway is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- South Pekin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- South Pekin is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Pekin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,081 people
- Winkel ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Winkel is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkel
- Crescent
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Crescent is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
- Hawley ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hawley is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawley
- Schaeferville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Schaeferville is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schaeferville
- Pekin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Warren County
- Youngstown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Youngstown is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngstown
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Lewistown, see our County-by-County Page for Lewistown.
Cemeteries Near Lewistown ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lewistown.
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 Lewistown - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Lewistown covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- St. Marys Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- McNeil Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Waterford Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Wright Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Freeman Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Connor Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Salem Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Providence Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Maryville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Engle Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (366 more) ...
- Smith Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Foutch Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cuba Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
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 Lewistown had a population of 2,166 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Lewistown had a population of 2,096 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Lewistown, with the one closest to Lewistown listed first.
- Sepo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sepo is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
- Bryant
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Cuba
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Maples Mill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Maples Mill is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maples Mill
- Havana
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Liverpool
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Saint David
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bernadotte ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Bernadotte is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernadotte
- Ipava
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Dunfermline
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Civer ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Civer is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Civer
- Smithfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Summum
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Summum is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summum
- Marbletown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Marbletown is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
- Matanzas
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Matanzas is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matanzas
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Lewistown. See our List of 1890's Communities around Lewistown.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Lewistown ...
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 183 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lewistown.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Lewistown. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Lewistown and those printed in the larger area surrounding Lewistown.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4> of Lewistown.
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 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 Lewistown:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Fulton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cass County
- Knox County
- Mason County
- McDonough County
- Menard County
- Peoria County
- Schuyler County
- Tazewell County
- Warren 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 Lewistown, 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- Lewistown) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |