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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 Limestone (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 Limestone. 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 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.

Limestone 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 Limestone. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Limestone:

  • Kankakee County     (The home county of Limestone)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Limestone, with the one closest to Limestone listed first.
    • Kankakee
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Irwin
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Irwin is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
    • Bourbonnais
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Otto
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Otto is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
    • Goodrich
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
    • Bradley
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Bonfield
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Aroma Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Sammons Point
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Sammons Point is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sammons Point
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 237 people
      • Sammons Point has also been known as:
      • Sammons Point village
    • Herscher
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint George
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint George is located in Kankakee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
    • Union Hill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Manteno
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Cook County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Limestone, with the one closest to Limestone listed first.
    • Richton Park
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Matteson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Park Forest
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Olympia Fields
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
    • South Chicago Heights
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • 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
  • Ford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Limestone, with the one closest to Limestone listed first.
    • Cabery
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Kempton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Piper City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Limestone, with the one closest to Limestone listed first.
    • Clarke City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Clarke City is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
    • East Brooklyn
      (17 miles [27.4 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
    • South Wilmington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • South Wilmington is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wilmington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
    • Braceville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Central City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Central City is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
    • Diamond
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Gardner
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Centerville ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Centerville is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
    • Coal City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Carbon Hill
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
    • Channahon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Mazon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Claypool
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Claypool is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
  • Iroquois County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Limestone, with the one closest to Limestone listed first.
    • Chebanse
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Clifton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • L'Erable
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • L'Erable is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for L'Erable
    • Papineau
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Ashkum
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Martinton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Beaverville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Danforth
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Donovan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Crescent City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Gilman
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • La Hogue
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • La Hogue is located in Iroquois County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Hogue
    • Watseka
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Livingston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Limestone, with the one closest to Limestone listed first.
    • Cardiff
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Cardiff is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
    • Campus
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Cullom
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Emington
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Dwight
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Dwight is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwight
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,984 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dwight <1>
    • Griswold
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Griswold is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griswold
    • Charlotte
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Charlotte is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlotte
    • Saunemin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Eylar
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Eylar is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eylar
    • Chatsworth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Odell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Odell is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 957 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Odell <1>
    • Sunbury
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Sunbury is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
  • Will County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Limestone, with the one closest to Limestone listed first.
    • Custer Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Custer Park is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
    • Symerton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Symerton is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
    • Lakewood Shores
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Lakewood Shores is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Shores
    • Wilton Center
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Wilmington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Wilmington is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
    • Wallingford
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Wallingford is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
    • Peotone
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Braidwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Godley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Godley is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 771 people
    • Manhattan
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Elwood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Blodgett
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Blodgett is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
    • Beecher
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
  • Lake County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Limestone, with the one closest to Limestone listed first.
    • Illinoi
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Illinoi is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
    • Schneider
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Schneider is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schneider
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
    • Lowell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lowell is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,137 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lowell <1>
  • Newton County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Limestone, with the one closest to Limestone listed first.
    • Lake Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
    • Sumava Resorts
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Morocco
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Morocco is located in Newton County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morocco
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,086 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Morocco <1>

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

Cemeteries Near Limestone ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Limestone.

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

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

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

  • Limestone Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone Cemetery
    • The Limestone Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Hawkins Cemetery
  • Van Meter Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Maternity Blessed Virgin Mary Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • All Saint Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Mt. Hope Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • St. James Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Old State Hospital Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • State Hospital Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Calvary Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Mound Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • St. Rose Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Rose Cemetery
    • The St. Rose Cemetery has also been known as:
    • St. Rose Catholic Cemetery
    • St. Rose of Lima Cemetery
  • Schreffler Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (231 more) ...
    • Smith Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Maple Grove Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Bonfield Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)

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 Limestone in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Limestone.

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

  • Greenwich
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Greenwich is located in Kankakee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwich
  • Irwin
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Irwin is located in Kankakee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
  • Kankakee
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Otto
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Otto is located in Kankakee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
  • Goodrich
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
  • Bonfield
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Herscher
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Chebanse
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Exline
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Exline is located in Kankakee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exline
  • Deselm
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Deselm is located in Kankakee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deselm
  • Saint George
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Saint George is located in Kankakee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
  • Union Hill
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Buckingham
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Clifton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Ritchie
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Ritchie is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritchie

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

Newspapers Published in Limestone ...

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 30 newspapers that have been published in the area around Limestone.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Limestone, 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 Limestone.

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 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 Limestone:

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