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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 Lost Nation (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 Lost Nation. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Lost Nation is located in Ogle 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 Ogle County: Carroll, DeKalb, Lee, Stephenson, Whiteside & Winnebago.

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

  • Ogle County     (The home county of Lost Nation)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lost Nation, with the one closest to Lost Nation listed first.
    • Carthage
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Carthage is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carthage
    • Watertown
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Watertown is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watertown
    • Oregon
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Honey Creek
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Honey Creek is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Creek
    • Chana
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Woosung
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Mount Morris
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Flagg
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Flagg is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flagg
    • Flagg Center
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Flagg Center is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flagg Center
    • Polo
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Buffalo Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Buffalo Grove is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Grove
    • Haldane
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Haldane is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haldane
  • Boone County
    • Irene
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Irene is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irene
  • Bureau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lost Nation, with the one closest to Lost Nation listed first.
    • Ohio
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Van Orin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • La Moille
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Walnut
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Kasbeer
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Greenoak
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Greenoak is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenoak
    • Limerick
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Limerick is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limerick
    • Arlington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Carroll County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lost Nation, with the one closest to Lost Nation listed first.
    • Hazelhurst
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Hazelhurst is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelhurst
    • South Elkhorn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • South Elkhorn is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elkhorn
    • Hitt
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Hitt is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hitt
    • Elkhorn Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Elkhorn Grove is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn Grove
    • Milledgeville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Shannon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Lanark
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Chadwick
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Georgetown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Georgetown is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
    • Zier Cors
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Zier Cors is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zier Cors
    • Fair Haven
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Fair Haven is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fair Haven
  • DeKalb County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lost Nation, with the one closest to Lost Nation listed first.
    • Esmond
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Malta
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Fairdale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Fairdale is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
    • Shabbona
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Clare
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Kirkland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Shabbona Grove
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Shabbona Grove is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shabbona Grove
    • Elva
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Elva is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elva
  • La Salle County
    • Mendota
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Lee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lost Nation, with the one closest to Lost Nation listed first.
    • Nachusa
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Franklin Grove
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Dixon
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Ashton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Eldena
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Amboy
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Lee Center
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Inlet
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Inlet is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inlet
    • Prairieville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Prairieville is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
    • Nelson
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Harmon
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Steward
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
  • Stephenson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lost Nation, with the one closest to Lost Nation listed first.
    • German Valley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Florence
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Florence is located in Stephenson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
    • Ridott
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Bolton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Bolton is located in Stephenson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolton
    • Freeport
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Whiteside County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lost Nation, with the one closest to Lost Nation listed first.
    • Penrose
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Penrose is located in Whiteside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penrose
    • Rock Falls
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Sterling
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Galt
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Coleta
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Deer Grove
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Malvern
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Malvern is located in Whiteside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malvern
    • White Pigeon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • White Pigeon is located in Whiteside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Pigeon
    • Tampico
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Winnebago County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lost Nation, with the one closest to Lost Nation listed first.
    • Seward
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Alworth
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Alworth is located in Winnebago County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alworth
    • New Millford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • New Millford is located in Winnebago County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Millford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
    • Winnebago
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Indian Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Indian Village is located in Winnebago County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
    • North Park
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • North Park is located in Winnebago County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Park
    • Pecatonica
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Rockford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Wempletown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Wempletown is located in Winnebago County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wempletown
    • Cherry Valley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Lost Nation ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lost Nation.

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 Lost Nation - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Grand Detour Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Girton Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Oak Ridge Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Mt. Union Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Lighthouse Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Emmert Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Franklin Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Washington Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Daysville Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • County Farm Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Dixon State School Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (231 more) ...
    • Burket Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Chapel Hill Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • St. Mary's 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.<2>

While we didn't find Lost Nation in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Lost Nation.

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

  • Grand Detour
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Nachusa
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Franklin Grove
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Daysville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Daysville is located in Ogle County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daysville
  • Dixon
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Honey Creek
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Honey Creek is located in Ogle County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Creek
  • Oregon
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Ashton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Chana
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Stratford
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Stratford is located in Ogle County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stratford
  • Eldena
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Woosung
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Mount Morris
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Flagg
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Flagg is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flagg
    • Amboy
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in Lost Nation ...

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 182 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lost Nation.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Lost Nation, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Lost Nation.

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 Lost Nation:

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>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 Lost Nation, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Lost Nation) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.