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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 Lowder (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 Lowder. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Lowder is located in Sangamon 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 Sangamon County: Christian, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery & Morgan.

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

  • Sangamon County     (The home county of Lowder)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lowder, with the one closest to Lowder listed first.
    • Thayer
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Auburn
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Maxwell ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Maxwell is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
    • Loami
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Divernon
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Chatham
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Glenarm
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Commanche Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Commanche Village is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commanche Village
    • New Berlin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Curran
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Curran is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curran
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
    • Pawnee
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Berlin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Berlin is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 173 people
    • Woodside
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Woodside is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodside
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lowder, with the one closest to Lowder listed first.
    • Ashland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Gurney ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Gurney is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurney
    • Old Princeton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Old Princeton is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Princeton
    • Philadelphia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Philadelphia is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
    • Burlingame
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Burlingame is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
  • Christian County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lowder, with the one closest to Lowder listed first.
    • Zenobia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Zenobia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenobia
    • Tovey
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Tovey is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tovey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 467 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tovey <1>
    • Bulpitt
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Morrisonville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Jeisyville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Jeisyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeisyville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
    • Kincaid
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Palmer
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Clarksdale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Clarksdale is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksdale
    • Edinburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Langleyville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Langleyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langleyville
    • Sharpsburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Sharpsburg is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
    • Taylorville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Bolivia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Bolivia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivia
  • Greene County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lowder, with the one closest to Lowder listed first.
    • Greenfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Wrights
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Rockbridge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Roodhouse
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • White Hall
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lowder, with the one closest to Lowder listed first.
    • Virden
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Girard
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Modesto
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Nilwood
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Palmyra
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Standard City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Standard City is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standard City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
    • Scottville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Hettick
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Carlinville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Comer
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Comer is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comer
    • Hagaman
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Hagaman is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagaman
    • Chesterfield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Hornsby
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Hornsby is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornsby
  • Menard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lowder, with the one closest to Lowder listed first.
    • Tallula
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Athens
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lowder, with the one closest to Lowder listed first.
    • Farmersville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • White Oak
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • White Oak is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
    • Waggoner
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Harvel
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Raymond
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Shop Creek
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Shop Creek is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shop Creek
    • Honey Bend
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Honey Bend is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Bend
    • Litchfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Butler
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lowder, with the one closest to Lowder listed first.
    • Waverly
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Franklin
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Alexander
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Pisgah
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Pisgah is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
    • Arnold
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Arnold is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Woodson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Murrayville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • South Jacksonville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • South Jacksonville is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jacksonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,075 people
    • Jacksonville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Prentice
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Prentice is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentice
    • Literberry
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lynnville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Lynnville is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynnville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 113 people
    • Arcadia
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Arcadia is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
  • Scott County
    • Manchester
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Lowder ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lowder.

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

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

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

  • Virden City Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • West Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Oak Grove Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the northeast of Modesto.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107229 <3>
  • Cloud Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Pleasant Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Auburn Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Waverly East Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly East Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Waverly East Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Waverly.
    • The Waverly East Cemetery has also been known as:
    • East Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #555981 <3>
  • Conlee Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Campbell Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Campbell Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the south of Loami.
    • The Campbell Cemetery has also been known as:
    • John Campbell Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #517683 <3>
  • St. Sebastians Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Allis Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Pulliam Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (358 more) ...
    • Blue Grass Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Union Chapel Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Girard City Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)

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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Lowder had a population of 142 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Virden
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Rohrer
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Rohrer is located in Morgan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rohrer
  • Auburn
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Waverly
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Maxwell ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Maxwell is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
  • Loami
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Modesto
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Girard
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Nilwood
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Divernon
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Pawnee Junction
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Pawnee Junction is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pawnee Junction
  • Bates
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Bates is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bates
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Palmyra
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Thomasville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Thomasville is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomasville
    • Glenarm
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Lowder ...

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 91 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lowder.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Lowder, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Lowder.

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 Lowder:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Lowder) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Lowder, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.