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 McKinley (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 McKinley. 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 and 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.
McKinley is located in Washington 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 Washington County: Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, Perry, Randolph & Saint Clair.
Below are the counties that are near McKinley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to McKinley:
- Washington County (The home county of McKinley)
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Oakdale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Elkton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Elkton is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Caspars
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Caspars is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caspars
- Clarmin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Clarmin is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarmin
- Stone Church
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Stone Church is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone Church
- Posen
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Posen is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posen
- Addieville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Nashville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Venedy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Venedy is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venedy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 130 people
- Okawville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- New Minden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- New Minden is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Minden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
- Du Bois
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Du Bois is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Du Bois
- Population from the 2020 Census: 189 people
- Radom
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- New Memphis
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Damiansville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Damiansville is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Damiansville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 484 people
- Albers
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bartelso
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Germantown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- New Baden
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Posey
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Posey is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posey
- Beckemeyer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Breese
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Trenton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Hoffman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Aviston
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Carlyle
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Sesser
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Mulkeytown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Coello
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Campbell Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Ava
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Degognia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Degognia is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Degognia
- Vergennes
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Oraville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Dowell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Elkville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hallidayboro
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hallidayboro is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallidayboro
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Scheller
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Roaches
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Roaches is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roaches
- Waltonville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Emerson City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Emerson City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerson City
- Woodlawn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Fitzgerrell ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Fitzgerrell is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitzgerrell
- Jefferson City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Jefferson City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson City
- Monroe County
- Hecker
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Winkle
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Winkle is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkle
- Conant
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Conant is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conant
- Cutler
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Pinckneyville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Denmark
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Denmark is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
- Willisville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Tamaroa
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Pyatts
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Pyatts is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pyatts
- Sunfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sunfield is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunfield
- Saint Johns
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Johns is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Johns
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Du Quoin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Du Quoin is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Du Quoin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,591 people
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Coulterville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tilden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Sparta
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Houston
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Houston is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston
- Percy
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Steeleville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Blair
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Blair is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
- Baldwin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Preston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Preston is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
- Walsh
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Walsh is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walsh
- Shiloh Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Shiloh Hill is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh Hill
- Bremen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Welge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Welge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welge
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Marissa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Saint Libory
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lenzburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Fayetteville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fayetteville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 336 people
- New Athens
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- New Athens is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Athens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,865 people
- Lementon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lementon is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lementon
- Mascoutah
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Freeburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Smithton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Summerfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lebanon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Shiloh
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Belleville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to McKinley, see our County-by-County Page for McKinley.
Cemeteries Near McKinley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of McKinley.
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 McKinley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for McKinley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Oak Dale Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Coulterville City Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Maxwell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Pilot Knob Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Elkhorn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Spring Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Cordes Evangelical Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tilden City Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- St. Peters Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Salem Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (378 more) ...
- Chapman Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- St. Damian Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Concord Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
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 McKinley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of McKinley.
These communities are listed based on their distance from McKinley, with the one closest to McKinley listed first.
- Oakdale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Coulterville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Swanwick
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Swanwick is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swanwick
- Lively Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lively Grove is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lively Grove
- Tilden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Caspars
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Caspars is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caspars
- Stone Church
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Stone Church is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone Church
- Plum Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Plum Hill is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Hill
- Sparta
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Johannisburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Johannisburg is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johannisburg
- Nashville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Addieville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Marissa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Conant
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Conant is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conant
- Venedy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Venedy is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venedy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 130 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around McKinley. See our List of 1890's Communities around McKinley.
Newspapers Published in McKinley ...
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 165 newspapers that have been published in the area around McKinley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of McKinley, 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 McKinley.
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 McKinley:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Washington County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clinton County
- Franklin County
- Jackson County
- Jefferson County
- Monroe County
- Perry County
- Randolph County
- Saint Clair 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 McKinley, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- McKinley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |