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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 Melrose (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 Melrose. 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.

Melrose is located in Adams 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 Adams County: Brown, Hancock, Pike, Schuyler, Lewis (MO) & Marion (MO).

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

  • Adams County     (The home county of Melrose)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melrose, with the one closest to Melrose listed first.
    • Quincy
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Marblehead
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Marblehead is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marblehead
    • Ewbanks
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Ewbanks is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewbanks
    • Burton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Burton is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burton
    • Fowler
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Payson
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Adams
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Adams is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
    • Fall Creek
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Fall Creek is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fall Creek
    • Ursa
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Paloma
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Mendon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Columbus
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Columbus is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbus
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 96 people
    • Plainville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Brown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melrose, with the one closest to Melrose listed first.
    • Mound Station
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Mound Station is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound Station
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
    • Timewell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Hancock County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melrose, with the one closest to Melrose listed first.
    • Chili
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Chili is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chili
    • Sutter
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Sutter is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sutter
    • West Point
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • West Point is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Point
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 165 people
    • Bowen
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Basco
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Warsaw
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Pike County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melrose, with the one closest to Melrose listed first.
    • Shepherd
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Shepherd is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shepherd
    • Spencer
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Spencer is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
    • Hull
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Kinderhook
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Barry
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • New Canton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • New Canton is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Canton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 338 people
    • Hadley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Hadley is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hadley
    • Baylis
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • El Dara
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Clark County (MO)
    • Saint Patrick
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Clark County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
  • Lewis County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melrose, with the one closest to Melrose listed first.
    • La Grange
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Maywood
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Maywood is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maywood
    • Weber
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Weber is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber
    • Durham
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Canton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Canton is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,314 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Canton <1>
    • Gilead
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Gilead is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
    • Sellers
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Sellers is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellers
    • Ewing
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Ewing is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ewing
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 427 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ewing <1>
    • Monticello
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Monticello is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
    • Argola
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Argola is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argola
    • Lewistown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • New Court Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • New Court Village is located in Lewis County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Court Village
  • Marion County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melrose, with the one closest to Melrose listed first.
    • Taylor
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Helton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Helton is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
    • Dodge City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Dodge City is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodge City
    • Palmyra
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Palmyra is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,578 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Palmyra <1>
    • Hannibal
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Hannibal is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hannibal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,246 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hannibal <1>
    • Cave City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Cave City is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cave City
    • Oakwood
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Oakwood is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
    • Philadelphia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Philadelphia is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
    • Nelsonville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Nelsonville is located in Marion County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelsonville
  • Monroe County (MO)
    • Monroe City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Pike County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melrose, with the one closest to Melrose listed first.
    • Ashburn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Ashburn is located in Pike County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashburn
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 52 people
    • Frankford
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Ralls County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melrose, with the one closest to Melrose listed first.
    • Rensselaer
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Rensselaer is located in Ralls County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rensselaer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
    • Saverton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Saverton is located in Ralls County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saverton
    • New London
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Center
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Center is located in Ralls County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 505 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Center <1>
    • The Landing
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • The Landing is located in Ralls County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Landing
  • Shelby County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melrose, with the one closest to Melrose listed first.
    • Emden
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Emden is located in Shelby County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emden
    • Hunnewell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Hunnewell is located in Shelby County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunnewell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people

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

Cemeteries Near Melrose ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Melrose.

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

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

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

  • Greenmount Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • St. Boniface Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Melrose Chapel Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Graceland Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Quincy National Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Peter Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Peters Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Woodland Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Quincy Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy Memorial Park
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Quincy Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Quincy.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107605 <2>
  • Valley of Peace Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (342 more) ...
    • Ehe Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Sunset Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • St. Anthonys Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 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 Melrose in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Melrose.

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

  • Quincy
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • West Quincy
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • West Quincy is located in Marion County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Quincy
  • Marblehead
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Marblehead is located in Adams County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marblehead
  • Burton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Burton is located in Adams County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burton
  • North River
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • North River is located in Marion County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North River
  • Taylor
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Helton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Helton is located in Marion County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helton
  • Payson
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Fowler
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Fall Creek
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Fall Creek is located in Adams County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fall Creek
  • Adams
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Adams is located in Adams County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
  • Palmyra
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Palmyra is located in Marion County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,578 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Palmyra <1>
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • La Grange
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Ursa
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • East Hannibal
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • East Hannibal is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hannibal

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

Newspapers Published in Melrose ...

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 112 newspapers that have been published in the area around Melrose.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Melrose, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Melrose.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Melrose:

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 Melrose, 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 from Point A (ie- Melrose) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.