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 Milford (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 Milford. 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 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.
Milford is located in Iroquois 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 Iroquois County: Ford, Kankakee, Vermilion, Benton (IN) & Newton (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Milford. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Milford:
- Iroquois County (The home county of Milford)
- The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Stockland
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Schwer
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Schwer is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwer
- Woodland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Wellington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Goodwine
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Claytonville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Woodworth
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Watseka
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cissna Park
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sheldon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Effner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Effner is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Effner
- Crescent City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Champaign County
- The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Penfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gifford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ludlow
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Paxton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Roberts
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Piper City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Melvin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Saint Anne
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Sammons Point
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- 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
- Hopkins Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Hopkins Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopkins Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 608 people
- Hopkins Park has also been known as:
- Hopkins Park village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hopkins Park <1>
- Otto
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Otto is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
- Vermilion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Hoopeston
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- East Lynn
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Coalton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Coalton is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalton
- Rankin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rossville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Alvin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Alvin is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Alvin has also been known as:
- Alvan Village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alvin <1>
- Henning
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Potomac
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Armstrong
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Bismarck
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Collison
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Illiana
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Illiana is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illiana
- Benton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Freeland Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Freeland Park is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeland Park
- Dunn ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Dunn is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
- Raub
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Raub is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raub
- Ambia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Ambia is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ambia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Earl Park
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Earl Park is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earl Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 342 people
- Talbot
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gravel Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Gravel Hill is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravel Hill
- Boswell
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Fowler
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Wadena
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Wadena is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wadena
- Atkinson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Atkinson is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson
- Oxford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Jasper County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Remington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Egypt
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Egypt is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egypt
- Newton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Kentland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Newton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Newton is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton
- Brook
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Goodland
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Beaver City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Beaver City is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver City
- Morocco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Foresman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Foresman is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foresman
- Mount Ayr
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Ayr is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Ayr
- Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
- Warren County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Pence
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pence is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pence
- Brisco ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Brisco is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisco
- Hedrick
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hedrick is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hedrick
- Sloan ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sloan is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sloan
- Pine Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chatterton ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Chatterton is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatterton
- West Lebanon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Lebanon is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 686 people
- Old Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Old Town is located in Warren County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Milford, see our County-by-County Page for Milford.
Cemeteries Near Milford ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Milford.
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 Milford - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Milford covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Old Milford Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Sugar Creek Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Vennum Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Amity Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Schwer Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Body Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Belmont Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Ash Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Old Apostolic Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (166 more) ...
- Keen Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Floral Hill Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Iroquois Memorial Park
(9 miles [14.5 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Milford had a population of 957 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Milford had a population of 1,155 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Milford, with the one closest to Milford listed first.
- Hickman
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Hickman is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickman
- Stockland
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Schwer
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Schwer is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schwer
- Goodwine
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wellington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Claytonville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Woodworth
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Woodworth is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Watseka
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Eastburn
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Eastburn is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastburn
- Cissna Park
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hoopeston
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Dunnington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Dunnington is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnington
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- East Lynn
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cheneyville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cheneyville is located in Vermilion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheneyville
- Raub
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Raub is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raub
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Milford. See our List of 1890's Communities around Milford.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Milford ...
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 176 newspapers that have been published in the area around Milford.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Milford. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Milford and those printed in the larger area surrounding Milford.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4> of Milford.
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 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 Milford:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Iroquois County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Champaign County
- Ford County
- Kankakee County
- Vermilion County
- Benton County
- Jasper County
- Newton County
- Warren 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 Milford, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Milford) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |