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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 Nekoma (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 Nekoma. 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 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.

Nekoma is located in Henry 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 Henry County: Bureau, Knox, Mercer, Rock Island, Stark & Whiteside.

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

  • Henry County     (The home county of Nekoma)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nekoma, with the one closest to Nekoma listed first.
    • Bishop Hill
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Woodhull
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Galva
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Cambridge
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Andover
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Alpha
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Ophiem
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Ophiem is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophiem
    • Osco
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Lynn Center
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Kewanee
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Orion
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Morristown
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Morristown is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morristown
    • Atkinson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Bureau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nekoma, with the one closest to Nekoma listed first.
    • Neponset
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Mineral
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Sheffield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Buda
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Knox County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nekoma, with the one closest to Nekoma listed first.
    • Altona
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Oneida
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Victoria
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Wataga
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Rio
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Henderson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Henderson Grove
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Henderson Grove is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson Grove
    • Appleton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Appleton is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
    • Knox
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Knox is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
    • Dahinda
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • East Galesburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • East Galesburg is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Galesburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 761 people
    • Knoxville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Galesburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
  • Marshall County
  • Mercer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nekoma, with the one closest to Nekoma listed first.
    • New Windsor
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • New Windsor is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Windsor
    • Windsor
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Windsor is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 760 people
    • North Henderson
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Griffin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Griffin is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin
    • Sherrard
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Alexis
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Viola
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Preemption
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Gilchrist
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Gilchrist is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilchrist
    • Matherville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Burgess
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Burgess is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burgess
    • Shale City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Shale City is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shale City
    • Norwood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Norwood is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
  • Peoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nekoma, with the one closest to Nekoma listed first.
    • Elmore
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Elmore is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
    • Laura
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Monica
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Monica is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monica
    • Brimfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Princeville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Elmwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Rock Island County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nekoma, with the one closest to Nekoma listed first.
    • Rustic Acres
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Rustic Acres is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rustic Acres
    • Coal Valley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Carbon Cliff
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Barstow
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Coyne Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Coyne Center is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coyne Center
    • Oak Grove
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Oak Grove is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 585 people
    • Silvis
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Silvis is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silvis
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,473 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Silvis <1>
    • Joslin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Joslin is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joslin
    • East Moline
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • East Moline is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Moline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 20,473 people
    • Milan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Milan is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,945 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Milan <1>
    • Reynolds
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Hampton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hampton is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,738 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hampton <1>
    • Moline
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Moline is located in Rock Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41,065 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moline <1>
  • Stark County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nekoma, with the one closest to Nekoma listed first.
    • La Fayette
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Toulon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • West Jersey
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • West Jersey is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey
    • Osceola
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Osceola is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
    • Modena
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Modena is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
    • Wyoming
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Castleton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Bradford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Speer
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nekoma, with the one closest to Nekoma listed first.
    • Shanghai City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Shanghai City is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanghai City
    • Utah
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Utah is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utah
    • Surrey
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Surrey is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Surrey
    • Cameron
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Gerlaw
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Eleanor
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Eleanor is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eleanor
    • Monmouth
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Scott County (IA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nekoma, with the one closest to Nekoma listed first.
    • Riverdale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Riverdale is located in Scott County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 398 people
    • Panorama Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Panorama Park is located in Scott County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panorama Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 331 people
    • Pleasant Valley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Le Claire
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Bettendorf
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Nekoma ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Nekoma.

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

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

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

  • Red Oak Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Piatt Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Altona Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Larson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Bishop Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Clover Chapel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Walnut Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Oneida Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Woodhull Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • St. John the Apostle Parish Cemetery (New)
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Galva Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • McNay Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (294 more) ...
    • Rose Dale Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Ontario Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • St. Johns Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Nekoma had a population of 151 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Altona
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Bishop Hill
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Oneida
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Galva
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Ulah
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Ulah is located in Henry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ulah
  • Ontario
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Ontario is located in Knox County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
  • Cambridge
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Andover
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Victoria
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Alpha
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Rio
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Wataga
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Osco
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • La Fayette
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Lynn Center
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Nekoma ...

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 68 newspapers that have been published in the area around Nekoma.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Nekoma, 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 Nekoma.

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 Nekoma:

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