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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

So far, we found very little information about New Salem. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>

We've added New Salem to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with New Salem, please Contact Us.

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 New Salem (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 New Salem. 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 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.

Although our information shows that the community of New Salem is historic, it would have been located within present day Menard 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 Menard County: Cass, Logan, Mason & Sangamon.

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

  • Menard County     (The home county of New Salem)
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Salem, with the one closest to New Salem listed first.
    • Petersburg
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Tallula
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Athens
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Greenview
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Oakford
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Croft
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Croft is located in Menard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croft
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Salem, with the one closest to New Salem listed first.
    • Newmansville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Newmansville is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
    • Ashland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Gurney ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Gurney is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurney
    • Sylvan ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Sylvan is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
    • Philadelphia
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Philadelphia is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
    • Chandlerville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Burlingame
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Burlingame is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Old Princeton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Old Princeton is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Princeton
    • Virginia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Jules
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Jules is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jules
    • Bluff Springs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Arenzville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Hagener
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Hagener is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagener
  • Fulton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Salem, with the one closest to New Salem listed first.
    • Marbletown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Marbletown is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
    • Liverpool
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Sepo
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Sepo is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
    • Summum
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Summum is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summum
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Salem, with the one closest to New Salem listed first.
    • Middletown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Elkhart
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • New Holland
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Broadwell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Broadwell is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
    • Cornland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Lake Fork
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Lincoln
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Chestervale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Chestervale is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestervale
    • Bell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Bell is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
    • Hartsburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Mount Pulaski
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Emden
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Evans
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Evans is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Salem, with the one closest to New Salem listed first.
    • Kilbourne
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • White City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • White City is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
    • Easton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Teheran
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Teheran is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teheran
    • Mason City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Poplar City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Long Branch
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Long Branch is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
    • Bath
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Snicarte
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Snicarte is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snicarte
    • Natrona
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Natrona is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
    • Topeka
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Havana
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • San Jose
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Salem, with the one closest to New Salem listed first.
    • Prentice
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Prentice is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentice
    • Alexander
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Literberry
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Arcadia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Arcadia is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
    • Arnold
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Arnold is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Franklin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Jacksonville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Pisgah
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Pisgah is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
    • Waverly
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • South Jacksonville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • South Jacksonville is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jacksonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,075 people
    • Concord
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Sangamon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Salem, with the one closest to New Salem listed first.
    • Salisbury
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Salisbury is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
    • Pleasant Plains
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Cantrall
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Pasfield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Pasfield is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pasfield
    • Sherman
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Williamsville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Berlin
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Berlin is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 173 people
    • Ridgely
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Ridgely is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
    • Curran
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Curran is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curran
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
    • Grandview
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Grandview is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,369 people
    • Hawthorne Place
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Hawthorne Place is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne Place
    • Jerome
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Jerome is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,575 people
    • Leland Grove
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Leland Grove is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,451 people
  • Schuyler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from New Salem, with the one closest to New Salem listed first.
    • Bluff City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Bluff City is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Browning
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Bader
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Bader is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bader
  • Tazewell County
    • Winkel ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Winkel is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkel

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

Cemeteries Near New Salem ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of New Salem.

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 New Salem - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Oakland Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • St. Petersburg Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Farmers Point Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Hickory Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Baker Prairie #1 Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Baker Prairie #2 Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Rose Hill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Cogdal Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Park Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Old Concord Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Hornback Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (343 more) ...
    • Hash Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • White Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Harrison Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 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.

While we didn't find New Salem in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of New Salem.

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

  • Tice
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Tice is located in Menard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tice
  • Petersburg
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Hill Top
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Hill Top is located in Menard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill Top
  • Loyd
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Loyd is located in Menard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loyd
  • Tallula
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Salisbury
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Salisbury is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
  • Athens
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Curtis
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Curtis is located in Menard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtis
  • Atterberry
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Atterberry is located in Menard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atterberry
  • Pleasant Plains
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Richland
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Richland is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
  • Cantrall
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Sweet Water
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Sweet Water is located in Menard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweet Water
    • Greenview
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Newmansville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Newmansville is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville

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

Newspapers Published in New Salem ...

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 54 newspapers that have been published in the area around New Salem.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of New Salem, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for New Salem.

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 helpful websites 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 New Salem:

Footnotes ...

<1>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 New Salem, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- New Salem) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.