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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 Oak Run (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 Oak Run. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Oak Run is located in Knox 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 Knox County: Fulton, Henry, Mercer, Peoria, Stark & Warren.

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

  • Knox County     (The home county of Oak Run)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Run, with the one closest to Oak Run listed first.
    • Appleton
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Appleton is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
    • Dahinda
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Victoria
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Knox
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Knox is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
    • Williamsfield
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Gilson
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Oneida
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Wataga
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Knoxville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • East Galesburg
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • East Galesburg is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Galesburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 761 people
    • Altona
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Galesburg
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Henderson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Bureau County
    • Neponset
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Fulton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Run, with the one closest to Oak Run listed first.
    • London Mills
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Farmington
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Fairview
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Ellisville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Norris
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Brereton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Brereton is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brereton
    • Bybee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Bybee is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bybee
    • Avon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Babylon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Babylon is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babylon
    • Fiatt
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Blyton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Blyton is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blyton
    • Canton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Breeds
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Breeds is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breeds
  • Henry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Run, with the one closest to Oak Run listed first.
    • Galva
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Bishop Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Woodhull
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Alpha
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Kewanee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Cambridge
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Ophiem
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Ophiem is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophiem
    • Andover
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Lynn Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Osco
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Orion
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Morristown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Morristown is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morristown
  • Marshall County
  • McDonough County
    • Prairie City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Prairie City is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
  • Mercer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Run, with the one closest to Oak Run listed first.
    • North Henderson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • New Windsor
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • New Windsor is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Windsor
    • Windsor
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Windsor is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 760 people
    • Alexis
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Griffin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Griffin is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin
    • Norwood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Norwood is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
    • Burgess
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Burgess is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burgess
    • Viola
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Gilchrist
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Gilchrist is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilchrist
    • Sherrard
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Peoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Run, with the one closest to Oak Run listed first.
    • Elmore
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Elmore is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
    • Laura
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Elmwood
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Monica
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Monica is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monica
    • Brimfield
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Princeville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Trivoli
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Dunlap
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Edwards
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Edelstein
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • West Hallock
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • West Hallock is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hallock
    • Hanna City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Orange Prairie
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Stark County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Run, with the one closest to Oak Run listed first.
    • West Jersey
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • West Jersey is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey
    • La Fayette
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Toulon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Wyoming
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Modena
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Modena is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
    • Speer
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Castleton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Osceola
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Osceola is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
    • Bradford
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oak Run, with the one closest to Oak Run listed first.
    • Surrey
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Surrey is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Surrey
    • Utah
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Utah is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utah
    • Shanghai City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Shanghai City is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanghai City
    • Cameron
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Berwick
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Gerlaw
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Monmouth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Eleanor
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Eleanor is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eleanor

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

Cemeteries Near Oak Run ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oak Run.

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 Oak Run - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Myers Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • West Truro Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Bradford Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Etherly Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Westfall Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Trenton Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Fink Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Old Scotch Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Van Gilder Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Corbin Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Parker Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (296 more) ...
    • Salem Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Garret Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Martin Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 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>

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

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

  • Appleton
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Appleton is located in Knox County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
  • Dahinda
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Truro
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Truro is located in Knox County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truro
  • Victoria
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Knox
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Knox is located in Knox County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
  • Gilson
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Williamsfield
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Knoxville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Elmore
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Elmore is located in Peoria County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
  • Oneida
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Wataga
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Altona
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Maquon
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Laura
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • West Jersey
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • West Jersey is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey

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

Newspapers Published in Oak Run ...

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 197 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oak Run.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Oak Run:

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 Oak Run, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Oak Run) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.