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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 Ohio (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 Ohio. 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.

Ohio is located in Bureau 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 Bureau County: Henry, La Salle, Lee, Marshall, Putnam, Stark & Whiteside.

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

  • Bureau County     (The home county of Ohio)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ohio, with the one closest to Ohio listed first.
    • Kasbeer
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Limerick
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Limerick is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limerick
    • Van Orin
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Greenoak
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Greenoak is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenoak
    • Walnut
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • La Moille
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Dover
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Malden
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Zearing
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Zearing is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zearing
    • Princeton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Arlington
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Manlius
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Carroll County
    • Hazelhurst
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Hazelhurst is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelhurst
  • Henry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ohio, with the one closest to Ohio listed first.
    • Hooppole
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Annawan
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Atkinson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • La Salle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ohio, with the one closest to Ohio listed first.
    • Mendota
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Troy Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Triumph
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Peru
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Peru is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,612 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Peru <1>
    • Waltham
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Waltham is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waltham
    • La Salle
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Cedar Point
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Earlville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Prairie Center
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Prairie Center is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Center
    • North Utica
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • North Utica is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Utica
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,333 people
    • Oglesby
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Utica
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Lee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ohio, with the one closest to Ohio listed first.
    • Amboy
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Harmon
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Sublette
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Eldena
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Inlet
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Inlet is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inlet
    • Lee Center
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • West Brooklyn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Nelson
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Dixon
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Nachusa
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • The Burg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • The Burg is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Burg
    • Compton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Ogle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ohio, with the one closest to Ohio listed first.
    • Woosung
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Carthage
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Carthage is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carthage
    • Flagg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Flagg is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flagg
    • Buffalo Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Buffalo Grove is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Grove
    • Polo
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Watertown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Watertown is located in Ogle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watertown
  • Putnam County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ohio, with the one closest to Ohio listed first.
    • Hennepin
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Mark
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Granville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Putnam
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Standard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • McNabb
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Mount Palatine
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Mount Palatine is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Palatine
  • Stark County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ohio, with the one closest to Ohio listed first.
    • Bradford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Osceola
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Osceola is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
  • Whiteside County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ohio, with the one closest to Ohio listed first.
    • Deer Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Tampico
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Rock Falls
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Sterling
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Galt
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Penrose
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Penrose is located in Whiteside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penrose
    • Prophetstown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Lyndon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Denrock
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Denrock is located in Whiteside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denrock
    • Coleta
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Pratt ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Pratt is located in Whiteside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
    • Malvern
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Malvern is located in Whiteside County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malvern

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

Cemeteries Near Ohio ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ohio.

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

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

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

  • Ohio Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Union Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • St. Mary's Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Limerick Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • North Prairie Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Van Orin Repose Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Red Oak Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • St. Patrick's Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Stevens Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Roggy Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Heatons Point Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Mason Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (224 more) ...
    • Williams Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Walnut Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Walnut Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Walnut.
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2184735 <2>
    • St. Mary's 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 Ohio had a population of 364 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Ohio had a population of 475 people.

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

  • Kasbeer
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Limerick
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Limerick is located in Bureau County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limerick
  • Van Orin
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Greenoak
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Greenoak is located in Bureau County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenoak
  • Walnut
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Dover
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • La Moille
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Malden
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Walton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Walton is located in Lee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walton
  • Manlius
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Princeton
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Harmon
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Arlington
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Amboy
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Deer Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Ohio ...

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 75 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ohio.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Ohio. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Ohio and those printed in the larger area surrounding Ohio.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4> of Ohio.

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 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 Ohio:

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