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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 Old Ripley (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 Old Ripley. 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 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 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.

Old Ripley is located in Bond 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 Bond County: Clinton, Fayette, Madison & Montgomery.

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

  • Bond County     (The home county of Old Ripley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Ripley, with the one closest to Old Ripley listed first.
    • Pocahontas
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Reno
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Reno is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
    • Sorento
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Pierron
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Greenville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Smithboro
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Pleasant Mound
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
    • Mulberry Grove
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
  • Clinton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Ripley, with the one closest to Old Ripley listed first.
    • Saint Rose
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Saint Rose is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Rose
    • Marydale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Marydale is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marydale
    • Aviston
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Breese
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Keyesport
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Trenton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Beckemeyer
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Carlyle
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Germantown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Boulder
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Boulder is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder
    • Albers
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Huey
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Huey is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Huey <1>
    • Bartelso
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Ripley, with the one closest to Old Ripley listed first.
    • Hagarstown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Bingham
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Vandalia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Shobonier
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Bayle City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Bayle City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayle City
    • Bluff City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Bluff City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Ramsey
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Ripley, with the one closest to Old Ripley listed first.
    • Mount Olive
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Staunton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • White City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • White City is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 230 people
    • Lake Ka-ho
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Ka-ho is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ka-ho
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
      • Lake Ka-ho has also been known as:
      • Lake Ka-Ho village
    • Sawyerville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Benld
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Benld is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benld
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,406 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Benld <1>
    • Eagarville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Clare
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Mount Clare is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Clare
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 262 people
    • Wilsonville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Gillespie
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Dorchester
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Dorchester is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
    • East Gillespie
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • East Gillespie is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gillespie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
    • Hornsby
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Hornsby is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornsby
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Ripley, with the one closest to Old Ripley listed first.
    • Grantfork
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Grantfork is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantfork
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
    • New Douglas
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Alhambra
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Livingston
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Highland
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Williamson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Sebastopol
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Sebastopol is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sebastopol
    • Marine
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Hamel
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Worden
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Saint Jacob
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Fruit
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Fruit is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruit
    • Prairietown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Prairietown is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairietown
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Ripley, with the one closest to Old Ripley listed first.
    • Vernon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Patoka
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Fairman
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairman is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairman
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Ripley, with the one closest to Old Ripley listed first.
    • Panama
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Donnellson
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Walshville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Taylor Springs
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Coffeen
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Schram City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Schram City is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schram City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 542 people
    • Hillsboro
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Litchfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Chapman
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Chapman is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
    • Butler
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Fillmore
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Irving
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Honey Bend
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Honey Bend is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Bend
  • Saint Clair County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Old Ripley, with the one closest to Old Ripley listed first.
    • Summerfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Lebanon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Lebanon is located in Saint Clair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lebanon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,225 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lebanon <1>
    • O'Fallon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Petersburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Petersburg is located in Saint Clair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
    • Shiloh
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Shiloh is located in Saint Clair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,653 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Shiloh <1>
    • Caseyville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Fairview Heights
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Mascoutah
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Old Ripley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Old Ripley.

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 Old Ripley - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Brown Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • File Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • New Mt. Nebo Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Mitchell Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Robinson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Mt. Nebo Old Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Wade Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Peterson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Nicholas Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Sugg #1 Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Gilead Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Coyle Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (440 more) ...
    • Tisdale Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Grantfork UCC Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • St. Gertrude Catholic Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)

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 Old Ripley had a population of 166 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Old Ripley had a population of 98 people.

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

  • Pocahontas
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Grantfork
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Grantfork is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantfork
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
  • Stubblefield
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Stubblefield is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubblefield
  • Reno
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Reno is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
  • Sorento
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • New Douglas
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Pierron
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Alhambra
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Dudleyville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Dudleyville is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleyville
  • Greenville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Donnellson
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Kaufman
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Kaufman is located in Madison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kaufman
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Highland
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Jamestown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Jamestown is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
    • Walshville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Old Ripley ...

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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around Old Ripley.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Old Ripley, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Old Ripley.

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 Old Ripley:

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 Old Ripley, 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- Old Ripley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.