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 Olga (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 Olga. 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.
Olga is located in Hamilton 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 Hamilton County: Franklin, Gallatin, Jefferson, Saline, Wayne, White & Williamson.
Below are the counties that are near Olga. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Olga:
- Hamilton County (The home county of Olga)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Walpole
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Walpole is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walpole
- Dale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Flint
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Flint is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint
- Diamond City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Diamond City is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond City
- McLeansboro
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Broughton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Macedonia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Jefferson City ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Jefferson City is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson City
- Lovilla
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lovilla is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovilla
- Piopolis
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Piopolis is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piopolis
- Bungay
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bungay is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bungay
- Dahlgren
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Belle Prairie City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Belle Prairie City is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Prairie City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Akin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Thompsonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Frisco
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Frisco is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frisco
- Parrish
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Parrish is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parrish
- Taylor Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Taylor Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor Hill
- Fitt's Hill ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fitt's Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitt's Hill
- Hanaford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Hanaford is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanaford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 316 people
- Smothersville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Smothersville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smothersville
- Ewing
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Steel City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Steel City is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steel City
- Deering City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Deering City is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deering City
- Benton
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Whittington
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Gallatin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Omaha
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Elba
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Elba is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- Equality
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgway
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lawler
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Lawler is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawler
- Inman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Inman is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inman
- New Haven
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Junction
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Shawneetown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bowlesville ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bowlesville is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowlesville
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Belle Rive
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Ina
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ina is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ina
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,279 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ina <1>
- Opdyke
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bonnie
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Bluford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Markham City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Markham City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Markham City
- Nason
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Dareville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dareville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dareville
- Fitzgerrell ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Fitzgerrell is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitzgerrell
- Marlow
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Marlow is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlow
- Emerson City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Emerson City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerson City
- Marcoe
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Marcoe is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcoe
- Mount Vernon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Johnson County
- New Burnside
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Pope County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Herod
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Oak
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Oak is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak
- McCormick
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- McCormick is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCormick
- Saline County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Cornerville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cornerville is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornerville
- Long Branch
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Long Branch is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
- Galatia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Raleigh
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Texas City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Texas City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Texas City
- Saline City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Saline City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saline City
- Wasson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Wasson is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasson
- Eldorado
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Muddy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Buena Vista
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Buena Vista is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Harrisburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Red Bud ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Red Bud is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bud
- Gaskins City
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Gaskins City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaskins City
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Barnhill
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Keenes
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Wayne City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Sims
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Boyleston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Boyleston is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyleston
- Fairfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- White County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Norris City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Enfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Stokes
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Stokes is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stokes
- Roland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Roland is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Springerton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Herald
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Mill Shoals
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Carmi
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Emma
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Burnt Prairie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Maunie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Crossville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Williamson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Hartford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Hartford is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartford
- Corinth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Corinth is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Pittsburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Johnston City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Stiritz
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Stiritz is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stiritz
- Whiteash
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Whiteash is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteash
- Estimated population in 2014: 240 people
- Spillertown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Spillertown is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spillertown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Freeman Spur
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Freeman Spur is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman Spur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 276 people
- Freeman Spur has also been known as:
- Freeman Spur village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Freeman Spur <1>
- Herrin Junction ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Herrin Junction is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrin Junction
- Marion
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Herrin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Energy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Creal Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Olga, see our County-by-County Page for Olga.
Cemeteries Near Olga ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Olga.
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 Olga - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Olga covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Cartwright Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Knights Prairie Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Marys Chapel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Presley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hayes Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Digby Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Barker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Clark Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Lampley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Winn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Good Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gunter Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (454 more) ...
- Roberts Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bright Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hutson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
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 in 1895, Olga had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Olga, with the one closest to Olga listed first.
- Braden
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Braden is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braden
- Walpole
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Walpole is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walpole
- Rural Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rural Hill is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rural Hill
- Dale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hoodville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hoodville is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoodville
- Flint
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Flint is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint
- Long Branch
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Long Branch is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
- Broughton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- McLeansboro
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Macedonia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- West End
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- West End is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West End
- Akin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Galatia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Delafield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Delafield is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delafield
- Thompsonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Olga. See our List of 1890's Communities around Olga.
Newspapers Published in Olga ...
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 84 newspapers that have been published in the area around Olga.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Olga, 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 Olga.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Olga:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Hamilton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Franklin County
- Gallatin County
- Jefferson County
- Johnson County
- Pope County
- Saline County
- Wayne County
- White County
- Williamson County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Illinois
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 Olga, 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 from Point A (ie- Olga) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |