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 Oreana (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 Oreana. 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 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.
Oreana is located in Macon 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 Macon County: Christian, De Witt, Logan, Moultrie, Piatt, Sangamon & Shelby.
Below are the counties that are near Oreana. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oreana:
- Macon County (The home county of Oreana)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Argenta
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Sangamon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Sangamon is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sangamon
- Forsyth
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Decatur
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bearsdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Bearsdale is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearsdale
- Maroa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Long Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Long Creek is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,262 people
- Mount Zion
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Turpin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Turpin is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turpin
- Casner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Casner is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casner
- Warrensburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Elwin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Champaign County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Ivesdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Seymour
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sadorus
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Bondville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mahomet
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Christian County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Mount Auburn
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Stonington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Grove City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Grove City is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
- Sandersville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sandersville is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandersville
- Bolivia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bolivia is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivia
- Assumption
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- De Witt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Lane
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Rowell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Rowell is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowell
- Weldon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Clinton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Kenney
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Birkbeck
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Birkbeck is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birkbeck
- De Witt
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- De Witt is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Witt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
- Hallsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Hallsville is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallsville
- Fullerton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Fullerton is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fullerton
- Wapella
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Midland City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Midland City is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland City
- Parnell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Parnell is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
- Douglas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Garrett
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Garrett is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
- Arthur
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chicken Bristle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Chicken Bristle is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicken Bristle
- Ficklin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Ficklin is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ficklin
- Chesterville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chesterville is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterville
- Logan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Latham
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Chestnut
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Beason
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Pulaski
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Lake Fork
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Chestervale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Chestervale is located in Logan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestervale
- Cornland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Atlanta
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lawndale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lincoln
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Heyworth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Le Roy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Kumler
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kumler is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kumler
- McLean
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Moultrie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Lake City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lake City is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- Dalton City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Lovington
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bethany
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Cushman
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Cushman is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushman
- Dunn
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Dunn is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
- Cadwell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cadwell is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadwell
- Sullivan
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Piatt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Cerro Gordo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cisco
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Milmine
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- La Place
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lintner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lintner is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lintner
- Bement
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Burrowsville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Burrowsville is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrowsville
- Voorhies
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Voorhies is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- De Land
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Monticello
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hammond
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- White Heath
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Sangamon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Illiopolis
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Buffalo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Mechanicsburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Buffalo Hart
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Buffalo Hart is located in Sangamon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Hart
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Moweaqua
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Yantisville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Yantisville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yantisville
- Findlay
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oreana, see our County-by-County Page for Oreana.
Cemeteries Near Oreana ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oreana.
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 Oreana - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oreana covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Union Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Garver Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Wheeler Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Ritchie Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Cross Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Peck Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Friends Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Spangler Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- North Fork Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Boiling Springs Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Graceland Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (247 more) ...
- Cerro Gordo Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Cronninger Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Long Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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 Oreana had a population of 170 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Oreana had a population of 804 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oreana, with the one closest to Oreana listed first.
- Sangamon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Sangamon is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sangamon
- Argenta
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Forsyth
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Oakley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Emery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Emery is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emery
- Decatur
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bearsdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Bearsdale is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearsdale
- Cerro Gordo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Long Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Long Creek is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,262 people
- Maroa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Cisco
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wyckles
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wyckles is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyckles
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Turpin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Turpin is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turpin
- Mount Zion
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Casner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Casner is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casner
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oreana. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oreana.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Oreana ...
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 79 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oreana.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Oreana. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Oreana and those printed in the larger area surrounding Oreana.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Oreana.
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 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 Oreana:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Macon County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Champaign County
- Christian County
- De Witt County
- Douglas County
- Logan County
- McLean County
- Moultrie County
- Piatt County
- Sangamon County
- Shelby 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 Oreana, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Oreana) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |