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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

So far, we found very little information about Otto. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>

We've added Otto to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Otto, please Contact Us.

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 Otto (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 Otto. 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.

Although our information shows that the community of Otto is historic, it would have been located within present day Fulton 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 Fulton County: Knox, Mason, McDonough, Peoria, Schuyler, Tazewell & Warren.

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

  • Fulton County     (The home county of Otto)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otto, with the one closest to Otto listed first.
    • Marbletown
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Marbletown is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
    • Summum
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Summum is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summum
    • Sepo
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Sepo is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
    • Lewistown
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Ipava
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Astoria
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Vermont
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Smithfield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Bryant
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Liverpool
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Table Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Cuba
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Cuba is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,149 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cuba <2>
  • Brown County
    • Ripley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Ripley is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otto, with the one closest to Otto listed first.
    • Chandlerville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Bluff Springs
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Sylvan ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Sylvan is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
    • Newmansville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Newmansville is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
    • Beardstown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Oak Grove
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Oak Grove is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
    • Jules
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Jules is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jules
    • Virginia
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Burlingame
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Burlingame is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Philadelphia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Philadelphia is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
    • Hagener
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Hagener is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagener
    • Gurney ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Gurney is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurney
  • Knox County
    • Saint Augustine
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otto, with the one closest to Otto listed first.
    • Havana
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Bath
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Long Branch
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Long Branch is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
    • Buzzville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Buzzville is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzville
    • Snicarte
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Snicarte is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snicarte
    • Poplar City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Topeka
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • White City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • White City is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
    • Kilbourne
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Goofy Ridge
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Goofy Ridge is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goofy Ridge
    • Easton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Forest City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Forest City is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
  • McDonough County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otto, with the one closest to Otto listed first.
    • Adair
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • New Philadelphia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • New Philadelphia is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Philadelphia
    • Industry
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Bardolph
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Bushnell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Doddsville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Doddsville is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doddsville
    • Prairie City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Prairie City is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
    • East Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • East Village is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Village
    • Macomb
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Macomb is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macomb
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,206 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Macomb <2>
    • University Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • University Village is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Village
    • Lamone Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Lamone Village is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamone Village
    • Good Hope
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Menard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otto, with the one closest to Otto listed first.
    • Oakford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Petersburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Greenview
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Tallula
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Morgan County
  • Peoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otto, with the one closest to Otto listed first.
    • Glasford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Kingston Mines
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Schuyler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otto, with the one closest to Otto listed first.
    • Bluff City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Bluff City is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Bader
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Bader is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bader
    • Browning
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Frederick
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Rushville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Littleton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Wayland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Wayland is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayland
  • Tazewell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otto, with the one closest to Otto listed first.
    • Radville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Radville is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radville
    • Parkland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Parkland is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland
    • Talbott
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Talbott is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talbott
    • Winkel ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Winkel is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkel
    • Green Valley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near Otto ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Otto.

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

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

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

  • Otto Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Kearney Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Hart Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hickory Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Foutch Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Freeman Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Howard Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Summum Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Waterford Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Summum Sixteen Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (412 more) ...
    • Danner Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Lacey Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Montgomery Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)

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.

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

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

  • Summum
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Summum is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summum
  • Marbletown
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Marbletown is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marbletown
  • Sepo
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Sepo is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sepo
  • Leesburg
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Leesburg is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesburg
  • Matanzas
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Matanzas is located in Mason County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matanzas
  • Havana
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Lewistown
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Ipava
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Bluff City
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Bluff City is located in Schuyler County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
  • Bath
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Astoria
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Kelsey
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Kelsey is located in Mason County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelsey
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Bernadotte ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Bernadotte is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernadotte
    • Sheldons Grove
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Sheldons Grove is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldons Grove
    • Vermont
      (11 miles [17.7 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 Otto. See our List of 1890's Communities around Otto.

Newspapers Published in Otto ...

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 81 newspapers that have been published in the area around Otto.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Otto, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Otto.

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 Otto:

Footnotes ...

<1>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 Otto, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Otto) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.