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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 Owaneco (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 Owaneco. 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 and doctors 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.

Owaneco is located in Christian 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 Christian County: Macon, Montgomery, Sangamon & Shelby.

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

  • Christian County     (The home county of Owaneco)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owaneco, with the one closest to Owaneco listed first.
    • Millersville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Millersville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
    • Velma
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Velma is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Velma
    • Taylorville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Rosamond
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Assumption
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Pana
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Pana is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pana
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,327 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pana <1>
    • Sandersville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Sandersville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandersville
    • Clarksdale
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Clarksdale is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksdale
    • Stonington
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Langleyville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Langleyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langleyville
    • Palmer
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Sharpsburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Sharpsburg is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
  • Effingham County
    • Beecher City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Beecher City is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beecher City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 451 people
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owaneco, with the one closest to Owaneco listed first.
    • Dressor
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Dressor is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dressor
    • Ramsey
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Bayle City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Bayle City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayle City
    • Bingham
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Holliday
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Holliday is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holliday
  • Macon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owaneco, with the one closest to Owaneco listed first.
    • Blue Mound
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Macon
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Boody
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Elwin
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Harristown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Niantic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Turpin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Turpin is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turpin
    • Hervey City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Hervey City is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hervey City
    • Mount Zion
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Decatur
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Long Creek
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Long Creek is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Creek
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,262 people
    • Bearsdale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Bearsdale is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearsdale
  • Macoupin County
    • Virden
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owaneco, with the one closest to Owaneco listed first.
    • Ohlman
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Wenonah
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Wenonah is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wenonah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 34 people
    • Nokomis
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Coalton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Coalton is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 282 people
    • Witt
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Witt is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 833 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Witt <1>
    • Harvel
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • White Oak
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • White Oak is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
    • Irving
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Raymond
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Farmersville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Fillmore
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Hillsboro
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Moultrie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owaneco, with the one closest to Owaneco listed first.
    • Bethany
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Dalton City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Dunn
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Dunn is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
  • Sangamon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owaneco, with the one closest to Owaneco listed first.
    • New City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • New City is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
    • Pawnee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Commanche Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Commanche Village is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commanche Village
    • Illiopolis
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Mechanicsburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Divernon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Rochester
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Glenarm
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Buffalo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Chatham
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Dawson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Auburn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owaneco, with the one closest to Owaneco listed first.
    • Moweaqua
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Oconee
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Tower Hill
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Yantisville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Yantisville is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yantisville
    • Lakewood
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Lakewood is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Shelbyville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Herrick
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Findlay
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Cowden
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Middlesworth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Middlesworth is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlesworth
    • Fancher
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Fancher is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancher
    • Mode
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Mode is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mode

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

Cemeteries Near Owaneco ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Owaneco.

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

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

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

  • Owaneco Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Durbin Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Donner Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Buckeye Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Potters Field Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Millersville Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mound Chapel United Brethen Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Fraley Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Long Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Harris Cemetery #2
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Fairview Methodist Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Glen Haven Memorial Gardens
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (339 more) ...
    • Oak Hill Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Oak Hill Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Taylorville.
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #202393 <2>
    • Young Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Calvary Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)

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 Owaneco had a population of 325 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Owaneco had a population of 223 people.

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

  • Millersville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Millersville is located in Christian County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
  • Velma
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Velma is located in Christian County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Velma
  • Rosamond
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Dunkel
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Dunkel is located in Christian County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkel
  • Taylorville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Willeys
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Willeys is located in Christian County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willeys
  • Pana
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Pana is located in Christian County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pana
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,327 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pana <1>
  • Assumption
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Ohlman
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Clarksdale
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Clarksdale is located in Christian County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksdale
  • Radford
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Radford is located in Christian County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radford
  • Stonington
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Palmer
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Sharpsburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Sharpsburg is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
    • Moweaqua
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Owaneco ...

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 86 newspapers that have been published in the area around Owaneco.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Owaneco, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Owaneco.

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 Owaneco:

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