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 Paytonville (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 Paytonville. 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 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.
Paytonville is located in Grundy 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 Grundy County: Kankakee, Kendall, La Salle, Livingston & Will.
Below are the counties that are near Paytonville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Paytonville:
- Grundy County (The home county of Paytonville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Claypool
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Gaslight Village
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
- Morris
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Wauponsee
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Wauponsee is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauponsee
- Mazon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Carbon Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Sand Ridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Coal City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Diamond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Verona
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Central City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Sandwich
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Somonauk
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Franks
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Franks is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franks
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Cabery
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Kempton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Aurora
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Sugar Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Big Rock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Essex
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Reddick
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Union Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bonfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Buckingham
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Goodrich
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Herscher
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Limestone
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Limestone is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Bourbonnais
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Irwin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Irwin is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Lisbon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Plattville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Newark
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Millbrook
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Yorkville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Plano
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Bristol
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Oswego
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Boulder Hill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
- Little Rock
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Little Rock is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock
- Montgomery
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- La Salle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Seneca
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Seneca is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,217 people
- Seneca has also been known as:
- Crotty
- Seneca village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Seneca <1>
- Stavanger
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Stavanger is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stavanger
- Marseilles
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Ransom
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Millington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Blakes
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Blakes is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blakes
- Serena
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Sheridan
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Wedron
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Dayton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Dayton is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Kernan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Kernan is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kernan
- Grand Ridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Dwight
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Sunbury
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Sunbury is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
- Adams ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Adams is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Budd
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Budd is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budd
- Cardiff
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Cardiff is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Campus
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Blackstone
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Odell
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Missal
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Missal is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missal
- Emington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Vermilion City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Vermilion City is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilion City
- Coalville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Coalville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Godley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Godley is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 771 people
- Blodgett
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Blodgett is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
- Braidwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wilmington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
- Lakewood Shores
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Lakewood Shores is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood Shores
- Custer Park
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Shorewood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Elwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Symerton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Summerfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Summerfield is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerfield
- Rockdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Rockdale is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,884 people
- Crystal Lawns
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Crystal Lawns is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lawns
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Paytonville, see our County-by-County Page for Paytonville.
Cemeteries Near Paytonville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Paytonville.
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 Paytonville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Paytonville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Sample Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Holderman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Catholic North Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cryder Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Saratoga Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saratoga Cemetery
- The Saratoga Cemetery has also been known as:
- Conklin Cemetery
- Osman Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108142 <2>
- Brookside Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Short Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Aux Sable Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Holderman & Hoge Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Ward Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (268 more) ...
- Old Mazon Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wheeler Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Dresden Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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>
While we didn't find Paytonville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Paytonville.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Paytonville, with the one closest to Paytonville listed first.
- Morris
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Wauponsee
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Wauponsee is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauponsee
- Mazon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Divine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Divine is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Divine
- Sand Ridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Coal City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Seneca
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Seneca is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,217 people
- Seneca has also been known as:
- Crotty
- Seneca village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Seneca <1>
- Verona
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Diamond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- White Willow ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- White Willow is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Willow
- Lisbon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Channahon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Nettle Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Nettle Creek is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettle Creek
- Stavanger
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Stavanger is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stavanger
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Paytonville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Paytonville.
Newspapers Published in Paytonville ...
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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Paytonville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Paytonville, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Paytonville.
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 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 Paytonville:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Grundy County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DeKalb County
- Ford County
- Kane County
- Kankakee County
- Kendall County
- La Salle County
- Livingston County
- Will 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 Paytonville, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Paytonville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |