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 Piatt (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 Piatt. 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.
Piatt is located in Piatt 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 Piatt County: Champaign, De Witt, Douglas, Macon, McLean & Moultrie.
Below are the counties that are near Piatt. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Piatt:
- Piatt County (The home county of Piatt)
- The following are listed by their distance from Piatt, with the one closest to Piatt listed first.
- Bement
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Voorhies
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Voorhies is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- Monticello
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Milmine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Atwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- White Heath
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Hammond
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Burrowsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Burrowsville is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrowsville
- Cerro Gordo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Cisco
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lintner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lintner is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lintner
- La Place
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Champaign County
- The following are listed by their distance from Piatt, with the one closest to Piatt listed first.
- Ivesdale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Sadorus
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Seymour
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Pesotum
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Tolono
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Bondville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Savoy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Staley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Staley is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Staley
- Mahomet
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Philo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Champaign
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lake of the Woods
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Lake of the Woods is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake of the Woods
- Coles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Piatt, with the one closest to Piatt listed first.
- Cooks Mills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Cooks Mills is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Mills
- Humboldt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Dorans
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Dorans is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorans
- De Witt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Piatt, with the one closest to Piatt listed first.
- Weldon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Farmer City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- De Witt
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- De Witt is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Witt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 175 people
- Fullerton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fullerton is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fullerton
- Lane
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Parnell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Parnell is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
- Birkbeck
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Birkbeck is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birkbeck
- Watkins
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Watkins is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins
- Clinton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rowell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Rowell is located in De Witt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowell
- Wapella
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Douglas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Piatt, with the one closest to Piatt listed first.
- Chicken Bristle
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Chicken Bristle is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicken Bristle
- Garrett
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Garrett is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
- Ficklin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ficklin is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ficklin
- Hayes
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Hayes is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayes
- Arthur
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Tuscola
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Chesterville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Chesterville is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterville
- Villa Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Villa Grove is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,414 people
- Arcola
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Patterson Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Patterson Springs is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson Springs
- Camargo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Fairland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Fairland is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairland
- Macon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Piatt, with the one closest to Piatt listed first.
- Casner
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Casner is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casner
- Argenta
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Oreana
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Sangamon
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Sangamon is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sangamon
- Long Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Long Creek is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,262 people
- Hervey City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hervey City is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hervey City
- Mount Zion
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Turpin
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Turpin is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turpin
- Decatur
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Forsyth
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Maroa
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Bearsdale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Bearsdale is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearsdale
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Piatt, with the one closest to Piatt listed first.
- Kumler
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Kumler is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kumler
- Laurette
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Laurette is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurette
- Bellflower
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Glen Avon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Glen Avon is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Avon
- Moultrie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Piatt, with the one closest to Piatt listed first.
- Lovington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Lake City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lake City is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- Cadwell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Cadwell is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadwell
- Cushman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Cushman is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushman
- Dalton City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sullivan
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bethany
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Dunn
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Dunn is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
- Allenville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Allenville is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
- Coles
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Coles is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coles
- Shelby County
- Findlay
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Piatt, see our County-by-County Page for Piatt.
Cemeteries Near Piatt ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Piatt.
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 Piatt - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Piatt covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Piatt, with the one closest to Piatt listed first.
- Bement Twp. Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Antioch Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Joseph Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Joseph Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the northeast of Ivesdale.
- The St. Joseph Cemetery has also been known as:
- Iverdale Cemetery
- Ivesdale Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1972624 <2>
- Lake Fork Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Haneline Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Moore Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Rice Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Cemetery
- The Rice Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hixon Cemetery
- Willow Branch Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pioneer Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Monticello Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Monticello Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Woolington Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Continue List (231 more) ...
- O'Bryan Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Rock Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Cemetery
- The Rock Cemetery has also been known as:
- Andy Rock Cemetery
- Sadorus Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
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.<4>
While we didn't find Piatt in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Piatt.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Piatt, with the one closest to Piatt listed first.
- Bement
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Ivesdale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Voorhies
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Voorhies is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- Milmine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Monticello
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Atwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Sadorus
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Burrowsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Burrowsville is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrowsville
- Hammond
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Garrett
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Garrett is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
- White Heath
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cerro Gordo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Lintner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lintner is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lintner
- Ficklin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ficklin is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ficklin
- Seymour
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Piatt. See our List of 1890's Communities around Piatt.
Newspapers Published in Piatt ...
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 117 newspapers that have been published in the area around Piatt.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Piatt, 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 Piatt.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with 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 Piatt:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Piatt County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Champaign County
- Coles County
- De Witt County
- Douglas County
- Macon County
- McLean County
- Moultrie 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> | 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- Piatt) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Piatt, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |