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 Pleak (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 Pleak. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Pleak is located in Shelby 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 Shelby County: Christian, Coles, Cumberland, Effingham, Fayette, Macon, Montgomery & Moultrie.
Below are the counties that are near Pleak. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Pleak:
- Shelby County (The home county of Pleak)
- The following are listed by their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Moweaqua
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Yantisville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Yantisville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yantisville
- Findlay
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Tower Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Shelbyville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Middlesworth
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Middlesworth is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlesworth
- Lakewood
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Lakewood is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
- Windsor
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oconee
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Strasburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Cowden
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Fancher
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Fancher is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancher
- Mode
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mode is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mode
- Christian County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Assumption
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sandersville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Sandersville is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandersville
- Stonington
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Millersville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Millersville is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
- Owaneco
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pana
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Velma
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Velma is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Velma
- Rosamond
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Taylorville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Mount Auburn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Grove City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Grove City is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
- Langleyville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Langleyville is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langleyville
- Sharpsburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Sharpsburg is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
- Coles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Cooks Mills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Cooks Mills is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Mills
- Magnet
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Magnet is located in Coles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnet
- Mattoon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Douglas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Arthur
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Chesterville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Chesterville is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterville
- Garrett
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Garrett is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 160 people
- Effingham County
- Beecher City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- 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 Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Holliday
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Holliday is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holliday
- Dressor
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Dressor is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dressor
- Logan County
- Latham
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Macon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Macon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hervey City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Hervey City is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hervey City
- Elwin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Blue Mound
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Zion
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Turpin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Turpin is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turpin
- Boody
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Long Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Long Creek is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,262 people
- Casner
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Casner is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casner
- Decatur
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Harristown
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Sangamon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Sangamon is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sangamon
- Bearsdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bearsdale is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearsdale
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Ohlman
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wenonah
(26 miles [41.8 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
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Coalton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Coalton is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 282 people
- Moultrie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Dalton City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bethany
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Dunn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Dunn is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
- Lake City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lake City is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- Cushman
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Cushman is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushman
- Sullivan
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Lovington
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Allenville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Allenville is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
- Cadwell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Cadwell is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadwell
- Coles
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Coles is located in Moultrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coles
- Gays
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Piatt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- La Place
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Lintner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lintner is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lintner
- Burrowsville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Burrowsville is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrowsville
- Cerro Gordo
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hammond
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Milmine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Voorhies
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Voorhies is located in Piatt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- Atwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bement
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sangamon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Illiopolis
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Mechanicsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Buffalo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Pleak, see our County-by-County Page for Pleak.
Cemeteries Near Pleak ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Pleak.
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 Pleak - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Pleak covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Tolley Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Little Flock Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Ludwig Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Salem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Locust Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Masonic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Long Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bethany Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Union Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Prairie Home Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- IOOF Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (316 more) ...
- Westside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Hayes Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Traughber Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Traughber Cemetery
- The Traughber Cemetery has also been known as:
- Moweaqua Twp. Cemetery
- Traughber - Snyder Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108571 <2>
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 Pleak in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Pleak.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Pleak, with the one closest to Pleak listed first.
- Obed
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Obed is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obed
- Moweaqua
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Radford
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Radford is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radford
- Yantisville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Yantisville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yantisville
- Walker
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Walker is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Assumption
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Macon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Henton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Henton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henton
- Todds Point
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Todds Point is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Todds Point
- Dalton City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dunkel
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dunkel is located in Christian County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkel
- Findlay
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Bethany
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hervey City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Hervey City is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hervey City
- Blue Mound
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Pleak. See our List of 1890's Communities around Pleak.
Newspapers Published in Pleak ...
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 173 newspapers that have been published in the area around Pleak.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Pleak, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Pleak.
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 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 Pleak:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Shelby County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Christian County
- Coles County
- Douglas County
- Effingham County
- Fayette County
- Logan County
- Macon County
- Montgomery County
- Moultrie County
- Piatt County
- Sangamon 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 Pleak, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Pleak) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |