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Home >> State of Illinois >> Johnson County >> Pleasant Grove >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Pleasant Grove (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 Pleasant Grove. 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.

Name Variations for Pleasant Grove ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Pleasant Grove: Pleasant Grv.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Pleasant Grove. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Pleasant Grove.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 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.

Pleasant Grove is located in Johnson 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 Johnson County: Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union & Williamson.

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

  • Johnson County     (The home county of Pleasant Grove)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Buncombe
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Cypress
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Vienna
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Goreville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Bender ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Bender is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bender
    • Belknap
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Deer Ridge
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Deer Ridge is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Ridge
    • Eagle Point Bay
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Eagle Point Bay is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Point Bay
    • Egyptian Hills
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Egyptian Hills is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egyptian Hills
    • Reynoldsburg
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Reynoldsburg is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsburg
    • Wartrace
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Wartrace is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wartrace
    • Grantsburg
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Simpson
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Alexander County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Elco
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Tamms
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Tamms is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tamms
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tamms <1>
    • Diswood
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Diswood is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diswood
    • Hodges Park
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Hodges Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodges Park
    • McClure
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Unity
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Olive Branch
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Cache
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Frog City ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Frog City is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog City
    • East Cape Girardeau
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • East Cape Girardeau is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cape Girardeau
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
    • Miller City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Thebes
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Thebes is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thebes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
    • Cairo Junction
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Cairo Junction is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cairo Junction
  • Franklin County
    • Royalton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Makanda
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Pomona
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Carbondale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Murphysboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • De Soto
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Grand Tower
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Massac County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • New Columbia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • New Columbia is located in Massac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Columbia
    • Big Bay
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Big Bay is located in Massac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bay
    • Joppa
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Metropolis
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Massac City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Massac City is located in Massac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Massac City
    • Brookport
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Pope County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Glendale
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Glendale is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
    • Dixon Springs
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Dixon Springs is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon Springs
    • McCormick
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • McCormick is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCormick
    • Rock
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Rock is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock
    • Eddyville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Oak
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Oak is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak
    • Golconda
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Hartsville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Hartsville is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsville
    • Lusk
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Lusk is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lusk
  • Pulaski County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Perks
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Karnak
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • New Grand Chain
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • New Grand Chain is located in Pulaski County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Grand Chain
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 178 people
    • Grand Chain
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Ullin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Olmsted
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Pulaski
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Villa Ridge
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Villa Ridge is located in Pulaski County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Ridge
    • Mounds
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Mounds is located in Pulaski County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mounds
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 666 people
    • Mound City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
  • Saline County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Stonefort
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Carrier Mills
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Carrier Mills is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrier Mills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,527 people
      • Former names for Carrier Mills:
      • Carriers Mills
      • Morrilsville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Carrier Mills <1>
    • Ledford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Ledford is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ledford
    • Mitchellsville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Mitchellsville is located in Saline County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchellsville
  • Union County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Mount Pleasant
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • Lick Creek
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Lick Creek is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lick Creek
    • Dongola
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Water Valley
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Water Valley is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Water Valley
    • Anna
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Anna is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,059 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Anna <1>
    • Cobden
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Dutch Mills
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Dutch Mills is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Mills
    • Jonesboro
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Mill Creek
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Mill Creek is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Creek
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
    • Alto Pass
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Reynoldsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Reynoldsville is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsville
    • Wolf Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
  • Williamson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Lake Crest
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lake Crest is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Crest
    • Creal Springs
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Marion
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Marion is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,417 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Marion <1>
    • Crainville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Crainville is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crainville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,419 people
    • Carterville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Dewmaine
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Dewmaine is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewmaine
    • Energy
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Energy is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Energy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,086 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Energy <1>
    • Spillertown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Spillertown is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spillertown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
    • Cambria
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Whiteash
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Whiteash is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteash
      • Estimated population in 2014: 240 people
    • Colp
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Colp is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colp
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
      • Former name for Colp:
      • Colpville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colp <1>
    • Herrin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Herrin is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,625 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Herrin <1>
    • Pittsburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
  • Ballard County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Bandana
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Bandana is located in Ballard County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bandana
    • Kevil
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Kevil is located in Ballard County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kevil
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 569 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kevil <1>
    • La Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Barlow
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Barlow is located in Ballard County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 628 people
    • Ceredo
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Ceredo is located in Ballard County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceredo
  • McCracken County (KY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Ragland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Ragland is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ragland
    • Cimota City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Cimota City is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cimota City
    • Woodville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Woodville is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
    • Grahamville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Grahamville is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grahamville
    • Future City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Future City is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Future City
    • West Future City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • West Future City is located in McCracken County (KY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Future City
    • West Paducah
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Cape Girardeau County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Pleasant Grove, with the one closest to Pleasant Grove listed first.
    • Cape Girardeau
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Leemon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Leemon is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leemon
  • Scott County (MO)
    • Commerce
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Pleasant Grove ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Pleasant Grove.

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 Pleasant Grove - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Allen Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Mt. Pisgah Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Jenkins Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • McGinnis Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Fain Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Goddard Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Bridges Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • File Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Simpson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Francis Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (505 more) ...
    • Oliver Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Peterson Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Gurley Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)

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.<2>

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

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

  • Moscow
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Moscow is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moscow
  • Mount Pleasant
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Mount Pleasant is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
  • Buncombe
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Elvira
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Elvira is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elvira
  • Lick Creek
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Lick Creek is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lick Creek
  • Vienna
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Bloomfield
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Bloomfield is located in Johnson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
  • Goreville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Balcom
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Balcom is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balcom
  • Dongola
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Belknap
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Wetaug
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Wetaug is located in Pulaski County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wetaug
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Sandburn
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Sandburn is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandburn
    • Tunnel Hill
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Anna
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Anna is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,059 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Anna <1>

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

Newspapers Published in Pleasant Grove ...

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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around Pleasant Grove.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Pleasant Grove, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Pleasant Grove.

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 Pleasant Grove:

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>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 Pleasant Grove, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Pleasant Grove) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.