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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 Poverty Ridge (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 Poverty Ridge. 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 Poverty Ridge ...

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 Poverty Ridge: Poverty Rdg. (or less commonly used: Poverty Rdge. or Poverty Ridg.)

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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals 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.

Poverty Ridge is located in Fulton 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 Fulton County: Knox, Mason, McDonough, Peoria, Schuyler, Tazewell & Warren.

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

  • Fulton County     (The home county of Poverty Ridge)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Poverty Ridge, with the one closest to Poverty Ridge listed first.
    • Smithfield
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Marietta
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Checkrow
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Checkrow is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Checkrow
    • Blyton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Blyton is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blyton
    • Ipava
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Cuba
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Cuba is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,149 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cuba <1>
    • Babylon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Babylon is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babylon
    • Table Grove
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Fiatt
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Lewistown
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Ellisville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Bryant
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Bybee
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Bybee is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bybee
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Poverty Ridge, with the one closest to Poverty Ridge listed first.
    • Chandlerville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Oak Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Oak Grove is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
  • Henderson County
    • Raritan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Raritan is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raritan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
  • Knox County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Poverty Ridge, with the one closest to Poverty Ridge listed first.
    • Saint Augustine
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Abingdon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • De Long
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • De Long is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Long
    • Maquon
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Yates City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Gilson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Knoxville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Poverty Ridge, with the one closest to Poverty Ridge listed first.
    • Havana
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Buzzville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Buzzville is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzville
    • Goofy Ridge
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Goofy Ridge is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goofy Ridge
    • Bath
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Topeka
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Snicarte
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Snicarte is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snicarte
    • Long Branch
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Long Branch is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
    • Poplar City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Forest City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Forest City is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 222 people
    • Kilbourne
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • White City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • White City is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
    • Union
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Union is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Manito
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • McDonough County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Poverty Ridge, with the one closest to Poverty Ridge listed first.
    • New Philadelphia
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • New Philadelphia is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Philadelphia
    • Adair
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Bushnell
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bardolph
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Prairie City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Prairie City is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 344 people
    • Industry
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • East Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • East Village is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Village
    • Macomb
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Macomb is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macomb
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,206 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Macomb <1>
    • University Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • University Village is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University Village
    • Good Hope
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Lamone Village
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Lamone Village is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamone Village
    • Doddsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Doddsville is located in McDonough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doddsville
    • Sciota
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
  • Peoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Poverty Ridge, with the one closest to Poverty Ridge listed first.
    • Glasford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Trivoli
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Elmwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Kingston Mines
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Schuyler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Poverty Ridge, with the one closest to Poverty Ridge listed first.
    • Bader
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Bader is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bader
    • Bluff City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Bluff City is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Littleton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Browning
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Rushville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Wayland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Wayland is located in Schuyler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayland
    • Frederick
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Tazewell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Poverty Ridge, with the one closest to Poverty Ridge listed first.
    • Radville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Radville is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radville
    • Talbott
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Talbott is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talbott
    • Parkland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Parkland is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkland
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Poverty Ridge, with the one closest to Poverty Ridge listed first.
    • Youngstown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Youngstown is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngstown
    • Berwick
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Roseville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Cameron
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Poverty Ridge ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Poverty Ridge.

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 Poverty Ridge - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Howard Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Fuller Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Randol Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Baughman Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Marietta Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Temple Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Stites Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Pt. Pleasant Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Barker Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Zoll Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Buckeye Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Checkrow Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (383 more) ...
    • Dobbins Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Providence Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Engle Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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.<2>

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

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

  • Seville
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Seville is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seville
  • Smithfield
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Marietta
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Bernadotte ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Bernadotte is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernadotte
  • Ipava
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Blyton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Blyton is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blyton
  • New Philadelphia
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • New Philadelphia is located in McDonough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Philadelphia
  • Adair
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Table Grove
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Cuba
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Cuba is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,149 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cuba <1>
  • Babylon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Babylon is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babylon
  • Manley
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Manley is located in Fulton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manley
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Lewistown
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Fiatt
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Bushnell
      (10 miles [16.1 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 Poverty Ridge. See our List of 1890's Communities around Poverty Ridge.

Newspapers Published in Poverty Ridge ...

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 186 newspapers that have been published in the area around Poverty Ridge.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Poverty Ridge, 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 Poverty Ridge.

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 Poverty Ridge:

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 Poverty Ridge, 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' (or 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- Poverty Ridge) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.