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 Reed Crossing (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 Reed Crossing. 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 Reed Crossing ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
Another variation: Read Crossing.
- A typical abbreviation for Reed Crossing: Reed Xing.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Reed Crossing. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Reed Crossing.
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 southeast 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 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 east 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.
Reed Crossing is located in La Salle 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 La Salle County: Bureau, DeKalb, Grundy, Kendall, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, Putnam & Woodford.
Below are the counties that are near Reed Crossing. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Reed Crossing:
- La Salle County (The home county of Reed Crossing)
- The following are listed by their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Grand Ridge
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Hitt
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hitt is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hitt
- South Ottawa ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- South Ottawa is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ottawa
- Naplate
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Naplate is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naplate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 465 people
- Ottawa
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Dayton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Dayton is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Marseilles
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Vermilionville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Vermilionville is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilionville
- Kangley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Kangley is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kangley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Leonore
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kernan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Kernan is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kernan
- Deer Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Deer Park is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Park
- Bureau County
- The following are listed by their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Dalzell
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Spring Valley
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Ladd
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Cherry
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ottville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Ottville is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottville
- Seatonville
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- De Pue
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- De Pue is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Pue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,665 people
- Hollowayville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Hollowayville is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollowayville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Arlington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Zearing
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Zearing is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zearing
- Bureau Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bureau Junction is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bureau Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 297 people
- Bureau Junction has also been known as:
- Bureau
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bureau Junction <1>
- La Moille
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Somonauk
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Sandwich
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Kinsman
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Verona
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Wauponsee
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Wauponsee is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauponsee
- Nettle Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Nettle Creek is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettle Creek
- Highland Town ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Highland Town is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Town
- Mazon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Morris
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Claypool
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Gaslight Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
- Carbon Hill
(27 miles [43.5 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
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Gardner
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Newark
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lisbon
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Millbrook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Plattville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Lee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Radley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Radley is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radley
- East Paw Paw
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- East Paw Paw is located in Lee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Paw Paw
- Paw Paw
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Coalville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Coalville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Missal
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Missal is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missal
- Munster
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Munster is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munster
- Vermilion City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Vermilion City is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilion City
- Blackstone
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ancona
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Budd
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Budd is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budd
- Adams ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Adams is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Long Point
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Sunbury
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Sunbury is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
- Cornell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Dwight
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Wenona
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Evans ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Evans is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Toluca
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Varna
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- La Rose
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Henry
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Mount Palatine
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Mount Palatine is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Palatine
- Standard
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Granville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- McNabb
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Magnolia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mark
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Hennepin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Putnam
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Will County
- Godley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Godley is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 771 people
- Woodford County
- Minonk
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Reed Crossing, see our County-by-County Page for Reed Crossing.
Cemeteries Near Reed Crossing ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Reed Crossing.
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 Reed Crossing - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Reed Crossing covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Grand Ridge Mutual & Poundstone Family Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Grand Rapids Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Summit View Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ottawa Ave. Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa Ave. Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ottawa Ave. Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Ottawa.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107379 <2>
- Calvary Catholic Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Grand Rapids Methodist Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Wolf Creek Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Galloway Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- St. Columba Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Oakwood Memorial Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Mackey Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (249 more) ...
- Shaver Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Naramoor Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
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 Reed Crossing in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Reed Crossing.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Reed Crossing, with the one closest to Reed Crossing listed first.
- Grand Ridge
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Hitt
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hitt is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hitt
- South Ottawa ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- South Ottawa is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ottawa
- Farm Ridge
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Farm Ridge is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farm Ridge
- Ottawa
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Richards
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Richards is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richards
- Otter ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Otter is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otter
- Dayton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Dayton is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Wilsman
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Wilsman is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsman
- Marseilles
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Vermilionville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Vermilionville is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilionville
- Leonore
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Kangley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Kangley is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kangley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Lowell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lowell is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell
- Streator
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Reed Crossing. See our List of 1890's Communities around Reed Crossing.
Newspapers Published in Reed Crossing ...
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 131 newspapers that have been published in the area around Reed Crossing.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Reed Crossing, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Reed Crossing.
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 Reed Crossing:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to La Salle County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bureau County
- DeKalb County
- Grundy County
- Kendall County
- Lee County
- Livingston County
- Marshall County
- Putnam County
- Will County
- Woodford 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 Reed Crossing, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Reed Crossing) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |