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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 Selmaville (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 Selmaville. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and 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.

Selmaville is located in Marion 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 Marion County: Clay, Clinton, Fayette, Jefferson, Washington & Wayne.

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

  • Marion County     (The home county of Selmaville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Selmaville, with the one closest to Selmaville listed first.
    • Salem
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Odin
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Odin is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,004 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Odin <1>
    • Cartter
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cartter is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartter
    • Sandoval
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Bannister
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Bannister is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bannister
    • Fairman
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Fairman is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairman
    • Junction City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Junction City is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 468 people
    • Central City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Central City is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,107 people
    • Alma
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Walnut Hill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Kell
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Iuka
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Patoka
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Bond County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Selmaville, with the one closest to Selmaville listed first.
    • Pleasant Mound
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
    • Mulberry Grove
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Smithboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Greenville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Selmaville, with the one closest to Selmaville listed first.
    • Xenia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Kenner
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Kenner is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenner
    • Iola
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Flora
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Louisville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Clinton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Selmaville, with the one closest to Selmaville listed first.
    • Centralia
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Boulder
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Boulder is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder
    • Hoffman
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Huey
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Huey is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Huey <1>
    • Keyesport
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Posey
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Posey is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posey
    • Carlyle
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Marydale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Marydale is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marydale
    • Beckemeyer
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Bartelso
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Breese
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Germantown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Saint Rose
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Saint Rose is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Rose
  • Effingham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Selmaville, with the one closest to Selmaville listed first.
    • Edgewood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Gilmore
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Gilmore is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Selmaville, with the one closest to Selmaville listed first.
    • Saint Paul
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Saint Paul is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
    • Shobonier
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Saint Peter
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Farina
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Loogootee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Bluff City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Bluff City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • La Clede
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • La Clede is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Clede
    • Hagarstown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Brownstown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Vandalia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Avena
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Avena is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avena
    • Howards Point ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Howards Point is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howards Point
    • Saint Elmo
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Selmaville, with the one closest to Selmaville listed first.
    • Dix
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Dix is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dix
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 428 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dix <1>
    • Texico
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Jefferson City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Jefferson City is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson City
    • Idlewood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Idlewood is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idlewood
    • Shields
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Shields is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shields
    • Roaches
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Roaches is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roaches
    • Woodlawn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Pigeon ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Pigeon is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
    • Mount Vernon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Summersville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Summersville is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summersville
    • Marlow
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Marlow is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlow
    • Marcoe
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Marcoe is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcoe
    • Bluford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Selmaville, with the one closest to Selmaville listed first.
    • Wamac
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Wamac is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wamac
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,117 people
    • Baldwin Heights
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Baldwin Heights is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin Heights
    • Irvington
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Hoyleton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Richview
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Ashley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • New Minden
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • New Minden is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Minden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
    • Radom
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Radom is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radom
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Radom <1>
    • Nashville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Du Bois
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Du Bois is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Du Bois
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 189 people
    • Addieville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Posen
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Posen is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posen
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Selmaville, with the one closest to Selmaville listed first.
    • Johnsonville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Keenes
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Rinard
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Wayne City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Cisne
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Sims
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Selmaville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Selmaville.

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 Selmaville - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Branch Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Bethlehem Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Paradise Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • East Lawn Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Bryan Memorial Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Clapp Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Peaceful Valley Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Ennis Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Phillips Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Antioch Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Eagan Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Deadmond Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (433 more) ...
    • Zion Hill Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Burge Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Synder Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 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 Selmaville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Selmaville.

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

  • Salem
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Odin
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Odin is located in Marion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,004 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Odin <1>
  • Tonti
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Tonti is located in Marion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tonti
  • Sandoval
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Bannister
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Bannister is located in Marion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bannister
  • Fairman
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Fairman is located in Marion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairman
  • Central City
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Central City is located in Marion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,107 people
  • Foxville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Foxville is located in Marion County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foxville
  • Centralia
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Walnut Hill
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Alma
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Shattuc
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Dix
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Dix is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dix
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 428 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dix <1>
    • Iuka
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Patoka
      (11 miles [17.7 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 Selmaville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Selmaville.

Newspapers Published in Selmaville ...

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 82 newspapers that have been published in the area around Selmaville.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Selmaville:

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 Selmaville, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Selmaville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.