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 Shady Beach (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 Shady Beach. 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 Shady Beach ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Shady Beach: Shady Bch.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Shady Beach. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Shady Beach.
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 and doctors 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.
Shady Beach is located in Henry 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 Henry County: Bureau, Knox, Mercer, Rock Island, Stark & Whiteside.
Below are the counties that are near Shady Beach. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shady Beach:
- Henry County (The home county of Shady Beach)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shady Beach, with the one closest to Shady Beach listed first.
- Hickory Hills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hickory Hills is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Hills
- Geneseo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cleveland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Cleveland is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleveland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 178 people
- Dayton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Dayton is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Briar Bluff
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Briar Bluff is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar Bluff
- Colona
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Green Rock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Green Rock is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Rock
- Morristown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Morristown is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morristown
- Atkinson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Osco
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Hooppole
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Orion
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bureau County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shady Beach, with the one closest to Shady Beach listed first.
- Yorktown
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Yorktown is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorktown
- Mineral
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- New Bedford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Neponset
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sheffield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Manlius
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Buda
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Carroll County
- Thomson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Knox County
- Altona
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Mercer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shady Beach, with the one closest to Shady Beach listed first.
- Sherrard
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Griffin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Griffin is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin
- Preemption
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- New Windsor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- New Windsor is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Windsor
- Windsor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Windsor is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 760 people
- Matherville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Viola
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rock Island County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shady Beach, with the one closest to Shady Beach listed first.
- Joslin
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Joslin is located in Rock Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joslin
- Rustic Acres
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rustic Acres is located in Rock Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rustic Acres
- Hillsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Rapids City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Port Byron
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Barstow
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Carbon Cliff
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Hampton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Cordova
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Silvis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- East Moline
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- East Moline is located in Rock Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Moline
- Population from the 2020 Census: 20,473 people
- Coal Valley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Whiteside County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shady Beach, with the one closest to Shady Beach listed first.
- Erie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Newton Corners
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Newton Corners is located in Whiteside County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Corners
- Pratt ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pratt is located in Whiteside County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
- Denrock
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Denrock is located in Whiteside County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denrock
- Fenton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Prophetstown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Albany
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Lyndon
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- East Clinton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- East Clinton is located in Whiteside County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Clinton
- Tampico
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Fulton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Morrison
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Clinton County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shady Beach, with the one closest to Shady Beach listed first.
- Folletts
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Folletts is located in Clinton County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folletts
- Shaffton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Shaffton is located in Clinton County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaffton
- Camanche
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Low Moor
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Clinton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Elvira
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Elvira is located in Clinton County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elvira
- Sixmile
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Sixmile is located in Clinton County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sixmile
- De Witt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Tenmile
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Tenmile is located in Clinton County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tenmile
- Andover
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Andover is located in Clinton County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
- Bryant
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bryant is located in Clinton County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryant
- Elk River Junction
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Elk River Junction is located in Clinton County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk River Junction
- Scott County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shady Beach, with the one closest to Shady Beach listed first.
- Le Claire
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Princeton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Valley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Panorama Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Panorama Park is located in Scott County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panorama Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 331 people
- Riverdale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Riverdale is located in Scott County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 398 people
- Bettendorf
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- McCausland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- McCausland is located in Scott County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCausland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 311 people
- Davenport
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Park View
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Park View is located in Scott County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park View
- Eldridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Long Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Noel ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Noel is located in Scott County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noel
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shady Beach, see our County-by-County Page for Shady Beach.
Cemeteries Near Shady Beach ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shady Beach.
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 Shady Beach - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shady Beach covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shady Beach, with the one closest to Shady Beach listed first.
- Colbert Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- McHenry Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Bethesda Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Pink Prairie Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Zuma Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hanna Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- North Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Mt. Moriah Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Schaefer Family Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Mizpan Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (258 more) ...
- Bowman Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Point Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dayton Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
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 Shady Beach in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shady Beach.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shady Beach, with the one closest to Shady Beach listed first.
- Joslin
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Joslin is located in Rock Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joslin
- Osborn
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Osborn is located in Rock Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osborn
- Hillsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Cleveland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Cleveland is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleveland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 178 people
- Geneseo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Green River
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Green River is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green River
- Rapids City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Port Byron
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Le Claire
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Barstow
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Briar Bluff
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Briar Bluff is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar Bluff
- Spring Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Spring Hill is located in Whiteside County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Carbon Cliff
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Erie
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hampton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shady Beach. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shady Beach.
Newspapers Published in Shady Beach ...
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 157 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shady Beach.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shady Beach, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Shady Beach.
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 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 Shady Beach:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Henry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bureau County
- Carroll County
- Knox County
- Mercer County
- Rock Island County
- Whiteside County
- Clinton County
- Scott 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> | 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 Shady Beach, 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- Shady Beach) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |