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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 Shermer Square (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 Shermer Square. 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 Shermer Square ...

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 Shermer Square: Shermer Sq. (or less commonly used: Shermer Sqr.)

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 doctors and 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.

Shermer Square is located in Cook 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 Cook County: DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, Lake (IN) & Berrien (MI).

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

  • Cook County     (The home county of Shermer Square)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shermer Square, with the one closest to Shermer Square listed first.
    • Colonial Village
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Colonial Village is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
    • Northbrook
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Techny
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Covenant Village
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Covenant Village is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covenant Village
    • Glencoe
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Glenview
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Northfield
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Winnetka
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • The Grove
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • The Grove is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Grove
    • Golf
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Prospect Heights
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Wheeling
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • DuPage County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shermer Square, with the one closest to Shermer Square listed first.
    • Bensenville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Itasca
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Wood Dale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Medinah
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Addison
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Roselle
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Elmhurst
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • South Elmhurst
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
    • Bloomingdale
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Villa Park
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Villa Park is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,291 people
    • Keeneyville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Keeneyville is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneyville
    • Cloverdale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Cloverdale is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
  • Kane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shermer Square, with the one closest to Shermer Square listed first.
    • East Dundee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Carpentersville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Elgin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Sleepy Hollow
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Coleman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Coleman is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
    • West Dundee
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Gilberts
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • South Elgin
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • South Elgin is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
    • Saint Charles
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Freeman
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Freeman is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
    • Geneva
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shermer Square, with the one closest to Shermer Square listed first.
    • Braeside
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Braeside is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
    • Ravinia
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Ravinia is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravinia
    • Deerfield
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Highland Park
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Highwood
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Bannockburn
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Riverwoods
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Lincolnshire
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Aptakisic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Aptakisic is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
    • Buffalo Grove
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Lake Forest
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Prairie View
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Prairie View is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
  • McHenry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shermer Square, with the one closest to Shermer Square listed first.
    • Fox River Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Island Lake
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Island Lake is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,951 people
    • Cary
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Cary is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cary
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,929 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cary <1>
    • Oakwood Hills
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Oakwood Hills is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,011 people
    • Trout Valley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Trout Valley is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trout Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 508 people
    • Holiday Hills
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Holiday Hills is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holiday Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 574 people
    • Barreville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Barreville is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
    • Lakemoor
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Prairie Grove
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Prairie Grove is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,920 people
    • Algonquin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Lake-in-the-Hills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Terra Cotta
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Terra Cotta is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terra Cotta
  • Kenosha County (WI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shermer Square, with the one closest to Shermer Square listed first.
    • Fossland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Fossland is located in Kenosha County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossland
    • Pleasant Prairie
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Pleasant Prairie is located in Kenosha County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Prairie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,373 people
    • Benet Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Benet Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benet Lake
    • Lake Shangrila
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Shangrila is located in Kenosha County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shangrila
    • Woodworth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Woodworth is located in Kenosha County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth

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

Cemeteries Near Shermer Square ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shermer Square.

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 Shermer Square - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Sacred Heart Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Northfield Union Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Sunset Memorial Lawns
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Deerfield Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Mooney Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • North Northfield Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Northfield Oakwood Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northfield Oakwood Cemetery
    • The Northfield Oakwood Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Oak Wood Cemetery
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Wheeling Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (281 more) ...
    • Ridgewood Memorial Park
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgewood Memorial Park
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Ridgewood Memorial Park is a very large cemetery that is located in Glenview.
      • The Ridgewood Memorial Park has also been known as:
      • Ridgewood Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107685 <2>
    • Dewes Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Ft. Sheridan Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 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.<3>

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

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

  • Shermerville
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Shermerville is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shermerville
  • Ravinia
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Ravinia is located in Lake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravinia
  • Deerfield
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Ridgeland
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Ridgeland is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeland
  • Glencoe
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Highland Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • North Northfield
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • North Northfield is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Northfield
  • The Grove
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • The Grove is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Grove
  • Lakeview
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Lakeview is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
  • Wheeling
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Morton Grove
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Wilmette
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Kenilworth
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Mount Prospect
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Des Plaines
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Shermer Square ...

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 4 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shermer Square.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shermer Square, there are papers which were published within 3 miles [4.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Shermer Square.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Shermer Square:

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 Shermer Square, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Shermer Square) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.