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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 Southlawn (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 Southlawn. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.

Southlawn is located in Sangamon 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 Sangamon County: Christian, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery & Morgan.

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

  • Sangamon County     (The home county of Southlawn)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southlawn, with the one closest to Southlawn listed first.
    • Southern View
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Southern View is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southern View
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,557 people
    • Hawthorne Place
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Hawthorne Place is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne Place
    • Springfield
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Leland Grove
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Leland Grove is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,451 people
    • Woodside
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Woodside is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodside
    • Jerome
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Jerome is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,575 people
    • Rochester
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Grandview
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Grandview is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,369 people
    • Ridgely
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Ridgely is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
    • Clear Lake
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Clear Lake is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
    • Chatham
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Curran
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Curran is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curran
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southlawn, with the one closest to Southlawn listed first.
    • Ashland
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Gurney ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Gurney is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gurney
    • Newmansville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Newmansville is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newmansville
    • Philadelphia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Philadelphia is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
    • Sylvan ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Sylvan is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
    • Old Princeton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Old Princeton is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Princeton
  • Christian County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southlawn, with the one closest to Southlawn listed first.
    • Edinburg
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Bolivia
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Bolivia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivia
    • Tovey
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Tovey is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tovey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 467 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tovey <1>
    • Bulpitt
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Kincaid
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Zenobia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Zenobia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenobia
    • Jeisyville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Jeisyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeisyville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
    • Grove City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Grove City is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
    • Sharpsburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Sharpsburg is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
    • Mount Auburn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Langleyville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Langleyville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langleyville
    • Clarksdale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Clarksdale is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksdale
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southlawn, with the one closest to Southlawn listed first.
    • Cornland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Elkhart
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Lake Fork
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Broadwell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Broadwell is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
    • Middletown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Mount Pulaski
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Chestervale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Chestervale is located in Logan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestervale
    • Latham
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • New Holland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Lincoln
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Macon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southlawn, with the one closest to Southlawn listed first.
    • Niantic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Blue Mound
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Boody
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Harristown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southlawn, with the one closest to Southlawn listed first.
    • Virden
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Girard
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Nilwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Modesto
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Standard City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Standard City is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Standard City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
    • Palmyra
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Menard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southlawn, with the one closest to Southlawn listed first.
    • Athens
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Croft
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Croft is located in Menard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croft
    • Petersburg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Tallula
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Greenview
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Oakford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southlawn, with the one closest to Southlawn listed first.
    • White Oak
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • White Oak is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
    • Farmersville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Waggoner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Harvel
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Raymond
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Morgan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Southlawn, with the one closest to Southlawn listed first.
    • Waverly
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Alexander
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Prentice
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Prentice is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prentice
    • Franklin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Arnold
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Arnold is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Pisgah
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Pisgah is located in Morgan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah

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

Cemeteries Near Southlawn ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Southlawn.

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

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

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

  • Harmony Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Trumbo Family Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Newcomer Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Rochester Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Jones Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Beck Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Stout Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Brunk Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Brunk Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Crowder Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Cloyd Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (303 more) ...
    • Bethel Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Bridges Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Calvary Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Calvary Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Springfield.
      • The Calvary Cemetery has also been known as:
      • German Catholic Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104996 <2>

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 Southlawn in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Southlawn.

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

  • Springfield
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Woodside
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Woodside is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodside
  • Cotton Hill
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Cotton Hill is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Hill
  • Rochester
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Ridgely
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Ridgely is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
  • Chatham
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • New City
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • New City is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
  • Riverton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Bradfordton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Bradfordton is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradfordton
  • Curran
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Curran is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curran
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
  • Glenarm
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Berry
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Berry is located in Sangamon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berry
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Spaulding
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Spaulding is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spaulding
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 836 people
    • Breckenridge
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Breckenridge is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breckenridge
    • Sherman
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Southlawn ...

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 252 newspapers that have been published in the area around Southlawn.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Southlawn, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Southlawn.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Southlawn:

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 Southlawn, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Southlawn) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.