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 Speer (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 Speer. 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 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.
Speer is located in Stark 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 Stark County: Bureau, Henry, Knox, Marshall & Peoria.
Below are the counties that are near Speer. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Speer:
- Stark County (The home county of Speer)
- The following are listed by their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Wyoming
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Castleton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Modena
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Modena is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
- Bradford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Toulon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- West Jersey
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- West Jersey is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey
- Osceola
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Osceola is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- La Fayette
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Bureau County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Milo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Milo is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
- Neponset
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Tiskilwa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Buda
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Sheffield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Wyanet
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bureau Junction
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- 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>
- Mineral
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Princeton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- De Pue
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- De Pue is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Pue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,665 people
- Fulton County
- Farmington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Henry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Kewanee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Galva
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Bishop Hill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Knox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Williamsfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Yates City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Victoria
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Dahinda
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Appleton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Appleton is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
- Altona
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Maquon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gilson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Oneida
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- La Salle County
- Priscilla ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Priscilla is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priscilla
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Camp Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Hopewell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Hopewell is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Sparland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Lacon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Henry
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- La Rose
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Varna
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Toluca
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Evans ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Evans is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Peoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Edelstein
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- West Hallock
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- West Hallock is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hallock
- Princeville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dunlap
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Chillicothe
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rome
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Monica
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Monica is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monica
- Mossville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Orange Prairie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Keller
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Keller is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
- Brimfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Laura
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Putnam
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Magnolia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Hennepin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- McNabb
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Granville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mark
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Palatine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Palatine is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Palatine
- Standard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Trailpark Gardens
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Trailpark Gardens is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trailpark Gardens
- Harvard Hills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Harvard Hills is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard Hills
- East Peoria
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- East Peoria is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peoria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22,344 people
- Former name for East Peoria:
- Hilton
- Highway Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Highway Village is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highway Village
- Robein
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Robein is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robein
- Sunnyland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Beverly Manor
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Beverly Manor is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Manor
- Creve Coeur
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Creve Coeur is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creve Coeur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,109 people
- Former name for Creve Coeur:
- Wesley City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Creve Coeur <1>
- Farmdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Farmdale is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmdale
- Wesley
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Wesley is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
- Washington
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Caldwell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Caldwell is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caldwell
- Woodford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Spring Bay
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Spring Bay is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 456 people
- Bay View Gardens
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bay View Gardens is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View Gardens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 407 people
- Germantown Hills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Washburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Metamora
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Roanoke
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Eureka
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Benson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Speer, see our County-by-County Page for Speer.
Cemeteries Near Speer ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Speer.
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 Speer - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Speer covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Lawn Ridge Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Woertz Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ertley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Streitmatter Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- West Hallock Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Blue Ridge Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- St. Patrick Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Apostolic Christian Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Grant Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Schiebel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (302 more) ...
- Princeville Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Eagleston Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Prospect Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Prospect Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<3> to the north of Dunlap.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107584 <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.<4>
While we didn't find Speer in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Speer.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Speer, with the one closest to Speer listed first.
- Lawn Ridge
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Lawn Ridge is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawn Ridge
- Edelstein
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- West Hallock
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- West Hallock is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hallock
- Stark
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Stark is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stark
- Akron
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Akron is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akron
- Princeville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Duncan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Duncan is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncan
- Wyoming
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Dunlap
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Castleton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Chillicothe
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Monica
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Monica is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monica
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Rome
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Waldron ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Waldron is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldron
- Sparland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Speer. See our List of 1890's Communities around Speer.
Newspapers Published in Speer ...
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 249 newspapers that have been published in the area around Speer.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Speer, 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 Speer.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Speer:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Stark County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bureau County
- Fulton County
- Henry County
- Knox County
- La Salle County
- Marshall County
- Peoria County
- Putnam County
- Tazewell 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> | 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- Speer) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Speer, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |