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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 Stewardson (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 Stewardson. 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.

Stewardson is located in Shelby 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 Shelby County: Christian, Coles, Cumberland, Effingham, Fayette, Macon, Montgomery & Moultrie.

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

  • Shelby County     (The home county of Stewardson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stewardson, with the one closest to Stewardson listed first.
    • Strasburg
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Mode
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Mode is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mode
    • Trowbridge
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Trowbridge is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trowbridge
    • Sigel
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Fancher
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Fancher is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancher
    • Sexson Corner
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Sexson Corner is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexson Corner
    • Middlesworth
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Middlesworth is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlesworth
    • Windsor
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Cowden
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Shelbyville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Lakewood
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Lakewood is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Findlay
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
  • Christian County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stewardson, with the one closest to Stewardson listed first.
    • Pana
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Pana is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pana
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,327 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pana <1>
    • Assumption
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Rosamond
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Millersville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Millersville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
  • Clay County
    • Iola
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Coles County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stewardson, with the one closest to Stewardson listed first.
    • Trilla
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Magnet
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Magnet is located in Coles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnet
    • Mattoon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Lerna
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Cooks Mills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Cooks Mills is located in Coles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooks Mills
    • Dorans
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Dorans is located in Coles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorans
    • Charleston
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Humboldt
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Hutton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Hutton is located in Coles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutton
  • Cumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stewardson, with the one closest to Stewardson listed first.
    • Neoga
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Neoga is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neoga
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,585 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Neoga <1>
    • Johnstown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Johnstown is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnstown
    • Toledo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Toledo is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toledo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,185 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Toledo <1>
    • Bradbury
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Bradbury is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradbury
    • Jewett
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Janesville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Walla Walla
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Walla Walla is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walla Walla
    • Greenup
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Timothy
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Timothy is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timothy
    • Diona
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Diona is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diona
    • Union Center
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Union Center is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Center
  • Effingham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stewardson, with the one closest to Stewardson listed first.
    • Shumway
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Green Creek
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Green Creek is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Creek
    • Beecher City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Beecher City is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beecher City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 451 people
    • Effingham
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Moccasin
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Moccasin is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moccasin
    • Funkhouser
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Funkhouser is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Funkhouser
    • Dexter
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Dexter is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter
    • Teutopolis
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Heartville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Heartville is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heartville
    • Montrose
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Montrose is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
    • Altamont
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Watson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stewardson, with the one closest to Stewardson listed first.
    • Holliday
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Holliday is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holliday
    • Howards Point ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Howards Point is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howards Point
    • Saint Elmo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Avena
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Avena is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avena
    • Dressor
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Dressor is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dressor
    • Brownstown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • La Clede
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • La Clede is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Clede
    • Ramsey
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Loogootee
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Peter
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bluff City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Bluff City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Bayle City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Bayle City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayle City
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stewardson, with the one closest to Stewardson listed first.
    • Wheeler
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Hidalgo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Lis
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Lis is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lis
    • Rose Hill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Rose Hill is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
    • Falmouth
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Falmouth is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falmouth
  • Moultrie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stewardson, with the one closest to Stewardson listed first.
    • Gays
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Gays is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 252 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gays <1>
    • Coles
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Coles is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coles
    • Allenville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Allenville is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
    • Sullivan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Dunn
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Dunn is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
    • Bethany
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Cushman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Cushman is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushman
    • Cadwell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Cadwell is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadwell

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

Cemeteries Near Stewardson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Stewardson.

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

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

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

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Stewardson had a population of 617 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Stewardson had a population of 718 people.

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

  • Herborn
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Herborn is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herborn
  • Kingman
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Kingman is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingman
  • Shumway
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Strasburg
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Mode
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Mode is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mode
  • Trowbridge
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Trowbridge is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trowbridge
  • Sigel
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Fancher
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Fancher is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancher
  • Beecher City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Beecher City is located in Effingham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beecher City
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 451 people
  • Holliday
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Holliday is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holliday
  • Moccasin
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Moccasin is located in Effingham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moccasin
  • Blue Point
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Blue Point is located in Effingham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Point
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Effingham
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Neoga
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Neoga is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neoga
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,585 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Neoga <1>
    • Sexson Corner
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Sexson Corner is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexson Corner

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Stewardson ...

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 41 newspapers that have been published in the area around Stewardson.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Stewardson. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Stewardson and those printed in the larger area surrounding Stewardson.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4> of Stewardson.

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 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 Stewardson:

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