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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 Stillwater (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 Stillwater. 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 southwest 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 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 west 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.

Stillwater is located in Will 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 Will County: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall & Lake (IN).

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

  • Will County     (The home county of Stillwater)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stillwater, with the one closest to Stillwater listed first.
    • Normantown
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Normantown is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
    • Bloomfield Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
    • Bolingbrook
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Winston Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Winston Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
    • Plainfield
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Colonial Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Colonial Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
    • Walker
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Walker is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
    • Romeoville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Crystal Lawns
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Crystal Lawns is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lawns
    • Summerfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Summerfield is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerfield
    • Lockport
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Crest Hill
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairmont
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairmont is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
  • Cook County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stillwater, with the one closest to Stillwater listed first.
    • Lemont
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Burr Ridge
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Indian Head Park
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Indian Head Park is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Head Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,680 people
    • Willow Springs
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Countryside
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Western Springs
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Hodgkins
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • La Grange
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • La Grange Park
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Hickory Hills
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Berkeley
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Brookfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Hillside
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
  • DeKalb County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stillwater, with the one closest to Stillwater listed first.
    • Sandwich
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Hinckley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Franks
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Franks is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franks
    • Somonauk
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Cortland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Waterman
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • DuPage County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stillwater, with the one closest to Stillwater listed first.
    • Naperville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Eola
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Warrenville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Woodridge
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Lisle
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lisle is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,153 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lisle <1>
    • Darien
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • West Chicago
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • West Chicago is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chicago
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 26,593 people
    • Winfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Downers Grove
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Wheaton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Tedens ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Tedens is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
    • Ingalton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Ingalton is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalton
    • Glen Ellyn
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stillwater, with the one closest to Stillwater listed first.
    • Minooka
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Channahon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Sand Ridge
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
    • Claypool
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Claypool is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
    • Morris
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Nettle Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Nettle Creek is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettle Creek
    • Gaslight Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
    • Carbon Hill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
    • Coal City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Diamond
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Kane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stillwater, with the one closest to Stillwater listed first.
    • Aurora
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • North Aurora
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • North Aurora is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
    • Batavia
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Mooseheart
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Geneva
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Sugar Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Saint Charles
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Bonnie
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Bonnie is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie
      • Bonnie has also been known as:
      • Bonnie Valley
    • Coleman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Coleman is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
    • Campton Hills
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Campton Hills is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campton Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,063 people
      • Campton Hills has also been known as:
      • Campton Hills village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Campton Hills <1>
    • Elburn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Kaneville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Big Rock
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
  • Kendall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stillwater, with the one closest to Stillwater listed first.
    • Boulder Hill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
    • Montgomery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Oswego
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Bristol
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Yorkville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Plattville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Plattville is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
    • Plano
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Plano is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plano
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,879 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Plano <1>
    • Little Rock
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Little Rock is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock
    • Millbrook
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Lisbon
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Lisbon is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
    • Newark
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
  • La Salle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stillwater, with the one closest to Stillwater listed first.
    • Millington
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Sheridan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Stillwater ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Stillwater.

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

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

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

  • Vermont Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermont Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Vermont Cemetery is located outside of Naperville
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108683 <2>
  • Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Wheatland Twp. Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland Twp. Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Wheatland Twp. Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside of Naperville
    • The Wheatland Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Wheatland Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108827 <2>
  • Naperville Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Boardman Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • St.s Peter & Paul Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Lincoln Memorial Park
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Oswego Prairie Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Wheatland Presbyterian Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland Presbyterian Church Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Wheatland Presbyterian Church Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the northwest of Plainfield.
    • The Wheatland Presbyterian Church Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Scotch Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1960758 <2>
  • Illinois Benedictine College Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Erb Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (406 more) ...

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

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

  • Frontenac
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Frontenac is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frontenac
  • Naperville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Eola
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Normantown
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Normantown is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
  • Plainfield
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Warrenville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Aurora
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Warrenhurst
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Warrenhurst is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warrenhurst
  • Walker
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Walker is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
  • Lisle
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Lisle is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisle
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,153 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lisle <1>
  • Oswego
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Romeo
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Romeo is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romeo
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Montgomery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • North Aurora
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • North Aurora is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
    • Coynes
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Coynes is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coynes

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

Newspapers Published in Stillwater ...

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 62 newspapers that have been published in the area around Stillwater.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Stillwater, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Stillwater.

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 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 Stillwater:

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- Stillwater) 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 Stillwater, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.