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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 Timber Ridge (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 Timber Ridge. 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 Timber Ridge ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Timber Ridge: Timber Rdg. (or less commonly used: Timber Rdge. or Timber Ridg.)

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Timber Ridge. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Timber Ridge.

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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Timber Ridge is located in McLean 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 McLean County: Champaign, De Witt, Ford, Livingston, Logan, Piatt, Tazewell & Woodford.

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

  • McLean County     (The home county of Timber Ridge)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Timber Ridge, with the one closest to Timber Ridge listed first.
    • Lexington
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Meadows
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Meadows is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
    • Cooksville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Towanda
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Chenoa
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Gridley
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Merna
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Colfax
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Hudson
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Weston
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Weston is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
    • Brokaw
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Brokaw is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brokaw
    • Ellsworth
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Champaign County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Timber Ridge, with the one closest to Timber Ridge listed first.
    • Foosland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Lotus
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Lotus is located in Champaign County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lotus
  • De Witt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Timber Ridge, with the one closest to Timber Ridge listed first.
    • Watkins
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Watkins is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins
    • Farmer City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Parnell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Parnell is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
    • Fullerton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Fullerton is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fullerton
    • Wapella
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Ford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Timber Ridge, with the one closest to Timber Ridge listed first.
    • Sibley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Garber
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Garber is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garber
    • Gibson City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Gibson City is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,275 people
      • Gibson City has also been known as:
      • Gibson
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gibson City <1>
    • Proctor
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Proctor is located in Ford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctor
    • Melvin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Elliott
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • La Salle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Timber Ridge, with the one closest to Timber Ridge listed first.
    • Dana
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Dana is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dana <1>
    • Rutland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Leeds
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Leeds is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
  • Livingston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Timber Ridge, with the one closest to Timber Ridge listed first.
    • Flanagan
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Graymont
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Fairbury
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • McDowell
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • McDowell is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McDowell
    • Avoca ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Avoca is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
    • Pontiac
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Pontiac is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pontiac
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,176 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pontiac <1>
    • Forrest
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Strawn
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Cayuga
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Cayuga is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cayuga
    • Swygert
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Swygert is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swygert
    • Cornell
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Wing
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Wing is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wing
  • Marshall County
    • Toluca
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Tazewell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Timber Ridge, with the one closest to Timber Ridge listed first.
    • Lilly
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Lilly is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
    • Deer Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Tazewell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Tazewell is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tazewell
    • Minier
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Mackinaw
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Mackinaw is located in Tazewell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackinaw
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,861 people
      • Former name for Mackinaw:
      • Mackinawtown
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mackinaw <1>
  • Woodford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Timber Ridge, with the one closest to Timber Ridge listed first.
    • Kappa
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Kappa is located in Woodford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kappa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
    • El Paso
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Panola
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Panola is located in Woodford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
    • Woodford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Woodford is located in Woodford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodford
    • Secor
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Congerville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Benson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Minonk
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Roanoke
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Goodfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Eureka
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Timber Ridge ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Timber Ridge.

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 Timber Ridge - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Dawson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Scrogin Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Lexington Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Indian Field Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Pleasant Hill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Clarksville Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Wiley Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Bishop Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Pennell Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hibbs - Bigger Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Wilcox - Coon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Smith Grove Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (228 more) ...
    • Hinthorn Union Chapel Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinthorn Union Chapel Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Hinthorn Union Chapel Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 10 miles [16.1 km]<3> to the north of Bloomington.
      • The Hinthorn Union Chapel Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Hinthorn Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1934183 <2>
    • Evergreen Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Lawndale Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)

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

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

  • Lexington
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Towanda
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Fletcher
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Fletcher is located in McLean County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
  • Meadows
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Meadows is located in McLean County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
  • Cooksville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Merna
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Gridley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Chenoa
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Hudson
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Barnes
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Barnes is located in McLean County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnes
  • Colfax
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Weston
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Weston is located in McLean County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Kappa
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Kappa is located in Woodford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kappa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
    • Holder
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Holder is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holder
    • Padua
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Padua is located in McLean County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Padua

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

Newspapers Published in Timber Ridge ...

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 232 newspapers that have been published in the area around Timber Ridge.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Timber Ridge, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Timber Ridge.

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 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 Timber Ridge:

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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Timber Ridge) 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 Timber Ridge, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.