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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 Union Point (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 Union Point. 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 Union Point ...

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.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Union Point: Union Pt.

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

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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.

Union Point is located in Union 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 Union County: Alexander, Jackson, Johnson, Pulaski, Williamson, Cape Girardeau (MO) & Perry (MO).

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

  • Union County     (The home county of Union Point)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Wolf Lake
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Alto Pass
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Cobden
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Reynoldsville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Reynoldsville is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsville
    • Jonesboro
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Anna
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Anna is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,059 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Anna <1>
    • Dutch Mills
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Dutch Mills is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Mills
    • Water Valley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Water Valley is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Water Valley
    • Mill Creek
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Mill Creek is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Creek
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
    • Dongola
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Lick Creek
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Lick Creek is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lick Creek
    • Mount Pleasant
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
  • Alexander County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • McClure
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • East Cape Girardeau
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • East Cape Girardeau is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cape Girardeau
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
    • Elco
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Thebes
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Thebes is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thebes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
    • Diswood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Diswood is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diswood
    • Tamms
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Tamms is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tamms
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tamms <1>
    • Olive Branch
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Hodges Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Hodges Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodges Park
    • Unity
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Grand Tower
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Pomona
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Gorham
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Jacob
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Makanda
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Murphysboro
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Carbondale
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Degognia
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Degognia is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Degognia
    • Oraville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Ava
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Ava is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ava
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 610 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ava <1>
    • De Soto
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Vergennes
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Buncombe
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Goreville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Cypress
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Deer Ridge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Deer Ridge is located in Johnson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Ridge
  • Perry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Denmark
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Denmark is located in Perry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
    • Willisville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Pulaski County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Ullin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Perks
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Pulaski
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Randolph County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Rockwood
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Shiloh Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Shiloh Hill is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh Hill
    • Leanderville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Leanderville is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leanderville
    • Welge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Welge is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welge
    • Chester
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Menard
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Williamson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Cambria
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Blairsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Blairsville is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsville
    • Carterville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Crainville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Crainville is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crainville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,419 people
    • Hurst
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Hurst is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurst
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hurst <1>
    • Bush
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Bush is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bush
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 263 people
    • Dewmaine
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Dewmaine is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewmaine
    • Colp
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Colp is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colp
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
      • Former name for Colp:
      • Colpville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colp <1>
    • Energy
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Energy is located in Williamson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Energy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,086 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Energy <1>
  • Bollinger County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Sedgewickville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Sedgewickville is located in Bollinger County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedgewickville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
    • Seopus
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Seopus is located in Bollinger County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seopus
    • Laflin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Laflin is located in Bollinger County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laflin
    • Patton Junction
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Patton Junction is located in Bollinger County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patton Junction
    • Patton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Leopold
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Leopold is located in Bollinger County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leopold
  • Cape Girardeau County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Leemon
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Leemon is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leemon
    • Pocahontas
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Pocahontas is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocahontas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pocahontas <1>
    • Shawneetown
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Shawneetown is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawneetown
    • Old Appleton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Old Appleton is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Appleton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
    • Oak Ridge
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Oak Ridge is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Ridge
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 231 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oak Ridge <1>
    • Jackson
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Jackson is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 14,699 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jackson <1>
    • Daisy
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Daisy is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daisy
    • Cape Girardeau
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Friedheim
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Gordonville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Millersville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Burfordville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Perry County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Altenburg
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Frohna
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Frohna is located in Perry County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frohna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
    • Brazeau
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Brazeau is located in Perry County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazeau
    • Uniontown
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Uniontown is located in Perry County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
    • Farrar
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Farrar is located in Perry County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
    • Eureka
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Eureka is located in Perry County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
    • Longtown
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Longtown is located in Perry County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longtown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
    • Biehle
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Biehle is located in Perry County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biehle
    • Millheim
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Millheim is located in Perry County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millheim
    • Perryville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Sereno
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Sereno is located in Perry County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sereno
    • McBride
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • McBride is located in Perry County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBride
  • Scott County (MO)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Union Point, with the one closest to Union Point listed first.
    • Scott City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Kelso
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Kelso is located in Scott County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelso
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 589 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kelso <1>
    • Chaffee
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Chaffee is located in Scott County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chaffee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,901 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Chaffee <1>
    • Commerce
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • New Hamburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • New Hamburg is located in Scott County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hamburg
    • Caney Creek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Caney Creek is located in Scott County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney Creek

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

Cemeteries Near Union Point ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Union Point.

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 Union Point - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Walker Hill Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Apple Creek Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Pauls Lutheran Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Darby Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Noland Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Iona Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Rallo Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Hudson Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Henson Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Collins Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (410 more) ...
    • Stearns Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Goodbread Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Concordia Lutheran Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)

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

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

  • Lovejoy
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Lovejoy is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovejoy
  • Aldridge
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Aldridge is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aldridge
  • Neelys Landing
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Neelys Landing is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neelys Landing
  • Grand Tower
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • New Wells ‑ Historic
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • New Wells is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Wells
  • Leemon
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Leemon is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leemon
  • Oriole
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Oriole is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oriole
  • Altenburg
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Wittenberg
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Wittenberg is located in Perry County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittenberg
  • Pocahontas
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Pocahontas is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocahontas
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pocahontas <1>
  • Shawneetown
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Shawneetown is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawneetown
  • Ware
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Ware is located in Union County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ware
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Fruitland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Fruitland is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruitland
    • Egypt Mills
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Egypt Mills is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egypt Mills
    • Alto Pass
      (10 miles [16.1 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 Union Point. See our List of 1890's Communities around Union Point.

Newspapers Published in Union Point ...

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 51 newspapers that have been published in the area around Union Point.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Union Point, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Union Point.

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 Union Point:

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 Union Point, 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- Union Point) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.