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 (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. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Union is located in McHenry 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 McHenry County: Boone, Cook, DeKalb, Kane, Lake, Kenosha (WI) & Walworth (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Union. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Union:
- McHenry County (The home county of Union)
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Marengo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Woodstock
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Huntley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lakewood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Ridgefield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Ridgefield is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgefield
- Crystal Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Bull Valley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bull Valley is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bull Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,078 people
- Lake-in-the-Hills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Terra Cotta
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Terra Cotta is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terra Cotta
- Algonquin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Harvard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Greenwood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Garden Prairie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Russellville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Russellville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
- Herbert
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Herbert is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herbert
- Capron
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Belvidere
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Poplar Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Timberlane
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Timberlane is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timberlane
- Population from the 2020 Census: 934 people
- Irene
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Irene is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irene
- Caledonia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Barrington Hills
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Barrington Hills is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrington Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,152 people
- Barrington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- South Barrington
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- South Barrington is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,976 people
- Hoffman Estates
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Streamwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Inverness
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Hanover Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Capri Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Capri Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capri Village
- Palatine
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Plum Grove Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Plum Grove Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove Village
- Winthrop Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Winthrop Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winthrop Village
- Schaumburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- New Lebanon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- New Lebanon is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lebanon
- Charter Grove
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Charter Grove is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charter Grove
- Genoa
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Brush Point ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Brush Point is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Point
- Kirkland
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Sycamore
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Sycamore is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,317 people
- Coltonville ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Coltonville is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coltonville
- Clare
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fairdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fairdale is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
- Cortland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- De Kalb
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Wayne
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bartlett
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ingalton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Ingalton is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalton
- Keeneyville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Keeneyville is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneyville
- Cloverdale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cloverdale is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Roselle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Chicago
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Chicago is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chicago
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,593 people
- Bloomingdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Carol Stream
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Medinah
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Hampshire
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Freeman
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Freeman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- Starks
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Starks is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starks
- Pingree Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Burlington
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- North Plato
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- North Plato is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Plato
- Gilberts
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- West Dundee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Carpentersville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Plato Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sleepy Hollow
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bowes Bend
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bowes Bend is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowes Bend
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Fox River Valley Gardens
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Port Barrington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Port Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,481 people
- Port Barrington has also been known as:
- Port Barrington village
- Lake Barrington
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Lake Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,840 people
- Tower Lakes
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Tower Lakes is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tower Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,219 people
- Volo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Wauconda
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- North Barrington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- North Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,938 people
- Fox Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ingleside
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Deer Park
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Fort Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Fort Hill is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Hill
- Lake Zurich
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Ogle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Monroe Center
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Lindenwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Davis Junction
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Creston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Holcomb
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Winnebago County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Cherry Valley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Argyle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Argyle is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argyle
- Loves Park
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Machesney Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- North Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- North Park is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Park
- Roscoe
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- New Millford
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- New Millford is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Millford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
- Rockford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Indian Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Indian Village is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Sturbridge Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Sturbridge Village is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturbridge Village
- South Beloit
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kenosha County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Powers Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Powers Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers Lake
- Twin Lakes
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Twin Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,234 people
- Slades Corners
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Slades Corners is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slades Corners
- Fox River
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Fox River is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox River
- Benet Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Benet Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benet Lake
- Camp Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Camp Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Lake
- Lake Shangrila
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Shangrila is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shangrila
- Racine County (WI)
- Bohners Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bohners Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bohners Lake
- Rock County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Clinton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Clinton is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,119 people
- Shopiere
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Shopiere is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shopiere
- Tiffany
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tiffany is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiffany
- Walworth County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Big Foot Prairie
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Big Foot Prairie is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Foot Prairie
- Zenda
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Zenda is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenda
- Walworth
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Walworth is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,827 people
- Sharon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sharon is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,546 people
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,743 people
- Genoa City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Genoa City is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,981 people
- Williams Bay
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Williams Bay is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,657 people
- Pell Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pell Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pell Lake
- Delavan Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Delavan Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan Lake
- Lake Como
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Lake Como is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como
- Lake Geneva
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Lake Geneva is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Geneva
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,096 people
- Allens Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Allens Grove is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Grove
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Union, see our County-by-County Page for Union.
Cemeteries Near Union ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Union.
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 - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Union covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Union Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Coral Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Old Marengo Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Pioneer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Riley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riley Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Riley Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<2> to the south of Marengo.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2143541 <3>
- Harmony Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Barber Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dufield Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Huntlet Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (304 more) ...
- Mt. Thabor Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Memorial Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- McHenry County Jewish Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Union had a population of 156 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Union had a population of 548 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Coral
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Coral is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coral
- Marengo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Harmony
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Harmony is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony
- Coyne
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Coyne is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coyne
- Huntley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Woodstock
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hampshire
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- New Lebanon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- New Lebanon is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lebanon
- Ridgefield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Ridgefield is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgefield
- Hartland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Hartland is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Garden Prairie
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Freeman
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Freeman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Crystal Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Pingree Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Genoa
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Union. See our List of 1890's Communities around Union.
Newspapers Published in Union ...
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 38 newspapers that have been published in the area around Union.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Union, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Union.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Union:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to McHenry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Cook County
- DeKalb County
- DuPage County
- Kane County
- Lake County
- Ogle County
- Winnebago County
- Kenosha County
- Racine County
- Rock County
- Walworth 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> | 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- Union) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Union, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |