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 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 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 Union. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Union:
- Will County (The home county of Union)
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Cherry Hill
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Cherry Hill is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Hill
- Ingalls Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ingalls Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalls Park
- Brisbane
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Brisbane is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- New Lenox
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- East Joliet
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- East Joliet is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Joliet
- Joliet
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Preston Heights
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Preston Heights is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston Heights
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Gilletts is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
- Fairmont
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fairmont is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
- Rockdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Rockdale is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,884 people
- Crest Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Manhattan
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Orland Hills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lemont
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Orland Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tinley Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Matteson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Palos Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Forest
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Country Club Hills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Richton Park
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Palos Heights
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Flossmoor
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Crestwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Woodridge
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Darien
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Naperville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Westmont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Clarendon Hills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Downers Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Hinsdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Lisle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Eola
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Channahon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Minooka
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Sand Ridge
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Diamond
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Carbon Hill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Coal City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Claypool
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Gaslight Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
- Braceville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Central City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Morris
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Aurora
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Mooseheart
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- North Aurora
(27 miles [43.5 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
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sugar Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Geneva
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Manteno
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bourbonnais
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Essex
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bonfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Bradley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Saint George
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Goodrich
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Limestone
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Limestone is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Grant Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Kankakee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Union Hill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Momence
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Plattville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Boulder Hill
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
- Oswego
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Montgomery
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Lisbon
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Bristol
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Yorkville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Plano
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Millbrook
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Newark
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- La Salle County
- Millington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Dyer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Dyer is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,955 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyer <1>
- Hammond
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Munster
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Hartsdale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Saint John
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hessville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Highland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Schererville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- East Chicago
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Whiting
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
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.
- Mound Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mound Cemetery is located outside and to the east of Joliet.
- The Mound Cemetery has also been known as:
- Rudd Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2339538 <2>
- Maplewood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Joliet.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107054 <2>
- St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- St. Peters Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Joliet.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #261051 <2>
- Elmhurst Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmhurst Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Elmhurst Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Joliet.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #105558 <2>
- St. Cyril and Methodius Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- St. Cyrils Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- North Providence Ridge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Providence Ridge Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the North Providence Ridge Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 5 miles [8 km]<3> to the southeast of Joliet.
- The North Providence Ridge Cemetery has also been known as:
- North Ridge Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1035879 <2>
- Zarley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zarley Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Zarley Cemetery is located in Joliet.
- The Zarley Cemetery has also been known as:
- Desplaines Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1269046 <2>
- St. Joseph Guardian Angels Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Continue List (370 more) ...
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Joseph Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Joseph Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Manhattan.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107926 <2>
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery is located outside and to the northeast of Joliet.
- The St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery has also been known as:
- Russian Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107802 <2>
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 Union in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Union.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Union, with the one closest to Union listed first.
- Brisbane
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Brisbane is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- Steele
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Steele is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele
- New Lenox
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- East Joliet
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- East Joliet is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Joliet
- Joliet
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Spencer
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Spencer is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Manhattan
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Marley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Marley is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marley
- Lockport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Elwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mokena
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Millsdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Millsdale is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millsdale
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Coynes
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Coynes is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coynes
- Wallingford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Alpine
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Alpine is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
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 90 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 10 miles [16.1 km]<3>. 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 visit 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:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Will County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DuPage County
- Grundy County
- Kane County
- Kankakee County
- Kendall County
- La Salle County
- Lake 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> | 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 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'. |
| <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. |