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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 Victoria (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 Victoria. 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.

Victoria is located in Knox 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 Knox County: Fulton, Henry, Mercer, Peoria, Stark & Warren.

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

  • Knox County     (The home county of Victoria)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Victoria, with the one closest to Victoria listed first.
    • Altona
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Oneida
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Dahinda
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Appleton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Appleton is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
    • Williamsfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Wataga
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Knox
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Knox is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
    • East Galesburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • East Galesburg is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Galesburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 761 people
    • Gilson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Knoxville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Henderson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Galesburg
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Henderson Grove
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Henderson Grove is located in Knox County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson Grove
  • Bureau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Victoria, with the one closest to Victoria listed first.
    • Neponset
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Mineral
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Milo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Milo is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
    • Buda
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Sheffield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Fulton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Victoria, with the one closest to Victoria listed first.
    • Farmington
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • London Mills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Fairview
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Norris
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Brereton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Brereton is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brereton
    • Bybee
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Bybee is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bybee
    • Ellisville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Henry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Victoria, with the one closest to Victoria listed first.
    • Galva
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Bishop Hill
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Woodhull
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Kewanee
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Alpha
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Cambridge
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Andover
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Ophiem
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Ophiem is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophiem
    • Lynn Center
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Osco
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Atkinson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Morristown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Morristown is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morristown
    • Orion
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Marshall County
  • Mercer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Victoria, with the one closest to Victoria listed first.
    • North Henderson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • New Windsor
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • New Windsor is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Windsor
    • Windsor
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Windsor is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 760 people
    • Griffin
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Griffin is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin
    • Alexis
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Viola
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Norwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Norwood is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
    • Sherrard
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Burgess
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Burgess is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burgess
    • Gilchrist
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Gilchrist is located in Mercer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilchrist
    • Matherville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Peoria County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Victoria, with the one closest to Victoria listed first.
    • Elmore
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Elmore is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
    • Laura
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Monica
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Monica is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monica
    • Brimfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Elmwood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Princeville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Dunlap
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Edelstein
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • West Hallock
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • West Hallock is located in Peoria County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hallock
    • Trivoli
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Edwards
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Hanna City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Orange Prairie
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Stark County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Victoria, with the one closest to Victoria listed first.
    • West Jersey
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • West Jersey is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey
    • La Fayette
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Toulon
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Wyoming
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Modena
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Modena is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
    • Osceola
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Osceola is located in Stark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
    • Castleton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Speer
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Bradford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Victoria, with the one closest to Victoria listed first.
    • Shanghai City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Shanghai City is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanghai City
    • Utah
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Utah is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utah
    • Surrey
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Surrey is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Surrey
    • Cameron
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Gerlaw
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Berwick
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Monmouth
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Victoria ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Victoria.

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

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

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

  • Victoria Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Old Scotch Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Etherly Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Garret Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Martin Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Salem Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • West Truro Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Westfall Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Larson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Center Prairie Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Walnut Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (281 more) ...
    • Myers Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Parker Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Caldwell Family Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Victoria had a population of 308 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Victoria had a population of 282 people.

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

  • Truro
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Truro is located in Knox County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truro
  • Altona
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Appleton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Appleton is located in Knox County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
  • Dahinda
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Oneida
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Williamsfield
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Elmore
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Elmore is located in Peoria County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
  • West Jersey
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • West Jersey is located in Stark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey
  • La Fayette
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Galva
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Wataga
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Knox
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Knox is located in Knox County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Nekoma
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Nekoma is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nekoma
    • Laura
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Bishop Hill
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Victoria ...

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 183 newspapers that have been published in the area around Victoria.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Victoria, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Victoria.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Victoria:

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 Victoria, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Victoria) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.