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 Villas (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 Villas. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Villas is located in Crawford 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 Crawford County: Clark, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland, Knox (IN) & Sullivan (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Villas. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Villas:
- Crawford County (The home county of Villas)
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- New Hebron
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- New Hebron is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hebron
- Flat Rock
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Duncanville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Duncanville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncanville
- Hardinville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hardinville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardinville
- Oil Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Oil Grove is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil Grove
- Oil Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oil Center is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil Center
- Robinson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Stoy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Landes
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Landes is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landes
- Gordon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Gordon is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
- Green Brier
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Green Brier is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Brier
- Heathsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Heathsville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heathsville
- Clark County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- York
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- York is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
- Melrose
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Melrose is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose
- West Union
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- West Union is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Union
- Hogue Town
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hogue Town is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hogue Town
- Oak Point
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Point is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Point
- Snyder
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Snyder is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snyder
- Casey
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cumberland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cumberland is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
- Cumberland County
- Hazel Dell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hazel Dell is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazel Dell
- Edwards County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- Mills Prairie ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mills Prairie is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills Prairie
- West Salem
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- West Salem is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Salem
- Population from the 2020 Census: 844 people
- Marion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Marion is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- Sainte Marie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Willow Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hunt City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hunt City is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunt City
- West Liberty
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- West Liberty is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Liberty
- Yale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Newton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Falmouth
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Falmouth is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falmouth
- Rose Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rose Hill is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
- Bogota
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Bogota is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogota
- Hidalgo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lis
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Lis is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lis
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- Birds
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bridgeport
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Lawrenceville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Russellville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sumner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Billett
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Billett is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billett
- Helena
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Helena is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
- Petersburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Saint Francisville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Richland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- Amity
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Amity is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
- Claremont
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Dundas
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Olney
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Berryville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Berryville is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
- Calhoun
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Parkersburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wakefield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Wakefield is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakefield
- Passport
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Passport is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Passport
- Gallagher
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Gallagher is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallagher
- Noble
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wabash County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- Orio
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Orio is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orio
- Allendale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Lancaster
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Lancaster is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster
- Adams Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Adams Corner is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams Corner
- Patton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Patton is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patton
- Gibson County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- Giro
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Giro is located in Gibson County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Giro
- Hazleton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greene County (IN)
- White Rose
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- White Rose is located in Greene County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rose
- Knox County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- Busseron
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Busseron is located in Knox County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Busseron
- Oaktown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Vincennes
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bruceville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Beal
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Beal is located in Knox County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beal
- Fritchton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Fritchton is located in Knox County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fritchton
- Freelandville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Freelandville is located in Knox County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freelandville
- Bicknell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Ragsdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ragsdale is located in Knox County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ragsdale
- Verne
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Verne is located in Knox County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verne
- Edwardsport
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Edwardsport is located in Knox County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwardsport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 298 people
- Westphalia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Sullivan County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- Merom
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Graysville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Graysville is located in Sullivan County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graysville
- New Lebanon
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Carlisle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Paxton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Paxton is located in Sullivan County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paxton
- Sullivan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Fairbanks
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fairbanks is located in Sullivan County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairbanks
- Scott City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Scott City is located in Sullivan County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scott City
- Jericho
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jericho is located in Sullivan County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
- Scotchtown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Scotchtown is located in Sullivan County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotchtown
- Shelburn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dugger
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Vigo County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- Prairie Creek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Prairie Creek is located in Vigo County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Creek
- Vigo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Vigo is located in Vigo County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vigo
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Villas, see our County-by-County Page for Villas.
Cemeteries Near Villas ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Villas.
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 Villas - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Villas covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- Good Hope Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Cecedar Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Tohill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Sears Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Port Jackson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Nuttle Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rich Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Richart Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jones Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Charlottesville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mickey Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Conover Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (427 more) ...
- Jones Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Beckwith Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Duncanville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Villas had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Villas, with the one closest to Villas listed first.
- New Hebron
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- New Hebron is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hebron
- Westport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Westport is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
- Flat Rock
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Duncanville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Duncanville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncanville
- Hardinville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hardinville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardinville
- Birds
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Morea
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Morea is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morea
- Landes
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Landes is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landes
- Chauncey
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Chauncey is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chauncey
- Stoy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Robinson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Pinkstaff
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pinkstaff is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinkstaff
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Gordon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Gordon is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon
- Heathsville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Heathsville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heathsville
- Palestine
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Villas. See our List of 1890's Communities around Villas.
Newspapers Published in Villas ...
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 114 newspapers that have been published in the area around Villas.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Villas, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Villas.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Villas:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Crawford County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clark County
- Cumberland County
- Edwards County
- Jasper County
- Lawrence County
- Richland County
- Wabash County
- Gibson County
- Greene County
- Knox County
- Sullivan County
- Vigo 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> | 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 Villas, 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 from Point A (ie- Villas) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |