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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 Walker (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 Walker. 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.

Walker is located in Macon 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 Macon County: Christian, De Witt, Logan, Moultrie, Piatt, Sangamon & Shelby.

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

  • Macon County     (The home county of Walker)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Walker, with the one closest to Walker listed first.
    • Macon
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Boody
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Blue Mound
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Elwin
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Hervey City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Hervey City is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hervey City
    • Mount Zion
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Turpin
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Turpin is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turpin
    • Harristown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Decatur
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Long Creek
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Long Creek is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Creek
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,262 people
    • Casner
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Casner is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casner
    • Niantic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Christian County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Walker, with the one closest to Walker listed first.
    • Sandersville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sandersville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandersville
    • Stonington
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Assumption
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Mount Auburn
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Grove City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Grove City is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
    • Owaneco
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Velma
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Velma is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Velma
    • Millersville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Millersville is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
    • Taylorville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Bolivia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Bolivia is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolivia
    • Sharpsburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Sharpsburg is located in Christian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharpsburg
    • Edinburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
  • De Witt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Walker, with the one closest to Walker listed first.
    • Rowell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Rowell is located in De Witt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowell
    • Kenney
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Douglas County
    • Arthur
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • Logan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Walker, with the one closest to Walker listed first.
    • Latham
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Chestnut
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Cornland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Fork
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Pulaski
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Walker, with the one closest to Walker listed first.
    • Ohlman
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Wenonah
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Wenonah is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wenonah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 34 people
    • Nokomis
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Moultrie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Walker, with the one closest to Walker listed first.
    • Dalton City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Bethany
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Dunn
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Dunn is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn
    • Lake City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Lake City is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
    • Cushman
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Cushman is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushman
    • Lovington
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Sullivan
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Cadwell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Cadwell is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadwell
    • Allenville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Allenville is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allenville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
    • Coles
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Coles is located in Moultrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coles
  • Piatt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Walker, with the one closest to Walker listed first.
    • La Place
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Lintner
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Lintner is located in Piatt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lintner
    • Cerro Gordo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Burrowsville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Burrowsville is located in Piatt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrowsville
    • Hammond
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Milmine
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Voorhies
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Voorhies is located in Piatt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
    • Cisco
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Bement
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Atwood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Sangamon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Walker, with the one closest to Walker listed first.
    • Illiopolis
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Mechanicsburg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Buffalo
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Dawson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Buffalo Hart
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Buffalo Hart is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Hart
    • New City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • New City is located in Sangamon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
    • Rochester
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Riverton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Walker, with the one closest to Walker listed first.
    • Moweaqua
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Yantisville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Yantisville is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yantisville
    • Findlay
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Tower Hill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Shelbyville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Middlesworth
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Middlesworth is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlesworth
    • Lakewood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Lakewood is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Oconee
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Windsor
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Cowden
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Fancher
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Fancher is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fancher
    • Strasburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Walker ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Walker.

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

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

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

  • Traughber Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Traughber Cemetery
    • The Traughber Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Moweaqua Twp. Cemetery
    • Traughber - Snyder Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108571 <2>
  • IOOF Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Macon Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Adams Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Jacobs Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Westside Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Long Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Hayes Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Masonic Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Bilyeu Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Ludwig Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (299 more) ...
    • Salem Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Zion Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Pleasant View Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)

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, Walker had a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Macon
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Moweaqua
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Radford
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Radford is located in Christian County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radford
  • Boody
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Blue Mound
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Elwin
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Obed
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Obed is located in Shelby County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obed
  • Hervey City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Hervey City is located in Macon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hervey City
  • Mount Zion
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Turpin
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Turpin is located in Macon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turpin
  • Stonington
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Dalton City
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Harristown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Assumption
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Yantisville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Yantisville is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yantisville

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

Newspapers Published in Walker ...

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 266 newspapers that have been published in the area around Walker.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Walker, 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 Walker.

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 Walker:

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 Walker, 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 from Point A (ie- Walker) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.