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 West Liberty (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 West Liberty. 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.
Name Variations for West Liberty ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for West Liberty: W. Liberty
You might be interested in other communities that are also named West Liberty. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for West Liberty.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 northeast 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 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 east 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.
West Liberty is located in Jasper 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 Jasper County: Clark, Clay, Crawford, Cumberland, Effingham, Lawrence & Richland.
Below are the counties that are near West Liberty. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Liberty:
- Jasper County (The home county of West Liberty)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Sainte Marie
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bogota
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bogota is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogota
- Willow Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Newton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Falmouth
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Falmouth is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falmouth
- Hunt City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hunt City is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunt City
- Lis
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lis is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lis
- Rose Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Rose Hill is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
- Yale
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Wheeler
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Hidalgo
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Clark County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Hogue Town
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hogue Town is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hogue Town
- Oak Point
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Oak Point is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Point
- Melrose
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Melrose is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Ingraham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Sailor Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Camp Travis
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Camp Travis is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Travis
- Clay City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Louisville
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Flora
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Kenner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kenner is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenner
- Iola
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Landes
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Landes is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landes
- Green Brier
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Green Brier is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Brier
- Hardinville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Hardinville is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardinville
- Oblong
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Oil Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Oil Center is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil Center
- Kibbie ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kibbie is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kibbie
- Stoy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dogwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dogwood is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogwood
- Villas
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Villas is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villas
- New Hebron
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- New Hebron is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hebron
- Bellair
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Bellair is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellair
- Robinson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Hazel Dell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hazel Dell is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazel Dell
- Walla Walla
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Walla Walla is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walla Walla
- Jewett
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Greenup
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Toledo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Edwards County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Marion
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Marion is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
- Bennington
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Bennington is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennington
- Maple Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Maple Grove is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- West Salem
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- West Salem is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Salem
- Population from the 2020 Census: 844 people
- Mills Prairie ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Mills Prairie is located in Edwards County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills Prairie
- Bone Gap
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Effingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Dieterich
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Montrose
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Montrose is located in Effingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Heartville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Heartville is located in Effingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heartville
- Teutopolis
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Watson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Mason
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Effingham
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Sumner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bridgeport
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Helena
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Helena is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
- Birds
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Petersburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lawrenceville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Billett
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Billett is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billett
- Russellville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Saint Francisville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Richland County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Dundas
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Olney
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wakefield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Wakefield is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakefield
- Amity
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Amity is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
- Passport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Passport is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Passport
- Claremont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Noble
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Calhoun
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Gallagher
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Gallagher is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallagher
- Parkersburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Wynoose
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Wynoose is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wynoose
- Berryville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Berryville is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
- Wabash County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Lancaster
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Lancaster is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster
- Orio
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Orio is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orio
- Adams Corner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Adams Corner is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams Corner
- Allendale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Mount Erie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Enterprise
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Enterprise is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
- Rinard
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Cisne
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Knox County (IN)
- Beal
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Beal is located in Knox County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beal
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Liberty, see our County-by-County Page for West Liberty.
Cemeteries Near West Liberty ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Liberty.
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 West Liberty - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Liberty covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Dundas Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Bethel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- St. Pauls Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Trobaugh Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Saron Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- McBurg Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Springtown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Assumption Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ste. Marie City Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant View Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bird Haven Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Old St. Josephs Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (446 more) ...
- Stoltz Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoltz Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Stoltz Cemetery is located 8 miles [12.9 km]<2> to the northeast of Olney.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108415 <3>
- Dark Bend Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Yager Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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 West Liberty had a population of 225 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Liberty, with the one closest to West Liberty listed first.
- Dundas
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Rafetown
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Rafetown is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rafetown
- Stringtown
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Stringtown is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
- Sainte Marie
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Olney
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wakefield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Wakefield is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakefield
- Passport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Passport is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Passport
- Amity
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Amity is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
- Bogota
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bogota is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogota
- Newton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Landes
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Landes is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landes
- Willow Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Claremont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chauncey
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Chauncey is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chauncey
- Noble
(13 miles [20.9 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 West Liberty. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Liberty.
Newspapers Published in West Liberty ...
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 161 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Liberty.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Liberty, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Liberty.
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 West Liberty:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Jasper County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clark County
- Clay County
- Crawford County
- Cumberland County
- Edwards County
- Effingham County
- Lawrence County
- Richland County
- Wabash County
- Wayne County
- Knox 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- West Liberty) 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 West Liberty, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |