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 Whitaker (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 Whitaker. 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 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.
Whitaker is located in Kankakee 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 Kankakee County: Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Livingston, Will, Lake (IN) & Newton (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Whitaker. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Whitaker:
- Kankakee County (The home county of Whitaker)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitaker, with the one closest to Whitaker listed first.
- Grant Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Saint George
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Manteno
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Momence
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sun River Terrace
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sun River Terrace is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun River Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Bradley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Sherburnville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Litchfield
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Litchfield is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield
- Bourbonnais
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Illiana Heights
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Illiana Heights is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illiana Heights
- Illinoi
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Illinoi is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Kankakee
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Aroma Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitaker, with the one closest to Whitaker listed first.
- Park Forest
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Richton Park
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- South Chicago Heights
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- South Chicago Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,957 people
- Matteson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Chicago Heights
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Olympia Fields
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Sauk Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Flossmoor
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Ford Heights
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Country Club Hills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Glenwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Homewood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Lynwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ford County
- Cabery
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitaker, with the one closest to Whitaker listed first.
- Clarke City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Clarke City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
- Diamond
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Braceville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Central City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Coal City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- East Brooklyn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Carbon Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- South Wilmington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- South Wilmington is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- Channahon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Gardner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitaker, with the one closest to Whitaker listed first.
- Papineau
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Chebanse
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Beaverville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Martinton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- L'Erable
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- L'Erable is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for L'Erable
- Clifton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Donovan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Ashkum
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Iroquois
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitaker, with the one closest to Whitaker listed first.
- Peotone
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Beecher
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Goodenow
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Goodenow is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Monee
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- University Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Wallingford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Wilton Center
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Crete
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Steger
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Manhattan
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Symerton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Frankfort Square
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Jasper County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitaker, with the one closest to Whitaker listed first.
- Forest City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Forest City is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- DeMotte
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- DeMotte is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeMotte
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,172 people
- DeMotte has also been known as:
- De Motte
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for DeMotte <1>
- Fair Oaks
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Virgie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Virgie is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgie
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitaker, with the one closest to Whitaker listed first.
- Illinoi
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Illinoi is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Schneider
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Schneider is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schneider
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Lowell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Lake Dalecarlia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Lake Dalecarlia is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Dalecarlia
- Cedar Lake
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- 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>
- Saint John
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Shelby
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Shelby is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby
- Hartsdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Schererville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Dinwiddie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Dinwiddie is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dinwiddie
- Crown Point
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lincoln Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Lincoln Village is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Village
- Newton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitaker, with the one closest to Whitaker listed first.
- Sumava Resorts
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Lake Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Thayer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Thayer is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Roselawn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Roselawn is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselawn
- Morocco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver City is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver City
- Mount Ayr
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Ayr is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Ayr
- Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
- Porter County (IN)
- Hebron
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Whitaker, see our County-by-County Page for Whitaker.
Cemeteries Near Whitaker ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Whitaker.
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 Whitaker - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Whitaker covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Whitaker, with the one closest to Whitaker listed first.
- Heusing Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- State of Illinois Veterans Home Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- St. George Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Union Corner Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Zion Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion Lutheran Cemetery
- The Zion Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
- Elmwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Momence Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- St. Judes Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Peotone Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peotone Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Peotone Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Peotone.
- The Peotone Cemetery has also been known as:
- Peotone Public Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #184343 <2>
- Mt. Airy Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (280 more) ...
- Shrontz Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
- The St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- Petersberg Cemetery
- St. John UCC Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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>
While we didn't find Whitaker in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Whitaker.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Whitaker, with the one closest to Whitaker listed first.
- Saint George
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Grant Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Sollitt
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Sollitt is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sollitt
- Momence
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Peotone
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Exline
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Exline is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exline
- Beecher
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sherburnville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Goodenow
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Goodenow is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Kankakee
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Koster
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Koster is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Koster
- Monee
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Eagle Lake
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Eagle Lake is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Lake
- Deselm
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Deselm is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deselm
- Greenwich
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Greenwich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwich
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Whitaker. See our List of 1890's Communities around Whitaker.
Newspapers Published in Whitaker ...
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 88 newspapers that have been published in the area around Whitaker.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Whitaker, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Whitaker.
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 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 Whitaker:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Kankakee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- Ford County
- Grundy County
- Iroquois County
- Will County
- Jasper County
- Lake County
- Newton County
- Porter 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Whitaker) 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 Whitaker, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |