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 Whitefield (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 Whitefield. 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 hospitals and 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.
Whitefield is primarily located in Bureau County. A portion of Whitefield extends into Marshall 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 Bureau County: Henry, La Salle, Lee, Marshall, Putnam, Stark & Whiteside.
Below are the counties that are near Whitefield. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Whitefield:
- Bureau County (The home county of Whitefield)
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Milo
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Milo is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
- Tiskilwa
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bureau Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bureau Junction is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bureau Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 297 people
- Bureau Junction has also been known as:
- Bureau
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bureau Junction <1>
- Princeton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Wyanet
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Buda
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- De Pue
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- De Pue is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Pue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,665 people
- Neponset
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hollowayville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Hollowayville is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollowayville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Ottville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Ottville is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottville
- Sheffield
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Seatonville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Dover
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Henry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Kewanee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Annawan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Galva
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Knox County
- Williamsfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- La Salle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Priscilla ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Priscilla is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priscilla
- Cedar Point
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lostant
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Lostant is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lostant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
- Lostant has also been known as:
- Lost Ant
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lostant <1>
- Tonica
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Peru
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Oglesby
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Deer Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Deer Park is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Park
- Rutland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Leonore
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Vermilionville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Vermilionville is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilionville
- La Salle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Leeds
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Leeds is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
- North Utica
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- North Utica is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Utica
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,333 people
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Henry
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Sparland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Camp Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lacon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hopewell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Hopewell is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Varna
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- La Rose
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Toluca
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Evans ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Evans is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
- Wenona
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Peoria County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Chillicothe
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Edelstein
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- West Hallock
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- West Hallock is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hallock
- Rome
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Princeville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dunlap
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Monica
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Monica is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monica
- Mossville
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Laura
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Keller
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Keller is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
- Orange Prairie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Peoria Heights
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Elmore
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Elmore is located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmore
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Putnam
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hennepin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- McNabb
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Mark
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Magnolia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Granville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Palatine
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Mount Palatine is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Palatine
- Standard
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Stark County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Bradford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Castleton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Speer
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Modena
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Modena is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
- Osceola
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Osceola is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- Wyoming
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Toulon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- West Jersey
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- West Jersey is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey
- La Fayette
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Trailpark Gardens
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Trailpark Gardens is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trailpark Gardens
- Harvard Hills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Harvard Hills is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard Hills
- Woodford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Washburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Spring Bay
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Spring Bay is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 456 people
- Bay View Gardens
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bay View Gardens is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View Gardens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 407 people
- Metamora
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Germantown Hills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Benson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Roanoke
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Minonk
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Whitefield, see our County-by-County Page for Whitefield.
Cemeteries Near Whitefield ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Whitefield.
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 Whitefield - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Whitefield covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Lone Tree Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hunter Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter Cemetery
- The Hunter Cemetery has also been known as:
- Cottage Methodist Episcopal Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2267621 <2>
- Sugar Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mansfield Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mound Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound Cemetery
- The Mound Cemetery has also been known as:
- Boyds Grove Cemetery
- Boyds Grove Methodist Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104840 <2>
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Milo Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Nighswonger Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- St. Patrick Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Putnam Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Willow Springs Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Bonham Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (270 more) ...
- Henry Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- St. Patrick Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bradford Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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, Whitefield had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Whitefield, with the one closest to Whitefield listed first.
- Milo
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Milo is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
- Putnam
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Henry
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Sparland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Bradford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Tiskilwa
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Castleton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lacon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Providence
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Providence is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Bureau Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bureau Junction is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bureau Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 297 people
- Bureau Junction has also been known as:
- Bureau
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bureau Junction <1>
- Florid
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Florid is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florid
- Hennepin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Waldron ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Waldron is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldron
- Lawn Ridge
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lawn Ridge is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawn Ridge
- Modena
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Modena is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Whitefield. See our List of 1890's Communities around Whitefield.
Newspapers Published in Whitefield ...
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 78 newspapers that have been published in the area around Whitefield.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Whitefield, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Whitefield.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Whitefield:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Bureau County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Henry County
- Knox County
- La Salle County
- Marshall County
- Peoria County
- Putnam County
- Stark County
- Tazewell County
- Woodford 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 Whitefield, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Whitefield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |