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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 Williamsburg (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 Williamsburg. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.

Williamsburg is located in Will 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 Will County: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall & Lake (IN).

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

  • Will County     (The home county of Williamsburg)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
    • Summerfield
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Summerfield is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerfield
    • Shorewood
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Crystal Lawns
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Crystal Lawns is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lawns
    • Plainfield
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Walker
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Walker is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
    • Normantown
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Normantown is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
    • Crest Hill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Rockdale
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Rockdale is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,884 people
    • Joliet
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • East Joliet
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • East Joliet is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Joliet
    • Fairmont
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Fairmont is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
    • Romeoville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Preston Heights
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Preston Heights is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston Heights
  • Cook County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
    • Lemont
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Orland Hills
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Orland Park
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Palos Park
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Burr Ridge
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Tinley Park
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Indian Head Park
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Indian Head Park is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Head Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,680 people
    • Willow Springs
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Countryside
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Palos Hills
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Hickory Hills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Hodgkins
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Justice
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
  • DeKalb County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
    • Sandwich
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Somonauk
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Franks
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Franks is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franks
    • Hinckley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
  • DuPage County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
    • Eola
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Naperville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Woodridge
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Tedens ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Tedens is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
    • Warrenville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Darien
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Lisle
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Lisle is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,153 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lisle <1>
    • Downers Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Willowbrook
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • West Chicago
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • West Chicago is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chicago
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 26,593 people
    • Winfield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Clarendon Hills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Westmont
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
    • Minooka
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Channahon
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Sand Ridge
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
    • Claypool
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Claypool is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
    • Gaslight Village
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
    • Morris
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Carbon Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
    • Diamond
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Coal City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Nettle Creek
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Nettle Creek is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettle Creek
    • Centerville ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Centerville is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
    • Central City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Central City is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
    • Braceville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
  • Kane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
    • Aurora
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • North Aurora
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • North Aurora is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
    • Sugar Grove
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Mooseheart
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Batavia
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Big Rock
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Geneva
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Kaneville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Charles
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Elburn
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Bonnie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Bonnie is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie
      • Bonnie has also been known as:
      • Bonnie Valley
    • Campton Hills
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Campton Hills is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campton Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,063 people
      • Campton Hills has also been known as:
      • Campton Hills village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Campton Hills <1>
    • Wasco
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
  • Kankakee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
    • Essex
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Bonfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Manteno
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Kendall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
    • Plattville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Plattville is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
    • Oswego
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Boulder Hill
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
    • Bristol
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Montgomery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Yorkville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Lisbon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Lisbon is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
    • Plano
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Plano is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plano
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,879 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Plano <1>
    • Millbrook
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Newark
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Little Rock
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Little Rock is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock
  • La Salle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Williamsburg, with the one closest to Williamsburg listed first.
    • Millington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Stavanger
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Stavanger is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stavanger
    • Sheridan
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Seneca
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Seneca is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,217 people
      • Seneca has also been known as:
      • Crotty
      • Seneca village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Seneca <1>
    • Serena
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Blakes
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Blakes is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blakes
    • Leland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Wedron
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Marseilles
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Baker
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Baker is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker

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

Cemeteries Near Williamsburg ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Williamsburg.

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

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

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

  • Plainfield Twp. Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainfield Twp. Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Plainfield Twp. Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Plainfield.
    • The Plainfield Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Plainfield Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #244792 <2>
  • Woodlawn Memorial Park #1
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Hills of Rest Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Woodlawn Memorial Park #2
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Mary Immaculate Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Chapman Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • County Farm Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Holy Cross Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Risen Lord Catholic Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • NaAuSay Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Plattville Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (373 more) ...

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>

While we didn't find Williamsburg in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Williamsburg.

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

  • Caton Farm
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Caton Farm is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caton Farm
  • Walker
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Walker is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
  • Plainfield
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Coynes
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Coynes is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coynes
  • Normantown
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Normantown is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
  • Plattville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Plattville is located in Kendall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
  • Minooka
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Joliet
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • White Willow ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • White Willow is located in Kendall County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Willow
  • Channahon
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Millsdale
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Millsdale is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millsdale
  • East Joliet
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • East Joliet is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Joliet
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Sand Ridge
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
    • Lockport
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Romeo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Romeo is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romeo

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

Newspapers Published in Williamsburg ...

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 93 newspapers that have been published in the area around Williamsburg.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Williamsburg, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Williamsburg.

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 Williamsburg:

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 Williamsburg, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Williamsburg) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.