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 Willisville (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 Willisville. 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 and hospitals 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.
Willisville is located in Perry 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 Perry County: Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Randolph & Washington.
Below are the counties that are near Willisville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Willisville:
- Perry County (The home county of Willisville)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- Cutler
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Denmark
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Denmark is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
- Conant
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Conant is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conant
- Pyatts
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Pyatts is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pyatts
- Winkle
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Winkle is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winkle
- Pinckneyville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Du Quoin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Du Quoin is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Du Quoin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,591 people
- Saint Johns
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Saint Johns is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Johns
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Sunfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Sunfield is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunfield
- Tamaroa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- Mulkeytown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Royalton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Coello
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- North City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- North City is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 566 people
- Christopher
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Valier
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Zeigler
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Sesser
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- Campbell Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Degognia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Degognia is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Degognia
- Ava
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Oraville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Vergennes
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Jacob
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Dowell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Elkville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Gorham
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Hallidayboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Hallidayboro is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallidayboro
- Murphysboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- De Soto
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jefferson County
- Scheller
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Randolph County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- Percy
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Steeleville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Shiloh Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh Hill is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh Hill
- Leanderville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Leanderville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leanderville
- Welge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Welge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welge
- Bremen
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Blair
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Blair is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
- Sparta
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rockwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- New Palestine
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- New Palestine is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Palestine
- Chester
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Coulterville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- Marissa
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lenzburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Libory
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- New Athens
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- New Athens is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Athens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,865 people
- Fayetteville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fayetteville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 336 people
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- Clarmin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Clarmin is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarmin
- Oakdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Elkton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Elkton is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Caspars
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Caspars is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caspars
- Posen
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Posen is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Posen
- Stone Church
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Stone Church is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone Church
- Du Bois
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Du Bois is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Du Bois
- Population from the 2020 Census: 189 people
- Nashville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Addieville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Venedy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Venedy is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venedy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 130 people
- Radom
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Williamson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- Bush
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Bush is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bush
- Population from the 2020 Census: 263 people
- Hurst
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Blairsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Blairsville is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsville
- Cambria
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Colp
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Colp is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colp
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Former name for Colp:
- Colpville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Colp <1>
- Cape Girardeau County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- Old Appleton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Old Appleton is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Appleton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
- Shawneetown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Shawneetown is located in Cape Girardeau County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawneetown
- Perry County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- McBride
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- McBride is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBride
- Lithium
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lithium is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lithium
- Sereno
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sereno is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sereno
- Farrar
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Farrar is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farrar
- Brazeau
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Brazeau is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brazeau
- Eureka
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Eureka is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
- Frohna
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Frohna is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frohna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
- Longtown
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Longtown is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longtown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
- Perryville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Altenburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Uniontown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Uniontown is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
- Biehle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Biehle is located in Perry County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biehle
- Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- Saint Mary
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Quarry Town
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Quarry Town is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quarry Town
- Quarry Town has also been known as:
- Quarrytown
- Sainte Genevieve
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Little Rock Landing ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Little Rock Landing is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock Landing
- Ozora
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Ozora is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ozora
- Minnith
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Minnith is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnith
- Marlo ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Marlo is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlo
- River aux Vases
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- River aux Vases is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River aux Vases
- Former name for River aux Vases:
- Staabtown
- Zell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Zell is located in Sainte Genevieve County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zell
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Willisville, see our County-by-County Page for Willisville.
Cemeteries Near Willisville ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Willisville.
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 Willisville - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Willisville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Stoker Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Gillespie Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Lukes Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jenkins Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- IOOF Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Kross Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Barrow Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Calvary Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery is located outside and to the southwest of Campbell Hill.
- The St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Peters Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108077 <2>
- Looney Springs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Tangen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Continue List (319 more) ...
- Bradley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Weitzel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cutler Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutler Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Cutler Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Cutler.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #989970 <2>
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 Willisville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Willisville.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Willisville, with the one closest to Willisville listed first.
- Kampenville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Kampenville is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kampenville
- Percy
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cutler
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Shiloh Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh Hill is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh Hill
- Campbell Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Steeleville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Denmark
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Denmark is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
- Welge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Welge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welge
- Conant
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Conant is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conant
- Degognia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Degognia is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Degognia
- Ava
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bremen
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Blair
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Blair is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
- Sato
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sato is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sato
- Rockwood
(11 miles [17.7 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 Willisville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Willisville.
Newspapers Published in Willisville ...
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 166 newspapers that have been published in the area around Willisville.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Willisville, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Willisville.
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 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 Willisville:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Perry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Franklin County
- Jackson County
- Jefferson County
- Randolph County
- Saint Clair County
- Washington County
- Williamson County
- Cape Girardeau County
- Perry County
- Sainte Genevieve 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 Willisville, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Willisville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |