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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

So far, we found very little information about Wilsonburg. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>

We've added Wilsonburg to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Wilsonburg, please Contact Us.

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 Wilsonburg (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 Wilsonburg. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.

Although our information shows that the community of Wilsonburg is historic, it would have been located within present day Richland 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 Richland County: Clay, Crawford, Edwards, Jasper, Lawrence, Wabash & Wayne.

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

  • Richland County     (The home county of Wilsonburg)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg listed first.
    • Passport
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Passport is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Passport
    • Noble
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Wakefield
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Wakefield is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakefield
    • Olney
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Olney is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olney
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,667 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Olney <2>
    • Dundas
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Gallagher
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Gallagher is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallagher
    • Wynoose
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Wynoose is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wynoose
    • Calhoun
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Claremont
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Parkersburg
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Amity
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Amity is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
    • Berryville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Berryville is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg listed first.
    • Sailor Springs
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Ingraham
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Clay City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Camp Travis
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Camp Travis is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Travis
    • Flora
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Louisville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Kenner
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Kenner is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenner
    • Iola
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Xenia
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
  • Crawford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg listed first.
    • Landes
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Landes is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landes
    • Green Brier
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Green Brier is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Brier
    • Hardinville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Hardinville is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardinville
    • Oblong
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Kibbie ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Kibbie is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kibbie
    • Oil Center
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Oil Center is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil Center
    • Villas
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Villas is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villas
    • Stoy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Stoy is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stoy <2>
    • Dogwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Dogwood is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogwood
    • New Hebron
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • New Hebron is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hebron
    • Bellair
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Bellair is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellair
  • Cumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg listed first.
    • Jewett
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Walla Walla
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Walla Walla is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walla Walla
  • Edwards County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg listed first.
    • Marion
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Marion is located in Edwards County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
    • Bennington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Bennington is located in Edwards County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennington
    • Maple Grove
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Maple Grove is located in Edwards County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
    • West Salem
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • 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
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Mills Prairie is located in Edwards County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills Prairie
    • Bone Gap
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Albion
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Ellery
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Browns
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Red Top
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Red Top is located in Edwards County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Top
  • Effingham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg listed first.
    • Dieterich
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Mason
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Mason is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 333 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mason <2>
    • Edgewood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Heartville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Heartville is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heartville
    • Watson
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Teutopolis
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Montrose
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Montrose is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
    • Effingham
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Funkhouser
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Funkhouser is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Funkhouser
    • Gilmore
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Gilmore is located in Effingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg listed first.
    • La Clede
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • La Clede is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Clede
    • Farina
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg listed first.
    • Bogota
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Bogota is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogota
    • West Liberty
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • West Liberty is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Liberty
    • Newton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Sainte Marie
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Lis
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Lis is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lis
    • Falmouth
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Falmouth is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falmouth
    • Wheeler
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Willow Hill
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Hunt City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Hunt City is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunt City
    • Rose Hill
      (24 miles [38.6 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
    • Hidalgo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Yale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Lawrence County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg listed first.
    • Sumner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Helena
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Helena is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
    • Petersburg
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Bridgeport
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Lawrenceville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Marion County
    • Omega
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Omega is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omega
  • Wabash County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg 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
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Orio is located in Wabash County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orio
  • Wayne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Wilsonburg, with the one closest to Wilsonburg listed first.
    • Mount Erie
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Enterprise
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Enterprise is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
    • Rinard
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Cisne
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Johnsonville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Geff
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Jeffersonville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Jeffersonville is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffersonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 350 people
    • Fairfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Golden Gate
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Boyleston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Boyleston is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyleston

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

Cemeteries Near Wilsonburg ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wilsonburg.

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

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

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

  • North Freedom Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Wesley Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Leonard Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Hanna Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Elston Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Wachtel Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Weidner Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Noble Prairie Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Village of Noble Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Shiloh #2 Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Houser Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (442 more) ...
    • Pleasant View Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Reed Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Levitte Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 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.

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

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

  • Passport
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Passport is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Passport
  • Noble
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Wakefield
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Wakefield is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakefield
  • Sailor Springs
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Clay City
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Ingraham
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Olney
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Olney is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olney
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,667 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Olney <2>
  • Gallagher
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Gallagher is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gallagher
  • Dundas
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Bogota
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Bogota is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bogota
  • West Liberty
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • West Liberty is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Liberty
  • Wynoose
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Wynoose is located in Richland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wynoose
  • Continue List   (19 more) ...
    • Calhoun
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Bible Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Bible Grove is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bible Grove
    • Flora
      (14 miles [22.5 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 Wilsonburg. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wilsonburg.

Newspapers Published in Wilsonburg ...

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 Wilsonburg.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wilsonburg, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wilsonburg.

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 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 Wilsonburg:

Footnotes ...

<1>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 Wilsonburg, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<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>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 from Point A (ie- Wilsonburg) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.