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 Wilton (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 Wilton. 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 and doctors 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.
Wilton 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 Wilton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wilton:
- Will County (The home county of Wilton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Wallingford
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Wilton Center
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Manhattan
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Brisbane
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Brisbane is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- Symerton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Peotone
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Gilletts is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
- New Lenox
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Frankfort
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Elwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Monee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Mokena
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cherry Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cherry Hill is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Hill
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Matteson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Richton Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Tinley Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Orland Hills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Olympia Fields
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Park Forest
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Country Club Hills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Flossmoor
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Chicago Heights
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- 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
- Orland Park
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Chicago Heights
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hazel Crest
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Forest
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Darien
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Woodridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Clarendon Hills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Westmont
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Downers Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Hinsdale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Naperville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lisle
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ford County
- Cabery
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Channahon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Diamond
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Minooka
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Carbon Hill
(19 miles [30.6 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
- Coal City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Braceville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Central City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Sand Ridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Clarke City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Clarke City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
- East Brooklyn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- South Wilmington
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- South Wilmington is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- Claypool
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Chebanse
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Clifton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Papineau
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Manteno
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bourbonnais
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Bradley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Saint George
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Bonfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Grant Park
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Kankakee
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Limestone
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Limestone is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Essex
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Goodrich
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Momence
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sun River Terrace
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sun River Terrace is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun River Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Aroma Park
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Plattville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Lisbon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Boulder Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
- Oswego
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Livingston County
- Cardiff
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cardiff is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Dyer
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- 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
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Illinoi
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Illinoi is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Cedar Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Hartsdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Munster
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Schererville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Hammond
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Lake Dalecarlia is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Dalecarlia
- Lowell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- New Elliott
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- New Elliott is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elliott
- Highland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Griffith
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Newton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Sumava Resorts
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Wilton, see our County-by-County Page for Wilton.
Cemeteries Near Wilton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wilton.
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 Wilton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Wilton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Wilton Center Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. St. Patrick Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Calvary Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Manhattan Center Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Green Garden Greenview Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Garden Greenview Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Green Garden Greenview Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the east of Manhattan.
- The Green Garden Greenview Cemetery has also been known as:
- Green Garden Methodist Cemetery
- Green Garden UMC Cemetery
- Greengarden Methodist Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #238337 <3>
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Joseph Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Joseph Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Manhattan.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107926 <3>
- Klingler Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Seaver Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seaver Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Seaver Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<2> to the west of Peotone.
- The Seaver Cemetery has also been known as:
- Huycks Grove Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2320897 <3>
- West Peotone Presbyterian Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Peotone Presbyterian Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the West Peotone Presbyterian Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<2> to the west of Peotone.
- The West Peotone Presbyterian Cemetery has also been known as:
- West Peotone Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108811 <3>
- St. John's Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- St. Johns Evangelical UCC Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Twining Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (321 more) ...
- St. Joseph Guardian Angels Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Chicago Road Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<4>
While we didn't find Wilton in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Wilton.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Wilton, with the one closest to Wilton listed first.
- Wallingford
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Manhattan
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Symerton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Brisbane
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Brisbane is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- Peotone
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Spencer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Spencer is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Steele
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Steele is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele
- New Lenox
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Deselm
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Deselm is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deselm
- Elwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Monee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Mokena
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Wilmington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
- Marley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Marley is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marley
- Ritchie
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ritchie is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ritchie
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Wilton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wilton.
Newspapers Published in Wilton ...
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 104 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wilton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wilton, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wilton.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Wilton:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Will County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DuPage County
- Ford County
- Grundy County
- Iroquois County
- Kankakee County
- Kendall County
- Livingston County
- Lake County
- Newton 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> | 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 from Point A (ie- Wilton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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> | 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 Wilton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |