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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 Woburn (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 Woburn. 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.

Woburn is located in Bond 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 Bond County: Clinton, Fayette, Madison & Montgomery.

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

  • Bond County     (The home county of Woburn)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woburn, with the one closest to Woburn listed first.
    • Smithboro
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Mulberry Grove
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Greenville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Pleasant Mound
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
    • Reno
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Reno is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
    • Old Ripley
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Old Ripley is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Ripley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people
    • Sorento
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Pocahontas
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Pierron
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
  • Christian County
  • Clinton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woburn, with the one closest to Woburn listed first.
    • Keyesport
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Marydale
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Marydale is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marydale
    • Boulder
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Boulder is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder
    • Saint Rose
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Rose is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Rose
    • Carlyle
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Beckemeyer
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Huey
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Huey is located in Clinton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Huey <1>
    • Breese
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Aviston
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Bartelso
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Germantown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Hoffman
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woburn, with the one closest to Woburn listed first.
    • Hagarstown
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Bingham
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Vandalia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Bayle City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Bayle City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayle City
    • Shobonier
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Bluff City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Bluff City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
    • Ramsey
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Brownstown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Dressor
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Dressor is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dressor
    • Avena
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Avena is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avena
    • Saint Paul
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Saint Paul is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Paul
    • Howards Point ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Howards Point is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howards Point
  • Macoupin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woburn, with the one closest to Woburn listed first.
    • Mount Olive
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Lake Ka-ho
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Ka-ho is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ka-ho
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
      • Lake Ka-ho has also been known as:
      • Lake Ka-Ho village
    • White City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • White City is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 230 people
    • Staunton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Eagarville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Hornsby
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Hornsby is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornsby
    • Sawyerville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Benld
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Benld is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benld
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,406 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Benld <1>
    • East Gillespie
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • East Gillespie is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gillespie
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 259 people
    • Gillespie
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Mount Clare
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Mount Clare is located in Macoupin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Clare
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 262 people
    • Wilsonville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woburn, with the one closest to Woburn listed first.
    • New Douglas
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Grantfork
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Grantfork is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantfork
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 341 people
    • Sebastopol
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Sebastopol is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sebastopol
    • Alhambra
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Livingston
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Williamson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Highland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Marine
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Worden
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Hamel
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Saint Jacob
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Fruit
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Fruit is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruit
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woburn, with the one closest to Woburn listed first.
    • Vernon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Patoka
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairman
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairman is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairman
    • Sandoval
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Alma
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Junction City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Junction City is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 468 people
    • Odin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Odin is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,004 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Odin <1>
    • Kinmundy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Central City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Central City is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,107 people
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woburn, with the one closest to Woburn listed first.
    • Donnellson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Coffeen
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Chapman
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Chapman is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
    • Panama
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Fillmore
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Taylor Springs
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Schram City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Schram City is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schram City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 542 people
    • Hillsboro
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Walshville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Irving
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Butler
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Witt
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Witt is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 833 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Witt <1>
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woburn, with the one closest to Woburn listed first.
    • Oconee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Herrick
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Woburn ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Woburn.

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

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

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

  • Hastings Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Wright Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Dunkard Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Mt. Moriah Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Liberty Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Snow Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Halls Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Mulberry Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Etcheson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Durr Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Union Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Hazel Dell Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (392 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 Woburn in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Woburn.

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

  • Smithboro
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Mulberry Grove
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Greenville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Pleasant Mound
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Pleasant Mound is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Mound
  • Donnellson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Stubblefield
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Stubblefield is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stubblefield
  • Coffeen
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Hookdale
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Hookdale is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hookdale
  • Pittsburg
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Pittsburg is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburg
  • Hagarstown
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Reno
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Reno is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
  • Dudleyville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Dudleyville is located in Bond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleyville
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Chapman
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Chapman is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
    • Fillmore
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Old Ripley
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Old Ripley is located in Bond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Ripley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 98 people

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

Newspapers Published in Woburn ...

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 154 newspapers that have been published in the area around Woburn.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Woburn, 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 Woburn.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Woburn:

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