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 Wolf Creek (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 Wolf Creek. 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.
Name Variations for Wolf Creek ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
Another variation: Wolfcreek.
- A typical abbreviation for Wolf Creek: Wolf Crk. (or less commonly used: Wolf Ck. or Wolf Cr.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Wolf Creek. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Wolf Creek.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Wolf Creek is located in Williamson 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 Williamson County: Franklin, Jackson, Johnson, Pope, Saline & Union.
Below are the counties that are near Wolf Creek. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Wolf Creek:
- Williamson County (The home county of Wolf Creek)
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Lake Crest
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Lake Crest is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Crest
- Crainville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Crainville is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crainville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,419 people
- Carterville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Marion
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dewmaine
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Dewmaine is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewmaine
- Energy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Creal Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Cambria
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Spillertown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Spillertown is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spillertown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Colp
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- 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>
- Herrin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Blairsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Blairsville is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsville
- Alexander County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Elco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- McClure
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tamms
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Royalton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Plumfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Plumfield is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plumfield
- Zeigler
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Cambon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cambon is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambon
- Orient
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- West Frankfort
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- West Frankfort is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Frankfort
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,733 people
- Deering City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Deering City is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deering City
- Fitt's Hill ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fitt's Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitt's Hill
- Christopher
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Mulkeytown
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Buckner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Coello
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Makanda
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Carbondale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pomona
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- De Soto
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Murphysboro
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Hallidayboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hallidayboro is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallidayboro
- Elkville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Dowell
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Oraville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Vergennes
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Gorham
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Grand Tower
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Goreville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Eagle Point Bay
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Eagle Point Bay is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Point Bay
- Deer Ridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Deer Ridge is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Ridge
- Egyptian Hills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Egyptian Hills is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egyptian Hills
- Buncombe
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- New Burnside
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Ozark
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Vienna
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Reynoldsburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Reynoldsburg is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsburg
- Cypress
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Bender ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bender is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bender
- Simpson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Massac County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- New Columbia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- New Columbia is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Columbia
- Big Bay
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Big Bay is located in Massac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bay
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Du Quoin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- 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
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Saint Johns is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Johns
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Pope County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- McCormick
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- McCormick is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCormick
- Glendale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Glendale is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Eddyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Dixon Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dixon Springs is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon Springs
- Rock
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rock is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock
- Oak
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Oak is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak
- Pulaski County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Perks
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Karnak
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Grand Chain
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- New Grand Chain
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- New Grand Chain is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Grand Chain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 178 people
- Ullin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Pulaski
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Olmsted
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Saline County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Stonefort
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Carrier Mills
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Carrier Mills is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrier Mills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,527 people
- Former names for Carrier Mills:
- Carriers Mills
- Morrilsville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Carrier Mills <1>
- Ledford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Ledford is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ledford
- Buena Vista
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Buena Vista is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Liberty
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Liberty is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Mitchellsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Mitchellsville is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchellsville
- Galatia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Gaskins City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Gaskins City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaskins City
- Harrisburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Muddy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Cornerville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cornerville is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornerville
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Lick Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Lick Creek is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lick Creek
- Water Valley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Water Valley is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Water Valley
- Mount Pleasant
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Cobden
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Anna
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Alto Pass
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Jonesboro
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dutch Mills
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Dutch Mills is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Mills
- Dongola
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Mill Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mill Creek is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
- Wolf Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Reynoldsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Reynoldsville is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsville
- Perry County (MO)
- Altenburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Wolf Creek, see our County-by-County Page for Wolf Creek.
Cemeteries Near Wolf Creek ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Wolf Creek.
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 Wolf Creek - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Wolf Creek covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Wolf Creek Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Chitty Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Chitty Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Brannon Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Moulton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Baker Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Grassy Creek Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Baker Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Gentry Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Old Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (475 more) ...
- West Liberty Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Hebron Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Meneese Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
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 Wolf Creek in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Wolf Creek.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Wolf Creek, with the one closest to Wolf Creek listed first.
- Goreville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lick Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Lick Creek is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lick Creek
- Bainbridge
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bainbridge is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bainbridge
- Crainville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Crainville is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crainville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,419 people
- Makanda
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Elvira
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Elvira is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elvira
- Marion
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Boskydell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Boskydell is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boskydell
- Carterville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Fredonia ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Fredonia is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredonia
- Buncombe
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Creal Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- New Dennison
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- New Dennison is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Dennison
- Carbondale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cobden
(12 miles [19.3 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 Wolf Creek. See our List of 1890's Communities around Wolf Creek.
Newspapers Published in Wolf Creek ...
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 118 newspapers that have been published in the area around Wolf Creek.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Wolf Creek, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Wolf Creek.
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 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 Wolf Creek:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Williamson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alexander County
- Franklin County
- Jackson County
- Johnson County
- Massac County
- Perry County
- Pope County
- Pulaski County
- Saline County
- Union County
- Perry 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 Wolf Creek, 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 from Point A (ie- Wolf Creek) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |