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 Woodruff Corners (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 Woodruff Corners. 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 Woodruff Corners ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Woodruff Corners: Woodruff Cors.
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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.
Woodruff Corners is located in Stephenson 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 Stephenson County: Carroll, Jo Daviess, Ogle, Winnebago, Green (WI) & Lafayette (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Woodruff Corners. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Woodruff Corners:
- Stephenson County (The home county of Woodruff Corners)
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Ridott
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- German Valley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Davis
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Rock City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Rock City is located in Stephenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 279 people
- Dakota
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Freeport
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Cedarville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Florence
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Florence is located in Stephenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Rock Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Rock Grove is located in Stephenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Grove
- Afolkey
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Afolkey is located in Stephenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Afolkey
- Red Oak
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Red Oak is located in Stephenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
- Bolton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Bolton is located in Stephenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolton
- Buena Vista
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Buena Vista is located in Stephenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Caledonia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Irene
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Irene is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irene
- Timberlane
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Timberlane is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timberlane
- Population from the 2020 Census: 934 people
- Belvidere
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Shannon
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Georgetown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Georgetown is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Zier Cors
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Zier Cors is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zier Cors
- Elkhorn Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Elkhorn Grove is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn Grove
- Lanark
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hazelhurst
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hazelhurst is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelhurst
- Hitt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hitt is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hitt
- South Elkhorn
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- South Elkhorn is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elkhorn
- Milledgeville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Chadwick
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Carroll
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Fairdale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Fairdale is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
- Esmond
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jo Daviess County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Nora
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Valley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Valley is located in Jo Daviess County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
- Stockton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Ashton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Dixon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Franklin Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Nachusa
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Ogle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Egan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Egan is located in Ogle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egan
- Adeline
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Adeline is located in Ogle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adeline
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Leaf River
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Baileyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Forreston
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Byron
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Harper
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Harper is located in Ogle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
- Maryland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Maryland is located in Ogle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maryland
- Mount Morris
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Haldane
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Haldane is located in Ogle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haldane
- Stillman Valley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Oregon
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Brookville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Brookville is located in Ogle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookville
- Whiteside County
- Penrose
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Penrose is located in Whiteside County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penrose
- Winnebago County
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Pecatonica
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Seward
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Alworth
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Alworth is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alworth
- Winnebago
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Wempletown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Wempletown is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wempletown
- Lake Summerset
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Lake Summerset is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Summerset
- Durand
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Indian Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Indian Village is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Shirland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rockford
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Sturbridge Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Sturbridge Village is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturbridge Village
- New Millford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- New Millford is located in Winnebago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Millford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
- Machesney Park
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Green County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Twin Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Twin Grove is located in Green County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Grove
- Brodhead
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Brodhead is located in Green County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brodhead
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,204 people
- Monroe
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Monroe is located in Green County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,426 people
- Cadiz
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cadiz is located in Green County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadiz
- Browntown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Browntown is located in Green County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browntown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
- Albany
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Albany is located in Green County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albany
- Population from the 2020 Census: 977 people
- Mineral Point
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Mineral Point is located in Green County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Point
- Lafayette County (WI)
- South Wayne
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- South Wayne is located in Lafayette County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wayne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
- Rock County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Avon
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Avon is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- Newark
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Newark is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newark
- Orfordville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Orfordville is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orfordville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,486 people
- Beloit
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Beloit is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beloit
- Population from the 2020 Census: 36,637 people
- Garden Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Garden Village is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Village
- Hanover
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hanover is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanover
- Footville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Footville is located in Rock County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Footville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 822 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Woodruff Corners, see our County-by-County Page for Woodruff Corners.
Cemeteries Near Woodruff Corners ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Woodruff Corners.
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 Woodruff Corners - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Woodruff Corners covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Wagner Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Ridott Center Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Ridott Christian Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Ridott Christian Reformed Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Twelvemile Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Pecatonica Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Gunds Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- State Road Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Silver Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Silver Creek Reformed Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- North Grove Christian Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (281 more) ...
- Egan Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Thompson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hulse Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
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 Woodruff Corners in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Woodruff Corners.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Woodruff Corners, with the one closest to Woodruff Corners listed first.
- Ridott
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Seward
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pecatonica
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- German Valley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Egan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Egan is located in Ogle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egan
- South Freeport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- South Freeport is located in Stephenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Freeport
- Myrtle
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Myrtle is located in Ogle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
- Rock City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Rock City is located in Stephenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 279 people
- Dakota
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Davis
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Baileyville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Adeline
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Adeline is located in Ogle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adeline
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Leaf River
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Freeport
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Forreston
(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 Woodruff Corners. See our List of 1890's Communities around Woodruff Corners.
Newspapers Published in Woodruff Corners ...
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 137 newspapers that have been published in the area around Woodruff Corners.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Woodruff Corners, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Woodruff Corners.
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 Woodruff Corners:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Stephenson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Carroll County
- DeKalb County
- Jo Daviess County
- Lee County
- Ogle County
- Whiteside County
- Winnebago County
- Green County
- Lafayette County
- Rock 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 Woodruff Corners, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Woodruff Corners) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |