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 Normal (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 Normal. 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 doctors and 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.
Normal is located in Grant County.
To see how the shape of Indiana's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Grant County: Blackford, Delaware, Howard, Huntington, Madison, Miami, Tipton, Wabash & Wells.
Below are the counties that are near Normal. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Normal:
- Grant County (The home county of Normal)
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Swayzee
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Herbst
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Herbst is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herbst
- Sims
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Sims is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sims
- Hackleman
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Hackleman is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackleman
- Rigdon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Rigdon is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rigdon
- Mier
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Mier is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mier
- Sweetser
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Michaelsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Michaelsville is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michaelsville
- Fairmount
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Jonesboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Marion
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Gas City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Jalapa
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Jalapa is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jalapa
- Blackford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Renner ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Renner is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renner
- Shamrock Lakes
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Shamrock Lakes is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shamrock Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Hartford City
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Mollie ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Mollie is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mollie
- Montpelier
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Millgrove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Millgrove is located in Blackford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millgrove
- Carroll County
- Burlington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Cass County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Galveston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Onward
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Onward is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onward
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Walton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Deacon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Deacon is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deacon
- New Waverly
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- New Waverly is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Waverly
- Young America
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Young America is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Young America
- Hoover
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hoover is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoover
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Scircleville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Scircleville is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scircleville
- Forest
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Forest is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest
- Middlefork
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Middlefork is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefork
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Janney
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Janney is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Janney
- Gaston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Eaton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Andersonville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Andersonville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersonville
- Yorktown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Daleville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Granville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Granville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
- Former name for Granville:
- Weaton
- Muncie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Aroma
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Aroma is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aroma
- Omega
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Omega is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omega
- Atlanta
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Arcadia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Strawtown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Strawtown is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strawtown
- Ekin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Ekin is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekin
- Cicero
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Durbin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Durbin is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durbin
- Bakers Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bakers Corner is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakers Corner
- Clarksville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Clarksville is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksville
- Monterey Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Monterey Village is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey Village
- Noblesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Sheridan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Howard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Jerome
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jerome is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Greentown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Guy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Guy is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guy
- Plevna
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Plevna is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plevna
- Hemlock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hemlock is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemlock
- Vermont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Vermont is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermont
- Oakford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Oakford is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakford
- Indian Heights
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Indian Heights is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Heights
- Cassville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Cassville is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassville
- Kokomo
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Alto
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Alto is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alto
- West Middleton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- West Middleton is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Middleton
- Judson
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Judson is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
- Huntington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Banquo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Banquo is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banquo
- Monument City ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Monument City is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument City
- Mount Etna
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Etna is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Etna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Warren
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- River
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- River is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River
- Harlansburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Harlansburg is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlansburg
- Majenica
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Majenica is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Majenica
- Andrews
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Plum Tree
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Plum Tree is located in Huntington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Tree
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Leisure
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Leisure is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure
- West Elwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- West Elwood is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Elwood
- Dundee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Dundee is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundee
- Elwood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Summitville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Summitville is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summitville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 982 people
- Orestes
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Orestes is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orestes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 403 people
- Alexandria
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gimco City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gimco City is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gimco City
- Frankton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Florida
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Florida is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florida
- Prosperity
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Prosperity is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prosperity
- Perkinsville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Country Club Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Country Club Heights is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Club Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 77 people
- Miami County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Converse
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Amboy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Amboy is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amboy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 353 people
- North Grove
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- North Grove is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Grove
- Santa Fe
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Santa Fe is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Fe
- Loree
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Loree is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loree
- Miami
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bunker Hill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Peru
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Oakdale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Oakdale is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakdale
- Mexico
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pettysville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Pettysville is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettysville
- Denver
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tipton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Windfall City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Windfall City is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windfall City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 793 people
- Windfall
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Nevada
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Nevada is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nevada
- Hobbs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sharpsville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tipton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Goldsmith
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Goldsmith is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goldsmith
- Groomsville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Groomsville is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groomsville
- East Union
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- East Union is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Union
- Jericho ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Jericho is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
- Kempton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Kempton is located in Tipton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kempton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 312 people
- Wabash County
- The following are listed by their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Somerset
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Somerset is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerset
- La Fontaine
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- La Fontaine is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Fontaine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 810 people
- Treaty
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Treaty is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Treaty
- Lincolnville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Lincolnville is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincolnville
- Richvalley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Richvalley is located in Wabash County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richvalley
- Wabash
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Lagro
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Urbana
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Normal, see our County-by-County Page for Normal.
Cemeteries Near Normal ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Normal.
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 Normal - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Normal covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Alel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Union Civil Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Jerome Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- New Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rowland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Thraikill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Wheeler Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- IOOF Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Salem Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Greenlawn Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenlawn Cemetery
- The Greenlawn Cemetery has also been known as:
- Greentown Cemetery
- Walberg Cemetery
- Wooters Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #85209 <2>
- Freeman Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Chandler Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (311 more) ...
- Brookside Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Pipe Creek Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Forrestville Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Normal had a population of 50 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Normal, with the one closest to Normal listed first.
- Point Isabel
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Point Isabel is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point Isabel
- Swayzee
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Herbst
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Herbst is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herbst
- Sims
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Sims is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sims
- West Liberty
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- West Liberty is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Liberty
- Phlox
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Phlox is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phlox
- Hackleman
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Hackleman is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hackleman
- Weaver
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Weaver is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaver
- Sycamore
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Sycamore is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
- Jerome
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jerome is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerome
- Rigdon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Rigdon is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rigdon
- Roseburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Roseburg is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseburg
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Sweetser
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Mier
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Mier is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mier
- Greentown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Normal. See our List of 1890's Communities around Normal.
Newspapers Published in Normal ...
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 41 newspapers that have been published in the area around Normal.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Normal, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Normal.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Normal:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Grant County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blackford County
- Carroll County
- Cass County
- Clinton County
- Delaware County
- Hamilton County
- Howard County
- Huntington County
- Madison County
- Miami County
- Tipton County
- Wabash County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Indiana
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 Normal, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Normal) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |