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 Rockford (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 Rockford. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.
Rockford is located in Jackson 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 Jackson County: Bartholomew, Brown, Jennings, Lawrence, Scott & Washington.
Below are the counties that are near Rockford. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rockford:
- Jackson County (The home county of Rockford)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Seymour
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Fleming
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Fleming is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming
- Cortland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Cortland is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cortland
- Kriete Corner
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Kriete Corner is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kriete Corner
- New Elizabethtown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- New Elizabethtown is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elizabethtown
- Dudleytown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Dudleytown is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleytown
- Spraytown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Spraytown is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spraytown
- Retreat
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Retreat is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retreat
- Brownstown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Freetown
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Crothersville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Vallonia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bartholomew County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Jonesville
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bethel Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Bethel Village is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel Village
- Elizabethtown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Elizabethtown is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elizabethtown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 540 people
- North Ogilville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- North Ogilville is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Ogilville
- Garden City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Garden City is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Jewell Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Jewell Village is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell Village
- Grammer
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Grammer is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grammer
- Columbus
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Petersville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Petersville is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersville
- Corn Brook
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Corn Brook is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corn Brook
- Stony Lonesome
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Stony Lonesome is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Lonesome
- Newbern
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Newbern is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbern
- Brown County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Becks Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Becks Grove is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becks Grove
- Pikes Peak
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pikes Peak is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikes Peak
- Mount Liberty
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Liberty is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Liberty
- Story
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Story is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Story
- Gnaw Bone
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Nashville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Beanblossom
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Beanblossom is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beanblossom
- Beanblossom has also been known as:
- Bean Blossom
- Helmsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Helmsburg is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helmsburg
- Spearsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Spearsville is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spearsville
- Clark County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Underwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Underwood is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Underwood
- Nabb
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Nabb is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nabb
- Marysville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Marysville is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysville
- Decatur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Alert
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Alert is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alert
- Sardinia
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Sardinia is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardinia
- Harper
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Harper is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harper
- Westport
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Westport is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,416 people
- Letts Corner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Letts Corner is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letts Corner
- Letts
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Letts is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Letts
- Burney
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Burney is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burney
- Harris City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Harris City is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris City
- Milford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Millhousen
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Millhousen is located in Decatur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millhousen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 130 people
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Deputy
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Dupont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Middlefork
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Middlefork is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefork
- Kent
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kent is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
- Smyrna
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Smyrna is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smyrna
- Bryantsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Bryantsburg is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryantsburg
- Hanover
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Chelsea
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Chelsea is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chelsea
- Madison
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jennings County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Four Corners
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Four Corners is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Four Corners
- Hayden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Hayden is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayden
- Scipio
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Scipio is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scipio
- Queensville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Queensville is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queensville
- North Vernon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Vernon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Commiskey
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Grayford
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Grayford is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayford
- Oakdale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Oakdale is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakdale
- Paris Crossing
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Paris Crossing is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris Crossing
- Butlerville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- San Jacinto
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- San Jacinto is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Jacinto
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Edinburgh
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Nineveh
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Princes Lakes
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Princes Lakes is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princes Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,342 people
- Peoga
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Peoga is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoga
- Amity
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Amity is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Zelma
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Zelma is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zelma
- Leesville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Leesville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesville
- Fort Ritner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Fort Ritner is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Ritner
- Heltonville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Erie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Erie is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erie
- Tunnelton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tunnelton is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnelton
- Crawford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Crawford is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
- Bono
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bono is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bono
- Ripley County
- Holton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Austin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Albion
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Albion is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion
- Marshfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Marshfield is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshfield
- Scottsburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Blocher
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Blocher is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocher
- Goshen
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Goshen is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Lexington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Flat Rock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Mount Auburn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Mount Auburn is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Auburn
- Norristown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Norristown is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norristown
- Geneva
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Geneva is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Little York
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Little York is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little York
- Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
- Plattsburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Plattsburg is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattsburg
- Kossuth
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kossuth is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kossuth
- Harristown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Harristown is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harristown
- South Boston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- South Boston is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Boston
- Salem
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bartle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Bartle is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartle
- Campbellsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Smedley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Smedley is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smedley
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rockford, see our County-by-County Page for Rockford.
Cemeteries Near Rockford ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rockford.
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 Rockford - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rockford covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Riverview Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- St. Ambrose Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery is located outside and to the west of Seymour.
- Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Glasson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Knabb Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knabb Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Knabb Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the northwest of Seymour.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2316507 <2>
- Crane Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cortland Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Farmington Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Gardner Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Driftwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hunt Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (303 more) ...
- Barkman Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wohrer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Robertson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robertson Cemetery
- The Robertson Cemetery has also been known as:
- Honeytown Cemetery
- Honeytown Christian Cemetery
- Robinson Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #86607 <2>
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Rockford had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rockford, with the one closest to Rockford listed first.
- Seymour
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Peters Switch
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Peters Switch is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peters Switch
- Fleming
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Fleming is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming
- Reddington
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Reddington is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reddington
- Jonesville
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Shields
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Shields is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shields
- Chestnut Ridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Chestnut Ridge is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Ridge
- Azalia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Azalia is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Azalia
- Waynesville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Waynesville is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waynesville
- Hayden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Hayden is located in Jennings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayden
- Dudleytown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Dudleytown is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudleytown
- Waymansville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Waymansville is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waymansville
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Surprise
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Surprise is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Surprise
- Walesboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Walesboro is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walesboro
- Spraytown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Spraytown is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spraytown
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rockford. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rockford.
Newspapers Published in Rockford ...
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 62 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rockford.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rockford, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rockford.
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 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 Rockford:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Jackson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bartholomew County
- Brown County
- Clark County
- Decatur County
- Jefferson County
- Jennings County
- Johnson County
- Lawrence County
- Ripley County
- Scott County
- Shelby County
- Washington 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> | 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- Rockford) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Rockford, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |