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 Mattoon (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 Mattoon. 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 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 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.
Mattoon is located in Crittenden County.
To see how the shape of Kentucky's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Crittenden County: Hardin (IL), Caldwell, Livingston, Lyon, Union & Webster.
Below are the counties that are near Mattoon. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Mattoon:
- Crittenden County (The home county of Mattoon)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Marion
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Piney Fork
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Piney Fork is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Fork
- Crayne
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Crayne is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crayne
- Sheridan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Sheridan is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
- Tolu
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Tolu is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolu
- Dycusburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Dycusburg is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dycusburg
- Population from the 2010 Census: 26 people
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Creswell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Creswell is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creswell
- Fredonia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Crider
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Crider is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crider
- Dulaney
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Dulaney is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dulaney
- Princeton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Lewistown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lewistown is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewistown
- Claxton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Claxton is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claxton
- McGowan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- McGowan is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGowan
- Hopson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hopson is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopson
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Dixie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Dixie is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixie
- Corydon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Smith Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Smith Mills is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Mills
- Hopkins County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Dalton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Dalton is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalton
- Nebo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Nebo is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nebo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
- Fiddle Bow
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Fiddle Bow is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiddle Bow
- Charleston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Charleston is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston
- Manitou
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Manitou is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manitou
- Dawson Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Richland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Richland is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
- Earlington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Hanson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Madisonville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Saint Charles
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Charles is located in Hopkins County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Charles
- Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Salem
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lola
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Lola is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lola
- Pinckneyville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Pinckneyville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinckneyville
- Carrsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Carrsville is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
- Hampton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hampton is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton
- Tiline
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Tiline is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiline
- Burna
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Burna is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burna
- Smithland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lake City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lake City is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- Grand Rivers
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Lyon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Eddyville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Fairview
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Fairview is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Kuttawa
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Carmack
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Carmack is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carmack
- Lamasco
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Lamasco is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamasco
- Marshall County
- Gilbertsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Sullivan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sullivan is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Grangertown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Grangertown is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grangertown
- Sturgis
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Dekoven
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Dekoven is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dekoven
- Morganfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Breckinridge Center
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Breckinridge Center is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breckinridge Center
- Chapman
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Chapman is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
- Raleigh
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Raleigh is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raleigh
- Flournoy
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Flournoy is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flournoy
- Waverly
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Uniontown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Uniontown is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 930 people
- Hitesville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hitesville is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hitesville
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Blackford
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Blackford is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackford
- West Wheatcroft
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- West Wheatcroft is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Wheatcroft
- Wheatcroft
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Wheatcroft is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatcroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 152 people
- Clay
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Providence
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lisman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Lisman is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisman
- Free Union
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Free Union is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Free Union
- Dixon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Dixon is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 877 people
- Vanderburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Vanderburg is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanderburg
- Poole
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Slaughters
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Slaughters is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slaughters
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Sebree
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Gallatin County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Old Shawneetown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Old Shawneetown is located in Gallatin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Shawneetown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 164 people
- Bowlesville ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bowlesville is located in Gallatin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowlesville
- Shawneetown
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Junction
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lawler
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lawler is located in Gallatin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawler
- Equality
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ridgway
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hardin County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Cave-In-Rock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cave-In-Rock is located in Hardin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cave-In-Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Cave-In-Rock has also been known as:
- Cave-In-Rock village
- Lamb
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lamb is located in Hardin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamb
- Saline Landing
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Saline Landing is located in Hardin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saline Landing
- Rock Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Creek is located in Hardin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
- Elizabethtown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Mineral City ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Mineral City is located in Hardin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral City
- Rosiclare
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Karbers Ridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Shetlerville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Shetlerville is located in Hardin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shetlerville
- Pope County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Leisure City
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Leisure City is located in Pope County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure City
- Herod
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Golconda
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Lusk
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Lusk is located in Pope County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lusk
- Hartsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hartsville is located in Pope County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsville
- Bay City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bay City is located in Pope County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay City
- Hamletsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Oak
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oak is located in Pope County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Mattoon, see our County-by-County Page for Mattoon.
Cemeteries Near Mattoon ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mattoon.
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 Mattoon - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Mattoon covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Duval Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Repton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- King Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Pilot Knob Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pickens Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Kilpatrick Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Tosh Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Crowell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Duncan Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Olive Branch Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Walker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Green Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (489 more) ...
- Mapleview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Baker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Wheeler Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Mattoon had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Mattoon, with the one closest to Mattoon listed first.
- Repton
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Repton is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Repton
- Nunn
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Nunn is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nunn
- Marion
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Weston
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Weston is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Blackford
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Blackford is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackford
- Piney
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Piney is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney
- Sullivan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sullivan is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Caseyville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Caseyville is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caseyville
- Shady Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Shady Grove is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Cave-In-Rock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cave-In-Rock is located in Hardin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cave-In-Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Cave-In-Rock has also been known as:
- Cave-In-Rock village
- Sheridan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Sheridan is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
- Levias
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Levias is located in Crittenden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levias
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Enon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Enon is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enon
- Lamb
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lamb is located in Hardin County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamb
- Sturgis
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Mattoon. See our List of 1890's Communities around Mattoon.
Newspapers Published in Mattoon ...
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 57 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mattoon.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mattoon, 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 Mattoon.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Mattoon:
- Websites specific to Kentucky
- Pages specific to Crittenden County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Caldwell County
- Henderson County
- Hopkins County
- Livingston County
- Lyon County
- Marshall County
- Union County
- Webster County
- Gallatin County
- Hardin County
- Pope County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Kentucky
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> | 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 Mattoon, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Mattoon) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |