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 Somers (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 Somers. 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 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.
Somers is located in Kenosha County.
To see how the shape of Wisconsin's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Kenosha County: Lake (IL), McHenry (IL), Racine & Walworth.
Below are the counties that are near Somers. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Somers:
- Kenosha County (The home county of Somers)
- The following are listed by their distance from Somers, with the one closest to Somers listed first.
- Kenosha
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Kenosha is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenosha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 99,570 people
- Woodworth
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Woodworth is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Paris
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Paris is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
- Pleasant Prairie
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Prairie is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Prairie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 21,373 people
- Bristol
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bristol is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,145 people
- Fossland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Fossland is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossland
- Paddock Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Paddock Lake is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paddock Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,232 people
- Brighton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Brighton is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
- Salem Lakes
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Salem Lakes is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Lakes
- Former names for Salem Lakes:
- Salem
- Silver Lake
- Lake Shangrila
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Shangrila is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shangrila
- Benet Lake
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Benet Lake is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benet Lake
- Camp Lake
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Camp Lake is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Lake
- Milwaukee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Somers, with the one closest to Somers listed first.
- Union Church
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Union Church is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Church
- Franklin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Franklin is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 35,925 people
- Oak Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Oak Creek is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 36,469 people
- South Milwaukee
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- South Milwaukee is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Milwaukee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 20,673 people
- Saint Martins
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Martins is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Martins
- Greendale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Greendale is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greendale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,127 people
- Cudahy
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Cudahy is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cudahy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,077 people
- Hales Corners
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Hales Corners is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hales Corners
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,553 people
- Saint Francis
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Saint Francis is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Francis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,725 people
- Greenfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Greenfield is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 37,183 people
- West Milwaukee
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- West Milwaukee is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Milwaukee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,090 people
- West Allis
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- West Allis is located in Milwaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Allis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 59,748 people
- Racine County
- The following are listed by their distance from Somers, with the one closest to Somers listed first.
- Sturtevant
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Sturtevant is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturtevant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,637 people
- Mount Pleasant
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27,048 people
- Elmwood Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Elmwood Park is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Union Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Union Grove is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,266 people
- Franksville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Franksville is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franksville
- Racine
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Racine is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Racine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 76,237 people
- Yorkville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Yorkville is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- North Bay
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- North Bay is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 233 people
- Caledonia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Caledonia is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 25,235 people
- Wind Point
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wind Point is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wind Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,685 people
- Eagle Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Eagle Lake is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Lake
- Raymond
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Raymond is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
- Walworth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Somers, with the one closest to Somers listed first.
- Voree ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Voree is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voree
- Lyons
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Lyons is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyons
- Genoa City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Genoa City is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,981 people
- Pell Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Pell Lake is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pell Lake
- Lake Beulah
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Beulah is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Beulah
- Potter Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Potter Lake is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter Lake
- Spring Prairie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Spring Prairie is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Prairie
- Springfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Springfield is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
- Lake Geneva
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Lake Geneva is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Geneva
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,096 people
- Bowers
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bowers is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowers
- East Troy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- East Troy is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Troy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,307 people
- Como
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Como is located in Walworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
- Waukesha County
- The following are listed by their distance from Somers, with the one closest to Somers listed first.
- Durham
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Durham is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
- Muskego
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Muskego is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muskego
- Population from the 2020 Census: 25,317 people
- Tess Corners
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Tess Corners is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tess Corners
- Big Bend
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Big Bend is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bend
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,487 people
- Prospect
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Prospect is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect
- New Berlin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- New Berlin is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Berlin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 39,812 people
- Vernon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Vernon is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
- Mukwonago
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mukwonago is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mukwonago
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,107 people
- Calhoun
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Calhoun is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun
- Elm Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Elm Grove is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,137 people
- Eagleville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Eagleville is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagleville
- Waukesha
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Waukesha is located in Waukesha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waukesha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72,376 people
- Lake County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Somers, with the one closest to Somers listed first.
- Fossland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Fossland is located in Lake County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossland
- Russell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Russell is located in Lake County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Winthrop Harbor
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Beach Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Zion
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Zion is located in Lake County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23,321 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Zion <1>
- Old Mill Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Wadsworth
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Antioch
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Millburn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Millburn is located in Lake County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millburn
- Lake Catherine
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Catherine is located in Lake County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Catherine
- Lindenhurst
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Lindenhurst is located in Lake County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindenhurst
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,117 people
- Lindenhurst has also been known as:
- Lindenhurst village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lindenhurst <1>
- Channel Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Channel Lake is located in Lake County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Channel Lake
- McHenry County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Somers, with the one closest to Somers listed first.
- Pistakee Highlands
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pistakee Highlands is located in McHenry County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pistakee Highlands
- Spring Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Solon Mills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Richmond
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Sunnyside
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Sunnyside is located in McHenry County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
- Johnsburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lakemoor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ringwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- McCullom Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- McCullom Lake is located in McHenry County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCullom Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 996 people
- Hebron
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Holiday Hills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Holiday Hills is located in McHenry County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holiday Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 574 people
- McHenry
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Somers, see our County-by-County Page for Somers.
Cemeteries Near Somers ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Somers.
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 Somers - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Somers covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Somers, with the one closest to Somers listed first.
- Oakwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Sunset Ridge Memorial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- St. Casimirs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sylvania Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Paris Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- St. George Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- B'nai Zek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Vale Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- West Lawn Memorial Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Johns Catholic Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bristol - Paris Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- North Bristol Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (200 more) ...
- Kenosha County Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- St. James Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Greenridge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Somers had a population of 62 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Somers had a population of 8,322 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Somers, with the one closest to Somers listed first.
- Sylvania
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Sylvania is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvania
- Truesdell
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Truesdell is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truesdell
- Kenosha
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Kenosha is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenosha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 99,570 people
- Ives Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ives Grove is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ives Grove
- Woodworth
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Woodworth is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Union Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Union Grove is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,266 people
- Paris
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Paris is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
- Pleasant Prairie
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Prairie is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Prairie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 21,373 people
- Franksville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Franksville is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franksville
- Racine
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Racine is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Racine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 76,237 people
- Bristol
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bristol is located in Kenosha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,145 people
- Thompsonville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Thompsonville is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Yorkville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Yorkville is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Russell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Russell is located in Lake County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Kansasville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Kansasville is located in Racine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kansasville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Somers. See our List of 1890's Communities around Somers.
Newspapers Published in Somers ...
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 Somers.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Somers, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Somers.
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 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 Somers:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Kenosha County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Milwaukee County
- Racine County
- Walworth County
- Waukesha County
- Lake County
- McHenry County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Wisconsin
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 Somers, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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 from Point A (ie- Somers) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |