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Uncovering your past
should be an exciting and enlightening experience! The following list is
meant only as a jumping off point of places to go to begin your
research. It is by no means complete. Your local library and/or
historical society can help you find books and other sources and may be
able to put you in touch with someone who has experience in doing family
research. Have Fun ! Toot Your Roots!
General Resources
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
112 North Sixth Street
Springfield, IL 62701
217.558.8882
Chicago Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 1160
Chicago, IL 60690
Chicago Historical Society
North Avenue and Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
312.642.4600
Chicago Public Library
Special Collections Department
400 S. State Street
Chicago, IL 60605
312.747.3400
Find-it Illinois!
Tools to search all Illinois Libraries
Illinois State Archives
Archives Building,
Springfield, IL 62756
217.782.4682
LaSalle County Genealogical Guild
115 W. Glover Street
P.O. Box 534
Ottawa, IL 61350
815.433.5261
Newberry Library
60 W. Walton Street
Chicago, IL 60610
312.943.9090
University of Illinois at Chicago,
Special Collections Library
801 S. Morgan Street
Chicago, IL 60680
312.996.2716
Will Grundy Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 24
Wilmington, IL 60481
Local Resources
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Cemeteries
·
Historical Societies
·
Libraries
·
Newspapers
·
Educational Institutions
·
Church or parish
registers, vestry books, etc.
·
Funeral home files
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City archives: tax rolls,
law enforcement records, etc.
·
City vital statistics
registry at health department or registrar’s office (duplicates at state
level)
·
Published county or city
histories--Goodspeed Bros. of Chicago and Nashville published a number
of state histories with county-by-county biographies, mostly in the
1880’s.
County Resources
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Marriage records
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Birth/Death records
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Wills, inventories, estate
settlements, estate sales records, guardianship records, orphans’ court,
other probate court records
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Deeds, mortgages
·
Tax records
·
Court records
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Polling lists, license &
professional fee books, registration of livestock brands, etc.
State Resources
·
Colonial, territorial or
state census records - 1810,1818 territorial censuses - State Archives,
·
Collections of the
Illinois Historical Library, vol. 24, c1935.
1820,1825,1835,1840,1845,1855,1865 - State Archives, indexed through
1845 but existing records cover only scattered counties.
·
Tax roles from counties or
state assessments
·
State pension records
·
State militia rolls and
records
·
Pay warrants issued by the
state
·
Vehicle registrations
·
Voter registrations, poll
tax records
·
State law enforcement,
department of public safety or correctional institution records
·
State agencies, such as
state hospitals, departments of education, state courts.
Federal Resources
National Archives and Records Administration
Records of individuals and their dealings with the US government,
including military service and pension records, immigration and
naturalization papers, ships’ passenger lists, passports, civil service
employee records, homestead and bounty land warrant records, Indian
annual census rolls and "removal" lists, some tax files and census
schedules. Two helpful pamphlets are: Genealogical Records in the
National Archives, General Information Leaflet #5, and Military Service
Records in the National Archives, General Information Leaflet #7. Write
to: National Archives and Records Service, General Services
Administration, Washington, D.C. 20408. More comprehensive is the book
Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives also
available from the same source.
Federal Census Records
First federal census available for Illinois is 1810. (Most of the 1890
census was destroyed by fire; only fragments exist for counties in
Illinois). Available through:
National Archives, Great Lakes Region
7358 South Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60629
773.948.9001
Soundex
The 1880, 1900,
and much of the 1910 census are indexed by state using a code based on
sounds in the last name; this system is called Soundex. Useful when you
do not know where the family was living in 1880, 1900 or 1910; will show
you what county and community they lived in and where to find them on
census. (Only includes families with children under 10 years of age).
Military Records - sources: United States Senate Executive Document 84, 47th Congress,
2nd Session, List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883.
(Washington)
National Personnel Records Center
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63132-5100 |
