Spotlight on Kane County, Illinois

 Kane County is located in northern Illinois.  It one of the “Collar counties”, on the western edge of the Chicago metropolitan area.   Kane County was formed in 1836 from LaSalle County.  It was named for Elias Kane, a United States Senator from Illinois and the first Secretary of State for Illinois.

Birth and death records have been kept since 1878.  Marriage records date to the founding of the county.  Land and Probate Records also begin in 1836.  Many of the earlier vital and probate records have been digitized and are available at FamilySearch.org.  There were 2 courthouse fires, one in 1843 and one in 1890 which destroyed a small number of records each time.

The county courthouse is located in the county seat of Geneva and vital records may be obtained at https://www.kanecountyclerk.org/VitalRecords/Pages/Genealogy.aspx .  Some records may also be located at the IRAD at Northern Illinois University.  There, in addition to vital records, one might find jail records and naturalization records.

The Kane County Genealogical Society may be found at http://www.kcgsillinois.org/.  In addition, the Elgin Genealogical Society is a good resource.  They are at www.elginroots.com. The Gail Borden Library in Elgin has a good collection of area publications and microfilm.  They can be found at https://gailborden.info/research/genealogy.  

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Note: This was originally published in the "County Spotlight" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (September 2021).   

Tip: My ancestor may have been divorced. How can I find out?

Divorce was more common in the past than we might think. There may be a family story of a divorce, or it may have been noted in an official record, such as a “D” for marital status on the census, or noted on a death certificate.  Marriage records may indicate if the bride or groom had been previously married.  Newspapers might carry a notice of the divorce proceedings or note it in an obituary.

Depending on the law at the time of the divorce, the divorce may have been granted by a federal, state, county, or even town jurisdiction.  Thus, the records may be in any of those locations.  A good place to start would be “Where to Write for Vital Records” at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/.

Just like Gretna Greens existed for quickie marriages, there were also “Divorce Mills” where one could go for a quickie divorce.  Thus, people may have gone to a neighboring county or state to expedite the process.

Many divorce records are online at sites like FamilySearch.org and ancestry.com.  Early records may be abstracted in published court records.

Divorce records can be a wealth of information with clues to the wife’s maiden name, date and location of the marriage, names and birthdates of children, as well as the details of their relationship. 

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Note: This was originally published in the "Tips from the Genealogy Committee" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (September 2021).  While these tips were written for those researching Illinois ancestors, many of the principles can be applied to other locations.

Spotlight on Madison County, Illinois

 Madison County is located in southwest Illinois.  It lies along the Mississippi River and compirises part of the greater St. Louis metropolitan area.  Madison County was formed in 1812 from portions of Randolph and St. Clair Counties.  It was named for our fourth U.S. President James Madison and originally contained most of present-day Illinois as well as Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and part of Minnesota, in other words, a large portion of the Northwest Territory.  By 1843 it had been reduced to its current size.

Birth and death records have been kept since 1878.  Marriage records date to the founding of the county, while some Probate files and Land Records are even earlier.  Many of these records have been digitized and are available at FamilySearch.org. 

The county courthouse is located in the county seat of Edwardsville and vital records may be obtained at https://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/county_clerk/vital_records/genealogy_research.php .  Some records may also be located at the IRAD at Southern Illinois University.  There, in addition to vital records, probate records and land records, one might find poor farm records and naturalization records.

The Madison County Genealogical Society may be found at http://sites.rootsweb.com/~ilmadcgs/index.html.  In addition, the Hayner Public Library in Alton contains books and records related to early Madison County. They may be found at https://www.haynerlibrary.org/genealogy-local-history/about-genealogy-local-history. 

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Note: This was originally published in the "County Spotlight" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (August 2021).   

Tip: Can Church Records Help with my Family History?

 Q. Can Church Records help with my family history?

A. The answer is of course, Yes.  Church records can often be used as a substitute for governmental vital records.  The most common church records used in genealogy are those for baptisms, marriages, and burials.  Other church records can help pinpoint our ancestor in a time and place, such as membership lists and confirmation records.

The first place to start is by determining the church that your ancestor attended.  This may be a religious denomination still maintained by family members.  Some churches were attended by specific immigrant groups.  Sometimes the denomination was determined by which church was nearby and easily accessible.  County or Family histories may tell the religion of your ancestor.  The governmental marriage record may list the minister who performed the ceremony, or your ancestor may be buried in a church graveyard.  An obituary may provide a clue to the church they attended as well.

Once you think you know the church they attended, there are several options to finding the records.  If the church is still in existence, you can contact them directly.  There may be a regional or national office for that denomination where the records have been stored.  Some records, or transcriptions, may be at the local genealogical library or historical society.  Some church records may be online at a site such as FamilySearch.org or Ancestry.com, or found through an internet search.

Although locating church records for your ancestor may be challenging, it is often worth the effort. 

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Note: This was originally published in the "Tips from the Genealogy Committee" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (July 2021).  While these tips were written for those researching Illinois ancestors, many of the principles can be applied to other locations.

Spotlight on Pope County, Illinois

Pope County is located in southern Illinois.  While it is the second-least populous county in Illinois, it is also one of the oldest.  The county seat of Golconda began as a ferry stop in 1798 while still part of the Northwest Territory.  Pope county itself was formed in 1816 from portions of Gallatin and Johnson counties. It was named for Nathaniel Pope, an early Illinois politician. 

Birth and death records have been kept since 1877.  Marriage records, Probate files and Land Records date to the founding of the county in 1816.  Many of these records have been digitized and are available at FamilySearch.org. 

The courthouse is located in the county seat of Golconda and their address is P.O. Box 216, Golconda, IL  62938 .  Some vital records may also be found at the IRAD depository at Southern Illinois University. Other county records housed at the IRAD are naturalization and school board records.

 

There are some records online at the Pope County GenWeb site - https://pope.illinoisgenweb.org/index.htm.  The Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois at www.ilgssi.org  also has records from Pope County.

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Note: This was originally published in the "County Spotlight" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (May 2021).   

Tip: How can I find my ancestor who was an orphan?

Records of orphanages can be difficult to locate.  As many were private institutions, their records may not have survived.  Local genealogical and historical societies may have some of those records. If you know the general location of the orphanage, there is a listing of those in Illinois at http://www.formerchildrenshomes.org.uk/illinois.html.  On the Census, the orphans may have been listed as “orphans” or “inmates” which helps locate these homes.

If your ancestor was born after the 1880’s, when most counties were recording births, AND they were adopted, it may be possible to obtain their original birth certificate through the Illinois Department of Public Health at  https://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/birth-death-other-records/adoption

If your ancestor came to Illinois on an Orphan Train, there are a few additional resources to check.  Between 1854 and 1919, over 100,000 children came from New York city and were sent west for adoption and hopefully, a better life. The National Orphan Train Depot Museum has a lot of information on these children.  Their website is https://orphantraindepot.org .  ISGS also has reprints of the book “Children of Orphan Trains from NY to IL and Beyond” for sale on website at www.ilgensoc.org.   

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Note: This was originally published in the "Tips from the Genealogy Committee" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (May 2021).  While these tips were written for those researching Illinois ancestors, many of the principles can be applied to other locations.

Spotlight on Carroll County, Illinois

Carroll County is located in northwest Illinois.  It was formed in 1839 from Jo Daviess county. It was named for Charles Carroll, a Marylander who signed the Declaration of Independence.  Although Mr. Carroll never set foot in Illinois, many of the county’s early settlers were from Maryland.  The county itself remains fairly rural and they boast of only one stoplight in the entire county.

Birth and death records have been kept since 1877.  Marriage records, Probate files and Land Records date to the founding of the county.  Unfortunately, few records are accessible on FamilySearch.  There are some early vital records online at  https://carroll.illinoisgenweb.org, along with some obituaries and cemetery information.

The courthouse is located in the county seat of Mt. Carroll and their website is  https://www.carroll-county.net/clerkrecorder.  Some vital records may also be found at the IRAD depository at Northern Illinois University. Other county records housed at the IRAD are land, probate, and naturalizations records.

The Carroll County Genealogical Society has some church records online as well as records of naturalizations, and county poor farm records. They may be reached at http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~haliotis/index2.html.

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Note: This was originally published in the "County Spotlight" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (March 2021).   

Tip: How can land records help me find my ancestor?

Land records are often overlooked by the beginning genealogist.  This is unfortunate because they may contain clues to family relationships.  Often, a deed will contain language specifying a relationship. For example, “I deed to my son for love and affection”.  Even better is “to my daughter, wife of so and so”.  After a landowner’s death the land is often divided and sold by his heirs, also indicating family relationships.

Unlike birth and death records which have only been kept in Illinois since the 1870s, land records were kept from the date of formation of a County.  Land records are kept with the County clerk or County recorder in the County Courthouse. Many have been digitized and can be found online on sites such as familysearch.org.

It is important to know whether that County was formed from another County because there may also be land records at the parent County. The Newberry Library has an interactive map showing County boundaries at https://newberry.org/atlas-historical-county-boundaries.

In addition to searching for the actual deed records, it is often helpful to look at maps of our ancestors’ land.  These maps help show the so- called FAN club - that is, the friends, associates and neighbors who may have interacted with our family and potentially be related.  A map may also give clues as to the geographic terrain that may have affected where our ancestors did business or worshipped.  You may find that a town in a neighboring County was closer than their own County seat.  A good online source of maps is at the Library of Congress – www.loc.gov/maps.

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Note: This was originally published in the "Tips from the Genealogy Committee" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (March 2021).  While these tips were written for those researching Illinois ancestors, many of the principles can be applied to other locations.

Spotlight on Vermilion County, Illinois

Vermilion County is located in east central Illinois.  It was formed in 1826 and has been its present size since 1859. It was named for the Vermilion River which passes through the county on its way to the Wabash River.

Birth and death records have been kept since 1877 (some earlier birth records still exist).  Marriage records, Probate files and Land Records date to the founding of the county.  Many of the early records may be found on FamilySearch.org.

The courthouse is located in the county seat of Danville and their website is vercounty.org.  Vital records may also be found at the IRAD depository at Illinois State University. Other county records housed at the IRAD are school records, police dockets and Justice of the Peace dockets.

The Danville Public Library in Danville contains many genealogical records relating to Vermilion County and surrounding areas.   https://danvillepubliclibrary.org/genealogy-resources-online/ .  The Illiana Genealogical and Historical Society may be reached at ighs@sbcglobal.net 

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Note: This was originally published in the "County Spotlight" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (January 2021).  

Tip - How do I find my ancestors who lived in the city?

 

One good place to look is in City Directories.  These were usually published annually and contain information about residents of a given city.   While most large cities had directories, often smaller towns would publish one as well.  Occasionally, a county would publish a similar type of directory.

Information in a city directory often included the address of the person, their telephone number (in later directories), and their occupation.  While all included the name of the head of household, some also listed the wife’s name.  City directories were often arranged in both an alphabetical and a geographical listing.  Thus, it was easy to tell who the neighbors were.  Businesses were also listed in the geographical listing.  Often, local businesses would advertise in the directory, so be sure to look in the advertisements if your ancestor owned a business. 

Because directories were published yearly, they can be helpful in tracking people between census years.  If someone “disappears” from a directory, they may have moved to another location or died. 

City Directories can be found online at Family Search, Archive.org or Ancestry.  Again, they could be for a large city such as Chicago, or smaller cities such as Peoria, Moline, Princeton or Shelbyville.  Another good place to find city directories is at the local library in the city of interest.  Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library also has a large collection of directories from around Illinois.

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Note: This was originally published in the "Tips from the Genealogy Committee" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (January 2021).  While these tips were written for those researching Illinois ancestors, many of the principles can be applied to other locations.

Spotlight on DeWitt County, Illinois

DeWitt County is located in central Illinois.  It was formed in 1839 from Macon and McLean Counties. It was named for the seventh Governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton, and the county seat is the city of Clinton.

Birth and death records have been kept since 1878.  Marriage records, Probate files and Land Records date to the founding of the county.  Many of the early records may be found on FamilySearch.org.

These records may also be requested in writing from the County Courthouse at 201 W. Washington St., Clinton, IL  61727.  Records are also found at the IRAD depository at Illinois State University.  In addition to vital records, the IRAD has naturalization records and Justice of the Peace dockets.

The Vespasian Warner Public Library in Clinton has some collections of local genealogical interest.  These include yearbooks, newspapers, and civil war diaries, among others. They can be found at https://www.vwarner.org/local-history-genealogy.  This library also holds the collection of the Dewitt County Genealogical Society.  More information about this society can be found at https://dewittcountygenealogicalsociety.com.

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Note: This was originally published in the "County Spotlight" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (November 2020).  

Tip - Where can I find old newspapers?

Q. Where can I find old newspapers?

A. Old newspapers can give us so much information about our ancestors’ lives.  In addition to major life events such as birth announcements, marriage notices, and obituaries, we can learn everyday details.  Newspapers often reported on social happenings, such as which family members were visiting from out of town.  Court proceedings ranging from land transfers and divorces to criminal cases were frequently newsworthy.

A good place to start to find a newspaper of interest is at the library in that town.  They often have microfilmed copies of their newspapers.  The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield has a large collection of microfilmed newspapers from around the state.  Their holdings are listed at: https://www2.illinois.gov/alplm/library/collections/newspaper/Holdings/Pages/default.aspx.

There are several online collections for Illinois newspapers.  The University of Illinois has an Illinois Digital Newspaper collection at http://idnc.library.illinois.edu.  Several libraries around the state have also digitized area newspapers, such as Marshall Public Library at .http://marshall.advantage-preservation.com/.      More sites are going online all the time.

There are also several online repositories for newspapers from around the country.  Many are subscription sites but there are free sites as well.  The Library of Congress has the largest free collection of US Newspapers at http://ChroniclingAmerica.loc.gov.  And some digitized newspapers can be found on Google at https://news.google.com/newspapers.

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Note: This was originally published in the "Tips from the Genealogy Committee" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (November 2020).  While these tips were written for those researching Illinois ancestors, many of the principles can be applied to other locations.

Spotlight on McHenry County, Illinois

 McHenry County is in Northern Illinois, bordering on Wisconsin.  It is often considered part of the greater Chicagoland area.  It was formed in 1836 from Cook and LaSalle counties and has been its present size since 1839.  It was named for Major William McHenry who served in the Illinois Militia during Tecumseh’s War and the Blackhawk War, and later served in the Illinois legislature.

Birth and death records have been kept since 1878, Marriage records, Probate records and Land Records date to the founding of the county.  Many of the early records may be found on FamilySearch.org.

Vital Records can be requested from the County Clerk’s office for a small fee.  Information is at https://www.mchenrycountyil.gov/county-government/departments-a-i/county-clerk/vital-records

Early records may also be found at the IRAD depository at Northern Illinois University.  Additional records available at IRAD include school records and naturalization records.

Two libraries in McHenry County have genealogical collections.  They are the Crystal Lake Public Library at https://www.clpl.org/ and the McHenry Public Library at  http://www.mchenrylibrary.org/.

 

There is an active Genealogical Society for the County – the McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society at mcigs.org.

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Note: This was originally published in the "County Spotlight" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (September 2020).  

Tip - How can I find my ancestors in the census?

Q. How can I find my ancestors in the census?

A. The United States Government has been conducting a census of the population every 10 years since 1790.  Censuses from 1790 until 1940 are available for research with the exception of 1890 which was lost in a fire. Each census contains a little different information. Censuses from 1850 and later contain names of every member of the household, ages, birthplaces, and varying information on relationships.

Now that these census records are available digitally, it has become fairly easy to find ancestors in them.  Keep in mind that spellings vary, and not census takers had the best handwriting.  It still may be necessary to browse through the images to find that elusive person.

Illinois has taken part in every federal census since 1820, the first decennial census conducted after statehood.  In addition, Illinois conducted a territorial census in 1810 and again in 1818 to document that Illinois had enough inhabitants to become a state.  The state has also conducted its own census in 1825, 1835, 1845, 1855, and 1865.  Unfortunately many of the state census records did not contain names, and several counties have been lost.

Census records may be found online at FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com.  Several of the early census records have also been transcribed and may be found in local libraries.

Although the purpose of the census is to provide an accurate count of the population for purposes of resource allocation and political representation, they have been a wonderful resource for genealogists. 2020 is a census year, so don’t forget to pay it forward by filling out your census form.

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Note: This was originally published in the "Tips from the Genealogy Committee" column in the Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter (September 2020).  While these tips were written for those researching Illinois ancestors, many of the principles can be applied to other locations.