Tuesday, April 28, 2015

PRAIRIE PEDIGREES

RESEARCHING ILLINOIS ANCESTORS

1. ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

Highlights of the collection:    
   
             Census--Federal, State, and Territorial
             Databases of Illinois Veterans
             Death Certificates, 1916-1947
             General Land Office Survey Plats (microfilm)
             Illinois Marriages Statewide Database
             Illinois Public Land Tract Sales Database
             Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home Resident Files
             Illinois Soldiers’ Orphans Home Resident Files
             Illinois Soldiers’ Widows’ Home Resident Files
             Military Bounty Land Records- Illinois Warrants
             Military Service Records for Illinois Veterans (Pre-1900)
             Militia Muster Rolls, Returns, and Files- War of 1812,
                  Winnebago War, Black Hawk, Mexican-American
                  War, and Civil War
             Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880
             Name Index to Early Illinois Records
             National Soldiers’ Home Resident Files (Danville, IL)
             Pension Files-- Revolutionary War
             Pension Files Index-- War of 1812
             Veteran Bonus Applications- World War I,
                   World War II, and Korean War
             World War I Draft Registration Records

Location:    Illinois State Archives
                      Margaret Cross Norton Building
                      Capitol Complex
                      Springfield, IL 62756
                      (217) 782-3556
                      Fax: (217) 524-3930


2. ABRAHAM LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

Highlights of the collection:    
   
           Birth and Death Indexes
             Cemetery Inscriptions
             Census Indexes, Federal and Territorial
             City Directories
             Civil War Soldier Photographs
             County Plat Books
             Diaries, Letters, and Account Books
             Family Histories in Book Form
             Fraternal, Lineage, and Patriotic Society Publications
             Genealogical Periodicals and Newsletters
             Genealogical Research Handbooks
             Illinois City and Town Histories
             Illinois County Histories
             Illinois Newspapers
             Illinois State Genealogical Society Publications
             Marriage Indexes, Illinois Counties
             Manuscripts and Ephemeral Documents
             Out of State Resources
             Photograph Collection
             Probate Indexes
                            
Location:     Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
                       Reference Department
                       Old State Capitol
                       Springfield, IL 62701
                       (217) 524-7216


3. ILLINOIS REGIONAL ARCHIVES DEPOSITORY LIBRARY SYSTEM (IRAD)

Highlights of the collections: (types of records held varies by county)  
   
             Almshouse/Poor Farm Record           
             Assessor’s Books
             Birth Certificates (beginning 1877)      
             Birth Certificates, Delayed
             Birth Registers (beginning 1877)         
             Cemetery Records
             Circuit Court Case Files, Chancery    
             Circuit Court Case Files, Civil and Criminal
             Circuit Court Indexes                           
             Circuit Court Records, Chancery
             Circuit Court Records, Civil and Criminal
             Collector’s Books                                
             Coroner’s Inquest Records
             County Court Case Files, Chancery    
             County Court Indexes
             County Court Records, Civil and Criminal
             County Hospital Records                     
             Death Certificates (beginning 1877)
             Death Registers (beginning 1877)       
             Deed Records
             Marriage Applications (beginning 1877)
             Marriage Certificates                           
             Marriage Records
             Miners’ Examining Board Records (1908- )
             Mortgage Records                               
             Naturalization Declaration Records
             Naturalization Petition Records           
             Naturalization Records of Soldiers and Minors
             Occupation Registers                          
             Probate Inventories
             Probate Records                                
             School Pupil Registers
             Tax Sale Records                               
             Voter Registration Records
             Wills

           IRAD Depository Libraries (Central & Southern Illinois)

             University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS)
             P.O. Box 19243
             Springfield, IL 62794-9243
             (217) 206-6520

             Southern Illinois University (SIU)
             c/o Special Collections
             Morris Library-- 6632
             Carbondale, IL 62901-3040
             (618) 453-3040


4. THE ILLINOIS STATE LIBRARY

Highlights of the collection:    
   
            Aerial Photographs (20th century)
             Census Tract and Block Maps (current)
             County Plat Books and Atlases (20th century and historical)
             Federal Government Documents (depository library)
             Flood Insurance Rate Maps (current)
             Gazetteers and Atlases (current and historical)
             General Land Office Plats on microfilm (historical)
             Geographical Reference Books and Journals
             Illinois Authors Collection
             Illinois State Agency Documents (depository library)
             Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps on microfilm (historical)
             USGS Topographic Maps (current- all 50 states)
             Wetlands Maps (current)

Location:    Illinois State Library
                       Reference Department
                       300 South Second Street
                       Springfield, IL 62701
                       (217) 782-5823
                       Fax: (217) 782-4446


5. THE ILLINOIS STATE MUSEUM

Highlights of the collection:    
   
Huge collections in the following areas:

           Anthropology          Botany
             Decorative Arts      Fine Arts
             Geology

Location:   Illinois State Museum
                      Spring & Edwards Streets
                      Springfield, IL 62706-5000
                      (217) 782-7387
                      Fax: (217) 761-3712


6. THE ILLINOIS STATE MILITARY MUSEUM

Highlights of the collection:    
   
           Military Artifacts     Regimental Flags
             Static Exhibits       Virtual Exhibits

Location:   Illinois State Military Museum
                      Department of Military Afffairs
                      Camp Lincoln
                      1301 North MacArthur Boulevard
                      Springfield, IL 62702-2399
                      (217) 761-3910
                      Fax: (217) 761-3712


7. THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Highlights of the collection:    
   
            A-Z Public Health Topics Database
             Illinois Adoption Law and Programs
                  A. Adoption Information Center of Illinois
                     (Cook County)
                  B. Confidential Intermediary Program
                  C. Illinois Adoption Registry
             Illinois Birth Records (1916-Present)
             Illinois Death Records (1916-Present)
             Illinois Divorce Verifications (1962-Present)
             Illlinois Long-term Care Facilities Database

Location:   Illinois Department of Public Health
                      Division of Public Records
                      605 W. Jefferson Street
                      Springfield, IL 62702-5097
                      217-782-4977
                      Fax: 217-782-3987


8. THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFAIRS

Highlights of the collection:    
   
            Illinois Veterans’ Homes           
              Illinois Veterans’ Memorials
             Illinois Veterans’ Service Centers

Location:    Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs
                      833 Spring Street
                      Springfield, IL 62794
                      217-782-6641
                      Fax: 217-524-0344
  
                    
9. THE ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY LIBRARY

Highlights of the collection:    
   
            Aerial Photographs (20th century- Illinois)
             Bureau of Mines Collection
             Canadian Geologic Surveys (current)
             Geologic Manuscript and Theses Collection
             Geology Reference Books and Journals
             ISGS Field Notes and Work Maps
             ISGS Publications Collection
             Lake Michigan Shoreline Photograph Collection (1956-present)
             Periodical Collection (current and historical)
             Publications of Geologic Surveys of Other States
             Superconducting Super Collider Archive
             USGS Topographic Maps (Illinois and surrounding states)
             Video and Slide Collections

Location:   Illinois State Geologic Survey Library
                      Reference Department
                      469 Natural Resources Building
                      615 East Peabody Drive
                      Champaign, IL 61820
                      (217) 333-5110


10.  THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT SPRINGFIELD

Highlights of the collection:

                    Oral History Collection

Location:   University of Illinois at Springfield
                    One University Plaza
                    Springfield, IL 62703
                    217-206-6600


11. ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION

Highlights of the collection:    
                Illinois residents who currently practice the following professions or trades (or work with certain materials in the course of their professions or trades) need to be licensed by the state of Illinois to legally practice that profession or trade within its borders:

                Architect                                         
                  Athletic Trainer
                  Barber                                            
                  Chiropractor
                  Controlled Substances                 
                  Cosmetologist
                  Dentist/Dental Hygienist               
                  Dietician/Nutrition Counselor
                  Engineer                                        
                  Environmental Health Practitioner
                  Esthetician                                     
                  Funeral Director/Embalmer
                  Interior Designer                            
                  Land Surveyor
                  Landscape Architect                     
                   Marriage & Family Therapist
                  Nail Technician                              
                  Naprapath
                  Nurse                                            
                  Nursing Home Administrator
                  Occupational Therapist                 
                  Optometrist
                  Pharmacist                                    
                  Podiatrist
                  Private Alarm Contractor                
                  Private Detective
                  Private Security Contractor            
                  Professional Boxing/Wrestling
                  Professional Counselor                  
                  Psychologist
                  Public Accountant                          
                  Real Estate Appraiser
                  Real Estate Broker                         
                  Roofer
                  Shorthand Reporter                      
                  Social Worker
                  Speech Pathologist/Audiologist    
                   Structural Engineer
                  Time Share Broker/Salesperson   
                  Veterinarian
                  Wholesale Drug Distributor
                                                       
Location: Department of Financial & Professional Regulation
                 320 W. Washington Street, 3rd Floor
                 Springfield, IL 62786
                 (217) 785-0800
                 Fax: (217)782-7645


12.  MUSEUMS & MEMORIALS IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

        A. Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War Museum, 503 South Walnut Street, (217) 544-0616. Open M-F 9 AM-Noon & 1 PM-4 PM; Sat. and Sun. by advance appointment. Closed state & federal holidays.
        Admission: free (donations accepted).


        B. Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Museum, 629 S. 7th Street, (217) 522-4373. Open Tues-Sat 10 AM-4 PM. Closed state & federal holidays. 
        Admission: free (donations accepted).


        C. Illinois Korean War Memorial, Oak Ridge Cemetery, (217) 782-2717. Open April-October 7 AM-8 PM; November-March 7 AM-5 PM.  
        Admission: free.


        D. Illinois Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Oak Ridge Cemetery, (217) 782-2717. Open April-October 7 AM-8 PM; November-March 7 AM-5 PM.
        Admission: free.


13. WEBSITES OF INTEREST
African Ancestry in Illinois:  http://www.afrigeneas.com/states/il/
Biography Assistant at Genealogy.com:  http://www.genealogy.com/bio/index.html
Civil War Archive- Illinois Union Regiments:  http://www.civilwararchive.com/unionil.htm
Cyndi's List- Illinois:  http://www.cyndislist.com/il.htm
Deciphering Land Records for Dummies:  http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilmaga/landmaps/range_map.html
Genealogy Resources on the Internet:  http://www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_mail_states-il.html
Illinois County Boundaries- 1790 to the Present:  http://maps.ilgw.org/
Illinois Newspaper Project Database:  http://www.library.uiuc.edu/inp/inpdatabase.html
Library of Congress American Memory- Illinois:
National Association of Counties- Illinois:
Online Illinois Maps from the Perry-Castenada Collection (University of Texas):
Recruitment of Illinois Infantry Regiments:  http://www.illinoiscivilwar.org/searchreg.html
Rootsweb Illinois Mailing Lists:
Rootweb What County is This Town In Search:
Springfield, IL—Local Attractions: http://www.springfield-il.com/attract/attraction.html


Tom Pearson, Subject Specialist
Genealogy Room
St. Louis Public Library
webref@slpl.org

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