Welcome to Bureau County Illinois  
History and Genealogy

Hi, my name is Nancy Piper and I am the host for Putnam, Bureau, LaSalle and Marshall Counties. My ancestors came to Illinois over 150 years ago and settled in the tiny village of Florid, which is no longer even a name on a map.  I've always been a "history buff" and these pages let me help share the world my "findings".  On these pages you will find the information pertaining to the history of  Bureau County.  Our goal is to have available free of charge as much information as possible and will be adding continuously to these pages, so check back often.  

RECENT  UPDATES

February 2009 Updates

  • Stephen Perkins - Contributed by Robert Z. Anderson (Family history)

  • Obituary of Florence Kelley, Contributed by Foxie Hagerty

  • Obituaries: (Contributed by Melva Taylor) GUS SCHRADER, FRANK G. HEWITT, WAYNE EDWARD TRABELOT  

  • Photos of Seatonville - Donated by John Luken

    • Page 1:  (Austrian Park Baseball Team; 1905 Austrian Park Baseball Game; ; Austrian Park Entrance )

    • Page 2:  (Coal Mine Shaft #4, Seatonville, IL, Star Union Block, Seatonville, IL, Rail Road Station, Seatonville, IL, Downtown, Seatonville, IL, Looking North, Seatonville, IL)

    • Page 3: (Looking South, Seatonville, IL; Seatonville Lake, Seatonville, IL; Mine Workers, Seatonville, IL)

    • Page 4:  Joseph Luken's Tavern

    • Page 5:  Austrian Park Entrance and the Hollowayville Cornet Band, Jospeh Luken's Tavern and the Holloway Cornet Band

January 2009  Updates

  • Obituary of  Nettie (Robinson) Keigwin - Contributed by Margaret Mangers

  •  Obituaries: (Contributed by Melva Taylor) HERVEY TALLEY , FRED H. TESKE, CLELLA MARIE (Webb) BRUHN, FREDERIC BERGE , RICHARD LEROY JOHNSON , PATARICIA M. (Kennedy) JIRIK, MURIEL J. (Andeway) THOMAS

  • Photo of the Wyanet Canal - Contributed by Sharon Kopina

  • Identification of Photo "A DePue Resident Street" - Contributed by Steve Zickar

December 2008 Updates

  • Obituaries: (Contributed by Melva Taylor) - ORVILLE GORDON WOODS, MARY P. (Kerber) GERLACH, RACHEL MARY HEADINGS, PORTER A. HORNING , OSCAR FREDERICK SWAN , RAYMOND S. FUNDERBURGH
  • Biographical Sketches : Martin R. Zearing, Squire Martin Zearing
  • Growing up in Bureau County (Under schools)- Contributed by Kathy Alshouse Kvalheim

County History

What's In this Section

  • County Disasters

  • County Government (Voters and Tax Payers, Tax Lists, Real Estate Transactions, Probate Court, Court News, Township Elections, Supervisor Board Proceeding),

  • Medical (Doctors, Diseases and Epidemics)

  • History and Historical Sketches  

  • Military History

  • Newspapers and Misc. News Articles

  • Pioneers  (Biographies) UPDATED

  • Old Settler's Association Info

  • Postal Routes & Offices

  • Photos

  • Schools

  • Transportation (Railroads, Roads & Highways, River Boat News)

Township History

What's In this Section

  • Voters and Tax Payers

  • Township Disasters

  • Farmer's Directory

  • Township Elections

  • History and Historical Sketches

  • News Articles

  • Township Pioneers

  • Photos

Village History

What's In this Section

  • Village Businesses and Manufacturing

  • Burglaries and Thefts

  • Fires and Disasters

  • Village History and Historical Sketches

  • Prominent Citizens and Early Pioneers

  • Photos

Genealogical Information

What's In this Section

Family History

What's In this Section

  • Family Biographies

  • Photos

  • Family Webpages

Links and Information

What's In this Section

  • Bureau County Links to Village and other Information Sources

  • Surrounding Counties

  • Information Sources

If you have any information to add for Bureau County, please E-mail me.  

SEARCH PUTNAM, LASALLE AND BUREAU COUNTIES!!  
Putnam, Marshall, LaSalle and  Bureau counties now have a search engine!  It will search any pages pertaining to these counties.

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Bureau County Links and Information

Surrounding Counties

Information Sources

Bureau County Genealogy Society   
629 South Main Street
Princeton, IL 61356-2012

Open Mon-Tues & Thurs-Fri
10AM to 3PM
Open other times by appointment

1-815-879-3133

Email: bureaucounty@verizon.net
Website: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilbcgs

Bureau County Courthouse
Main and Park Ave. W.
Princeton, IL

Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Closed most holidays.

  • Bureau County Clerk - First Floor Northeast
    Birth from 1878, Death from 1878, and Marriage Records from 1837.
    Vital Records cost $9.00 each (as of August 2001).
  • Bureau County Recorder of Deeds - First Floor thru the Clerk and west.
    Land Records from 1817
  • Bureau County Circuit Court - First Floor south.
    Probate and Civil Court records from 1837.

Matson Public Library
15 Park Avenue W.
Princeton, IL 61356
Phone: (815) 875-1331

Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 12:00-9:00, Fri. 9:00-6:00, Sat. 12:00-5:00
Summer Hours: Same except Tues.-Thurs. 12:00-6:00

Bureau County Historical Society (Museum with a Small Research Library)
109 Park Ave. W.
Princeton, IL 61356
Phone: (815) 875-2184

Hours: 1:00 - 5:00 everyday, Closed Tuesday

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