OUR DATABASES
The Joliet Prison Convict Register A compilation of all men in the Joliet prison from the early 1840s up to 1900. This is a work in progress and many names are now online Sorted by alpha & by county.... List of Convicts in the Illinois State Prison in Alton, IL who were pardoned, died or escaped from 1 January 1855 to December 1856. Sorted by county. List of Convicts in the Illinois State Penitentiary in Alton, IL as of 1 January 1857 Also make sure to view the list of Executions which have occurred in Illinois prior to Lethal Injection	The Illinois OddFellows Association A work in progress, currently available: Odd Fellows Orphan Home - Roster for the year ending August 31, 1928 and Odd Fellows Mattoon "Old Folks Home" Residents October 16, 1928
1918 Spanish Flu Epidemic Database Historical articles describing the flu epidemic, along with other outbreaks which a listing of deaths caused by La Grip in 1892, a listing of statewide epidemics by year	Signers of the 1818 Constitution of Illinois The first constitution in the State of Illinois, a delegation of men from each county participated at Kaskaskia, Illinois. Included here are biographies, pensions and other items regarding these men. Let us know if you'd like to add your ancestor's information.
Biographies
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FACTS AND COUNTY HISTORIES
Origins of Illinois County Names	Illinois County Histories Date established, county seat and who each county is named after.
Illinois Rivers	Illinois County Trivia Questions
Illinois Historical Items of Interest Some famous [and some not-so-famous] events in Illinois' History "Historical Anecdotes" A book published in 1940 devoted to reporting on the aspects of pioneer life, trivial and not-so-trivial, throughout the counties in Illinois	Off-site Links to other Illinois data
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STATE HISTORICAL INFO
PRE-STATEHOOD ILLINOIS (including the time that Illinois was part of what was known as "THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY") The Northwest Territory included all the land of the United States west of Pennsylvania and northwest of the Ohio River. It covered all of the modern states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, as well as the northeastern part of Minnesota, covering more than 260,000 square miles. Timeline of the History of Illinois 1690-1825
Illinois Forts Read an article by Arthur Lagron which purports to prove the actual location of Fort Crevecoeur. Fort Pictures George Rogers Clark and the Rev. War "Long Knives Campaign" in the "Illinois Country" during June 1778 1732 French Census of Illinois 1787 Kaskaskia Census List of Americans in Illinois from 1779-1786 1787 Census of (French) Prairie Du Rocher 1623 Map of Indian Tribe Locations Native American Tribes in Illinois Biography of Pontiac "Historic Illinois" - Old Indian Villages and Battlefields The American Fur Company and Chicago	Randolph County 1795 - proclamation for the creation of the county. Includes the map showing the division of counties in 1795. The American Population Before The 1790 Census Signers of the 1818 Constitution of Illinois - Was your ancestor at the Kaskaskia Delegation? Commissions & Appointments Issued by the Illinois Territorial Governor - covering the period of 1809 to 1818 The Western Gazetteer or Emigrant's Directory of 1817 - Describing The Illinois Territory's villages, flora and fauna, bounty lands, manufactories, and future prospects for prospective emigrants. VISIT OUR KASKASKIA WEBSITE for more early state data
PRAIRIES & PIONEERS Prairies of Illinois Prairie Trails and Their Travellers A Map of the Early Trails Early Illinois Settlers Hunting in Pioneer Illinois Early Education in Illinois Early Crime and Punishment in Illinois Emigrants to Illinois. Ship Passenger Lists for people who listed their final destination as "Illinois" Irish Emigrants to Illinois. Ship Passenger Lists for Irish coming to America during the Famine who listed their final destination as "Illinois"	GOVERNMENT TOPICS Governors of Illinois - Includes biographies and pictures! Governors' Obituaries (in progress) Political News Stories -- 1824 Re-election of Daniel Cook (NEW) -- Lincoln's Speech in Decatur, IL in 1830 -- 1895 "Flag Law" (NEW) -- Odd Laws of Illinois -- Abraham Lincoln Speech of 1857 (NEW) State Institutions -- Jacksonville Deaf & Dumb Institution 1870 Census -- Jacksonville Deaf & Dumb Institution 1880 Census Statistics from the 1850 Census - State-wide Illinois Post Office Directory 1884 1893 - Post Office and Postmaster Changes The History of Illinois' State Capitols
PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS Shawneetown Bank in Gallatin County - One of the first banks in Illinois. Newspaper article and pictures of the oldest structure in Illinois built specifically as a bank. Matters and Things From The Early Days Illinois Inventions (This is a work in progress) A Short History of the early Baptists On the Occasion of Abraham Lincoln's First Political Speech in Decatur, IL in 1830 Excerpts from Abraham Lincoln's Autobiographies - covering his family's genealogy and his early days. Winners from the first Cattle Show and Fair in Illinois in 1853 1857 Travelogue of the northern part of Illinois written by school teacher P. Atkinson, who was traveling by train from Bloomington to LaSalle-Peru, Galesburg and other places, recording what he saw. His articles were printed in the Weekly Pantagraph Newspaper of Bloomington, Ill. starting August 5, 1857. Topics discussed and links to those sections are: THE CROPS: VISIT TO PERU COAL MINES NOTES OF TRAVEL: RAILROAD & OTTAWA SCHOOLS NOTES OF TRAVEL: JOLIET - LOCKPORT - CHICAGO NOTES OF TRAVEL: BRIMFIELD PRAIRIE .... ITS PRESENT CONDITION AND EARLY SETTLEMENT NOTES OF TRAVEL: ACCOMMODATIONS, TRAINS & GALESBURG NOTES OF TRAVEL: BURLINGTON - NAUVOO - KEOKUK Dead Towns of Illinois - The effect of Railroads on the River Valley towns of Illinois Illinois Executions - prior to Lethal Injection Indiana University Register of Graduates - Illinois Graduates from 1830-1910 Illinois Residents attending Chicago's Eastman Business College in 1865-66 Lincoln's Tomb Custodians of Lincoln's Tomb "The Great Boat Race" - July 1870 State-related Obituaries	EPIDEMICS Illinois Doctors listed in the Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929 A Surnames B Surnames E Surnames Illinois Epidemics 1674-1890 - THE RISE AND FALL OF DISEASE IN ILLINOIS.... A history of health care - includes definitions for various diseases 1918 Spanish Flu Epidemic Database County-specific Epidemics: Asiatic Cholera in Central Illinois: 1834-1873 1834 Schuyler County Cholera 1851 Coles County Cholera 1881 Marshall County Diphtheria. Read obits
	SLAVERY & OTHER AFRICAN-AMERICAN TOPICS OF INTEREST 1824 Map of Illinois - Slave Counties The Underground Railroad in Illinois Routes, Safe Houses, Memoirs, Narratives, and History on our Sangamon county website. Hickory Hill, the old Slave House (aka Crenshaw Manor) in Gallatin County on our Gallatin County website Illinois Colored Troops Civil War Military Service Black Newspapers in Illinois Read about Nathan K. McGill - The first black Illinois Assistant District Attorney and Asst. Attorney General, as well as the first African-American appointed to the Chicago Library Board. (On our Cook County site)
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RESEARCH HELPS
MAPS 1623 Map of Indian Tribe Locations Map of the Northwest Territory Fort Map Map of Early Trails Randolph County 1795 1810 Map of Illlinois - Census territories 1812 Map of Illinois 1815 Map of Illinois 1817 Map of Illinois 1819 Map of Illinois 1820 Map of Illinois - Census territories 1821 Map of Illinois 1824 Map of Illinois - Slave Counties 1825 Map of Illinois 1830 Map of Illinois - Census territories 1835 Map of Illinois 1837 Map of Illinois - Proposed Improvements 1839 Map of Illinois 1840 Map of Illinois - Census territories	FORMS Census Extract Forms - downloadable in WORD format 1790 - 1850 (on two pages) 1860 -1870 (on one page) 1880 -1900 (on one page) 1910 1920 1930
Records available at each IL county courthouse Old Handwriting - An introduction to old handwriting and examples that may help you decipher old records How To Read Land Records Principal Meridians and Base Lines Of Illinois Counties, Townships and Ranges - on our Schuyler County website. Help With Your Illinois Research Genealogical and Historical Society Addresses and websites. Completely Updated March 2007!
Links to websites with online data: Links National Cemeteries in Illinois [off-site links] Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery 27034 South Diagonal Road Elwood, IL 60421 Phone: (815) 423-9958 FAX: (815) 423-5824 Alton National Cemetery 600 Pearl Street Alton, IL 62003 Phone: (314) 260-8691 or (800) 535-1117 FAX: (314) 260-8723 Camp Butler National Cemetery 5063 Camp Butler Road Springfield, IL 62707 Phone: (217) 492 - 4070 FAX: (217) 492 - 4072 Danville National Cemetery 1900 East Main Street Danville, IL 61832 Phone: (217) 554-4550 or 4291 FAX: (217) 554-4803 Mound City National Cemetery HWY Junction 37 & 51 Mound City, IL 62963 Phone: (314) 260-8691 or (800) 535-1117 FAX: (314) 260-8723 Quincy National Cemetery 36th and Maine Street Quincy, IL 62301 Phone: (309) 782-2094 FAX: (309) 782-2097   Rock Island National Cemetery Bldg 118, Rock Island Arsenal Rock Island, IL 61299 Phone: (309) 782-2094 or 6771 FAX: (309) 782-2097
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State Data

Illinois Census

Illinois Military

Illinois Events

Illinois Counties

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