Welcome to McLean County, Illinois History and Genealogy Presented by: Illinois Genealogy Trails a part of Genealogy Trails My name is Teri Moncelle Colglazier and I am the McLean County Coordinator for Illinois Genealogy Trails. My paternal ancestors settled in Woodford County during the mid 1800's and then many migrated to McLean County around the 1900's. I was born, raised and still reside in the Lexington / Gridley area along with my immediate and a number of extended family members. Genealogy reasearch has been my passion (my family claims it's an addiction) for over ten years now and I am excited to pass on the information that has been gathered on this county. If you have any information that you would like to share, please email me.

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Search Genealogy Trails site ALAKARAZCACOCTWASHDCDEFLGAHIIAIDILINKSKYLAMAMDMEMIMNMOMSMTNCNDNENHNJNMNVNYOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVAVTWAWIWVWYMain Site powered by FreeFind * Search Hints * Pick the State on the right side To search a specific county, add name of county to left side (ex: "Surname", "McLean County") County Data Update Index 3 July 2009 McLean County Biographies - Index Cemeteries - Index Churches - Index Family Recipes - Index History - Index Inventors & Patents (1855-1899) - Index Maps - Index Military Revolutionary War (1775-1783) - Index NEW! War of 1812 (1812-1815) - Index Black Hawk War (1832) - Index NEW! Mexican-American War (1846-1848) - Index Civil War (1861-1865) - Index 1898 Spanish-American War - Index World War I - Index World War II Korean War - Index Vietnam War Desert Shield & Desert Storm Gulf War 1929 Illinois Honor Roll Soldiers' & Sailors' Home Residents (1887–1916) Military News News Agriculture News Anniversaries Asiatic Cholera in Central Illinois Birth Announcements Community News Crime News Engagements Family Reunions & Social Gatherings Legal Notices Marriages Obituaries & Death Announcements Political News Slavery News Weather News Photos & Postcards - Index Mystery Photos - Index Route 66 - Index Schools - Index Townships & Their Communities Allin Twp. - Index Stanford - Index Anchor Twp. - Index Anchor - Index Arrowsmith Twp. - Index Arrowsmith - Index Bellflower Twp. - Index Belleflower / Bellflower - Index Laurette - Osman - History Summers Siding - Bloomington Twp. - Index Bloomington - Index Burns - History Hendrix - History Blue Mound Twp. - Index Kochsville / Cooksville - Index Fletcher - Index Cheneys Grove Twp. - Index Saybrook - Index Chenoa Twp. - Index Ballard - Index Chenoa - Index Meadows - Index Cropsey Twp. - Index Cropsey - Index Potosi - Index Dale Twp. - Index Covell - Index Hougham's Grove - Shirley - Index Twin Grove - Danvers Twp. - Index Danvers - Index Stout's Grove - Woodruff - History Dawson Twp. / Padua Twp. - Index Ellsworth - Index Padua - Index Downs Twp. - Index Diamond Grove - Priceville / Downs - Index South Downs - Dry Grove Twp. - Index Yuton - History Empire Twp. - Index Crumbaugh Siding - LeRoy - Index Monroe - History Funks Grove Twp. - Index Funk's Grove - History Gridley Twp. - Index Gridley - Index Hudson Twp. - Index Haven's Grove - Hudson - Index Lawndale Twp. - Index Lexington Twp. - Index Lexington - Index Selma / Pleasant Hill - Index Martin Twp. - Index Colfax - Index Money Creek Twp. - Index Clarksville - Index Fifer - Index Lake Bloomington - Index Mount Hope Twp. - Index McLean - Index Mount Hope - Index Normal Twp. - Index Normal - Index Old Town Twp. - Index Benjaminville - Index Brokaw - Gillum - Index Holder - Index Randolph Twp. - Index Heyworth - Index Karr's Flag Station - Lytleville - Index Randolph - History Ryburn - Towanda Twp. - Index Barnes - Index Merna - Index Smith's Grove - Index Towanda - Index West Twp. - Index Delana / Glenavon - Index Kumler - History Sabina (Monarch PO) - Index Weedman - Index White Oak Twp. - Index Carlock - Index Oak Grove - Index Yates Twp. - Index Weston - Index

NEW! Opportunity from "The Fort" of Lexington On Monday, July 6 and/or Monday, July 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., ANYONE who is interested in or wanting to know more about genealogy - "searching for your roots" - is invited to FREE classes at The Fort. Our volunteers will help you learn about the sources in house and the data resources you can find online. It would be helpful if you would call The Fort (309-365-4591) during regular hours, Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or email thefortoflex@aol.com to let us know that you will be there so we can provide handouts for everyone. Come to one. Come to both. All are welcome! by Jan Heuer, Gridley Village Times, 2 July 2009 The Fort is located at: 318 West Main Street Lexington, Illinois 61753 Next to the Old Depot (Koch's Antiques) McLean County Est. 25 Dec 1830 McLean County was named for John McLean, a pioneer lawyer, territorial judge, first Representative in Congress from Illinois (1818) and United States Senator (1824 / 1825). It is the largest county in the state of Illinois, with a land area of 1184 square miles and boasts some of the richest soil in the world. It is the top-producing county in the United States for both corn and soybeans. The county seat is Bloomington, which was named Blooming Grove until 1831. Vital Records Births Birth Certificates Census Index Deaths 1850 U.S. Mortality Index Death Certificates Marriages (1763–1900) Index - by groom (1763–1900) Index - by bride Marriage Certificates Passports Probate (1834-1900) Index Caterpillar Tractor circa 1940 Caterpillar Tractor 2009 23 May 2009 by: tmc While the farming methods are still the same, the tools to do the job have come a long way. Farm implements have become not only larger but more sophisticated as the years go by. In the 1940's the "open air seating" on a tractor required a farmer to wear warm clothes and goggles to prepare and plant his fields. Almost 70 years later, climate controlled cabs on tractors allow a farmer to plant his field in relative comfort. I'm sure our ancestors would be in awe of these changes. Volunteers Wanted Our goal is to help you track your ancestors through time by transcribing genealogical and historical data for the free use of all researchers. We're looking for folks who share our dedication to putting data online and are interested in helping this project be as successful as it can be. If you are interested in joining Genealogy Trails, view our Volunteer Page for further information and then contact Kim, the Illinois Genealogy Trails Coordinator. All data we come across will be added to this site. We thank you for visiting and encourage you to come back again to view the updates. If you would like to be kept informed of our state and county website updates, subscribe to any or all of our mailing lists. IMPORTANT NOTE! Before you subscribe to any of our lists, make sure your virus protection software is up to date. The original Illinois Trails mailing list Adjacent Genealogy Trails Counties Woodford County (northwest) Livingston County (northeast) Ford County (east) Champaign County (southeast) Piatt County (south) Dewitt County (south) Logan County (southwest) Tazewell County (west) Thank You! Thank you to all who have submitted information to this site. We couldn't do it without you! Robert M. Andrew, Mrs. Sarah Bishop, Samuel Caster, Samuel Custer, Mrs. Regina (Rice) Castle, Mrs. Esther Davison, D. E. Denman, Thomas Dixon, Judy Rosella Edwards, J. B. Enlow, Norma Fisher, P. A. Guthrie, Foxie Hagerty, Grant Hare, Mrs. Alice Houghton Hazle, Sara Hemp, C. C. Hinshaw, Ezra Hinshaw, Mrs. Ida Hinshaw Hull, Candy Horton Mrs. Susan Hougham, Miss Emma Keeran, Milo Plank Lantz, Mrs. Harriet Lawrence, Miss Lura Lindley, Dr. J. E. Marvel, Miss Agnes McCracken, Stephen A. McWhorter, Mrs. Laura A. Mikesell, Nancy Piper, James Reeder, Amy Robbins-Tjaden, Linda Rodriguez, D. R. Stubblefield, Edward Summers, Kim Torp McLean County Family Researchers Teri Moncelle Colglazier - Moncelle, Harms, Grove, Youle, Brooks, Humphrey, Hinshaw Email Me to have your contact information and the McLean County family(ies) you are researching added above. Additional Free Research Links On-line Find A Grave Federal Township Plats of Illinois Illinois State Archives McLean County Birth Index Search McLean County Genealogical Society Off-line The Fort The Lexington Genealogical and Historical Society, Inc. 318 West Main Street Lexington, Illinois 61753 Phone: 309-365-4591 Illinois State Archives Publications Unit Margaret Cross Norton Building Capitol Complex Springfield, IL 62756 McLean County Genealogical Society Court House Square Bloomington, IL 61701 Mail: P. O. Box 488 - Normal, IL 61761

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Many thanks to Judy Edwards whose hard work laid the groundwork on this site!