Valorie Could you look up the Pyle family. Thanks Carol

I have ancestors from the Bishop Hill Colony, and would be interested in any information concerning them. We have had no luck at all in trying to find the biological father of my 2nd great-grandfather, William John Mathews. His mother was Carin (Carrie) Mattsdotter-Matsen. Her name from Sweden was Carin/Karin Mattsdotter. She later used the name Matsen (various spellings appear in different documents -- Mattsen, Mattssen, Matson, Mattson, and first name appears as Carin, Carrie, Karin, Karen). William had a half-brother, Olof Mattson Mathews, born 28 Mar 1845, Norra Finnskoga Parish, Varmland Lan, Sweden, and died 25 Jan 1927, Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska. His other two half-brothers died shortly after arriving in American (1850). We know that William's half-sister, Marit (Mary) Mattson, born 15 Apr 1840, married Jonas Anderson, and would like to find descendants of Marit's family. Her children were (?) Nellie (Nelly) (1868 ?), Frank (1871 ?), John (1874 ?), Victor (?). No further information on this family has been found. We have written to the historical society at Bishop Hill, and tried to find marriage certificates, but still no luck. I have the death certificate for my 2nd great-grandfather, William John Mathews, but no father is listed. Strangely, his half-brother, Olof Mathews, was listed as his foster father ! The first husband (Matts Danielsson) of my 3rd great-grandmother, Carrie, died shortly after arriving in America (1850), and she had two more children born at Bishop Hill, William (born 15 Jul 1855), and his sister, Helen (Helena) (born 13 Mar 1858). If you have any suggestions, or further contact information, please send me whatever you can. Thank you. ************************************** Jan Roggy wrote: > Village of Bishop Hill > > The Village of Bishop Hill is a prosperous station on the Rock Island > and Peoria Railroad, occupied almost entirely by Swedes, foreign-born, > and the younger generation of them born in this county. Here, among the > old, you will hear only the Swede language, and among the young, a > curious mixture of Swede and English. Page 820 Portrait & Biographical > Album of Henry Co., Illinois > : - ) - Vern Andrews - - - Oregon Trail Descendant * * Please send all attachments to * * < mailto:vjandrews@softcom.net > < mailto:vjafamhist@pacbell.net > For Sending Personal Messages * * * Stop by and visit the Andrews Website * * * * * < http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/VernAndrews/ > * *

Village of Bishop Hill The Village of Bishop Hill is a prosperous station on the Rock Island and Peoria Railroad, occupied almost entirely by Swedes, foreign-born, and the younger generation of them born in this county. Here, among the old, you will hear only the Swede language, and among the young, a curious mixture of Swede and English. They are all, however, educated in English, and it is bur a few years until this will be practically the only language spoken among them. The town has a population of 350 souls, and excellent school and church buildings. The Swede Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1864, with twenty members, the principal of whom were: Eric Bengtron, Jonas Engstrom, Eric Soder, Jons Watstrom, George Ericson. meetings at first were held in the Bishop Hill Schoolhouse, and in private residences. Soon after the organization a wagon-shop was bought for $400, and Church services were held in the second story of this building until 1868, when a church building was erected, at a cost of $3500. In their order the preachers were N.O. Westergreen, Peter Challman, A.J. Anderson, Eric Shogren, W.K. Eklund and J. E. Bergren. There are over 200 in the congregation, with a flourishing Sunday School. A few years ago several of the members of this Church emigrated to Kansas, where they now reside. Page 820 Portrait & Biographical Album of Henry Co., Illinois

BISHOP HILL COLONY BISHOP HILL Colony came in 1846-7. It was entirely a religious movement-- a rebellion against religious intolerance and bigotry. It is a singular fact in the history of mankind that there is hardly an exception, no, not one, where a people, after much suffering for religion's sake, long and cruel persecutions, and many suffering death rather than renounce the right of freedom of opinions, and often great communities driven from their native land--fleeing and skulking fugitives, or extirpated by the sword and fagot, yet when their religious ideas have taken hold and gathered converts and became strong, fearless and conquering, then those martyrs to the freedom of religious opinion invariably are ready to turn and inflict upon others who do not adopt their worship the same stern and cruel persecutions that they themselves had suffered from. Martin Luther's rebellion against the Catholic Church took complete possession of Sweden, and the Holy Lutheran church became the State religion; and when once in power it ruled that country with an iron hand. The Church and State were one, and that one was the Church, -- keen-eyed, vigilant and sleepless in the hunt of those who dared to think that they were not God's appointed guardians of all men's bodies and souls. Their entire idea of religious freedom of opinion was to present to every one the Church creed, and with the presentation there was no alternative except the manacles and the dungeon. Thus have worked out in the long time inevitable growths of Luther's religious rebellion. He fought religious intolerance, stood ready to die for the freedom of opinion, and the moment he was enabled to seize the power he was just as earnest and determined as had ever been the most bigoted Catholic to restrict all liberty of thought in the blind submission to his narrow creeds. Eric Jansen was the founder of the sect that constituted the Bishop Hill Colony. In his native Sweden, when a young man, his mind began to find many and strong objections to the Lutheran Church. He abdicated the faith--preached a new doctrine; was bitterly persecuted by the bishops, the ruling power in Sweden, and, like every new religion the world has ever known, "the blood of the martyr is the end of the Church; " he gathered rapidly about him converts and fellow sufferers. In three brief years after he had commenced proclaiming the new faith he had gathered over 1,100 followers. His first convert and ablest lieutenant was mr. Hedine. Jansen and Hedline went to prison together, and many times had they been consigned to the gloomy dungeons, where they could only peep out upon the free air and distant sunshine through iron grates. Every visitation from the Church authorities became more and more severe, until finally Jansen became a fugitive from his native country and in disguise fled to America. When his converts found he had fled to this country, that here all men could enjoy freedom of conscience and speech, a colony was organized consisting of about 700 members, and they came as soon as they could to this country and selected their future homes in township 14, range 3. This point was fixed upon by Olef Olson, who had come in advance and made the selection.. These immigrants came to Henry County in 1847. They were very poor and for a long time lived in miserable tents and rude caves dug in the sides of the hills, with but scant and innutritious food; they presented a scene of squalor and suffering. The majority of them were ignorant in their own country, belonging to the enslaved peasant class, and when suddenly dumped in such a great drove into a new hemisphere--a new and strange world indeed to them--with even less of the necessities of life than they had in their old homes, it is not strange that here their sufferings were extremely severe. The few who had possessed property and were better trained to care for their physical wants, had precipitately fled from the land of oppression, leaving their property or selling at such sacrifices as soon made them as poor as their poor companions, and whose sufferings were intensified by the greater change in their lives. But one or two in the colony understood or could speak a word of English, and hence, as they knew nothing of the language of the country, the climate, soil or its agriculture, commerce, wants, or its diseases and remedies, they were as completely lost to all these things that are imperative to a people to know as if they had been suddenly transported to one of the distant planets. In their favor was the fact that the Swedes are a people trained through generations to the practice of pinching frugality and untiring industry. They are docile, moral and law-abiding; accustomed to severe taskmasters, they plod in silence, and bow in humblest respect to those in authority. Their country of rigorous climate; their long line of tyrants and cruel rulers have through many generations affected the whole people physically and mentally, and the sudden transplanting of a large body of such people to this genial climate and yet more gentle and genial government, with no previous preparation for the change, was like overfeeding the shipwrecked and starving when found ready to die of hunger and thirst. Therefore, of the great change, the squalor and ignorance of the colonists, came sickness and death, stalking the fold in horrid carnival. This certainly is no overdrawn picture of the sad condition of the colonists when the cholera broke out among them in 1849. The scythe of death then literally mowed a fat harvest. Strong men and women were stricken, and in a few hours were in their coffinless graves. So swiftly did the grim reaper work, that no effort was made to procure coffins or boxes for the dead; relays of men were night and day digging shallow graves, in which the bodies, wrapped in a blanket or scanty cloth, were thrown and in solemn silence covered. A one-horse cart was the hearse that was used to gather the bodies, singly and in numbers, and haul them to the graveyard. For many weeks this horse was not unhitched for a moment from his vehicle, night or day; and it is a well authenticated fact that two men dug their own graves--working hard in the forenoon in the very graves in which they were sleeping peacefully and forever in the afternoon! Here was the sad reality, the hideous carnival of death, surpassing in horrors the imaginings of the painter, when with a free hand he caused to stand out upon the canvas that startling and repulsive picture, "The Dance of Death." Another incident in the history of the colony, not so horrible in its aspects, yet more lasting in its effects, occurred in 1850. Eric Jansen was shot to death by John Root, in May, 1850. Eric Jansen, "the Prophet, " was the founder of the new religion, the head of the Colony Church, and their supreme ruler in temporal as well as spiritual affairs. He was a man of courage and strong convictions. He ruled his people absolutely, and he did not delegate or divide his power with any of his subalterns. The designation of "Eric Johnson, the Prophet," is a key to his character as a leader--a religious enthusiast, stern, inflexible and bigoted. Had he lived in the days of the crusades he would have organized his army, and led them, if necessary, into the jaws of death, and with his flashing sword have literally hewn his way to the Holy Sepulcher. One of the tenets of Jansen's new faith was that all property should be held in common, and was subject always to the rule of the Church leader only, and that the Prophet should protect all the female of the order. Root, the man who killed Jansen, came from Stockholm and joined the colony in 1848. He married a cousin of Eric Jansen. The key to the tragedy that followed this marriage is given by the solemn and curious marriage contract that Jansen had the parties enter into. It provided that if Root should ever leave the colony he should go alone, leaving the wife to enjoy in the colony all the rights and immunities of the church and colony. What would any intelligent man in this day and age think if his intended preacher presented him such a marriage contract to sign? But Jansen the first and supreme thing in temporal matters was to secure every right of his Church, and before these--the interests of his close church corporation--even the solemn and sacred rights of the marriage state must give way. Thus, before Root and Jansen's cousin were married, there was a way provided for their separation. The command, "Whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." was provisionally provided for, and under the cruel words of that contract--words that would eat, like the tightening irons into the victim's flesh, and become an endless torture that could only be cured by the sufferer being set free and his marriage shackles stricken from him. It was thus this foolish couple entered into the bonds of marriage. After a short time he tired of Jansen's religion, and his rigid iron rule, and Jansen was as soon, probably, tired of Root's presence in the flock over which he kept guard. Jansen evidently regarded Root with disfavor, and this grew to be mutual between the two men. Root abjured the faith and left the community. He returned in a short time and claimed his wife and newly born child. The wife objected to going with him, and the Church peremptorily objected to her going. Root at one time got her into a wagon and was fleeing when he was overtaken, and the woman and child were taken from him by force and carried back to the colony. Again he got her away and took her to Chicago, and Jansen's men brought her back. Root talked to all who would listen to him, and told his story that Jansen had kidnapped his wife--had separated them. Rot evidently brooded over the matter, and made up his mind to wreak a terrible revenge for his real or imagined wrongs, and he prepared himself and came to Cambridge at the commencement of the May term of Court in 1850, and just as Court adjourned for noon, he walked up to Jansen and without a word shot him down, --firing two shots, but one taking effect, the first, and Jansen fell dead. Root was arrested, took a change of venue to Knox County, was there tried, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to the penitentiary for the term of two years. He was pardoned by the Govenor and returned to the county, and went to Rock Island, and then to Chicago, where he died. Jansen was an impracticable fanatic, very religious and severe and unrelenting; and his death freed the Colony from his rule and also from his Utopian ideas of the rights of property and government. Root was both a foolish and a vicious man, and the shot that killed Jansen wrecked his own life--wrecked it to that degree that the grave must have come to him in the prime of life as a welcome refuge from this breathing world. We have told of this tragedy simply to indicate its great effects upon the Swedes who composed Jansen's Colony. Soon after Jansen's death there was an improvement in the credit and sanding of those people; property no longer was held in common, and gradually the people became as other citizens, each practicing his chosen religion without let or hindrance, and the process of becoming real and valuable Americans characterized the whole membership of the Colony, until now their neighbors in the county willingly testify that they constitute a body of our best citizens and are noted for less of the baneful, clannish spirit than probably any other body of foreign people in the country. The Colonists first settled along the south bank of the South Edward's Creek. The site was a beautiful one. It was covered sparsely with a small growth of oak timber. In 1849 they erected a four story brick building 100 x 45 feet. This was a colony-house, and here the afflicted and helpless were more comfortably housed then they had been in the mud caves and ragged tents. A large frame building was soon after erected for a church. Such was their religious zeal that a house of God was to be provided before they had made shelters for themselves. To the credit of the people it must be stated that they established an English school as early as January, 1847, thus showing that they came to America to be Americans. A Presbyterian clergyman, Rev. Talbot, taught some 35 scholars in a mud cave from January to July. At times he was assisted by his daughter, Mrs. Pollock, afterwards the wife of Eric Jansen and now his widow. Talbot taught the second school, and Nelson Simmons, M.D., was employed about one year as their third schoolmaster. The progress of improvement was steady, and on a grist-mill on a small scale was soon in operation on the Edwards Creek, at the Hill. Two saw mills were also soon under way on the same stream. One of them they purchased. The construction of a steam grist-mill was commenced in 849, under the direction of Eric Jansen, but not completed till after his death. The high moral conduct of these people soon convinced those living nearest them that nothing was to be apprehended from them, as their creed was essentially harmless to all outsiders. And in the hour of need the Colonists found fast friends in the majority of those near them. By the year 851 they had grown and strengthened, and had built a first-class steam flouring-mill, which turned out a large surplus of flour beyond the wants of the Colony. From living in such poor habitation at first, and from being unaccustomed to the climate, great numbers sickened and died. Especially among the children was the mortality fearful. From the terrible mortally caused by cholera and the leaving of those in fear of the disease, the Colony was at one time reduced to 414 souls. These survived the plague and had the hardihood to remain. At the time Mr. Jansen was murdered, in May, 1850 (an account of which is given elsewhere), they were suffering from sickness, desertion and death; and the fact that these had the fortitude to remain amid such a multiplicity of discouragements, was proof conclusive of the earnestness of their conviction that they were called to suffer, and, if need be, to die in demonstrating the true methods of Christian fellowship. In erecting the large buildings for dwellings, in the manufacture of cloth, in the erection of large mills, in their frugal industry, and in their honest endeavors to promote their welfare, spiritually and temporally, during all these trials of poverty, sickness, death, desertion and strangers in a strange land, a lesson of commendable zeal may be learned and an example of fortitude which has few equals in the history of the country. By the year 1853 or '54 affairs were brightening and prospects grew better. Other emigrants came, other buildings were erected and the hopes of the earl Colonists began to be realized. Brick buildings, capable of accommodating from eight to double that number of families, were erected. In these each family had one or more rooms. All worked together, and at meal time repaired to the large dining-rooms and partook of food provided for all. Each one was required to labor, and after receiving sufficient clothing and food from the products, the remainder was used to purchase more land or erect additional buildings. Human nature is the same in all ages and among all people, and here, as well as elsewhere, were those who would not perform their share of the labor or provide for the common good. By the year 1860 it was found that the theories of Mr. Jansen would not prevail in practical life, and a division occurred. By this year all the large brick buildings spoken of were erected. At this time they were divided into two parties, known as the Johnson (Jansen) and Olson parties. The former being more numerous, obtained about two-thirds of the property; the latter the remainder. No serious difficulties arose from this division, and the individual affairs were conducted on the same plan heretofore pursued. The following year the Olson party were divided into three divisions or parts, and the Johnson party made an individual distribution of their lands and town property. It was soon found that it was better for all to be thrown upon an individual responsibility, and a distribution of all property belonging to this party was made. To every person, male or female, that had attained the age of 35 years, 22 acres of land, one timber lot (nearly two acres), one town lot, and an equal part in all barns, horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, or other domestic animals, and all farming implements and household utensils were given. All under this age received a share corresponding in amount and value to the age of the individual, no discrimination being shown to either sex. The smallest share was about 8 acres of land, a correspondingly small town and timber lot, and part of the personal property. The same year, in April, the town was laid out by the Trustees, Olef Johnson, Jonas Erickson, Swan Swanson, Jonas Olson, Jonas Kronberg, Olef Stenberg and Jacob Jacobson. In 1861 the Olson party, being divided into three factions, continued to prosecute their labors under the colony system. One year's trial, however, convinced them of the results. These fractions were known as Olson, Stoneberg, and (Martin) Johnson divisions, which, at the close of the year 1861, divided their property to the individuals comprising each faction, on the basis adopted by the Johnson party in 1860. The shares were, however, not quite so large. The large brick building are now principally owned by the old settlers. AFter the establishment of the colony the schoolroom was removed from the cave to any vacant room which could be utilized for that purpose. The school-room was therefore constantly changing until the erection of the large frame building spoken of, when the upper room in it was occupied for a number of years. In 1858 or '59 a school-house was erected. It contains four rooms for school purposes. Page 816-820 Portrait & Biographical Album of Henry Co., Illinois

Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone.....I found my GG grandfather's brother's wife's MAIDEN NAME!!! What a great tool! Teresa > I could not find a searchable marriage index there. Perhaps I missed > something. After surfing through quite a few pages I found this: > <http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/marriage.html> > -rex

Perhaps I should also note the marriage index only goes from 1763-1900. Jill

On Thursday, February 20, 2003, at 12:42 AM, jill & jim wrote: > And lets not forget the IRAD Marriage Index online and searchable!! > > http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/irad/iradhome.html I could not find a searchable marriage index there. Perhaps I missed something. After surfing through quite a few pages I found this: <http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/marriage.html> -rex Rex, Sorry, the original link I gave was for the home page as that would give the new person to the site all the information regarding IRAD and it's holdings. Click on Databases at the top of the page and it will take you to a screen that lists all of the searchable databases they have. This is just a starting point, you can then order records from them or from the County. As for if the counties still hold the records, they might, that would vary county to county. You can also do a search by County to see what holdings IRAD has. The IRAD website is a great place to get a start on something if you are unsure what County someone married in, or a date, etc. I use it quite often when I get a new lead on a ancestor. And I have found they are less expensive to make copies than the county courthouses, but this has just been my experience. They have also been very prompt in responding to my requests. Jill

Hi Valorie - Would it be possible for you to let us know what years this probate index covers? I tried searching for this answer at the Henry County Gen. Society page, but it doesn't say. Thanks. Ü Shelly > David, my book only includes L-R so hopefully someone else will help you > out. > Valorie > > David Cooke wrote: > > >Hi list, > >I saw probate files books mentioned in yesterday's posts. I would like to > >request a lookup. I am looking for members of the Voorhees family who died > >in Kewanee. Emily Julian and Beatrice. Thanks for your help. > >David >

David, my book only includes L-R so hopefully someone else will help you out. Valorie David Cooke wrote: > Hi list, > I saw probate files books mentioned in yesterday's posts. I would like to > request a lookup. I am looking for members of the Voorhees family who died > in Kewanee. Emily Julian and Beatrice. Thanks for your help. > David > > ==== ILHENRY Mailing List ==== > Henry Co ILGenWeb Project > http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilhenry/index.html > Henry County Genealogical Society > http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilhcgs/index.html

WELLER TOWNSHIP This is a splendid township of land, is well improved and settled by an industrious class of people. Its history is largely included in that of the Bishop Hill Colony, which follows. James Withrow was the first settler in this part of the county. He located at the east end of Red Oak in 1836. He died on his farm in 1839, and his estate was the first probated in the county. There seems to have few or no other settlers in this part of the county prior to 1853. Among those who came to this township were Lars Anderson; came in 1846, and died Nov. 16, 1869, leaving a son, Gilbert A. Andrew and Jonas Bergland came from Sweden to this county in 1846; John Bjork came to America, 1840, returned to Sweden and in 1847 settled in Bishop Hill; Peter O. Bloomberg came in 1846; Jacob Bricker came in 1851; John P.Chaiser came in 1850; Jonas Elblow came in 1846; Lars Ericson came with his parents in 1847; Lars Forsberg came in 1847. John H. Grammar, born in Germany, came to the county 1847; William Grammar came in 1843; Hans M. Hollander came in 1847; John E. Lindbeck, 1849; Olof Moline came 1846; William L. Neuman, German, came 1846; Hans Nostrum, 1846; Eric Olson came with the Swede colony. He was rich in the old country, but was made treasurer for the colonists and paid out for necessaries for others all he had in the world. Jonas Olson came at the same time and he also paid out his total fortune; Olof Olson came 1847; John Platt came in 1840; he was one of the oldest settlers in Weller; Henry Poppy came 1847; J.E. Stoneberg in 1847; Olof Stoneberg in 1846; Andrew Stoneberg came in 1846; Swan Swanson in 1846; Peter Wexell and Peter Wickblow in 1847. Ref: Page 816 Portrait & Biographical Album of Henry Co., Illinois 1885

Hi list, I saw probate files books mentioned in yesterday's posts. I would like to request a lookup. I am looking for members of the Voorhees family who died in Kewanee. Emily Julian and Beatrice. Thanks for your help. David

Hi Elaine and Valorie thanks for seniding the file numbers of the Rumler familys. hans van landschoot ----- Original Message ----- From: <Eml207@aol.com> To: <ILHENRY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 12:36 AM Subject: Re: [ILHENRY-L] book with probate files > Hello, I have the book with R and this is what I found: > Rumler, August Rumler, Mary Exec. File #7845 > Rumler, Henry Rumler, Wilhelmina Adm. File # 4918 > > There are other Rumlers as well. Let me know if you need others. > Hope this helps. > Elaine > > > ==== ILHENRY Mailing List ==== > Henry Co ILGenWeb Project > http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilhenry/index.html > Henry County Genealogical Society > http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilhcgs/index.html > > >

Hello all, Are the records that are available at the Regional Depositories also still available at the county courthouses where they originated? If not, one would have to plan on visiting both places for research in most counties. Thanks, -rex

On Thursday, February 20, 2003, at 12:42 AM, jill & jim wrote: > And lets not forget the IRAD Marriage Index online and searchable!! > > http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/irad/iradhome.html I could not find a searchable marriage index there. Perhaps I missed something. After surfing through quite a few pages I found this: <http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/marriage.html> -rex

And lets not forget the IRAD Marriage Index online and searchable!! http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/irad/iradhome.html Other items there to check out as well.

How could someone get ahold of a copy of a marriage certificate? My Great Grandfather Roland J Mahaffey and Cora E Talbot and William Glass Jr and Belle Young. Does anyone know what exactly is in the marriage books? Does it actually have a copy of their marriage certificate in there? Hopefully someone can answer my questions. Thanks so much again Rhona Mahaffey-Boyd

There is also a timber just to the west of Bishop Hill that was called the Red Oak Timber. The Red Oak Cemetery is a little further north west. As I understand, it was just refered to as Red Oak. There were a few houses around there but most are gone now. Some of my Mother's family are buried there. Steve ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carol Kooi" <carol@kooi.org> To: <ILHENRY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 8:33 PM Subject: Re: [ILHENRY-L] Red Oak Timbers > What is left of the Red Oak Timber is south of Cambridge, and, yes, there is > a cemetery. > Carol > > From: <Boogie720@aol.com> > To: <ILHENRY-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 4:34 PM > Subject: Re: [ILHENRY-L] Red Oak Timbers > > > > To whom it may concern: > > Can someone on the list please tell me where Red Oak Timbers is? I do know > > that it is said to be just woods. But my Great Grandfather was born there.

Please find below a copy of any email I received from the Henry County Courthouse regarding obtaining genealogical records for births...It is the same contact info for deaths and marriages... Depending on when the marriage was depends on what info is on the official records.. The site recently went online and is very user friendly.. Take care...Stephen February 13, 2003 Stephen BaldwinXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Dear Mr. Baldwin, We received your request regarding genealogical records of birth. In order to obtain birth records of deceased individuals, you must show proof of death. If the individual died in Henry County, there would be no need to send the death certificate or an obituary. To obtain copies of birth records, you may obtain forms through our web site www.henrycty.com If you have any questions, please feel free to contact this office by calling (309) 937-3481. Sincerely, Cindy G. Bealer, Deputy Clerk County Clerk Department Henry County Government 307 West Center St. Cambridge, IL 61238 (309) 937- 3481 Phone (309) 937- 2796 Fax cbealer@henrycty.com http://www.henrycty.com This message has been prepared on resources owned by Henry County, IL. It is subject to the Internet and Online Services Use Policy and Procedures of Henry County.

Red Oak is about 3 miles west of Bishop Hill, in the southern part of section 8 and the northern part of section 17 in Weller Township. I believe the cemetery is a little further west of the timber, just off of Highway 82. The first land purchased by Eric Jansson and Olof Olsson for the Bishop Hill Colony was in Red Oak. There was a cabin on the property where some of the colonists lived. When the ship carrying my great great grandmother had an outbreak of cholera in 1850, they were quarantined at Red Oak for a while before they were allowed to go to Bishop Hill. Bob Nelson

Hi, is there someone who has one of the books with the index of the probate files of Henry County. part one with the letter A and the part with R I'm looking for the name Anthony Bouwhuis and Henry and August Rumler. Hans Van landschoot