I'm searching for the source of microfilmed newspapers (obits)for McClean Co. IL. Where is the repository for such data? Thank you! Margaret Merrifield Self

Where can I find divorce records for McLean County, Illinois, for the period 1884-1892? I've checked LDS catalog and no luck? Thanking you in advance, Myra

Am trying to find info on location and date of birth for the 10 siblings of Daniel and Emily Houghton Curtis. Believe all to be born in Bloomington or Normal, IL, probably between 1850-1870. Census for 1860, 1870, might show this. Ten siblings are: David, Marion Francis*, Minerva Curtis Green, Rovilla Curtis Denton, Lou Curtis Jones, Arthur Curtis, Addie, Marie Curtis Robbins, Violet Curtis Ganson and Alyce. * Believe Marion Francis Curtis was born in Bloomington or Normal in 1860. Also if available, would like census info on Charles Ganson. I know he and Violet were living at 106 W. Cherry in Normal from pre 1920 to sometime in the late 1930's. This my first venture into trying to find info on my ancestors. If I am not proceeding in the correct manner, please advise how I should proceed. Thanks. Bob Curtis Bradenton, FL

Are there any CD available for Bloomington in the 1880s? I would like to trace my grandfather. John P Box

Lucille- I believe that I found information pertaining to your Young family today. The 1850 census transcription for McLean Co. shows the following Young family in Randolph Township: Young, William 50m Far 2000 Pa Nancy 46f Ga John 18m Lab Oh Merit 15m Il Araho 13 m Il Sarah E. 11f Il Nancy J. 9f Il Susan C. 6f Il Amandeth 4f Il I also found an 1866 directory listing for YOUNG, M.C. Postmaster Saybrook as well as several other items. If you will send me your address off the list, I will get this in the mail to you sometime this week. Lisa ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

Here is a great site about Andersonville Prison.: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/5456/anderson.htm ~:~Debbie From Illinois~:~

Looking for any info. on the John family who lived in or near Bloomington in 1860's and beyond. In particular Emma Matilda John who married Geo White in 1876. Her father may have changed name from McJohn. Mother's maiden name was Harvey. There was an intermarriage with Gilstrap family. Thanks for any help, Barbara in Nevada

To the lady who was researching NOBLE name and was kind enough to contact me with info ---> Their is a picture of doctor --HARRISON NOBLE 8x10 avaialable at the old State Capitol-- to purchase for $10.00 . I have just received mine . I called them inquireing of any pictures they might have . Just call the audiovisual room and ask them to look up on the INDEX --> whatever name <---. Thought you might like to know about this :) later sheri

Hi Deborah, I checked a few Bloomington City Directories today and found this: 1891 Pope, John G. Foreman C & A Shops res 826 W. Washington 1897 Pope, John G. wks C & A, res 826 W. Washington 1902 Pope, Sarah Mrs. (wid) John G. res 826 W. Washington I found no cemetery listing for John but it would seem likely that he would have been buried here in Bloomington, although you never know what kind of surprises are waiting out there :) I believe that C & A Shops would be Chicago and Alton Railroad Shops. I only know that as I saw a book on it as I was about to leave the library today. It was called C & A Shops and was published by the McLean Co. Historical Society in 1987. It had background info, interviews, and pictures--looked quite interesting. Perhaps some local RR buff can help you out on this one. Hope this helps. Lisa ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

Maryls, These are the cemetery listings for the Kellers as printed on the reference cards in the library. I was told that the information on the cards should be identical to what is printed in the cemetery books. I am pretty certain that the newspaper at that time for the city of Bloomington would have been the Daily Pantagraph. I am not certain how thoroughly they covered obits and doubt that they carried obits from the surrounding towns. You might ask this question of the list as someone is very likely to be more knowledgable than I am about it. Lisa Keller Old City Cemetery Bloomington Township Lydia (Keller) Kline w/o William Mary Catherine Keller St. Mary's City Sec A d/o Alvin J & Emily (Corea) Dec. 31, 1951-Feb. 20, 1961 Minnie Keller w/o Henry C. Meyer Old City Lanora A. Keller w/o George Alva McCutcheon Mt. Hope Cem McLean Township Keller Twp Cemetery Arrowsmith Ross A. 1869-1932 Sarah A 1870-1956 daughter Geraldine Oct. 6, 1900 to 12-16-1916 son Roy L. 1898-1944 h/w Loeta E. 1898 Barnes Keller Philip July 31, 1840-Spet 3, 1907 h/w Mary E. (Arrowsmith) March 20, 1845 - August 28, 1918 d/o John W, and Nancy (Oliver) m. May 28, 1868 s: Oliver P. March 17, 1878 - Nov 21, 1881 d: Nettie M. Oct 5, 1876-Dec 23, 1879 d: Nancy C. Nov 10, 1870-Feb 2, 1922 Old City Minnie (Keller) Meyer Lulu (Keller) Rehker ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

Hello List! I'm looking for information on Severin Schwartz/Swartz who was in McLean Co. IL approx. 1860s-1890s. I know he was a Civil War soldier and in 1883 was listed as a veteran collecting benefits of $12.00 for injuries. I am trying to determine if he might be the father of our John S. Schwartz, b. 1851 in Chicago. The only information I have on parents of John S. Schwartz comes from his marriage certificate in Adams Co., Wis when he married in 1874. Parents were listed there as Steven and Mary Schwartz who were born in Germany. Various census records indicate parents born in Germany. Family lore says John was a wheelwright from Chicago and he was often called Severin John Schwartz. I have been searching for Steven/Stephen Schwartz/Swartz (and various spellings) for some time with no luck. Only this week found the Severin Swartz/Schwartz listed in various Illinois documents and began to wonder if there might be a connection. Anyone have a connection? Or further clues I can follow? Thanks! Linda Schwartz http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~schwartz/

I checked the cemetery records at the Old Courthouse Museum library and found no record of Lydia (Rale) Keller. However, there was a listing of Lydia (Keller) Kline w/o William in Old City Cemetery in Bloomington. No dates/years were listed. There were a number of other Kellers listed in the cemetery records. I recorded them so if those would be helpful I can get those to you if you send me your address off the list. FYI--I was told that the library in Lexington has additional cemetery records, but I can't check there. Lisa ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

I'm looking for information regarding the following three gentlemen who are buried at the Heyworth, IL cemetary. William A. Swearingen, 1855-1928 Charlie Swearingen, 1861-1929 Frank Swearingen, 1890-1936 Any information would be appreciated. Loren

Hi list. Can someone help me find information on a William LEMBKE, born approx. 1872 in Twin Grove, McLean County, IL. The only information I have is that he married a Mary F. SAGERT and had one child in 1908. William was not listed in the 1920 soundex for Illinois, only Mary and their child were. So, I am assuming he died between 1908 and 1920 because when their son died in 1935 Mary was listed as a widow. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Joanna

Hi, I'm hoping someone has access to 1850, 1860 and 1870 census' and can look up my Young family. Merritt Clayburn Young was born 1827 in Saybrook, IL. His wife was Harriett Amanda Stewart and his children were: Charles Alexander Young b. 1849 Mary Emma Young b. 1852 Thomas Berry Young b. 1854 in Saybrook, IL Cela Olive Young b. 1858 Edwin S. Young b. 1865 Since Thomas Berry Young (my gr-grandfather) was a middle child, born in Saybrook and lived there until 1873, I am assuming the other children were born there as well. Some of his papers say he lived in Cheney's Grove Twp. I have been unable to find any other information on this family and thought these census' might provide more information. My sincere thanks, Lucille Therrien

Thank you all who replied. I knew I could count on the listers to help me out! Kathy

Hi McLean Co. List, If you have submitted a query to me directly in recent days, I would ask that you would repeat the query again to the entire list. I am sorry-whereas there is nothing I would love more than to spend a lot of time looking into each one of your families, I am only one volunteer with limited time, knowledge, and resources. I have been helped by so many volunteers in other areas that I hope to help out a few indiviuals who need help here. For you other McLean Co. volunteers--I have found that in a very short time at the library in the Old Courthouse Museum, I can sometimes surface quite a bit, or perhaps just one important clue, for these folks in a short amount of time. I simply print several queries off from the same time period before I go to do my own research and then spend part of the time doing the look-ups for them as a group. I have been posting the responses to the list because the lists that I am on in other locations that function most effectively work in that manner. By interacting on the list instead of privately, it helps everyone to learn about the resources that are available. It also helps other volunteers to know which queries have had attention and which still need help. Finally, I believe that the interaction that goes on the list is archived at Rootsweb so others who are searching for your families can connect with you. (Tammy, could you verify this--how would someone access those archives?) Best Wishes to all of you on your family search. Hey--by the way, does anyone out there live in Mahaska Co. Iowa or in San Joaquin Co. California, or Green Co. PA? I could use a little help there myself :) Best Wishes to All! Lisa, McLean Co. ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

Can any lister tell me the relationship between Towanda , Anchor, and Cropsey Townships. Are they close to each other? Thank You! Kathy

I have added more to my website if anyone is interested. (Phillips, Teter,Huffman, Clarke, Reynolds,Dunlap) There will be future additions soon. ~:~Debbie From Illinois~:~ http://community.webtv.net/DKBAGranny/TIESTOTHEPASTLINKS

Eddie, I checked through a number of items at the genealogical/historical library for Vencill's prior to 1900. Most everything I checked came up empty--1860 census index, several Bloomington city directories, cemetery records, family archives, and ancestral charts on file. I did find these items listed in newsletters called 'Gleanings from the Heart of the Cornbelt'--transcriptions of various historical documents. HOW TIME FLIES (From the files of the Daily Pantagraph) April 13, 1903. 75 YEARS AGO. The graduating class at the Normal high school have seven members who will be the first to granduate from the revised course of 4-years from the high school. They are Chester Beckwith, Albert Vencil, Bessie Dillon, Edna Johnson, Maria Bell, Ollie Richmond, and Esther Seeley. EXCERPTS FROM THE PANTAGRAPH 1894 February and March Adam Vencil, Creed McDaniel, L.A.R. Willis, M.C. McMurry, B.P. Herford and L. Reddick were elected at the primary last Saturday in Saybrook as delegates to the jusicial convention, and instructed to vote for Tipton as a unit. I forgot to copy the reference to this one-sorry! A ticket called the "People's Ticket" nominates for city officers: G.G. Johnson, Thomas Sylvester, Geo. J. Foster, John L. Arbogast, Robert J. Ross and Edward J. Metcalf for trustees. Another ticket circulating with J. E. Crew, President, and Wm. McMurray, Albert Skinner, E. A. Vencil, J. S Courtright, and Rovert Huffington for trustees. Hope this helps, Lisa ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com