Thank you so much. I have the death certificate, but all it gives me is birth place, and date of death, cause of death, and that she was 53 years old at the time. I have checked the marriage records, can't find anything with Lydia Farmer Hanks, so she may not have remarried in Illinois. I know when Josephine was married and where, but the marriage license doesn't contain information on parents. I was going to order the census files, but I will check out the lookup, as that could be quicker. Thank you also for the idea about birth information. Ronette from SD In a message dated 1/23/00 7:07:10 AM Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > Subj: Re: [ILPEORIA-L] Josephine HANKS BOURNE 1850 or 1851 in Peoria > Date: 1/23/00 7:07:10 AM Pacific Standard Time > From: [email protected] (Nancy Dancho) > Reply-to: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > > Several possibilities come to mind - in random order - and may not be the > first places you should go. These are just some things that I do. > > 1. Do you know when/where Josephine died? If after 1916 and if in IL you > could request an uncertified death certif from the State of IL online via > http://www.vitalcheck.com/ and see if both parents are listed on certif. > (fee involved). If before 1916, you need to know the county of death and > write to that county's clerk office for death record if available. > 2. Josephine was born in Peoria for sure? Then send a request to the Peoria > clerk's office to get birth record giving all the info you have about her > (parents names, poss dates of birth, etc) - maybe they have the document. > (fifty cents per page). > 3. Check out web site: http://www2.sos.state.il.us/cgi-bin/marriage > and enter last names for either husband or wife to see if you find anyone. > 4. Check the Peoria census for 1850 via e-mail to "[email protected]" a very > good volunteer that does lookups of 1850-60-70 census putting "Peoria county > Lookup" in your subject line and again giving all possible info you have. >