All, I do have a copy of the Preemption Acts of 1807 and 1813. These acts granted title to squatters who were living on government lands without permission. These claims had to be applied for before title was granted to the settler. These lands include most of Southern Illinois and were granted thought the Kaskaskia Land Office. Claim includes the name of the person who applied, land description, and a witness to the transaction as well as dates granted. Will be happy to do lookups. I'm not real fast but I will get back to you. Here is a sample Crain, Lewis Grant 18 - 05 Sep 1807-Land bounded on the North by the residence of Timothy Harris, on the east by vacant land, on the South by the residence of William Griffin, and on the West by the Mississippi - 2W 16S frac - Granted 01 Dec 1807. There are several hundred names on both list. Randy Crain

Hokayyy.... its been awhile, but I think I am getting back to some resemblance of "normal" again since the fire...although there are those who will question that statement! :) To those of you who have written/called with kind words of encouragement... THANK YOU! your thoughts and expressions were greatly appreciated. things still aren't settled, but life does go on. but lets get on with GENEALOGY!!! the updates are few for right now... and yes, there are a few bloopers that i am working on... the virus that infected me awhile back has done damage that can't be found or corrected... but bear with me.. i am working on it! :) Check'em out! Updates for Perry County: www.perrycountyillinois.net OBITS.......UPDATED! QUERIES....UPDATED! BIGHAM SCHOOL....Re-INSTATED! H. Jenkins WILL....NEW! WEITZEL CEMETERY....NEW! Updates for Randolph County: www.randolphcountyillinois.net Messages...UPDATED! Surname Registry..UPDATED! WILL Cemetery....NEW! Jean [email protected] Webmaster for Illinois Perry and Randolph Counties www.perrycountyillinois.net www.randolphcountyillinois.net [email protected]

HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE & PERRY COUNTIES contain information about the following families: Gant is mentioned on pages, 116, 220, 226, 304A, 481, 482, 483, 490. ( I also found a probate for John Gant whose administrator is Alfred Gant. A sentence in the PETITION FOR LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION states: John Gant left at the time of his decease no widow and no children but Alfred Gant his father and Martha Gant his mother and Darius Gant, James R. Gant, Alfred C. Gant, his brothers and Mary A. Warren, Sarah Harmon, Nancy Gant, Maria Gant, Arletta Gant his sisters.) Marlen is mentioned on pages 212, 259. Malone is mentioned on pages 168, 207, 212, 214, 227, 230, 233, 236, 241, 274, 275, 349, 424-426, 428, 478, 479. Miller, is mentioned on pages 42, 72, 99, 225, 226, 132, 133, 136, 138-140, 143, 147-149, 157, 160, 165, 204, 205-207, -209, 212, 213, 215, 217-220, 222-226, 230, 241, 245, 247, 249, 266, 274, 282, 316-318, 324, 331-333, 363, 370-372, 388, 389, 397, 400, 402, 414, 436, 441, 452, 461, 477, 483-486, 491. Velda

I am started on a new Schroeder-McClure Funeral Chapel Book. This one will have to be done in alphabetical order-all the A's first, then the B's, the C's, etc. It is very time consuming. It will contain the name of each person buried from Schroeder-McClure AFTER they bought the business, the birth date, death date, name of spouse (& maiden name), occupation, if they served in the military, survivors, and the place of burial. This book will be for sale from Randolph County Genealogical Society with all proceeds going to the Society. Their address is 600 State Street, suite 306, Chester, IL 62233. Phone 618-826-3807 I have no idea yet what the cost will be. I will be glad to tell you if your relative is in this book before you purchase it. Keep this email so that I don't have to spend time telling you this information again. I am finished typing the A's and half way done with the B's. If you have any suggestions, please email me. Velda Wittenbrink Moore

Hi All, In the current issue of The Trails by the Randolph Genealogical Society is an obit for Sahah A Thompson that says " Mrs Sarah A Thompson, 82 widow of Archibald Thopmson, died at her home in Sparta. She was survived by one son, Charles Thompson of Sparta." Published in the October 14 1915 issue of the News-Plaindealer. Does anyone know which Archibald Thompsomn is referred to? I have three but the dates seem to make an unlikely match. researching Foster, Wehrheim, Thompson, Pyles and related families. Thanks, John

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Brown, Maurer, McGee, Hatcher, Tucker, Gillis Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/og.2ADI/100 Message Board Post: [Lead Belt News, Flat River, St. Francois County, Missouri, Friday, Nov. 28, 1941] -- MRS. LUCY BROWN -- Mrs. Lucy Brown, widow of the late James William Brown, died Wednesday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Harry Maurer in Flat River after a prolonged illness. Lucy McGee, daughter of the late Armstrong and Mary Ann Hatcher McGee, was born in Randolph County, Ill., April 23, 1872 and died November 26, 1941, aged 69 years 7 months 23 days. She was married on August 27, 1893 to James William Brown, who preceded her in death in November, 1903. They were the parents of three children, all of whom survive: Mabel (Mrs. A. E. Tucker) and Josie (Mrs. Harry) Maurer of Flat River and Aaron Brown of Farmington. Besides her children she leaves a sister, Mrs. L. C. Gillis of Jackson and a brother, John McGee of San Francisco, Calif., two grandsons and two great-grandsons. Mrs. Brown had been a member of the United Baptist Church since girlhood. The body was removed to the Hood Funeral Home for preparation and was later taken to the home of her daughter, Mrs. A. E. Tucker. Funeral services will be held Friday, November 28th at 2 p.m. at the Baptist Church in Iron Mountain and will be conducted by Rev. Amiel McIntyre. Interment will be in the Iron Mountain Cemetery.

Velda, THANK YOU for putting this onto the internet. I have the five-volume set of cemetery books about two feet away and nowhere are the Crain or Clore cemeteries mentioned. I may need the directions to these two cemeteries and the people interred therein someday. Désirée

Well, Jan, I have to change my directions a little so that you can find the Clore Cemetery. I am posting this to the ILRANDOL site for anyone who might be interested. CRAIN and CLORE CEMETERIES To reach these cemeteries, coming from Chester, turn left off of State Rt. 3, first road past the swimming pool, (COLE PLACE). Follow this road about 3 to 5 miles. Both cemeteries are on the right hand side of the road. The cemeteries are located on the banks of Mary's River. What I believe to be the Clore Cemetery, is just before you pass under the railroad bridge, on the right hand side of the road. The Crain Cemetery is located about 1/4 mile from Chester, just before you get to the Clore Cemetery. You must cross the railroad tracks, go back along the edge of the wood, holding to your right, until you come to the river. The cemetery is on the edge of the river bank, 50 yrards up river, with only one or two stones showing. Near a large cedar tree is the site of 2 graves. One name could not be made out, the other was: (1988) Willie Crain b. Nov. 15, 1850 d. Oct. 3, 1851 Son of Margaret Crain. In the Clore Cemetery: Abram Clore b. Jan. 1, 1801 d. Jan. 3, 1877 Sarah (his wife) b. 1806 d. 1845 James Franklin clore 10 days d. Apr. 8, 1909 David Rictis b. Mar. 12, 1819 d. Apr. 21, 1869 Permella (his wife) b. Mar. 20, 1823 d. Feb. 2, 1905 Virginia Mansker provided the above information for me, but I don't know where she copied it from. Velda Wittenbrink Moore CHS List Administrator -----Original Message----- From: cardinelblue [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, March 08, 2002 4:15 PM To: Velda Moore Subject: The Clore Cemetery Velda, Thank you so very much for your efforts. I hope that you did not make a trip just for me to look through the cemetery books. On the map that I sent, all of the squares with lines drawn in them are property owned by Abram Clore or his sons. I would expect the cemetery to be on some piece of his property. I don't have a county map of present day Randolph, but I think there are no roads on the property. There is one road running east to west north of the property, but I have no name for it. I am planning a trip to Randolph this summer. I want to trace all of the property after the deaths of the Clores and see if any cemetery is mentioned in any of the deeds when the property was sold. There are most likely no stones showing or someone would know about this burial area. The deeds would be my only chance Thank you so much for trying. Maybe this summer I can find out more. Jan Creek

Well, Folks... I have known that my DeROUSSE and the DeROUSSE of Randolph county, are different - when one compares lines *within* the United States. Well, all of that, while remaining the same, *may* change, when it comes to the history of the name, if one goes back across the "big water." A French living descendant of the common ancestors of my Philadelphia connection, has appeared! He has things back about three or more generations further back! Does any of this information seem to connect to your lines? It may, or it may not, but I seek what *you* have to say about this. I am not going as far as his generation, but far enough for you to make a determination: Dear Vincent, Thank You Very much for all the documents. I give you a simplified genealoy of the Derousse Family. Il have much more documents. 1er GENERATION : Pierre DEROUSSE de Metz (Lorraine, France) he married Elisabeth ALEXANDRE 2eme GENERATION : Dominique DEROUSS he married in Metz 10/2/1676 Catherine PASCAL, daughter of Antoine PASCAL and Barbe COLIN 3eme GENERATION : Dominique DEROUSSE he married in 1715 Anne MARIE 4eme GENERATION : André DEROUSSE born in 1718 he married 25/10/1745 in Sarralbe Elisabeth WANGER daughter of Jacob WANGER and Catherine SCHWEISGUT Son : - Didier DEROUSSE - Nicolas DEROUSSE born in 1756 he married in Sarralbe 14/11/1786 Marie Anne MOREAU, daughter of Arnold MOREAU and Marguerite GACK 5éme GENERATION : Didier DEROUSSE born 2/9/1750 in sarralbe he died 24/8/1724 Military he married 9/1/1781 in Sarralbe Jeanne MOREAU the sister of Marie Anne 6éme GENERATION Nicolas MOREAU 1788-1857 military he married 25/10/1814 Metz Madeleine LEGOUEST Thanks, Vince Summers

If you are looking for DuFour information, let me know. Velda Wittenbrink Moore

Found this in my Randolph Co Births book 1877 to 1879 Thought it might help?? Carol ZOA JERNIGAN , born : Dec. 25, 1878 , in Steelville , Ill. Father: ALLAN JERNIGAN , age 38 yrs , born in: Randolph Co, Ill , occ: cooper Mother: MARY SIMPSON , age 29 yrs , born in : Randolph Co., Ill. Number 6 child , female , G. T. Thomson, M. D.

Jernigan, Allen, b. 5 Mar 1841; d. 10 Feb 1879 Left wife & 3 children >From Randolph County Deaths 1839-1955 Velda Wittenbrink Moore

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Miller, Wolf, Austin, Harkness, Walsh Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/og.2ADI/99 Message Board Post: Lead Belt News/Flat River, St. Francois County, MO/Friday, April 8, 1921] -- Adolph William Miller was born at St. Mary's [Ste. Genevieve County], Missouri, October 2nd, 1874 and died at his home in Bonne Terre [St. Francois County], Missouri, Thursday, March 31st, 1921 at 9 a.m., after an illness of over three years. He was the son of Adolph and Louisa Miller and spent his boyhood in Chester, Illinois, where his parents moved when he was two years of age. He attended the schools at this place and later learned telegraphy and station work. On March 18th, 1905, he was happily married to Emile Wolf of Bonne Terre and to this union one child was born, Edward Calvin Miller. For six years previous to his illness he was employed by the Mississippi River and Bonne Terre Railway as agent at Flat River and was valued as one of the most able agents the Company ever employed. During the time he was in Flat River he made many friends. At the time of his death he was a member of the Congregational Church at Bonne Terre, Missouri, at which church the funeral services were conducted Saturday afternoon by Rev. A. W. Ayers, who spoke very beautifully of the life of Mr. Miller and comforting and consoling words were spoken to the bereaved family, relatives and friends. His favorite song, "Face to Face", was beautifully sung as a solo. Immediately after the service the body was taken to Chester, Illinois on the afternoon train, where a short service was held at the presbyterian Church at that place and the body laid to rest in Evergreen Cemetery. The masonic Lodge of Chester, lead by District Deputy John J. Austin, District Deputy of the Missouri Grand Lodge, conducted the service there, which was a beautiful and impressive service. Beauty was added to it by the beautiful day and by the mass of wonderful flowers sent by bereaved relatives and many friends. But however beautiful and numerous all those were, they ! but imperfectly represented the degree of love and esteem in which the deceased was held by all who knew him. His body rests on a beautiful sunny slope in Evergreen Cemetery overlooking the "Great Father of Waters" as it peacefully flows toward the sea. Besides his grief-stricken wife and son, he leaves his mother, Mrs. L. V. Miller of Chester, Illinois, two brothers, Edward and Arthur Miller of St. Louis, a foster brother, Andy Miller of Springfield, Illinois and two sisters, Mrs. Emma Harkness of Chester, Illinois and Mrs. Hattie Walsh of St. Louis. The deceased was a man who endeavored earnestly to live close to God and to be true to his friends. His influence upon others has been written in the hearts and lives of his associates. He was always on the alert to encourage others and no friend left his presence without being encouraged and feeling that it was good to know him. He was a man who invited confidence and was a lovable and considerate person and friends in distress and seeking comfort would find in him an attentive ear, a sympathetic heart and a cheering word. His attitude and patience during his long illness was wonderful. His death had been expected for some time and he had spoken of the peace and blessing that were to be his, yet no hope, however glorious, can ever insure mortals wholly against the shock of sorrow that comes at the separation of a friend who has been faithful and whom we held dear. To the bereaved wife and son, mother, brothers and sisters and his many friends, we extend deep and abiding sympathy. He was a member of the Order of Railway Telegraphers, Epsilon Chapter Eastern Star, Flat River Samaritan Lodge 424, A. F. & A. M. Bonne Terre. The latter attended the funeral in a body. CARD OF THANKS -- We wish to thank each and every friend for the great kindness and sympathy shown during the illness and death of our dear husband and father. Mrs. A. W. Miller Edward Miller CARD OF THANKS -- We wish to thank all the friends who so kindly assisted and sympathized during the illness and death of our dear son and brother. Mrs. Louisa Miller Sons and Daughters

This is an example of the information contained within the 1942 Chester High School yearbook about people who had attended CHS. Your relatives might have been among them. There is an archive where you can find the years before 1922 that I have already submitted to Rootsweb. The name of the list is [email protected] if you would like to join. Class of 1922 1. Clyde H. Allen (Neeks)-At Home..............Kansas City, Mo. 2. John C. Ahrens-Mortician..................Swanwick St., Chester, Ill. 3. Roger Bauman-Oil Business....................Evansville, Ind. 4. Jessie Crittenden (Bean)-Housewife.................Opdyke St., Chester, Ill. 5. Corine Demick (Sr. Redemta)-Sister of Precious Blood.....Alton, Ill. 6. Ebers Hoffman-Dentist.................Swanwick, Chester, Ill. 7. William Juergens-Attorney..................Swanwick, Chester, Ill. 8. Milton Klute-Accountant.....................317 Sherman, Evanston, Ill. 9. Sybil Lochhead (Uffelman)-Housewife........Chester, Ill. 10. Ola O'Daniel (Sharp)-Housewife................Chicago, Ill. 11. Ollie Peterson-Teacher...............................Red Bud, Ill. 12. Madalynne Welge (Wolters)-Housewife..................Aurelia, Ia. 13. Ellen Wilkinson (Edwards)-Housewife..................Chicago, Ill. 14. Milton Zillikin-Toll Office Mgr., Bell Tel. Co.......5042 Pershing, St. Louis, Mo. Velda Wittenbrink Moore CHS List Administrator

My new email address now that I am back in Illinois is [email protected] Velda Wittenbrink Moore Volunteer for Randolph County Genealogical Society

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am selling the above book on ebay (Item #1709818003. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Barb. http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewItem&item=1709818003

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Bostwick Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/og.2ADI/98 Message Board Post: could someone do a death lookup for me CLEM BOSTWICK ,born- 1801-1802 spouse Eliza, found in the 1860 census a farmer,age 59, but not found in the 1880 census. living in Prairie Du Rocher twp. would Appreciate your help. Kelly.

Does anyone know anything about the following? Hopefully, Martha near Seattle >From the Sparta Plaindealer, Fri 28 Dec 1888: Mr. Thad C. Wilson and Miss Belle Gant were married on Christmas day at the residence of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gant, of Palestine, by Rev. Mr. Jones, of Chester. Mr. and Mrs. Maj. Wilson, parents of the groom, gave their son and wife a grand reception on Wednesday. The PLAINDEALER extends congratulations to its young friends, and hope that each received a Christmas present which will prove to be a great blessing all the days of their lives. >From the Sparta Plaindealer, Fri, 18 Jan 1889: Mrs. Belle Wilson, wife of Mr. Thad Wilson, of Blair precinct, died on Friday of last week and was buried at New Palestine cemetery on Sunday, Rev. Jones of Chester, officiating. Mrs. Wilson was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gant, of New Palestine and was married to Mr. Thad. Wilson on Christmas day. The young husband and wife were favorites with all classes of people in that community, and all who knew them deeply regret the sad ending of their brief married life. The PLAINDEALER tenders its sympathy to its young friend, the bereaved husband, in his hour of grief. A CARD OF THANKS--I take this method of thanking the people of Blair and vicinity, and of Palestine, for their sympathy and many acts of kindness during and after the recent illness of my darling wife. May your friends ever be as kind to you, as you have been to mine and me. Thad. C. Wilson.

Velda, Could you please contact me privately at [email protected] Thanks Barbara Coakley [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

>From: Steve <[email protected]> >Hi everyone ..... received two death certificates ... for different William H. WILSONs. Dear Steve, This William H.WILSON is related to my RCI family and I can add to [and correct] information about his family .... Maybe someone will have an interest in this family and will have additional information about them for me. Barbara Elizabeth EVANS WOODS was a cousin to my gt grandfather. >William H. WILSON >b. 23 Mar 1856, Baldwin, IL >d. 29 Sept 1925, Randolph Co., IL >Wife: Maggie Words Wilson <<<<<<<<<<< error .. WOODS >Father: George WILSON, b. SC >Mother: Mary WILSON, b. SC William H. WILSON married Margaret A. "Maggie" WOODS b.1871 RCI ... the daughter of Edward F.WOODS [[email protected] RCI] and wife Barbara Elizabeth EVANS [b.1849 RCI]. [It seems possible that she could have been a second wife....???] Children of William & Maggie are...... 1. Solan C. WILSON b.1895 2. Perry M. WILSON b.1898 3. Elmer E. WILSON b.1906 4. George B. WILSON b.1908 5. John WILSON b.1913 .......This family lived on Chestnut Street in Baldwin in 1920! [NOTE: Maggie WOODS sister, Mary WOODS [6 Apr 1875] married Albert WILSON on 2 Aug 1893 RCI! I always wondered if their children were "double-cousins"???? Carol ... [email protected]