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GENEALOGY RESOURCES
ANCESTRY LIBRARY EDITION - Ancestry Library can only be accessed within the library on a library computer. Please see staff for assistance.
This site is the premier source of information for genealogists and contains an extensive genealogy collection of censuses, vital records, immigration records, family histories, military records, court and legal documents, directories, photos, maps, and more.
Access in the Library: https://ancestrylibrary.proquest.com
If you are interested in the subject of DNA testing, the following article provides helpful information:
*Disclaimer: Some of the resources listed below begin as free and then lead to payment options. The library has no control over these websites and is not responsible for any action taken by the user.
AFRIGENEAS
“AfriGeneas provides resources, leadership, promotion and advocacy for the mutual development and use of a system of genealogy for researching African related ancestry.”
Access Now: http://www.afrigeneas.com/welcome.html
“Welcome to AfriGeneas!” Welcome to AfriGeneas! N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.
AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION
“Established by Congress in 1923, the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) commemorates the service, achievements, and sacrifice of U.S. armed forces. Search the names of more than 218,000 individuals buried or memorialized at ABMC sites.”
Access Now: http://abmc.gov/
“About Us.” American Battle Monuments Commission. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
CASTLEGARDEN.ORG
“CastleGarden.org is an educational project of The Battery Conservancy. This free site offers access to an extraordinary database of information on 11 million immigrants from 1820 through 1892, the year Ellis Island opened. More than 100 million Americans can trace their ancestors to this early immigration period.”
Access Now: http://www.castlegarden.org/
“Castle Garden.” Castle Garden. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.
CIVIL WAR COLLECTION
“The Western Michigan University Libraries United States Civil War Collection was launched in 2007 with 8 diaries of men with connections to Michigan or the Midwest. In 2009 the Collection expanded to include a selection of letters by Samuel Hodgman from Climax, Michigan, who served with the 7th Michigan Infantry. The addition of the letters was made possible by a donation from the Friends of the Western Michigan University Libraries in honor of Bettina Meyer, retired Associate Dean. The current collection represents diverse military experiences, ranging from a musician to a prisoner of war. The handwritten originals have full transcriptions that are searchable with subjects.”
Access Now: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/civilwar1/
“DIGITAL SCHOLARSHIP LAB.” Digital Scholarship Lab. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.
COOK COUNTY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
“The Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Archives is home to more than 500,000 naturalization petitions covering the years 1871 to 1929. More than 400,000 of these records are Declarations of Intention, 1906-1929 which were usually the first papers to be filed by those who wished to become U.S. citizens. Because the Declaration may be the only public record of an individual immigrant, it is a significant source of documentation for genealogists and scholars.”
Access Now: http://cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/NR/
“Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court: Search the Naturalization Declarations of Intention.” Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court: Search the Naturalization Declarations of Intention. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
COOK COUNTY GENEALOGY ONLINE
“The Genealogy Unit of the Cook County Clerk’s Bureau of Vital Records provides non-certified versions of birth, death and marriage records for the purpose of genealogical research. Records found on this site are for Chicago and Cook County dating back to 1872. This historical record database is an exciting endeavor for the Clerk’s office. More than 6 million of the 8 million genealogy records are already searchable. And we will continue to add more as we bring our database up to date.”
Access Now: http://www.cookcountygenealogy.com/
“Cook County Clerk’s Office – Genealogy Online.” Cook County Clerk’s Office – Genealogy Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
CYNDI’S LIST
“Cyndi’s List has been a trusted genealogy research site for more than 20 years. Cyndi’s List is free for everyone to use and it is meant to be your starting point when researching online. What exactly is Cyndi’s List? A categorized & cross-referenced index to genealogical resources on the Internet. A list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online. A free jumping-off point for you to use in your online research. A “card catalog” to the genealogical collection in the immense library that is the Internet. Your genealogical research portal onto the Internet.”
Access Now: http://www.cyndislist.com/
Ingle, Cyndi. “Welcome to Cyndi’s List.” Welcome to Cyndi’s List. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
DAVID RUMSEY MAP COLLECTION
“The David Rumsey Map Collection was started over 30 years ago and contains more than 150,000 maps. The collection focuses on rare 16th through 21st century maps of North and South America, as well as maps of the World, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. The collection includes atlases, wall maps, globes, school geographies, pocket maps, books of exploration, maritime charts, and a variety of cartographic materials including pocket, wall, children’s, and manuscript maps. Items range in date from about 1550 to the present.”
Access Now: www.davidrumsey.com
Rumsey, David. “David Rumsey Map Collection.” David Rumsey Historical Map Collection. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
DIGITAL LIBRARY ON AMERICAN SLAVERY
“The Digital Library on American Slavery is an expanding resource compiling various independent online collections focused upon race and slavery in the American South, made searchable through a single, simple interface. Although the current focus of DLAS is sources associated with North Carolina, there is considerable data contained herein relating to all 15 slave states and Washington, D.C., including detailed personal information about slaves, slaveholders, and free people of color.”
Access Now: https://library.uncg.edu/slavery/
Libraries, Richard Cox ERIT University. “About the Digital Library on American Slavery.” About the Digital Library on American Slavery. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
DIGITAL SCHOLARSHIP LAB
– Atlas of the Historical Geography of the United States
“Many of these beautiful maps are animated to show change over time or made clickable to view the underlying data— maps produced eight decades ago with the functionality of the twenty-first century.”
Access Now: http://dsl.richmond.edu/historicalatlas/
“DIGITAL SCHOLARSHIP LAB.” Digital Scholarship Lab. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.
ELLIS ISLAND
Great resource for searching passengers, ships and genealogy tips.
Access Now: http://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/genealogy
FAMILYSEARCH
“It’s all about family. FamilySearch is a nonprofit family history organization dedicated to connecting families across generations. FamilySearch believes that families bring joy and meaning to life. 100 YEARS OF RECORD GATHERING AND PRESERVATION! FamilySearch, historically known as the Genealogical Society of Utah, which was founded in 1894, is dedicated to preserving the records of the family of mankind. Our purpose is simple—help people connect with their ancestors through easy access to historical records.”
Access Now: https://familysearch.org/search
“About FamilySearch – FamilySearch.org.” About FamilySearch – FamilySearch.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
GENEALOGY ROADSHOW
This site can help you with starting your own genealogy project, researching court records and understanding how to connect the dots to different countries.
Access Now: http://www.pbs.org/genealogy-roadshow/genealogy-tips/getting-started/
GENEALOGY TRAILS
“A group of dedicated volunteers working together to provide free on-line materials
for the historian, genealogist, and general researcher. Starting out by providing data for the state of Illinois in March 2000, our volunteers expanded to cover the whole United States in March 2006.”
Access Now: http://genealogytrails.com/
“The Beginning.” Genealogy Trails. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
HISTOGRAPHY
“Histography is interactive timeline that spans across 14 billion years of history, from the Big Bang to 2015.The site draws historical events from Wikipedia and self-updates daily with new recorded events.The interface allows for users to view between decades to millions of years. The viewer can choose to watch a variety of events which have happened in a particular period or to target a specific event in time. For example you can look at the past century within the categories of war and inventions.”
Histography was created as a final project in Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. Guided by Ronel Mor
Access Now: http://histography.io/
“Matan Stauber.” Matan Stauber. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
ILLINOIS DIGITAL ARCHIVES
“The Illinois Digital Archives was created in 2000, as a repository for the digital collections of the Illinois State Library as well as other libraries and cultural institutions in the State of Illinois. What can you find in the Illinois Digital Archives? Photographs, slides, glass negatives, oral histories, manuscripts and letters, federal government documents, videos, newspapers, maps and much more.”
Access Now: http://www.idaillinois.org/
“A Service of the Illinois State Library and the Office of the Illinois Secretary of StateILLINOIS DIGITAL ARCHIVES.” Illinois Digital Archives. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
ILLINOIS NEWSPAPER PROJECT
“In June 2009, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library received funding under the National Endowment for the Humanities’ National Digital Newspaper Program to digitize 100,000 pages of historically significant Illinois newspapers dating from 1865-1922.”
Access Now: http://www.library.illinois.edu/inp/
“Illinois Newspaper Project | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.” Illinois Newspaper Project | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES
“The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation’s record keeper. Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept by us forever. Those valuable records are preserved and are available to you, whether you want to see if they contain clues about your family’s history, need to prove a veteran’s military service, or are researching an historical topic that interests you.”
Access Now: http://www.archives.gov/
“National Archives Frequently Asked Questions.” National Archives and Records Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
LOWCOUNTRY AFRICANA
“Lowcountry Africana, sponsored by the Magnolia Plantation Foundation of Charleston, South Carolina, is a free website dedicated to African American genealogy and history in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, home to the rich Gullah-Geechee cultural heritage.”
Access Now: http://www.lowcountryafricana.com/
“About – Lowcountry Africana.” Lowcountry Africana. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
MAPPING THE FREEDMEN’S BUREAU
“This site is devoted to pointing out the many places that affected the newly freed survivors of slavery. The sites where Freedman’s Bureau offices were located are marked for you. In addition, other institutions that served former slaves, are marked – the branches of the Freedman’s Savings Bank, Freedmen Schools, contraband camps, and even the location of battle sites where men who were in the US Colored Troops fought.”
Access Now: http://mappingthefreedmensbureau.com/
“About the Authors.” Mapping The Freedmens Bureau. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
NATIONWIDE GRAVESITE LOCATOR
“The database of burial information is updated each day. Search for burial locations of veterans and their family members in VA National Cemeteries, state veteran’s cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries, and for veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker.”
Access Now: http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov
Administration, National Cemetery. “National Cemetery Administration.” Nationwide Gravesite Locator. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
NEWBERRY LIBRARY
“The Newberry has been collecting genealogy and local history materials since 1887. Staff at the Genealogy and Local History desk can help you explore the Newberry’s rich collections of family histories; local histories; censuses, probate, deed, court, tax, and cemetery records; military rosters; periodicals; genealogical guides; and reference works.”
Access Now: http://www.newberry.org/genealogy-and-local-history
“Genealogy and Local History.” The Newberry. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
SOCIAL SECURITY INDEX
“The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) is a database of people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) beginning about 1962. A small number of deaths are listed before 1962. It was created from the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File.”
Access Now: http://www.deathindexes.com/ssdi.html
Beine, Joe. “The Social Security Death Index.” Social Security Death Index. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS DATABASE
“The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (CWSS) is a database containing information about the men who served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. Other information on the site includes histories of Union and Confederate regiments, links to descriptions of significant battles, and selected lists of prisoner-of-war records and cemetery records, which will be amended over time.”
Access Now: https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm
United States. National Park Service. “Soldiers and Sailors Database.” National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.
SOUTH SUBURBAN GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
“Houses Obituary and Cemetery Indexes, local census readings for SSGHS quarterly, recordings tombstone data from area cemeteries, collects local church and town records.”
Access Now: http://ssghs.org/wp/?page_id=12
“South Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society.” South Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
STORYCORPS
“StoryCorps is built on an uncompromising commitment to excellence throughout the organization that includes an intense focus on the collecting, sharing, and preserving of people’s stories; high-quality organizational management; and the care and support of an extraordinary work environment where respect and dignity are paramount.”
Access Now: https://storycorps.org/about/
“StoryCorps.” StoryCorps. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
TINLEY MORAINE GENEALOGISTS
”Tinley Moraine Genealogists (TMG) is a local genealogy society in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, based in the village of Tinley Park. Our members live in over 20 different communities, ranging north to Brookfield and LaGrange; west to Naperville; south to Mokena and Frankfort; and east to Indiana.”
Access Now: http://www.tmgenealogists.org/
“Tinley Moraine Genealogists.” Tinley Moraine Genealogists. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
THE USGENWEB PROJECT
Index of online U.S State, local historical and genealogical societies.
Access Now: http://www.usgennet.org/socadmin/
WORLDGENWEB
“WorldGenWeb uses internet websites to create “local repositories” of information that researchers worldwide can access. Each project website (generally) will contain local resource addresses of county/country public records offices, cemetery locations, maps, library addresses, archive addresses, and association addresses including Family History Centers or other genealogical or historical societies, and some history and culture of the region. Other resources include query pages or message boards, mail lists, historical data including census records, cemetery records, biographies, bibliographies, and family/surname registration websites.”
Access Now: http://www.worldgenweb.org/
“What Is WorldGenWeb.” WorldGenWeb. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2016.