Freshman Genealogy Quests
Illinois Web Links
The Illinois Secretary of State’s site provides links to state government records (many are not digital):
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/services.html
The Illinois State Genealogical Society has a list of surnames that people are searching for:
http://www.ilgensoc.org/surname.php

You can contact someone else researching the same name, or add your last name to the list, for
people to contact you.
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The following databases are free to the public at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=66:
o
African-American Genealogy
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Civil War Certificates - Direct Descendant
o
Civil War Certificates - Indirect Descendant
o
Certified Prairie Pioneers (searchable)
o
Certified Prairie Pioneers (entire list)
o
Family Bible Records Surname Index
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World War I Certificates - Direct Descendant
o
World War I Certificates - Indirect Descendant
o
World War II Certificates - Direct Descendant
©2011, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society
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You can also access specialty and local sites (only a snail-mail address for Grayslake):
http://ilgensoc.ens-1.com/cpage.php?pt=44
Search DuPage County cemeteries and headstone photos: http://www.dcgs.org/tng/
Illinois Tombstone Transcription Project lists burials, photographs of tombstones, whatever volunteers
have submitted: http://usgwtombstones.org/illinois/illinois.html
Search Illinois cemeteries by location, for photos of stones & monuments (including many political
leaders): http://graveyards.com/
The ILGenWeb Project lists tombstone inscriptions, pension lists, and Soldiers & Sailors Home files:
http://ilgenweb.net/ click on ULGW References for politicians, towns, and counties.
GNHS: Karabush & Larsen 2011
Illinois Genealogy Trails offers census and military data (back to the Revolutionary War), doctors, mental
hospitals, and even lists of convicts: http://genealogytrails.com/ill/
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U.S. Web Links
The USGenWeb Project links to projects (similar to ILGenWeb) by state: http://www.usgwarchives.net/
GeneaLinks organizes information by state: http://www.genealinks.com/
The Mormons keep extensive U.S. genealogical records: https://www.familysearch.org/, and even
provide free video podcasts on HOW to search effectively (research topics include: Australia,
England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland and Russia; Reading Handwritten
Records; Research Principles and Tools: https://familysearch.org/learn/researchcourses
Links to Canadian Genealogy Sites: http://ancestorsurnames.com/directory/canadian/genealogy.htm
U.S. headstone photos, obituaries, biographies and ancestral photos: http://www.uscemeteryproj.com/
The following database is provided free to the public by The Illinois State Genealogical Society:
o Family Bible Records Surname Index at http://ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=14
©2011, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society
Worldwide Web Links
Grave locations and photos contributed by members (specializing in famous people worldwide):
http://www.findagrave.com/
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WorldGenWEb has information from countries around the world, organized by regions:
http://www.worldgenweb.org/
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Browse cemeteries worldwide: http://www.interment.net/
Family Tree Searcher will search other sites for you (but they may require a subscription before you see
their information): http://www.familytreesearcher.com/
Cyndi’s List of links to genealogy sites includes adoption records, personal pages, Odds & Ends, even
Outer Space (the Skywalker family tree, how to do research if your ancestors arrived on a UFO, etc.):
http://www.cyndislist.com/
GNHS Library Bibliography
929 Mel
Melnyk, Marcia Yannizze, 1951-. The genealogist's question & answer book.
Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books, c2002.
Uses a question-and-answer format to help genealogists deal with different
problems they may encounter while searching for information on their
family's history.
929 She
Shepherdson, Nancy, 1955-. Ancestor hunt : finding your family online. New
York: F. Watts, c2003.
The ancestry mystery: are you related to someone famous? -- Collecting
clues: what does your family say? -- Get a net: is great-grandmother
hiding online? -- Tell the world: you've got mail! -- Tracking ancestors:
where did they come from? -- The value of off-line searching: digging for
proof -- Were your ancestors soldiers, farmers, rich? finding the threads of
their lives -- Share it! Your family history home page -- Happy trails!
having fun with your ancestors. A guide to finding ancestors that focuses
on using the Internet, explaining how Web sites, links, listserves, software,
and online family trees can aid in the search for ancestors living as long as
two hundred years ago.
929 Smi
Smith, Franklin Carter, 1954-. A genealogist's guide to discovering your
African-American ancestors: how to find and record your unique heritage.
1st ed. Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books, c2003.
A guide to African-American genealogy that provides tips for tracing
African-American ancestors through multiple generations.
929 Wol
Wolfman, Ira. Climbing your family tree: online and offline genealogy for kids.
New York: Workman Pub., c2002.
Offers children advice on the best ways to research their genealogy, both
online and off, discussing how to find the best web sites, where they can
download pedigree charts, family group sheets, checklists, and research
logs, and how to decipher old-fashioned documents and handwriting.
930.1 Wil
Wilson, Ian, 1941-. Past lives: unlocking the secrets of our ancestors. London:
Cassell, 2001.
Explains how advances in forensic detective work are helping
archaeologists learn what prehistoric men and women looked like, and how
they lived. Includes bibliographical references (p. 208-210) and index.
"Graveyards of Chicago" by Matt Hucke and Ursula Bielski describes Cook County cemeteries, their
residents and their ghosts.
"Soul in the Stone" by John Gary Brown tells you where to find the best cemetery art.
"The American Resting Place" by Marilyn Yalom describes Chicago cemeteries' ethnic origins.
"Where Are They Buried? How Did They Die?" by Tod Benoit points you to graves of celebrities from
Babe Ruth to Walt Disney.
chicagogenealogy.org/books.html tells you which books detail Chicago cemetery grave sites.
GNHS: Karabush & Larsen 2011
Chicago Tribune Recommended Bibliography
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