On-Line Searchable Data-Bases, and Lookup Volunteers
Many St. Clair county books are mentioned below, although certainly not all. If you have any St. Clair County books in which you will do Look-ups, please read and follow the Policy posted by the US GenWeb Project. After you have written permission (when necessary), then contact me, the StClairCoord.
Many of the following reference books are published by the St. Clair County Genealogical Society and their website has Surname indexes to many more books. Books from non-profit organizations and private individuals are also listed below.
If you need more than a few names looked up in a given publication, consider purchasing the book directly from the source. Chances are you will find even more names of interest and unexpected connections once you own the publication. This is particularly true for rural cemeteries and transcribed/translated church registers. Visit the SCCGS directly at the above link for databases, on-line indexes, and publication information.
Request FREE Look-ups from the volunteers below. Please limit to one name per request (GenWeb policy).
Please put ST. CLAIR LOOKUP in the subject line of your request to help the message stand out and hopefully prevent unintentional deletions. Since many volunteers search more than one source, please enter the name of the book in which you are requesting a lookup plus the ancestor of interest. And of course, please remember to thank the volunteer for their time performing your research.
Various History Books
- Biographical Sketch Index compiled from five older St. Clair County histories printed in 1874, 1881, 1892, 1907, 1928. Search to see if your person of interest is listed and in which publication they may be found. Link provided courtesy of the St. Clair Co. IL Genealogical Society.
- Chapman Brothers Portrait and Biographical Record (1892). Bob Buecher
- Dutch Hill Prairie History privately published by Martha Mae Schmidt in 1976. Contains 170 family biographies of the very early (1818-) German-Swiss settlers and landowners of Dutch Hill Prairie in Lenzburg twp. The book covers four to five generations and includes 18 cemetery inventories.
- History of St. Clair County, Illinois Brink, McDonough & Co. (1881). Jan Wouters
- Illustrated Historical Atlas of St. Clair County, Warner & Beers (1874). The Atlas contains maps showing the landowner's name and a listing of all landowners in the county in 1874. The landowner listing is by township and range and also includes the landowners occupation, where they came from and when they settled in the county. There is also a brief biographical section. It is not as extensive as the 1881 history, but it does have some different biographical info. Jan Wouters
- McKendree College Centennial Yearbook (1928). Bob Buecher
- O'Fallon, Illinois Centennial History (1954). Jan Wouters
- Prairie Farmer's Reliable Directory of Farmers and Breeders of St. Clair and Monroe Counties, Illinois (1919). Your request may include 1) a farmer, or 2) a woman (maiden name known) who married a farmer (surname unknown). Diane
- History of Millstadt, Illinois and Millstadt, IL, Milestones, 1836-2001
Church Records
All of the following records, except those from St. John's and St. Philip's,
are currently available for purchase through the St. Clair Co.
Genealogical Society.
- Bethel Baptist Church Minutes 1806-1851; Membership Lists 1809-1909. To see if your ancestor is mentioned in the book, check the index to the book maintained on the St. Clair Co. Genealogical Society's website.
- Concordia United Church of Christ, Stookey
Township:
Burials 1851-1986; Baptisms 1851-1985; Marriages 1851-1985; and Confirmations 1852-1971. Bobbie - St. John United Church of Christ, New Athens:
History & Church Records, 1878-1979. Teresa. This book is still in print and for sale by Martha Mae Schmidt, 9848 Hillstown Road, Marissa, IL 62257-2302. 351 pages, indexed, GBC binding, $25.00 ppd. - St. John United Church of Christ, Smithton, Baptisms 1869 - 1986
The St. Clair Co. Genealogical Society provides an on-line, alphabetized index to the baptized, their parents and sponsors. - St. Marcus United Church of Christ, St. Louis, Missouri Marriages 1847 - 1865 (some people born in or current resident of Illinois)
- St. Peter's Catholic Church, Belleville - Death register 1843–1909. Please ask for specific names and give approximate year the person died, or the date last known alive. Please put ST PETER LOOKUP in the Subject line of your e-mail request. Diane
- "St. Philip - Our Salvation History," French Village:
Covers the history of St. Philip parish from 1841-1982, indexes its cemetery as well as its parishoners as of 1982. Charly LaRobardier - Trinity United Church of Christ, Millstadt:
Marriages from 1848-1911; Family Register from 1848-1959; Burials from 1849-1927; and Deaths from 1878-1983. Bobbie - Zion United Church of Christ, Millstadt: Confirmations 1866-1916 Most of the 1700 entries give the birthdate of the person being confirmed.
- Trinity Lutheran Church, Millstadt, IL; Confirmation Index 1850-1921
Census Records
- Federal Census, 1820. This link takes you off of the St. Clair Co. GenWeb Project pages to that of the St. Clair Co. Illinois Trails History and Genealogy pages. The transcription was generously performed by Regina Breeden Bailey.
- Federal Census, 1840. This lilnk takes you off of the St. Clair Co. GenWeb Project pages to that of the St. Clair Co. Illinois Trails History and Genealogy pages.
- Rev War or military Pensioners in the 1840 census
- Federal Census, 1860. This link takes you off of the St. Clair Co. GenWeb Project pages to that of the ALHN St. Clair co. pages. The transcription was generously performed by Regina Breeden Bailey.
- Federal Census, 1870. Jan Wouters
- 1890 Census Substitute. Bobbie
County and State Records
- Index to Probated and Non-Probated Wills of St. Clair co., 1772-1964. Bobbie
- Illinois State Archives On-Line Searchable Databases including Marriages (1763-1900); Servitude and Emancipation Records; War Veterans of 1812, Black Hawk, Mexican American, Civil War, and Spanish American Wars; 1916–c1950 statewide death index online; pre-1916 deaths registered at the county level (ongoing project), Public Domain Land Tract Sales; St. Clair county Chancery Case Files Index (1815-1870); and the St. Clair co. Farm Board Record Index (1784-1879).
Cemetery Compilations
First visit the St. Clair County Genealogical Society
Cemetery Surname Index which includes all of their published
inventories 1978–1998 (including those below) EXCEPT
College Hill. Then, come back and ask for a specific Look-up if necessary.
When requesting a Look-up, please
specify ST.CLAIR LOOKUP in the subject line of the message box. Many volunteers
cover more than one state and county. Some links are to on-line records (try back later
if the page doesn't load).
- College Hill, Lebanon. Tombstones recorded and posted courtesy of Lyda Loehring offsite (Follow link to Illinois>St. Clair)
- Franklin Cemetery, Smithton (1852-1987). Terri K. Smith
- New Athens City Cemetery, New Athens (1852-1987). Jim Dunn
- Oak Ridge Cemetery, New Athens (1852-1987). Jim Dunn
- Padfield Cemtery, Summerfield - tombstone images. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lindainmo/il_padfield_cem
- Rock Springs Cemetery and Shiloh Valley Township Cemeteries Jim Dunn
- St. John Catholic Cemetery, Smithton (1852-1987). Terri K. Smith
- St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery, Freeburg (1856-1987). Terri K. Smith
- St. Liborius Catholic Cemetery, St. Libory (1853-1986). Terri K. Smith
- Numerous other volunteers with cemetery compilations are needed.
Family Compilations
- Die Kurpfalzischen Familien Engelmann und Hilgard, G. Baecker u F. Engelmann, (1958). Origins of the Engelmann family and the descendants of Erasmus Theodor Engelmann (1730-1802). A supplement was published in 1983. Family names DECKER, FISCHER, HILGARD, KIRCHER, KOERNER, KRAFFT, LEDER- GERBER, REUSS, ROMBAUER, RUNKWITZ, SCHEEL, SCHOTT, TITTMAN, TYNDALE, VILLARD, and many others. Jim Dunn
Geographical Compilations
- Genealogical Research in Millstadt, Illinois
- Millstadt. Robert Buecher is currently compiling an alphabetical database of foreign-born Millstadt area residents. Included are foreign-born settlers who resided in Millstadt Township (including the village of Millstadt), Stookey Twp., and part of Sugar Loaf Twp. The information comes from his 30+ years of genealogical research in Millstadt area church records, cemetery records, and newspapers. Information found in each entry varies but usually includes birthdate, birthplace, and other biographical information. There are currently about 900 entries and cross-indexed entries but eventually there may be as many as 2000 entries. Mr. Buecher will be pleased to share his information with other Millstadt area researchers. He may be contacted at either his e-mail at RGB7847@AOL.COM or by regular mail at 5400 Pernod Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63139-1537. Those wanting a reply by U. S. mail are asked to enclose a # 10 size self-addressed stamped envelope.
- 1400 landowners in Township 1 South, Range 9 West (aka Millstadt/Centerville) as shown in the 1874 Atlas of St. Clair County.
High School
- Yearbooks – Assumption High School: 1962-65. John Aramowicz
- Notes on East St. Louis Schools – Rock Junior High School, Hughes-Quinn Jr. High, East St. Louis Senior High, contributed by Michael Bergmire in response to a question posted to the St. Clair Maillist June 2006 (edited with permission):
Both Rock Junior High School and East St. Louis High School have been razed. . . Be a little careful regarding picture post cards of the buildings. In the early 1900s East St. Louis Senior High School was a building constructed of large pieces of stone. One source of information stated that the stone is the same type of stone that was used to construct Eads Bridge. This stone asborbed pollutants and by the 1950s, when I was a student in the area, the stone was almost black in color. This building was located on Summit Avenue between 9th and 10th Street. I did locate a quote from one individual who indicated that he attended high school in this building in 1913. This older stone building became Rock Junior High School in the late 1950s.
Later on a new building was constructed of red brick to the south of the original building. There was only a few feet separating the two buildings. At this time the two schools occupied a one block by two block lot, bounded by 9th and 10th Streets on one side and Summit Avenue and Ohio Avenue on the other. This newer red brick high school was used until 1958, and subsequently occupied by Southern Illinois University as a Residence Center until the university was build at Edwardsville in the late 1960s. After Southern Illinois University stopped using the newer brick building, Rock Jr. High School and Hughes-Quinn Jr. High School started using the newer building. East St. Louis Senior High School was now located at 49th and State Street where it is currently located.
The Summit, 9th and 10th street area of East St. Louis has recently [spring 2006] been in the news due to the death of dancer and anthropologist Katherine Dunham. The Katherine Dunham Museum is located about a block away, possibly in the old YWCA building.
Before the mid 1910s I would estimate high school graduates attended the building constructed of stone. From the later 1910s until 1958 it would be the building constructed of red brick. There was a brass plaque in the building and a date on the cornerstone, but I am unable to recall the dates. Michael Bergmire, Ballwin, MO 63011. Class of June 1958. Go Flyers!
Newspaper Records
- Belleville and East St. Louis Newspapers: obituaries and death notices from the East St. Louis Journal 1889–1979 and article abstracts from Belleville newspapers 1840–1940 are in a catalog card file in the Belleville library ph (618) 234-0441 - ask for archives (on an as-available basis only, in-house patrons come first). A volunteer is currently needed to perform look-up requests.
- Millstadt Enterprise: marriages and obituaries from 1897-1998. Bob Buecher
- Mascoutah Herald: obituary index. click here from 1912-1971. Birth, death, and marriage records from 1884-1902; obituaries from 1912-1959 (1941 not available). HINT: The date provided is not the date the event appeared in the newspaper but will be close. Lisa
- O'Fallon Progress: Index to marriages and obituaries from 1898-1997 are slowly coming on-line by the O'Fallon Historical Society. Click through Resources to Marriages and Deaths, or, e-mail Jim Dunn
Back to the St. Clair County GenWeb Project Page
Updated 8 April 2008; broken links removed 16 March 2008.