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The local and general history books from Illinois are invaluable for genealogists tracing ancestors in the Midwest. These works frequently include biographical profiles of early settlers, records of town formation, and accounts of agricultural and industrial growth. County histories often feature maps, land ownership details, church memberships, and Civil War service lists. Illinois’s role as a transportation hub attracted diverse populations, and many books document immigrant communities and urban development, especially in Chicago. Whether your ancestors were farmers, factory workers, or city dwellers, Illinois’ historical literature offers rich details that help place family stories in a broader historical context.
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Histories, Memories & Biographies
Local and General History
- Quincy and Adams County History and Representative Men 1,729 records
- History of Chicago, Volume 1 1,336 records
- History of Piatt County, Illinois (1883) 1,272 records
- History of Adams County Illinois 1,248 records
- History of Iroquois County, Together With Historic Notes on the Northwest 1,234 records
- Portrait And Bigraphical Album of Livingston County, Illinois 1,204 records
- Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois (1908) 1,122 records
- History of Henry County, Illinois, Volume 2 (1910) 1,086 records
- Portrait and Biographical Album of Jo Daviess and Carroll Counties, Illinois 1,060 records
- Centennial of the State of Illinois (1920) 1,034 records
- Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, and History of Coles County (1906) 980 records
- History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin And Williamson Counties, Illinois 970 records
- Portrait and Biographical Album of DeKalb County, Illinois 957 records
- Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County Illinois 927 records
- Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, and History of Grundy County (1914) 870 records
- History of Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1 858 records
- History of Mason and Menard Counties, Illinois (1879) 844 records
- Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, Volume 13, 1920 828 records
- History of the Early Settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois 818 records
- Past And Present of Bureau County, Illinois, Volume 2 (1906) 786 records
- Records of the Olden Time: Fifty Years on the Prairies 775 records
- History of Bureau County, Illinois 740 records
- Biographical And Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay And Marion Counties, Illinois 668 records
- Wall's History of Jefferson County, Illinois 622 records
- Past And Present of Mercer County, Illinois, Volume 1 598 records
- Combined History of Randolph, Monroe And Perry Counties, Illinois (1883) 574 records
- History of La Salle County, Illinois (1877) 569 records
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