Illinois, Tazewell County, Obituary Card Index from the Pekin Times - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This Collection will include records from 1914 to 2007.

The collection consists of images of obituaries and a card index from the Pekin Public Library in Pekin, Illinois.

Newspapers included obituaries from their beginning issues.

For an alphabetical list of records currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Obituaries were written as a public announcement of death.

The information is generally reliable, but may contain some inaccuracies.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Records collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content


The key genealogical Facts in these Obituary Index cards may include the following information:


 * Full name of deceased
 * Date of birth
 * Date of death
 * Date of Burial
 * Place of burial

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know the following:


 * The person’s name
 * The approximate death date
 * The person’s last known residence

Search the Collection
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

Search the collection image by image To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒ Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒ Select the "Surname Range" category which takes you to the images

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information
Once you have located your ancestor’s obituary, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These records are often brief so it can be easy to confuse individuals. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Next, look at the pieces of information given in the obituary for new information. Add any new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example:


 * Use the birth date or year to search for birth records.
 * Use the birth date along with relative’s names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the locality and relative’s names to locate church and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries.

Related Websites
Pekin Public Library

Related Wiki Articles

 * Illinois
 * Illinois Obituaries
 * Tazewell County, Illinois

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Illinois, Tazwwell County, Obituary Card Index from the "Pekin Times", 1914-2007" digital images FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org) accessed 21 March 2012). Mrs. Eleanore L. Engel, died July 21 1912; Ellis, Mary-Fornoff, Albert&gt;Image 256; Pekin Public Library, Pekin, Illinois, United States.