Illinois Periodicals

Most family history periodicals publish transcriptions of local sources used in genealogical research. Information published in periodicals may include family histories, genealogies, historical background, maps, information about local records and archives, queries, census indexes, transcripts of family Bibles, church records, court records, cemetery records, land records, military records, obituaries, and wills. Often published by genealogical or historical societies, they typically focus on the records of a particular county, while a few may specialize in records of a particular ethnic group or religion. Among the periodicals at the Family History Library are:

''Branching Out From St. Clair County. 1973–.'' Published by the Marissa Historical and Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 47, Marissa, IL 62257-0047. (FHL book 977.389 D25b; fiche 6101495–13 [vols. 1–19 no. 3]; film 1927530, items20–35—1927532, items1–17 [vols. 1–17 no. 1]). This periodical focuses on St. Clair County, which was created in 1790, the first county formed in the Northwest Territory.

''Chicago Genealogist. 1968–.'' Published by the Chicago Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1160, Chicago, IL 60690. (FHL book 977.311 D25ch; films 1927805–8 [vols. 1–22 no.2]). This contains member and ancestor lists and abstracts of cemetery, Bible, census, court, and other records of the Chicago area.

''The Circuit Rider. 1973–.'' Published by the Sangamon County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1829, Springfield, IL 62705. (FHL book 977.356 B2c; films 1976338–40 [vols. 5 no.5–vol.21]). This covers Springfield and Sangamon County.

The Illiana Genealogist: Quarterly Publication of the Illiana Genealogical and Historical Society. 1965–. P.O. Box 207, Danville, Illinois 61834. (FHL book 977.3 B2iL). This includes transcriptions of records for the border area of Illinois and Indiana. There is a surname index for each volume.

Illinois Historical Journal. Published by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency for the Illinois State Historical Society. (FHL book 977.3 B2i.) (See the "Archives and Libraries" section for the address.) Previously known as the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, each issue contains articles and reviews pertaining to Illinois history. There are cumulative indexes for volumes 1–25, 26–50, and 51–60.

''Illinois State Genealogical Society Quarterly. 1969–.'' Published by the Illinois State Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 10195, Springfield, IL 62791-0195. (FHL book 977.3 B2is; films 1954961–4 [vols. 7–25, index to vols. 1–25]). Covering the entire state, this provides articles about Illinois records and how to use them, as well as abstracts of records.

''Prairie Roots. 1973–.'' Published by the Peoria Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1489, Peoria, IL 61655. (FHL book 977. 352/Pl B2p.) This periodical focuses on Peoria County.

''St. Clair County Genealogical Society Quarterly. 1978–.'' Published by the St. Clair County Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 431, Belleville, IL 62222-0431. (FHL book 977.389 D25s; films 1976344, items 3–10 [vols. 1–9 no.2]; 1976345, items 1–11 [vols. 9 no.3–12 no.1].) This periodical focuses on historical St. Clair County. Volume 20, number 4 is devoted entirely to county research and resources. A 10-year index is:

Schmidt, Martha Mae, comp. Surname Index, 1978–1987, St. Clair County Genealogical Society Quarterlies. Belleville, Illinois: The Society, 19–?. (FHL book 977.389 D25s index)

''Where the Trails Cross. 1970–.'' Published by the South Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society, P.O. Box 96, South Holland, IL 60473. (FHL book 977.31 B2w; films 1907605 [vols. 1–14], 1907634 [vols. 15–23].) This contains lists of World War I and II soldiers and abstracts of records from south Cook and north Will counties.

Indexes. Some of the periodicals listed above have annual indexes in the final issue for the year. For nationwide indexes to other family history periodicals, see the "Periodicals" section of the United States Research Outline.

The Periodical Source Index (PERSI) book and microfiche indexes are especially useful since they refer to countless items published in thousands of English and French-Canadian family history periodicals. The compact disc version, which merges all 29 PERSI volumes published through 1997 into one search, is:

Periodical Source Index (PERSI). Ft. Wayne, Indiana: Allen County Public Library Foundation, 1987–. (FHL book 973 D25per; fiche 6016863 [set of 40](1847 to 1985); fiche 6016864 [set of 15](1986 to 1990); compact disc no.61). For further details, see the Periodical Source Index Resource Guide. PERSI is also available on the Internet for a subscription fee at www.Ancestry.com.

For more family history periodicals, study the Family History Library Catalog by using the Place Search under:

ILLINOIS- PERIODICALS

ILLINOIS- GENEALOGY - PERIODICALS

ILLINOIS- SOCIETIES - PERIODICALS

ILLINOIS, [COUNTY]- PERIODICALS

ILLINOIS, [COUNTY]- GENEALOGY- PERIODICALS

ILLINOIS, [COUNTY], [TOWN]- PERIODICALS

Web Sites
http://www.lib.niu.edu/ipo/