Illinois, Obituaries - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an obituary collection organized by county or newspaper and then alphabetically. Extracted information as well as newspaper clippings are represented. The originals are housed in different libraries and repositories throughout Illinois. Some collections contain obituaries from other states. The collection include records for the years 1959 to 1990.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The records usually contain:
 * The name of the deceased
 * Age
 * Birth date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Names of parents, spouse or other relatives
 * Name of newspaper, date and place of publication

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the your deceased ancestor
 * The approximate date of death
 * The names of family members and their relationships

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the appropriate Locality/Newspaper/Collection to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When 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.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * 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.

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

"Illinois Obituaries, ca. 1959-1990." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2017. Citing libraries and repositories throughout Illinois.
 * Collection Citation:

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