Illinois Newspapers

Story has it that my great grandfather, John Chester Bigelow, and his mother, Mary Elizabeth Richards Bigelow, contributed to the local paper of Salem, Marion, Illinois in the 1940-50's.  I forget how, but I have it in my head that the paper was the Salem Times-Commoner.  I have tried and tried over the years to figure out how to get my hands on that paper and today google came through and I finally found a lead!

Turns out there is a website called the Illinois Newspaper Project (SCORE!) pulled together by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Library in Urbana, Illinois.  When I did a search for Salem, Marion, Illinois I came up with many hits, one of which was for the Times-Commoner.

 

 

Another paper of interest because of the years it covers is the Salem Republican.  Again not available online (YET).

 

Frankly there are many papers on the list for Salem that would be worth looking into.  My family is in Marion county for many years and multiple generations and family lines...  There are 51 newspapers that come up currently for Marion county alone.  I can only imagine the treasure trove of information to be uncovered.  Obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements, graduations...  In fact one of those papers, looks like the Democrat, published this article in 1949 about my great great grandmother, Mary (Minnie) Elizabeth Richards Bigelow. (Newspaper clipping in possession of my grandmother)

And another newspaper published the wedding notice of my great grandparents: John Chester Bigelow and Charleen Margaret Condon.  They were married in 1920.

Now all I need to figure out is how to get to one of these libraries and then I'd have to move in for a few months.  Not likely going to happen in the near future... one can hope they digitize it though, right?!?

John Chester Bigelow 1930 Census

It took me awhile to locate John. He is not living with his wife and children in St. Louis, Missouri. I eventually found him as a boarder at a YMCA in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

1930 Wisconsin Census
Date Taken: 8 Apr 1930

Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Roll: 2586; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 38; Image: 303.0.

Name: John C. Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Lodger
Male/White
Age: 33
Married at Age 24
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Ireland
Occupation: Salesman
Industry: Transportation
Veteran: Yes W.W.

1900 Illinois Census: Bigelow Family in Chicago

Henry Dodd Bigelow and his family in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.

1900 Illinois Census
Date taken: 12 J -- 1900

Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 13, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T623_261 Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 403.


Name: Henry D Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Head
White/Male
Birthdate: Apr 1870
Age: 30
Married
Birthplace: Illinois (?)
Father's Birthplace: Illinois
Mother's Birthplace: (not legible)
Occupaton: RR Engineer
Rented House

Name: Minnie E Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Wife
White/Female
Birthdate: Feb 1870
Age: 30
Married 4yrs
2 Children; 2 Living
Birthplace: Ireland
Father's Birthplace: Ireland
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland
Immigration: 18(--)

Name: Jno C Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Son
White/Male
Birthdate: Nov 1896
Age: 3
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Father's Birthplace: Illinois
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland

Name: Amerson R Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Son
White/Male
Birthdate: Nov 1898
Age: 1
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Father's Birthplace: Illinois
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland

Also included in the house are two boarders: Mary Downes and Lulu Hawkin

Another name of interest on the same page but of no definate connection YET: Wm Bigelow born May 1849 in Conn with wife.

Is the name Edward or Harold? 1910 &1920 Census

While doing the summary for Henry Dodd Bigelow and adding his list of children I came across a problem. A few weeks ago I found the birth certificate for an Edward Bigelow (b 1902)that was clearly the son of Henry and Margaret (Minnie) Bigelow. I joyfully assumed that I had found a child that I didn't yet have record for.

The other night I was looking more closely at the census records and saw that in the 1910 Census there is not an Edward listed but there was a Harold M age 8 which would put him also being born in 1902. The 1910 Census also lists the number of children vs the number of children living. These numbers were both 3. This leaves me to conclusion that Harold and Edward are likely the same person but what happened to warrent a name change and is there any way to prove it?

Also Harold is proving a bit elusive in the 1930 Census.

1910 Illinois Census:
Census Taken: 22 April 1910

Name: Henry D Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Head
Male/White
Age: 39
Married 1
Years Married: 14
Number of Children: 3
Number of Children Living: 3
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: New York
Birthplace of Mother: New York
Language Spoken: English
Trade: Engineer
Industry: (Illinois) Rail Road
Read/Write: Yes
House: Own/Morgaged

Name: Minnie E Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Wife
Female/White
Age: 40
Married 1
Years Married: 14
Birthplace: Ireland
Birthplace of Father: Ireland
Birthplace of Mother: Ireland
Language Spoken: English
Trade: None
Industry:
Read/Write: Yes

Name: John C Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Son
Male/White
Age: 13
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Language Spoken: English
Read/Write/School: Yes

Name: Amerson R Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Son
Male/White
Age: 11
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Language Spoken: English
Read/Write/School: Yes

Name: Harold M Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Son
Male/White
Age: 8
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Language Spoken: English
Read/Write/School: No/No/Yes




1920 Illinois Census:
Date Census Taken: January 13th 1920

Name: Henry D Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Head
House: Owned/Free
Male/White
Age:49
Married
Read/Write: Yes
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: New York
Birthplace of Mother: New York
Trade: Engineer
Industry: Locomotive

Name: Minnie E Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Wife
Female/White
Age:49
Married
Read/Write: Yes
Birthplace: Arkansas
Birthplace of Father: Ireland (Spoke English)
Birthplace of Mother: Ireland (Spoke English)
Trade: none
Industry:

Name: John C Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Son
Male/White
Age:23
Read/Write: Yes
Birthplace: Ohio (I know this to be incorrect)
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Ireland (contradicts info given above)
Trade: Clerk
Industry: Railroad

Name: Amerson R Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Son
Male/White
Age:21
Single
Read/Write: Yes
Birthplace: Indiana
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Ireland

Name: Harold M Bigelow
Relationship to Head: Son
Male/White
Age:17
Single
Read/Write: Yes
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Ireland

John Chester Bigelow Sr.: Summary

b. 23 Nov 1896 Chicago, Cook, Illinois -Birth Certificate, Draft Registration Cards
m. to Charleen Margaret Condon on (11 Nov 1920 in Pana,, Illinois)
d. 2 Nov 1968 Salem, Marion, Illinois -Social Security Death Index

Parents:
Henry Dodd Bigelow
Mary Elizabeth Richards

Children:
Living
John Chester Bigelow Jr. "Buddy"

Occupation: Reporter for the Salem Times
Residence in 1918, 1920, 1942: 802 N Broadway, Salem, Marion, Illinois
Employer, 1942: Centralia Sentinal

Source Records: Birth Certificate, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 Census, WWI Draft Registration, WWII Draft Registration, Social Security Death Index

*Photo of John Chester Bigelow, WWI

Salem, Illinois 1918 WWI

Taken 1955

Bigelow Birth Certificates

I've been playing around some more on the labs.familysearch.org and found some birth certificates for my great grandfather and his brother in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.


John Chester Bigelow (transcribed as Bigelon)

In addition to giving the birth date as 25 Nov 1896 it also gives the following information:

Number of Child for this Mother: First

Place of Birth: 1257 Wilcox Ave

Residence of Mother: 1257 Wilcox Ave

Nationality of Father: American

Place of Birth of Father: Illinois Age 26 Nationality of Mother: Irish
Place of Birth of Mother: Ireland Age 26

Full name of parents: Mary Elizabeth Bigelow- Maiden Name: Richards Henry Dodd Bigelow Occupation of Father: Locomotive Fireman

Edward Bigelow

In addition to giving the birth date as 13 Feb 1902 it also gives the following information:

Number of Child for this Mother: Third

Place of Birth: 23 N California Ave
Residence of Mother: 23 N California Ave
Father's Place of Birth: Dundee, Illinois Age 31
Mother Place of Birth: Co Monighan, Ireland Age 32
Full name of parents: Minnie E Bigelow- Maiden Name: Richards; Henry D Bigelow

Occupation of Father: Locomotive Engineer

Freedom Fighters

With today being the Fourth of July and the day we celebrate the birth of the United States of America, I was thinking that it would be a good day to commemorate some of my ancestors that served in various wars to preserve the freedoms we enjoy. My grandma has told me on multiple occassions, and is very proud of the fact, that we have ancestors who have served in many of the major American Wars from WWII back.

• Joshua Bigelow fought in the King Phillips War 1675


• Redmond Condon, Richard Corwine, and John Day served in the Revolutionary War


• Samuel Corwine was in the War of 1812


• Daniel T. Short served during the Civil War on the side of the North


• John C Bigelow Sr served in WWI (pictured below)


• Robert N Daniels served in WWII along with my great uncle, John C Bigelow Jr.

I would have sworn I had more pictures in my possession to share, but I was only able to come up with one. (One thing I am finding by doing these Family History Friday posts is that my paper work is in horrible order! You think you know where something is until you go looking for it and can't find it!)

This picture is of my great grandfather, John Chester Bigelow (pictured on the right), and his brothers Harold (on the left) and Amerson (seated). They all served in WWI in 1918.This is the WWI draft card for John Chester Bigelow.

I am grateful for these men, and the many other men and women now and through out history, who have made sacrifices to serve their country and to preserve the freedoms we enjoy in the United States of America.

**Most of the above list is family traditon. I have only personally verified those who served in WWI and WWII. More fun work to do!**