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?!?

Condon: 1910 Illinois Census

Charles E. Condon and family in Salem, Marion, Illinois.

In Marion County, Illinois in the year 1910 I have four family names: Condon, Bigelow, Alderson, and Daniels. It's kind of interesting how multiple generations converged on that county.

1910 Illinois Census
Date Taken: 26 Apri 1910

Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Salem Ward 3, Marion, Illinois; Roll: T624_307; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 153; Image: 475.


Name: Charles E. Condon
Relationship to Head: Head
Male/White
Age 37
Married 18 yrs
Birthplace: Ohio
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Ohio
Occupation: Engineer
Industry: Locamotive
Rent House

Name: Maggie E Condon
Relationship to Head: Wife
Female/White
Age: 32
Married 18 yrs
4 Children, 4 Children Living
Birthplace: Illinois
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Indiana

Name: William T Condon
Relationship to Head: Son
Male/White
Age: 15
Single
Birthplace: Missouri
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Illinois

Name: Charleen M Condon
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Female/White
Age: 8
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Illinois

Name: Alice D Condon
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Female/White
Age: 6
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Illinois

Name: Helen C Condon
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Female/White
Age: 3
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Illinois

Charleen Condon Bigelow: Summary

b. 26 Jan 1902 in (Avena, Fayette,) Illinois -date given in SSDI
m. to John Chester Bigelow Sr. on (11 Nov 1920 Pana,, Illinois)
d. 20 May 1974 Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri -Social Security Death Index

Parents:
Charles Everett Condon
Margaret Ellen Short

Children:
Living
John Chester Bigelow Jr

Source Records: 1910, 1920, 1930 Census, Social Security Death Index




*Photo taken 1918, Salem IL -Red Cross Girls

*Photo of Charleen with my grandma as a baby, 1925

Charles E. Condon in 1920 Illinois Census

1920 Illinois Census Marion Salem Ward 3 District 194 CONDON

Publish at Scribd or explore others: law legal

Source Citation: Year: 1920;Census Place: Salem Ward 3, Marion, Illinois; Roll: T625_391; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 194; Image: 700.

Extraction:

Name: Chas E. Condon

Relation: Head

Home Owned or Rented: Own

Own Free or Morgaged: Morgaged

Male/White

Age: 48

Married

Can Read: Yes

Can Write: Yes

Birthplace: Ohio

Birthplace of Father: Ohio

Birthplace of Mother: Ohio

Able to Speak English: Yes

Trade: Engineer

Industry: Railroad

Salary or Wage: Wage

Name: Margaret (maiden name Short)
Relation: Wife
Female/White
Age: 46
Married
Can Read: Yes
Can Write: Yes
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Tennessee
Birthplace of Mother: Indiana
Able to Speak English: Yes
Trade: None

Name: William
Relation: Son
Male/White
Age: 24
Single
Can Read: Yes
Can Write: Yes
Birthplace: Missouri
Birthplace of Father: Ohio
Birthplace of Mother: Illinois
Able to Speak English: Yes
Trade: None

Name: Charleen
Relation: Daughter
Female/White
Age: 17

Single

Attended School in Census Year: Yes
Can Read: Yes
Can Write: Yes
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Ohio
Birthplace of Mother: Illinois
Able to Speak English: Yes
Trade: None

Name: Alice

Relation: Daughter

Female/White

Age: 15
Single
Attended School in Census Year: Yes

Can Read: Yes

Can Write: Yes

Birthplace: Illinois

Birthplace of Father: Ohio

Birthplace of Mother: Illinois

Able to Speak English: Yes

Trade: None

Name: Helen

Relation: Daughter

Female/White

Age: 12
Single
Attended School in Census Year: Yes

Can Read: Yes

Can Write: Yes

Birthplace: Illinois

Birthplace of Father: Ohio

Birthplace of Mother: Illinois

Able to Speak English: Yes

Trade: None

Interesting info from this census:

It gives a complete picture of the family, including all four children.

The birthplaces of parents and children help to place the family in certain states particularly Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana (only their first child was born in Missouri).

Occupation given as Railroad Engineer.