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?!?

1910 Census: Arthur T. Daniels and Family in Illinois

Arthur Thomas Daniels and family in Omega Twp, Marion, Illinois (same as 1920 Census). Again he gives his mother's birthplace as England, interesting.

On the same page is a family that has the same surname as Ellen's maiden name Alderson. There is likely a connection between the two families. Ellen's parents are actually living in Omega in 1910 and can be found in the Census 3 pages later.


1910 Illinois Census
Date Taken: 7th and 9th of May

Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Omega, Marion, Illinois; Roll T624_307; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 147; Image: 309


Name: Arthur T. Daniels
Relationship to Head: Head
Male/White
Age: 35
Married 10yrs
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: England
Birthplace of Mother: England
Occupation: Carpenter
House: Owned/Free/Farm
(There are numbers in the columns for Civil War Veteran, Blind, and Deaf though I do not think they mean he was any of these. He was born after the Civil War for one thing. Not sure what the numbers would mean. They look like 12 2-9)

Name: Ellen O. Daniels
Relationship to Head: Wife
Female/White
Age: 35
Married 10yrs
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Indiana
Occupation: None

Name: Lora B Daniels
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Female/White
Age: 9
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Illinois

Name: Frank H Daniels
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Female/White
Age: 7
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Illinois

Name: John D. Daniels
Relationship to Head: Son
Male/White
Age: 5
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Illinois

Family with Surname of Interest:
Ell Alderson, age 50, born in Illinois, parents born in Tennessee, farmer.
Wife Mary E Alderson, age 41, born in Illinois, parents born in Illinois.
Children: Cyrus age 18, Loren age 11, Naomi age 7, Floyd W age 2/12

1920 Census: Daniels Family in Illinois

Arthur Thomas Daniels and his family in Omega Twp, Marion, Illinois. Arthur gives his parents as both being born in England. I don't believe his mother (Edith Adaline Daniel) was. Also the second daughter is listed as Helen which was her middle name, her first being Frank or Franke. (Odd I know.)

1920 Illinois Census
Date Taken: 9th, 10th and 12th of January 1920

Source Citation: Year: 1920;Census Place: Omega, Marion, Illinois; Roll T625_391; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 185; Image: 527


Name: Arthur Daniels
Relationship to Head: Head
House: Rented
Male/White
Age: 42
Married
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: England/English
Birthplace of Mother: England/English
Trade: Carpenter
Industry: Carpentry

Name: Ellen Daniels
Relationship to Head: Wife
Female/White
Age: 40
Married
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Indiana
Trade: None

Name: Lora Daniels
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Female/White
Age: 19
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Illinois

Name: Helen Daniels
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Female/White
Age: 17
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Illinois

Name: John Daniels
Relationship to Head: Son
Male/White
Age: 15
Single
Birthplace: Illinois
Birthplace of Father: Illinois
Birthplace of Mother: Illinois

WWI Draft Registration for William Thaddeus Condon

I was very excited to find this record. It is the only record I have been able to locate for William T. Condon other than census records. Apparently he filled it out himself. It gives a peek into his personality.

World War I Draft Registration Cards 1917-1918

Source Citation: Registration Location: Marion County, Illinois; Roll: 1614346; Draft Board: 0.

Name: William Thaddeus Condon
Age: 23
Home Address: 515 S. Rotan Ave, Salem, Illinois
Date of Birth: February 4th, 1894
Are you? 1)natural born citizen 2)naturalized citizen 3)alien...: Stanch American
Birthplace: Joplin, Missouri, U.S.A.
What is your current occupation: Past occupation worked at grocery store
By whom employed: C & E I. Shops, Betts & Gunn
Where employed: Had a general breakdown in health future occupation will B--- (not legible)
Anyone dependent on your support: None
Race: Caucasian
Military Service: None
Do you claim exemption from draft: Ill Health
Signed: William Thaddeus Con--- (smudged signature)

Registrars Report:
Tall, Medium, Short: Medium
Slender, Medium, Stout: Medium
Eye Color: Gray
Hair Color: Black
Bald: No
Has person lost arm, leg, hand or otherwise disabled: General breakdown in health
Precinct:3
City or County: Salem
State: Illinois
Date: June 5th, 1917

When I recover from ill-health, I would be very much please, to receive a training for an officer, in the machine gun core. (Pan-Americanism)

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

Harold M Bigelow: Records

U.S. Military Records, 1925: Official National Guard Register
Given Name: Harold M
Surname: Bigelow
State / District: Illinois
Rank: Capt
Page #: 215
REGIMENT: 130 Inf
COMPANY: Co I - Salem
Birthplace: Ill
Birth Date: 13 Feb 1901

Source Information: Graden, Debra, comp.. U.S. Military Records, 1925: Official National Guard Register [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. Original data: Secretary of War, Militia Bureau. Official National Guard Register for 1925. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1925.

Notes: The birth day of Feb 13th matches the birth certificate for Edward, the year is different 1901 vs 1902.


Social Security Death Index
Name: Harold Bigelow
SSN: 708-12-0784
Last Residence: 62881 Salem, Marion, Illinois, United States of America
Born: 13 Feb 1902
Died: Feb 1976
State (Year) SSN issued: Railroad Board (Issued Through) (Before 1951)

Source Citation: Number: 708-12-0784;Issue State: Railroad Board (Issued Through);Issue Date: Before 1951.

Note: Entire date matches that on the birth record for Edward. I think I must conclude that the Edward Bigelow b 1902 is the same person as Harold M Bigelow b 1902.

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.

Census Clues and Cemetery Records

While I was doing my census record sweep I came across a tiny clue that led me to believe that I was missing a child of one of my ancestors, William Wesley Alderson and his wife Isadora Winders Alderson. The clue came from the 1900 census where one of the questions asked by the enumerator was how my children were living versus how many total. The answer for Isadora was 3 of 4, hinting to the existence of a child born after the 1880 census that died before the 1900 census. There was also a pretty distinct gap in the ages of the living children.

I was unable to find any helpful information on the internet and made a point to look for the missing child while I was in Utah at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Time was short at the library and I had multiple things I was looking for, but I was by chance (though probably not really chance at all, just not somewhere I would have logically looked so early in the game) I was able to find the cemetery record for the Aldersons and the Winders (Isadora’s parents). Turns out this was a classic case of the cemetery being just across the county line, not in Marion County, Illinois where I knew the family to have lived and died and had come up empty in the Marion County cemetery records, but in Clay County, Illinois right next door to the East.

Clay county happens to be a county where one of my very elusive ancestors, George Daniels born in England (if you know anything about him, please oh please let me know!) lived and presumably died before 1880 in Oskaloosa, Clay, Illinois. Anyway, while we were looking at the cemetery records for Marion County my mother suggested we look in Clay county for good old George. The books happened to be close to each other on the shelf so I picked up the book Cemetery Inscriptions of Clay Co. Illinois (977.3795 V3t). This book turned out to be a gold mine though not for George Daniels (alas he will have to continue to wait).

Thank goodness for INDEXES! Without them we would never have found my missing Aldersons and the Winders. We found EIGHT of my ancestors buried in Parker Cemetery in Songer Township, Clay, Illinois (just across the county line from Omega, Marion County, and multiple pieces of information that I did not know!

Page 357
Alderson, W. W. Apr. 10 1858 (my great great grandfather)
Isadora-his wife-June 7, 1859-Nov. ?, ???? (my great great grandmother)
Alderson, Estna M. Apr 5, 1885 d. Oct 14, 1958 (daughter of William and Isadora Alderson)
Daniels, T. Arthur 1875-1958 (my great grandfather)
Ellen O. 1878-1957 (my great grandmother, daughter of William and Isadora Alderson, wife of Arthur T. Daniels)

Page 355
Winders, Wm. W. b. Oct 25 1824 d. July 26 1877 (my great great great grandfather)
Sarah wife of Wm. b. Dec 15, 1826 d. Aug 16, 1901 (my great great great grandmother, maiden Mosier)
Ethel L. dau of Wm W. and Dora Alderson b. June 14, 1883 d. July 1, 18??

Tada! There she is, my missing child, Ethel! (With sisters named Ellen, Estna, and Elva. Oh my.) Unfortunately her death date is not complete, apparently the transcriber was unable to read the death year, BUT I will take what I can get. She fits in exactly where I thought she would. She is buried with her grandmother, who lived with the Aldersons after her husband died. I didn’t have birth or death dates for Sarah or William W. either and was very surprised and happy to see them in the Parker Cemetery too. Talk about one of those moments when you want to stand up and do a jig in the library (don’t worry I restrained myself to a low five).

Well, my point is to never ignore even the smallest of clues and follow those little urges to look somewhere you didn’t think about initially (thank you, mother!). Doors can open and ancestors can be found. It is an amazing thing to be a part of.

Citation and Notes:

Cemetery Inscriptions of Clay Co. Illinois 977.3795 V3t

Parker Cemetery, Songer Township
Location? NW/4 of Sec. 18, township 3 North, Range 5 East
North of Xenia on Xenia-Oskaloosa Road to Songer Town House (3 miles), West about 3 miles across Railroad to County-line Road, right 1 ½ miles to cemetery.