Genealogy Links
Ancestry.comThis genealogy databases gives you access to a wide variety of resources including: census records, military records, immigration records, and much more.
Because this is the Library Edition of this product, it is ONLY accessible from computers located IN the library.
Chicago Tribune Historical ArchiveThe Chicago Tribune Historical Archive covers news stories of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The information in this vast historical archive provides a look at noteworthy local and national issues and events occurring over the past 150 years, from 1849 to 1984. It includes:
- Obituaries and Death Notices (2.5 million) - very unique data covering 1860-1984, including front-page obituaries for notables from Chicago and worldwide.
- Chicago Tribune Morgue clippings file (nearly 3 million) - major stories covering events and issues clipped and indexed by the Chicago Tribune staff at time of publication. Coverage is from the 1920's through 1984.
- Front pages (16,614 pages containing over 155,000 articles) - image of entire front page as it appeared when published from the early 1900 through 1984.
HeritageQuestHeritageQuest offers a unique, growing collection of research materials for tracing family history and American culture.
Click "home access" button below to access from home. Please have your library card ready.
Need a Little Help?
Want a little help getting started on YOUR family tree? View these tips, prepared by Pam Taylor, coordinator of the New Lenox Public Library Genealogy Club. You'll find useful ideas for gathering information and putting together your family's history!
New Lenox: History in the Making
Interested in Local History? Well, keep your eye on this page. The New Lenox Public Library is participating in a local history preservation digitization project. Several libraries in the area are part of the project and more complete information will be forthcoming. Updates will be made as more images and documents are captured and digitized, so keep this page marked to check in on our New Lenox: History in the Making project as it progresses. If you have questions, or, perhaps, a piece of New Lenox History to add to the project, please e-mail us. More Free Links
RootsWeb
This site is huge! I suggest taking the tutorial first. Type in your family name and let the fun begin!
South Suburban Genealogical Society
Social Security Death Index
This site is sponsored by Rootsweb.Ancestry. Type in a name and many times you can locate a deceased family member’s date of death. It will usually include their date of birth, and their last town/city of residence. You can also submit a letter for a copy of the deceased’s social security application (for a fee).
Cyndi's List
This site is one of the best! Cyndi’s list of genealogy sites on the internet. Take your time and review the categories that you want to search. One thing can lead to another.
NewBerry
Click on the genealogy section. The Newberry Library is located here in Chicago, Illinois. If you ever have an opportunity to visit the library, it is well worth the “field trip!”
Chicago Historical Society
An especially great resource for Chicago city and telephone directories.
Cook County Clerk's Office
The Cook County Clerk’s office has available naturalization records from 1871-1929, probate records from 1871-1975, divorce cases from 1871-1986 and much more. Take a few minutes and access the records/archives section.
Ellis Island
More immigrants came to the United States through Ellis Island than any other spot in our country. Type in your ancestor’s last name and see if one of your relatives came through this important and historical port of entry.
Chicago Ancestors
This map was developed by the Local and Family History department staff of the Newberry Library. The map allows visitors to research the history of a particular address or Chicago neighborhood.
CyberDrive Illinois Archives
This site is sponsored by the State of Illinois. You can search marriage and death indexes for a family member’s name. They also have a number of databases for military records. It also lists the records held at the regional archives depositories in the state of Illinois.
Family Search
Family Search website includes free family history, family tree, and genealogy records and resources from around the world.
DeathIndexes.com (cook)
Online searchable death index for Chicago and Cook County, Illinois.
Cook County Genealogy Online
New online resource (just went up beginning of July, 2008) for obtaining vital records for Cook County, IL. Not all vital records are currently available-more go online as databases are updated. Would suggest using Chicago Genealogy resource when possible for requesting copies of vital records, as they are less expensive.
ChicagoGenealogy.com
Another great website for obtaining copies of many vital records from Cook County, IL at a much more reasonable price.
DeathIndexes.com
Online searchable death indexes and records. Many free databases, some are connected to Ancestry.com and may require a fee to search.
Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System is a computerized databases containing very basic facts about servicemen who served both sides during the Civil War.
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