Notes from the White County Historical Society as they appear in "The Carmi Times."

Copyright ©1998 by "The Carmi Times" Permission to reprint granted to Laurel Crook and the ILGenWeb by Tammy Knox, editor, "The Carmi Times."

July 14, 1998

1920 county census printed

Also available here are new copies of sesquicentennial edition, wills....

An earlier column made mention of the new 1920 Federal Census of White County which is now available in book form from our library. A handsome hard-bound book, it is available until July 31 for $45 in the Genealogy Library. Add another $5 for postage if it must be mailed. (Beginning in August, the price goes up $5.) This is a lot of book for the money. The every-name index is a great time saver.

Kudos to Carl Shelton and Janice Knotter for typing this. The enormity of the task is mindboggling. When they first started, I mentioned to Janice I didn't see how anyone could ever complete so much work. She remarked, "Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed, I think of the Great Wall of China; it was eventually finished." I thought that was a very apt description. At any rate, the book is complete and is available for purchase or use in the library.

Pat Davis' book, which reproduces the 1965 Carmi Times Sesquicentennial newspaper along with a complete index, is available at our library. To order from her, the price is $35 postpaid. Illinois residents need to add 7 percent sales tax. Her address is Pat Davis, 103 S. Buchanan St., Marion, IL 62959. If you pick up the book at our library, you would save shipping costs.

This book is full of historical information from the townships in White County.

NEW! "Early White County, Illinois Wills--1815-1848." This is a photocopy of Will Book #1 at the circuit clerk's office. It contains the first wills ever recorded in this county. There are about 50 wills all written in the Spencerian penmanship of the county clerk and signed by James Ratcliff. This book also has an every-name index. It may be purchased for $10 at the library or ordered from PO Box 121, Carmi, IL 62821 for $12.

This little book is a project of mine, as I have always been fascinated by old wills. It is obvious those testators faced their own mortality and tried to do what was best for their families in much the same manner as people of today.

A note from Kathie Hitt of Kennesaw, Ga. thanks us for the work we did on some of her lines. She says, "I also want to let you know your county clerk's office has been fabulous, too. I have requested many copies of marriage certificates from as early as 1856, and they have been so helpful and quick to respond."

The circuit clerk's office staff is equally helpful, but the bulk of genealogical work winds up at the county clerk's office. The marriage, birth, death, land and early probate records are all housed there. I've been there when it was swarming with out-of-town researchers and the staff has been unfailingy polite and helpful.

The Genealogy Library is open from 11 to 5 on Wednesdays.
Write us at PO Box 121, Carmi, IL 62821.

Notes from the Genealogy Library
White County Historical Society
located downstairs in the Ratcliff Inn, downtown Carmi

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Copyright ©1998, 1999, 2000 by Laurel Crook  and  Cindy Birk Conley, all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information.