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Genealogical Resources at Essley-Noble Museum

At the Mercer County Historical Society in Aledo, IL, the Genealogy Division, organized in 1979, has accumulated a large collection of Mercer County material for research purposes. The curator will assist in answering queries by email, letter, or a visit to the museum. A Microfilm Reader, printer, and scanner is on site.

Opening the museum for research at times when it is normally closed is at the discretion of the curator, and the curator may refuse such a request. The length of time that research will be allowed is also at the discretion of the curator. The first hour of research is free and then there will be a charge of $15 per hour after the first hour, payable to the Mercer County Historical Society on the date of the requested opening. Contact the curator, Shannon Boynton, to inquire about opening the museum for research. 

Mercer County Historical Society, Aledo, IL

The Genealogy Division collection includes:

  • Cemetery records – DAR volumes covering cemeteries surveyed in the 1960s; cemetery card files containing DAR surveys plus any additional known information; indexes providing names of those in DAR volumes and in card files; cemetery indexes listing Mercer County resident's burial places
  • Census reports – 1840 – 1900 hard copies of US census; 1910 and 1920 microfilm of US census; 1855 and 1865 Illinois state censuses on microfilm
  • Civil War records – binders containing information on every veteran who served from Mercer County including any photographs and information from newspapers; Adjutant General’s reports for Illinois; names of those eligible for draft in 1861; miscellaneous letters and diaries
  • Directories – 1918 Prairie Farmer’s directory of farmers and breeders; 1935 Official Directory of farmers, breeders, business firms, town and village residents, schools, churches, lodges, and officials
  • Death Certificates – information extracted from certificates issued from December 1877 to 1915
  • Family Histories
  • Plats – 1864 plat map; 1875, 1876, 1892, 1904, 1914, 1920, 1935, 1945, 1953, 1959, 1973, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1996, 1999, 2001 plat books showing landowners
  • Probate records – index to courthouse records covering 1835-1940s
  • Tax lists – 1823-33 lands sold for delinquent taxes with names of purchasers; 1843-44 non-resident landowners; personal and land tax lists for 1846 and 1851-1857; land tax list only for 1847, 1848, 1850; and landowners owing delinquent taxes 1858.

Contact us at 309-582-2280 for more information about our genealogy records.