Welcome to the Lee County Historical and Genealogical Society, located at 113 S. Hennepin Ave., Dixon, Illinois. We hope you find your visit to our library or site to be a productive and pleasurable experience. Our volunteers work tirelessly to provide accurate and relevant information to our members.
Members have access to indexed material such as Lee County Histories, Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes, Lee County and Dixon Newspapers, and Plat Books. You can become a member and search your family history or you can have us do the research. Either way we are glad you are here!
Member Indexes Available
The Lee County Histories Index was created by our society to aid research efforts.
The index is of twenty-two different county and town histories.
Keep in mind that our library contains many more histories that are not indexed.
See our Research Policy for information on look-ups and copies.
* Entries in the starred references are in the LCHGS Every Name Index
I. General Histories
- *Bardwell, A. C. History of Lee County. ©1904
- Barge, William D. Early Lee County. ©1918
- *Biographical Publishing Co. Portrait and Biographical Record of Lee County. ©1892
- Fellows, Dana. Pictorial History of Lee County Schools. ©2007
- *Hill, H. H. History of Lee County. ©1881
- Lamb, George. Historical Reminiscences. ©1968
- *Lee County Columbian Club. Recollections of the Pioneers of Lee County. ©1893
- *Lee County Historical Society. Historical Yearbook 1976. ©1977
- Lee County Historical Society. Memories of Yesteryear, vols. 1 – 6. ©1993-1998
- *Paulsen, Duane and Viola. History of Dixon and Palmyra 1830-1880. [reprint] ©1980
- *Stevens, Frank E. History of Lee County Illinois Illustrated, vol 1. ©1914
- *Stevens, Frank E. History of Lee County Illinois Illustrated, vol 2. ©1914II. Town Specific Histories
- *AMBOY. Becker, Anthony. The Biography of a Small Town. ©1954
- AMBOY. Hinkle, Darlene et al. Amboy Illinois: 1854-2004 ©2004
- *AMBOY. Paulsen. Memories of the Green River Ordnance Plant 1942-1945. ©1995
- *ASHTON. Dean, Robert. The Ashton Story. ©1987, 1993
- *COMPTON. Compiled. Compton Centennial 1875-1975. ©1975
- *DIXON. Lamb, George. Dixon: A Pictorial History. ©1987
- ELDENA. Glessner, Robert L. Eldena, Illinois Founded July 10 1863 ©2005
- FRANKLIN GROVE. Compiled. Citizens and Neighbors 1835-1945. Undated
- FRANKLIN GROIVE. Compiled. The Helmershausen Collection, 14 vols. Udated
- *FRANKLIN GROVE. LCGS. Memories of the Franklin Grove Methodist Church. Undated
- *FRANKLIN GROVE. LCGS. 100 Years of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Undated
- GRAND DETOUR. Paulsen, Duane. Grand Detour, Illinois 1835-2002. ©2003
- *HARMON. Porter, John L. History of Harmon Township. ©1918
- *LEE. Edited. Lee Centennial 1874-1974. ©1974
- *MELUGIN’S GROVE. Montavon, Lewis E. History of Melugin’s Grove. ©1972
- NACHUSA. compiled. Articles in Binder. Undated
- *OHIO. Edited. Ohio Centennial 1877-1977. ©1977
- PAW PAW. Compiled. A History of Paw Paw, Illinois 1882-1982. ©1982
- *STEWARD. Thompson, Ernest. History of the Town of Steward. ©1905
- *STEWARD. Compiled. History of Steward Illinois 1870-1970. ©1970
- *SUBLETTE. Compiled. Sublette, Illinois: Our Bit of U.S.A.. ©1957
- SUBLETTE. Compiled. Celebrating Our Sesquicentennial 1854-2004. ©2004
- VAN PETTEN. Brandon, Dave and Babe. The Town of Van Petten. Undated
- WEST BROOKLYN. Compiled. A History of West Brooklyn, Illinois 1894-1994. ©1994
- Anderson, East Grove Twp.
- Ashton, Ashton Twp.
- Baird, Sublette Twp.
- Binghampton, Amboy Twp.
- Bradford, Bradford Twp.
- Brooklyn, Brooklyn Twp.
- Brooklyn Lutheran, Brooklyn Twp.
- Burket, Dixon Twp.
- Chapel Hill, Dixon Twp.
- Samuel Cobb, Viola Twp.
- Cottage Hill, Wyoming Twp.
- Degner Farm, Bradford Twp.
- DeWolf, Nachusa Twp.
- Dixon State School, Dixon Twp.
- Ellsworth, Willow Creek Twp.
- Emanuel, South Dixon Twp.
- Emmert, Nachusa Twp.
- English, Willow Creek Twp.
- Evergreen, Sublette Twp.
- First Lutheran, Willow Creek Twp.
- Fisk, Viola Twp.Franklin Grove, China Twp.
- German, Willow Creek Twp.
- Greenwood, Harmon Twp.
- Harding, Wyoming Twp.
- Holy Cross Catholic, Harmon Twp.
- Inlet, Lee Center Twp.
- Lee Co. Poor Farm, South Dixon Twp.
- Lutheran, Alto Twp.
- March, Nachusa Twp.
- Melugins, Brooklyn Twp.
- Mormon, Amboy Twp.
- Mt. Union, Dixon Twp.
- Nelson, Nelson Twp.
- Oakwood, Dixon Twp.
- Old German, Bradford Twp.
- Old Martin’s, Palmyra Twp.
- Palmyra, Palmyra Twp.
- Perkins Grove, Sublette Twp.
- Pine Grove, Nelson Twp.
- Prairie Repose, Amboy Twp.
- Prairieville, Palmyra Twp.
- Reynolds, Reynolds Twp.
- Rockwood, Palmyra Twp.
- South Paw Paw, Wyoming Twp.
- St. Marys, Brooklyn Twp.
- St. Marys, East Grove Twp.
- St. Marys, Sublette Twp.
- St. Marys Mission, May Twp.
- St. Michael, May Twp.
- St. Patrick, Amboy Twp.
- St. Patrick, May Twp.
- Stevens, East Grove Twp.
- Steward, Alto Twp.
- Temperance Hill, China Twp.
- Twin Grove, Willow Creek Twp.
- Union Church, Brooklyn Twp.
- N.C. Williams, East Grove Twp.
- Woodside, Lee Center Twp.
- Wyoming, Wyoming Twp.
- Soil Survey of Lee County Illinois
- Prairie Farmer’s Reliable Directory of Farmers and Breeders Lee County
- State Geological Survey Geology and Mineral Resources of the Dixon Quadrangle
- The Illinois Farmer Book of Lee County 1926
- Family Maps of Lee County, Illinois
- Maps of Lee County Area – Binder
- Town and City Maps – Lee County – Binder
- Lee County Plat Book Indexes 1863, 1872, 1900, 1915, 1921, 1935
- Lee County Atlas Prior to 1872
- Lee County Illinois Plat Book 1872
- Lee County Plat Book 1885
- Lee County Plat Book 1900
- Lee County Plats from 1921 Map of Lee County, Sublette, and Palmyra*
- *1921 plat is located in map cabinet
- Lee County Plat Book 1934
- Lee County Plat Book 1935*
- oversized book stored in “Big Grey” map cabinet
- Lee County Plat Book 1941
- Lee County Plat Book 1942
- Lee County Plat Book 1945
- Lee County Plat Book 1947
- Lee County Plat Book 1949
- Lee County Plat Book 1955
- Lee County Plat Book 1956 and Farmers Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1957 and Rural Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1958 and Rural Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1960
- Lee County Plat Book 1964 and Farm Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1965 Official Farm Plat Book and Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1965 Official Plat Book and Farm Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1965 Tri-Ennial Atlas & Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 1966 Farm & Ranch Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1967 Farm & Ranch Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1968 Tri-Ennial Atlas & Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 1970-71 TAM Service
- Lee County Plat Book 1972 Plat Book & Index of Owners
- Lee County Plat Book 1974 Atlas & Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 1974-75 TAM Service
- Lee County Plat Book 1975 Lee County Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1976 Atlas & Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 1976 Rural Resident Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1978 Plat Book & Index of Owners
- Lee County Plat Book 1978 Rural Resident Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1979-1980 Land Atlas and Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 1980 (and Index of Owners)
- Lee County Plat Book 1980 Rural Resident Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1980 Rural Resident Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1980-81 TAM Service
- Lee County Plat Book 1981 Rural Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1982 Land Atlas and Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 1983 (and Index of Owners)
- Lee County Plat Book 1983 Plat Book & Index of Owner
- Lee County Plat Book 1983 Rural Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1984 Rural Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1986 Land Atlas and Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 1987 Rural Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1988 Land Atlas and Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 1989 Farm & Home Directory & Plat
- Lee County Plat Book 1990 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1991 Land Atlas and Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 1991 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1993 Land Atlas and Plat Boo
- Lee County Plat Book 1994 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1995 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1996 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1997 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 1998 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 2000 Land Atlas and Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 2001 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 2002 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 2003 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 2005 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 2004 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 2006 Land Atlas and Plat Book
- Lee County Plat Book 2006 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 2008 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 2009 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Lee County Plat Book 2010 Farm & Home Plat & Directory
- Abell
Albrecht (3 vols), Baumgartner
Alexander, Howell
Alshouse
Anderson, Davies, Wersler
Andruss
Anspach
Atkinson, Todhunter
Auchstetter
Auchstetters,Noels
Axtell
Baird
Baker, Glass, Lewis, Roberts
Baker, Lewis
Baldwin
Bangs
Barden, Bardeen
Barnes
Barringer
Bates
Bauer
Baumgartner
Beach, Wade
Beamer
Beckmeier, Theis
Bee
Beede
Beemer
Belden (2)
Bemis
Bender
Bingham
Blackburn, McKeel
Blair
Boehle
Boldt, Kopcke
Boring, Berkley
Boward (3)
Bowen
Bradley
Brake, Morrison
Brewer
Brewster
Brewster Letters
Brierton
Brown
Brown, Dement
Brubacker Genealogy in America
Brubacker, Brubaker, Brewbaker
Brubaker, Myers
Brubaker, New Buds
Bull
Bullard
Burkard
Burton Chronicles of Colonial Virginia
Bushman
Butterfield
Cassens, World Book of
Cassens – My Ostfiriesian
Cassens, Drantman, Frerichs, Gerken, Hinrichs, Knelson, Lass, Preibisius
Cassens, Knelson, Hinrichs, Gerken
Chaon (2)
Chronister
Coffey
Conibear
Conley, Nichols
Considine
Cool, Briggs
Cornelius
Corson
Craig, Meyer
Crandall
Cross
Crow, Romine, Conley,Dawson
Currier
Davis
Deere
Degner, Gottfried
Deloisy, Vincent, Bally, Rex
Denison
Depuy, Depue
Devlin
Dierdorff
Dixon
Doane
Donovan
Downey
Doyle, Keane
Drynam
Duffy, Hamill
Eastwood
Eccles
Edwards, Gehant
Ehlers
Ehman
Eller
Elliott
Eshleman
Faber,
Fair, Hawbecker
Faivre, Montavon
Fane
Fargo, Crabtree, Buel, Bolles
Farthing
Fellows
Fellows, Stephen Jr.
Ferguson, Agnes Howell
Fetters, Michael
Fielding
Finkle
Fischer (3)
Flaningam – Kelley
Flaningam, Murphy, Cramer, Wakely
Fleming, Michael and Waldron, Catharine
Ford (2)
Fordyce, Bruce, Clark
Forsyth Family
Fread, Rockefeller
Fulfs
Full
Galford
Garrison
Gascoigne
Gehant
Gerken (2)
Gilbert
Gilmore
Goble
Gonnerman
Goodyear
Greenawalt
Greer, Lowery
Gridley, Smith
Groff
Grove
Grumm, Zimmerman
Guntermann
Haley
Hanrahan (4)
Hanson, Elmer
Hark
Hartzell, McGary, Brake
Harvey
Hatch
Hausen (2)
Hayes
Hays, Breeze
Heald, Chaffee
Helfrich
Helmershausen (2)
Henry
Hereford, Stewart
Hersch
Hess (2)
Hicks
Higgins
Hillman, Morgan
Hiner
Hinrichs
Hintz, Shumard
Hochstetler
Hochstrasser
Holcomb
Hughes
Humphrey
Hyde
Jackson (2)
Janssen
Jeanblanc, LaForge
Johnson
Jones
Jourden (2)
Judd
Juracek
Keillor, Lieske
Kelleher, Hinkle (2)
Kelley family
Kerchner – Schryvers
Kerchner (9)
Kesselring (2)
Keyes
Kiehm
Kirby, O’Donnell
Klapprodt
Langholf
Lauer (2)
Leahy Lazier Poetry
Leffelman (2)
Leiby
Levan (2)
Lewis (3)
Lievan
Long
Lorimor (2)
Machen
Madole, Allen
Maloney
Mann
Marlow (2)
Martin
Mathuss
Maydole, McDowell
McAnany
McCorkle
McCune
McDermott, Delaney, McCormick
McFadden
McKevitt
McNeil
Mechling
Mellott, Kerchner, Piller
Melugin
Mensch (2)
Merrifield
Mick
Miller, Dickhaut
Miller, Vosburg, Pulver
Miller (3)
Mills
Minor
Mittan, Beemer, Spangenburg, Nachbor, Roloson
Montavon, Peter & Delhotel, Mary
Moorefield
Morrissey, Long
Mosely (2)
Mossholder
Myers
Needham, Pritchard, Ringler, Kihlstrom
Nelson, Cunningham
Nichols
Niebergall
Noe
Nolf
Ogee
O’Hare, Hanrahan (2)
Olson, Wermager
O’Malley
O’Neill, Hannon
O’Rourke
Ortgiesen
Orvis
Page, Overturf
Page (3)
Palmer (2)
Pankhurst
Parsons (2)
Pearsall
Pershing
Pfautz
Phillips
Piller, Kerchner
Prendergast
Prescott
Puetzsteuck, Pitstick, Pyfer
Ransom (3)
Ransom, Vail, Bennett, Hoyt – 2 cds
Reagan (3)
Reed
Reiss
Reitz
Rock
Rogers
Rorer and McCollum Families of McHenry and Iroquois County, IL
Rowbottom, Knapp
Sage
Sawyer, Hanrahan
Sawyer
Schadt
Schoonmaker
Schryvers, Scrivers
Schwartz – Zimmerman
Schwartz
Scott, Marshall
Searls
See
Shaw (2)
Sherman (2)
Sheridan
Skinner, Howland, Tilley
Skinner
Smith (2)
Smith, Skaggs
Snyder
Stack”house” [sic], Foster
Stone (2)
Strong, Henry King Jr.
Tarvin (2)
Tate
Templeton
Theiss
Thompson (3)
Thummel
Tourtillott
Towne
Trouth
Turner (2)
Veale, Downey
Vestal
Walgreen (Never a Dull Day)
Walgreen (Pharmacist to the Nation)
Warren
Waterbury
Weibezahn
Welles
White
Whitebread
Whitman
Willard (2)
Williams (2)
Winter
Woods Yenerich
Wright, Lewis, Moore
Wright
Zimmerman
- Amboy
Amboy Times Index 1856
Amboy Journal 1856-1893 A-F – Binder
Amboy Journal 1856-1893 G-M – Binder
Amboy Journal 1856-1893 N-Z – Binder
Amboy Journal 1894-95 – Binder
Amboy News 1882-86 – Binder
Amboy News 1886 -1896 – Binder - Ashton
Ashton Gazette 1895 – 1988 and Misc Issues 1873-89 – Binder
Ashton Gazette Obituary Index – Binder - Dixon
The Dixon Sun Volume 1 1873-1892 A-K – Binder
The Dixon Sun Volume 2 1873-1892 K-Z – Binder
Dixon Weekly Sun 1894 -1898 A-O – Binder
Dixon Weekly Sun 1894 -1898 P-Z – Binder
Dixon Star 1898-1904 – Binder
Dixon Semi Weekly Sun 1901-1908 – Binder
Dixon Daily Star May 21, 1904 to Dec 24, 1909 – Binder
Dixon Daily News 1909 – 1914 A-Ga – Binder
Dixon Daily News 1909 – 1914 Ga-Miller – Binder
Dixon Daily News 1909 – 1914 Miller to Z – Binder
Dixon Daily Leader 1914 – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1851-1947 A-G – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1851-1947 H-M – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1851-1947 N-Z – Binder
Dixon Telegraph Indexes to Special Editions 1851 – 1947 – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1948-2003 A-B – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1948-2003 C-D – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1948-2003 E-Harn – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1948-2003 Hayner – King, Jackie – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1948-2003 King, Jacquelin – Miller, Dorthea – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1948-2003 Miller, Dorthy – P – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1948-2003 Q – Sibigtroth, Paz – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1948-2003 Sibigtroth, Ralph – V – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 1948-2003 W-Z – Binder
Dixon Telegraph 2004 – July 2006 – Binder
Historical Articles Dixon Telegraph – Binder - Franklin Grove
Franklin Reporter 1880 – 1905 – Binder
Franklin Grove Weekly Reporter 1888 & Franklin Reporter 1891 – Binder
Franklin Reporter 1906 – 1908 – Binder - Paw Paw
Paw Paw News 1874 – 1876 and Lee County Times 1882 – 1904 – Binder - Newsletters
Lee County Historical Society Newsletters 1965 – 1996 – Binder
Lee County Historical Society Newsletters 1997 – 2012 – Binder
1855-2012
WHAT CAN YOU FIND IN CITY DIRECTORIES?*
1. Government and Institutional Information
2. An Alphabetical A to Z List of people and businesses, as in a telephone directory.
Addresses, family members, phone numbers, and occupations are often included
3. A CLASSIFIED Business Directory, similar to the Yellow Pages, with proprietors and addresses listed
4. A STREET DIRECTORY, listing addresses numerically, with residents and/or businesses at each
5. A RURAL DIRECTORY, listing Lee County residents by township and post office
6. DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENTS by local businesses and professionals
7. REVERSE TELEPHONE LOOKUPS
LCHGS HAS DIXON CITY DIRECTORIES FOR
1855, 1869, 1878, 1890, 1892, 1894, 1896, 1898, 1900, 1902, 1905, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1914, 1916, 1918, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1928, 1930, 1934, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012.
*Not all editions have all features.
1916 1918 1919 1920 in binders
1926 in binder
1928 1930
1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940
1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950
1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
1961 1962 1963 1964 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970
1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1987 1989
1991 1992 1993 1994 1999 2000
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
1940
1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950
1951 1952 1953 1954 1944 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960
1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970
1971 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1988 1989 1990
2001 2002 2003 2004
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
1914-2010
1946-1947
1938
1989
1920
1993 1994 1995 1996
1999 2000
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
2011
Latest News
Ronald Reagan and the Berlin Wall
YOU ARE INVITED!
MONDAY – JULY 25th
The Lee County Historical and Genealogical Society will host “Ronald Reagan and the Berlin Wall” at 7 P.M.
The Lincoln Assassination: Manhunt and Trial
The next monthly program sponsored by the Lee County Historical and Genealogical Society will feature a PowerPoint program titled “The Lincoln Assassination: Manhunt and Trial” presented by Ronald H. Koehn. It is scheduled for 7:00 PM on Monday, April 25, 2022, at the society’s headquarters, 113 South Hennepin Avenue, Dixon.
March – April Newsletter 2021
Dear Members and Friends of LCHGS,
Here we are at the official “1-year closed” newsletter. Our doors closed in the middle of March 2020.
My hope is to get all the volunteers vaccinated and then our doors will open for all. As of the end of this month, I will be done with my vaccinations and 2 weeks out. So, if you promise to wear a mask, we will be ok with a reservation being made for a visit to do research at the center. This would be starting April 1st, 2021. If you email the center, we will receive it right away and arrange for a volunteer to work with you. If you call the center, I might not see that you have called for a couple days. So, last minute people will have to email us at leecountyhgs@gmail.com.
On the 21st of March we will celebrate spring!Someone said they saw a robin frolicking in the snow this past weekend. Poor robin. We haven’t seen grass for a very long time.