Madison County ILGenWeb                                                     Madison County, IL               

To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history?”  Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C.)


 

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Welcome to the Madison County, ILGenWeb Project

 

Madison County Genealogy and Historical Information

 

This website is maintained by ILGenWeb Madison County Coordinator, Bev Bauser. I welcome your suggestions, corrections, and contributions! Please share your family histories, biographies, obituaries, births, photos, newspaper clippings, etc., by submitting them to:  madison.cnty@yahoo.com.   You can help to make this website even better!

 

(Note: Links provided to external websites are provided as convenience and informational purposes only; they do not constitute endorsement or approval of any products, services, or opinions given on external site.)

 

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"Our women have figured even more largely in hardships of early times. On them fell the heaviest burdens of the pioneer life. The man, when his day's work is done, sits in the corner and smokes his pipe at his ease. He has some rest and enjoyment, but the wife has neither. Her work and toil are never over!"      Dr. Frederick Humbert, Upper Alton, March 4, 1875.

 

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Visit this site often.  New material added weekly!!

 

Interesting Reading:

 

Incredible story of Jane Adeline (nee Smith) Wilson, born in Alton in 1837, and captured by Comanche Indians while traveling in Texas.

 

Alton History        Why Alton Gave Away Her Chance to be the Capital of Illinois     NEW!

 

History of Madison County Theatres        The Murder of Elijah P. Lovejoy in Alton, Illinois

 

Wood River Massacre         Early Days in Madison County         Alton Penitentiary/Civil War Prison

 

Letter from Lt. E. F. Fletcher of Alton, IL - soldier in the Mexican-American War

 

The story of Johnny Appleseed               Alton's Legend of the Piasa Bird & Lover's Leap

 

 

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     LOOKUPS:

 

History of Madison County, With Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men & Pioneers, 1882

 

Portrait & Biographical Record (Prominent Citizens) of Madison County, Illinois, 1894

 

Records of The Friedens Evangelical Church of Troy, Illinois, Book #1, 1876-1896

 

 Records of The Evangelical Church of St. John of Black Jack, Jarvis Township, Madison Co., Illinois
Book #2, Commencing 1894-1919

 
Records of The Evangelical Protestant Church of Saint John in Black Jack, Madison Co., Illinois, A.D. 1864

 


 

 

History of Madison County

Named after James Madison (1751-1836), fourth President of the United States, Madison County was established in 1812 out of Randolph and St. Clair Counties, before Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818. At the time it was established, Madison encompassed the majority of the Illinois Territory. All of Illinois north of the current southern boundary of Madison County between the Mississippi and Wabash Rivers was part of the county. In 1814, the formation of Edwards County removed almost half of the eastern part, and the final boundary change came in 1843, when a small portion on the northeast corner of Madison County became part of Bond County.

Madison County is the home of the Cahokia Mounds Historic Site -- the most sophisticated prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico that had its peak of power in circa 1100-1200 A.D. The site is named for the Cahokia, a sub tribe of the Illini Nation.

The county seat is Edwardsville. In the late 1800s, Madison County became an industrial powerhouse, and in the 20th century, was known for first, Graniteware, and later, its steel mills, oil refineries, and other heavy industry. In the year 1900, the population of Madison was 64,694.  In 2006, the population was 265,303 [Source: Wikipedia.org].  For more history click here.

 

 

 

 

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Copyright 2008 Bev Bauser. All rights reserved.

 

This page last updated:  11/19/2008