
To honor the first families of Tazewell County, the Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society is compiling a roster of settlers who were county residents by 1875.
The Society will issue certificates to documented direct descendants of early settlers of Tazewell County. A list of the Tazewell County Pioneers we've recognized so far is at the bottom of this page.
Eligibility
To qualify for a Pioneer Certificate, an applicant must be directly descended from an ancestor who settled in Tazewell County as follows:
- Early Family Certificate (1851-1875) - Silver Seal
- Old Settlers Certificate (1827-1850) - Gold Seal
- Pioneer Certificate (prior to 1827) - Gold Seal with Purple Ribbon
The application, with the completed lineage and documentation, is kept on file in our library and may be accessed by researchers. Eventually, the information may be published online or in book form.
If any of the Documented Prairie Pioneers listed below are an ancestor, the Pioneer Certificate application file can be a treasure trove of resources such as legal documents, family photos, ancestor charts, family group sheets, research contacts, etc. If you are interested in the contents of a pioneer's application file, ask us for an inventory of the file and estimated cost of making copies.
Documented Prairie Pioneers