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.
Documented evidence connecting each generation must accompany the application such as census records; birth, death, and marriage records; school or church records; Bible records; military records; obituaries; estates records; land records; tombstone inscriptions (give location of cemetery); county histories; etc.
Please send only copies of the original documents—as all applications and verifying material will become the property of the Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society.
Anyone may apply. Applicants need not have ever been residents of Tazewell County. After proof of direct descent has been submitted and eligibility has been determined, we will mail the appropriate certificate. Separate certificates will be issued for each ancestor properly submitted. The fee for each application is $10.
You may fill out your application using our fillable pdf form—then you can save & print it and mail it to us along with your payment and supporting documentation.
Some folks want certificates for both the pioneer husband and wife. Separate applications and fees are required. However, they may share supporting documentation. Both spouses will be issued a separate certificate.
When requesting additional certificates for members of the applicant's immediate family (mother, father, siblings, children), proof of descent needs to be sent only once. To request additional certificates, send $10.00 and a separate completed application and straight-line lineage chart for each additional certificate needed.
For example, suppose you wanted three Pioneer Certificates to recognize you and your two children, Jack & Jill, are direct descendants of John Quincy Doe. The first application (yours) must contain everything to document you are a direct descendant of John Quincy Doe. Once that is done, Jack & Jill's applications can just refer to the contents of your application, adding just the additional documentation to prove they are your direct descendants (such as birth certificates).
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
wdt_ID | Name of Pioneer | Location | Date Settled | Name of Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ackerman, John | 1850 | Birkey, Magdalena | |
2 | Bailey, Josiah Gordon | Delavan | 1853 | Barnes, Catherine B. |
3 | Bailey, William | before 1867 | Smith, Francis B. | |
4 | Beal, Moses H. | Washington Township | 1841 | [?], Anna Amelia |
5 | Berry, Samuel | 1835 | Larimore, Elizabeth | |
6 | Blust, Arnhold | Tremont | 1864 | Hotze or Hatze, Catherine Maria |
7 | Boyle, John Adolph | Dillon | 1835 | Miars, Sarah A. |
8 | Brecher, Phillip John (Jacob) | Groveland | 1847 | Gable, Anna Catharina |
9 | Brooks, Thomas | Pekin | 1837 | Curtis, Mary |
10 | Brown, Nathanial | ca 1838 | Emerson, Sally Densmore | |
11 | Broyhill, James Sr | 1830 | Bailey, Rebecca | |
12 | Burge, Jane Carr Danby Forbes | Hittle Township | 1837-1840 | Adam Burges, Jasper Forbes |
13 | Burlingame, Joseph | Delavan Township | 1850 | Allison, Jane |
14 | Burnes, Garrett | 1850-1859 | (?), Ellen | |
15 | Burwell, John | Hittle Township | 1832 | Whitman, Jemima |
16 | Campbell, William Wilson | Morton Township | 1834 | Porter, Sarah Ann |
17 | Camelin, Thomas | 1823 | Barker, Mary Elizabeth | |
18 | Caswell, William Seaver Sr | Delavan | 1840 | Williams, Lydia T. |
19 | Cornwell, Gilbert | Morton Township | ca 1846 | Rugg, Samantha |
20 | Cullom, Richard Northcraft | Deer Creek Township | 1830 | Coffey, Elizabeth (Betsy) |
21 | Davies, James E. | ca 1829 | Taylor, Mary Polly | |
22 | Davis, Alexander B. | 1831 | Smith, Narcissa | |
23 | Day, William | Delavan | 1851 | Tyson, Sarah Jane |
24 | Dillon, Daniel Jr | Dillon Township | 1825 | Peugh, Ann |
25 | Dillon, Joseph Sr | Near Eureka | 1824 | Musick, Delilah |
26 | Dillon, Nathan | Dillon Township | 1824 | Hoskins, Mary |
27 | Dobson, Benjamin | 1831 | Wolf, Keziah | |
28 | Duvall, Josiah M. | 1850 | Williams, Mary “Polly” | |
29 | Farran, Michael | Tremont Township | 1835 | Fowler, Sarah “Sally” |
30 | Fornoff, Philip | Sand Prairie Township | 1860 | Friedenberg, Christine |
31 | Eyrse, John H. | Delavan Prairie | 1847 | Ruple, Hanna Amanda |
32 | Fleming, James | 1840-1849 | Hulse, Jane | |
33 | Fleming, John Lorenzo | Mackinaw Township | 1851 | Rork, Emma Louise |
34 | Fleming, Joseph West | 1840-1849 | Brewer/Brower, Margaret | |
35 | Fleming, Margaret Bower | 1840-1849 | Fleming, Joseph West | |
36 | Fleming, William Hulse | 1840-1849 | Farran, Jane | |
37 | Friend, Michael | Little Mackinaw Township | 1860 | Wilson, Susan |
38 | Gainer, George | 1840 | Conzelmann, Anna Maria | |
39 | Gardner, Nicholas | Hittle Township | 1845 | Richards, Rebecca |
40 | Gulon, Johann Heinrich | Pekin | 1857 | Oeh, Elizabeth |
41 | Hafliger, John | Dillon Township | 1840 | Fink, Catherine/McClintick, Sarah Elizabeth |
42 | Hasty, Archibald | Mackinaw | 1860 | Brown, Nancy Jane |
43 | Herget, Johann Philipp | 1868 | Klein, Anna | |
44 | Hieronymus, William | Armington | 1834 | Darnall, Alvira |
45 | Hodgson, Amos | 1832 | Barnett, Mary | |
46 | Hodgson, Edwin | 1842 | Worley, Sarah E. | |
47 | Hodgson, William | 1832 | Bennett, Phebe | |
48 | Hyers, Eleanor Waggoner | Spring Lake | 1847 | Hyers, William Benjamin |
49 | Jackson, William H. | 1873 | (Reaugh) Bobbitt, Lucretia Clay | |
50 | Jacobs, Christian H. | Pekin | 1861 | Weber, Mary Christine |
51 | Johnson, William H. | Little Mackinaw Township | 1856 | Ward, Ann |
52 | Johnson, William R. | 1850 | (?), Margaret | |
53 | Joy, Sarah Ann | ca 1844 | Orr, John B. | |
54 | Kelso, William F. | Washington | ca 1840 | Nelson, Matilda |
55 | Krob, Andrew | Elm Grove Township | 1850 | (Mary) Schweitzer, Anna Marie |
56 | Kidder, Thomas Boynton | Tremont | 1843 | Tiffany, Charlotte |
57 | Kuntz, Marie Salome | Groveland Township | 1848 | Ramige, George Heinrich |
58 | Layton, David T. | Deer Creek Township | ca 1839 | Pierce/Pearse, Hannah |
59 | Larimore, Samuel | Sand Prairie Township | 1855 | Cain, Mary |
60 | Larimore, William | 1835 | McMann, Nancy | |
61 | Lawson, William | 1874 | Sipes, Susannah Strope | |
62 | Leiser, Peter Henry | Washington Township | 1856 | Miller, Eva Katherine |
63 | Lewis, Enoch | 1835-1838 | Moulton, Caroline Ellen | |
64 | Lorentz, Conrad E. Sr. | 1840 | Freidinger, Anna C. | |
65 | Louis (Louie), Jean Florent | ca 1840 | Simon, Margueritte | |
66 | Lux, George | Groveland Township | 1847 | Ramige, Magdaline |
67 | Lux, Mary Eve (Luse) | ca 1847 | Umdenstock, Christian D. | |
68 | Matthews, James | Mackinaw | 1832 | Brown, Eliza Pierce |
69 | Marion, Calvin | Groveland Township | 1833 | Hughes, Elizabeth |
70 | Marion, Frances | 1838 | McKibben, Martha Evelyn | |
71 | Martin, Christian | Little Mackinaw Township | 1850 | Zehr, Mary |
72 | McCalla, William | Morton | ca 1870 | Tourney, Eliza |
73 | McDowell, Rev. James | Hopedale | 1825 | Rawlings, Kitty Ann |
74 | McNutt, David | Washington Township | 1852 | Beauchamp, Milcha |
75 | Miars, Ann Hodgson | Elm Grove Township | 1825 | Miars, Martin |
76 | Miars, Martin Jr. | Elm Grove Township | 1825 | Hodgson, Ann |
77 | Montgomery, Benjamin James | Groveland | 1835 | Jennings, Eliza Drace |
78 | Moulton, Levi | 1825 | Burnes, Mary | |
79 | Orendorff, Aaron | Hopedale | 1827 | |
80 | Osborn, David | Deer Creek Township | 1836 | Greer, Jane Eckerman |
81 | Patton, John | Mackinaw Timber | 1829 | Wiley, Margaret |
82 | Perkins, Isaac | Sand Prairie Township | ca 1822 | Barker, Jane |
83 | Perkins, Jane Barker | Sand Prairie Township | ca 1822 | Perkins, Isaac |
84 | Pinkham, Thomas Vincent | 1838 | Camelin, Anna Maria | |
85 | Pomfret, Michael Emmett | Mackinaw | 1850 | McDowell, Martha Jane |
86 | Porter, Isaac Voorhees | Spring Lake | 1853-1855 | Arsdale, Martha Van |
87 | Portman, Nicholas | Washington Township | 1848 | Jacquin, Marquerite |
88 | Pratt, Uriah Harvey | Delavan Township | 1853 | Scott, Sarah Ann |
89 | Price, Frederick | Mackinaw | 1850 | Jackson, Maria |
90 | Rahlmann, August Christian | Hopedale | ca 1870 | King, Martha Ann |
91 | Ramige, George Heinrich | Groveland Township | 1848 | Kuntz, Marie Salome |
92 | Ramige, Magdaline | Groveland Township | 1847 | Lux, George |
93 | Renner, David | Pekin Township | 1840 | Miller, Christiana |
94 | Rhoads, Jacob | Pekin | 1840 | Haas, Catherine |
95 | Rich, Joseph | Washington Township | 1848 | Rich, Catherine |
96 | Richards, Benjamin Franklin | Hittle Township | 1830-1849 | Blizzard, Sara Ellen |
97 | Roberts, Daniel | Morton Township | 1833 | Phelps, Polly |
98 | Rork, Emma Louise | 1875 | Fleming, John Lorenzo | |
99 | Rollings, James W. | Dillon | 1851 | Casto, Sarah Jane |
100 | Sawyer, Reese | ca 1840 | Sprague, Martha Shaw | |
101 | Schneider, Johann Heinrich | 1858 | Wambsgans, Margaretha | |
102 | Schrock, Johannes | Pekin | 1850 | Salzman, Catherine |
103 | Scott, Peter P. | Dillon Grove | 1824 | Murphy, Sarah Catharine |
104 | Seaman, Thomas | Washington Township | 1852 | McNutt, Lucinda |
105 | Sheppard, Dennis Scovel | Washington | 1836 | Young, Mary Jane |
106 | Sheppard, Joel | Washington | 1850 | Gibson, Charlotte |
107 | Shoemaker, Michael | Washington Township | 1830 | Long, Elizabeth |
108 | Shreve, Israel | Elm Grove Township | 1827 | Howe, Elizabeth |
109 | Smith, John | ca 1843 | Leslie, Jane (Jean) | |
110 | Starrett, Samuel | 1854 | Best, Perlina | |
111 | Sturdyvin, Obadiah | Dillon Township | 1830 | Musick, Cynthia Ann |
112 | Stormer, Casper | Washington Township | 1850 | Brownfield, Caderina (Lindenbaum) |
113 | Stormer, Johan | Washington Township | 1850 | Gatlin, Elisabeth |
114 | Stout, Rachel Chauncey | Stout's Grove | 1825 | Stout, Samuel |
115 | Tackaberry, Middleton | Pekin | ca 1838 | Hackett, Eliza(?) Olive L. |
116 | Tharp, Jacob F. | Pekin | 1825 | Winans, Phebe |
117 | Tharp, Jonathan | Pekin | 1824 | Egmon, Sarah J. |
118 | Tuttle, Jesse | Dillon Township | 1857-1860 | Devore, Lavina (first wife) Jones, Hulda (second wife) |
119 | Uhrig (Urish), Johann Georg | Sand Prairie | ca 1830 | Weyrich, Anna Eva |
120 | Umdenstock, Christian D. | ca 1854 | (Luse) Lux, Mary Eve | |
121 | Van Deusen, Jacob | Pekin | 1852 | Phillip, Catharine C. |
122 | Varble, Philip | Washington Township | 1832 | Spilman, Eda |
123 | Vaupel, John | Groveland Township | 1858 | Gainer, Emma E. |
124 | Vancil, Edmund (Edward) | Sand Prairie Township | 1833 | Thornton, Rachel Ann |
125 | Vancil, John M. | Sand Prairie Township | ca 1822 | (Tooley), Nancy Tuley |
126 | Van Horn, Henry | Pekin | 1870 | Sampen, Grace Martin |
127 | Van Orman, Orlando Wellington | Sand Prairie | 1852 | Neikirk, Sarah Belle |
128 | Waggoner, Abram | 1840 | Estes, Sally (Sarah) | |
129 | Webber, George | Pekin | 1860 | Heyl, Anna Christina |
130 | Weisman, Nicholas C. | Circleville | by 1862 | Michel, Maria Magdalena |
131 | Welk, George | Elm Grove Township | 1859 | Getz, Hannah |
132 | Williams, Isaac J. | 1833 | Jones, Esther | |
133 | Wilson, Seth | Elm Grove Township | 1824 | Hussey, Sarah |
134 | Woodrow, Richard | Sand Prairie Township | 1832 | McCormick, Sarah |
135 | Whitfield, James | Pekin | 1870 | Breston, Mary |
136 | Wileman, Thomas Hartford | Sand Prairie Township | 1865 | Field, Lizzie Drum |
137 | Wright, Frank | 1861 | Hartley, Ida | |
138 | Young, Charles E. | Pekin | 1860 | Monaghan, Henrietta |
139 | Zimmerman, Michael | Washington Township | 1848 | Naffziger, Catherine |
140 | Harbert, Joseph Bailey | Blooming Grove | ca 1824 | Galloway, Nancy Anna |
141 | Galloway, Nancy Anna | Blooming Grove | ca 1824 | Harbert, Joseph Bailey |
142 | Gross, Richard | Blooming Grove | ca 1824 | Harbert, Elizabeth |
143 | Harbert, Elizabeth | Blooming Grove | ca 1824 | Gross, Richard |
144 | Conaghan, Thomas Donegar | Pekin Twp | 1868 | Duffy, Anna |
145 | Prettyman, Lewis | ca 1831 | Mason, Harriet Ann | |
146 | Meyer, Solomon | ca 1853 | Hanel (Haenel), Catherina | |
147 | Cline, John Adam | Elm Grove Township | 1823 | Hill, Elizabeth |
158 | Brown, William | Dillon Twp | 1828 | Milner, Rachel |
149 | Roberts, David | Tremont Township | 1834-1836 | Catherine Gray |
150 | Berry, George | 1842 | Summers, Amelia | |
151 | Dillon, Daniel | Dillon Township | 1824 | Hoskins, Mary |
152 | Berry, Charles Tracy | Dillon Township | 1873 | Hafliger, Clara Ellen |
154 | Summers, Amelia | Pekin | 1852 | Berry, George |
155 | Buchanan, Margaret | before 1850 | Summers, John | |
156 | McClintick, Sarah Elizabeth | 1843 | Hafliger, John | |
157 | Summers, John | Dillon Grove | 1824 | Buchanan, Margaret |
159 | Bergstresser, John Peter | Pekin | 1860 | Ulrich, Elizabeth |