The Redfield Estate at the Grove

The Redfield Estate at the Grove was built in the 1920s by descendants of the Kennicott family. Glenview Television produced a short documentary on the architecture of the estate and the history of Bertha Redfield's family.  

The library owns several of Donald Culross Peattie's books many of which were written at the Redfield Estate. And visit the Genealogy & Local History Room for more information on the Kennicotts and the Grove.

FamilySearch

Want to learn more about FamilySearch.org? Come to our class on Wednesday, July 29 at 2 PM. Learn database search techniques and discover the extensive online services offered by this nonprofit genealogy organization.

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500 x7700.

French Genealogy

Célébrez la fête nationale de la France! It's Bastille Day. Find your French ancestors with these great websites:

FranceGenWeb
Provides links to other genealogy sites and online archives.

Geneanet
Searchable database of archive records, indexes, and family trees.

Geopatronyme
Contains information on the history and geography of French family names.

GénéaFrance
Includes articles on French genealogy records and links to Departement online archives.

Search for records on FamilySearch and use their online tutorials to learn more about French research.

Hawaiian Genealogy

Hawaii has a unique history compared to other US states. Because of its interesting past, searching for genealogy records in Hawaii is a little different from other parts of the US.

Hawaii usgenweb is a great website to help you understand Hawaiian history and genealogy. The site also provides links to online genealogy resources.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs runs the Papakilo Database and collects documents and data pertaining to historically significant events and places in Hawaiian history. Search their genealogy indexes, newspapers, maps, and more.

Hawaiian Roots is a nonprofit organization devoted to providing online genealogy resources and research assistance. The site includes the state censuses of Hawaii and articles on various Hawaiian records and how to find them.

To further connect with your Hawaiian ancestors, use the library database Mango to learn the Hawaiian language!

Daughters of the American Revolution

Find your revolutionary ancestors on the Daughters of the American Revolution website.

The Genealogy page of the DAR site explains how to get started with genealogy and how to conduct research at the DAR library in Washington, DC.  

You can also search the DAR's online databases. Information in the databases is pulled from DAR membership applications. They include databases for:

Ancestor Database: Previously known as the Patriot Index, this is a database of members' "original" ancestors. These ancestors provided patriotic service during the Revolutionary War. If you can prove your lineage from one of these patriots, then you are eligible to join the DAR.

Descendants: Searches through every name on the lineage portions of DAR applications. These are all of the recorded descendants of the Revolutionary War Era ancestors.

GRC: This is a database of the Genealogical Records Committee Reports and includes transcriptions of gravestones, family Bibles, and personal collections created by DAR members. 

Free Database Access

In honor of Independence Day, several databases are offering free access to records this weekend.

Ancestry lets users search for records from the original thirteen colonies through July 5th. Search for free here.

If you're looking for early colonial ancestors, NEHGS has a great offer this holiday weekend. The New England Historic Genealogical Society will allow guest users to search the Great Migration Study Project until July 8th. This is an excellent resource if you're looking for ancestors who migrated to New England between 1620 and 1640.

And with Fold3, you can search for Revolutionary War military records through July 5th.

Happy Fourth!