Finding Your Chicago Ancestors: A Beginner's Guide to Family History in the City and Cook County [Paperback]

"Reveals the wealth of documents available for those with Chicago ancestors and how to research them. With many black and white illustrations, author DuMelle covers everything from birth records to burial spots, including address, ethnic and occupational research, websites, Chicago-area research facilities, and tips on how to use microfilm and microfiche machines."  —Family Chronicle

“Though the book is aimed at the Chicago research beginner, the author promises and delivers some surprises for the more experienced researcher. Professional genealogists who work with clients who have Chicago-area or Cook County, Illinois, roots will find this book worth the space it takes on their shelves.”  —Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly

“The tone is conversational and the instructions are clear. . . . Anyone beginning Cook County research should have this book at hand, and it can serve as a touchstone for experienced researchers.”  —National Genealogical Society Quarterly

Midwest Independent Publishers Association Book Award - 1st Place - Hobby/How- To
Illinois Woman's Press Association Book Award - 1st Place - Instructional Nonfiction
National Federation of Press Women Book Award - 3rd Place - Instructional Nonfiction

The Chicago Roots of Your Family Tree

For almost 175 years, a great metropolis on the shores of a freshwater sea has sent a siren call to immigrants internal and external, giving most Americans some kind of link to the City of Big Shoulders. Whether your people came west from New England in the early days of settlement, or north from Mississippi in the Great Migration; whether they sailed from Sweden and Sicily, or flew from Budapest and Prague; whether they settled here permanently or temporarily, this easy-to-use reference guide will help you document them.

Family historian Grace DuMelle provides the means to trace your Chicago connections like a pro. She shows you not just what to research, but how to research. Without wading through lots of preliminaries, choose any of the self-contained chapters that focus on the questions beginners most want answered and jump right in!

Where do I start?
When and where was my ancestor born?
When did my ancestor come to America?
What did my ancestor do for a living?
Where did my ancestor live?
Where is my ancestor buried?

Other chapters cover the nuts and bolts of the mechanics that are the key to making your family's past come alive, with highlights summarizing important points:

Examples of documents such as death certificates, church registers and U.S. census entries.
Chicago-area research facilities: what they have and how to access it.
Researching using newspapers, machines and catalogs.
Sources for specific ethnic research.
Sources for long-distance research.

In finding your Chicago ancestors, you will not only better understand your and your family's history, but also your and your family's involvement in the history of a great American city.