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EARLY SETTLERS
Before 1787, settlers in what is now Illinois lived in an area once controlled by France (1678-1763), Great Britain (1763-1778) and Virginia (1778-1784). “Throughout these periods respective government agents registered land transactions. After the United States established its control over Illinois in 1784, the federal government eventually began a review process to determine the legitimacy of preexisting land claims. When examinations were completed in 1814, federal authorities had confirmed title to less than half of the claims presented to them.” (Illinois State Archives Genealogical Research Series Pamphlet No. 1 Land Sale Records Without relocating, early settlers lived in the Northwest Territory in 1787, Indiana Territory in 1800, Illinois Territory in 1809, and finally the State of Illinois in 1818.

Useful Resources


 * American State Papers

At various times, early settlers and others made written claims to the government for lands. Those claims frequently included statements by relatives, heirs, neighbors, or friends and sometimes contained additional genealogical information. A land office was opened at Kaskaskia in 1804 for settling claims and land disputes. Records of these and other claims are in:


 * United States. Congress. American State Papers: Documents, Legislative and Executive of the Congress of the United States. La Crosse, Wisconsin: Brookhaven Press, 1959. 38 Volumes. (On 29 Family History Library films, beginning with 1631827.) Classes 8 and 9 of these records deal with public lands and claims for the years 1789 to 1837, and may name siblings or heirs of original claimants. Classes 8 and 9 have been republished in:


 * United States. Congress. American State Papers, Class 8: Public Lands; Class 9: Claims: Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States. Nine Volumes. 1832–1861. Reprint, Greenville, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1994. (Family History Library book 973 R2ag 1994.) A comprehensive index to Classes 8 and 9 of both of the above records is:


 * McMullin, Phillip W., ed. Grassroots of America: A Computerized Index to the American State Papers: Land Grants and Claims 1789–1837 with Other Aids to Research (Government Document Serial Set Numbers 28 through 36.) Salt Lake City, Utah: Gendex Corp, 1972. (Family History Library book 973 R2ag index; fiche 6051323 [set of 6]).


 * The Territorial Papers of the United States

An important source with historical information about persons involved in the settlement of Illinois from 1800 to 1818 is:


 * The Territorial Papers of the United States Volumes 2 and 3 pertain to The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, 1787–1803, which included present-day Illinois. Volume 7 contains The Territory of Indiana, 1800–1810, and volumes 16 and 17 contain The Territory of Illinois, 1809–1818. Each volume has an every-name index and contains thousands of names of residents in the area that is now Illinois. The volumes contain lists of residents, taxpayers, and petitioners, and information about persons associated with forts, land offices, Indian interpreters, express riders, and post offices. The original records are in the National Archives. FHL book 973.N2udt or film 1421059