Dr. Minert and a team of researchers at BYU are currently involved in a project wherein they read and extract Americans' German vital records from historic local church vital records. These church records often pinpoint German origins in the "old country." Places and dates of birth, marriage, and previous residence in Germany are commonly found in these records. Dr. Minert estimates that 65-76 percent of historic local church records give an immigrant's exact place of birth. Entries found in the volumes include people born in Switzerland.
Typical entries from the St. James Lutheran Church, of Quincy, Illinois are as follows:
- Hermann Heinrich Kerker b. Jöllenbeck, Westfalen 10 Oct 1804 (calculated); d. Quincy, IL 15 Jan 1899, age 94-3-5; bur. Quincy 18 Jan 1899. Ref: p. 3:354.
- Anna Friederike Goessling b. Herford, Westfalen 7 Sept 1860 (calculated); d. Quincy, IL 7 Feb 1899, age 38-5-0; bur. Quincy 10 Feb 1899. Ref: p. 3:354.
- Anna Friederike - - b. Herford, Westfalen 1 Oct 1840 (calculated); d. Quincy, IL 18 Feb 1899, age 58-4-17; bur. Quincy 20 Feb 1899; m. - - Pankoke. Ref: p. 3:354.
- Johann Heinrich Wallenbrock b. Preußen 5 May 1830 (calculated); d. Quincy, IL 25 March 1899, age 68-10-20; bur. Quincy 28 March 1899. Ref: p. 3:355.
- Wilhelmine Henriette Mueller b. Lippe (principality) 26 Jan 1817 (calculated); d. Quincy, IL 11 April 1899, age 82-2-16; bur. Quincy 13 April 1899. Ref: p. 3:355.
The records are from the following Illinois counties:
- Adams
- Cass
- Champaign
- Douglas
- Logan
- Mason
- Morgan
- Sangamon
- Shelby
- Vermilion
The following is the table of contents (excluding page numbers) for the volume.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Map of Illinois
Map of Central Illinois: Churches included in this volume
Introduction
How to Use This Book
Sample Entries from Central Illinois Protestant Church Records
German Immigrants in Central Illinois Protestant Churches
1. Arthur: Zion’s Evangelical and Reformed Church
2. Bishop: St. John’s Lutheran Church
3. Burton: St. Matthew’s Church
4. Champaign: St. Peter’s Evangelical Church
5. Chapin: St Paul’s Lutheran Church
6. Coatsburg: St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
7. Danville: Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church
8. Danville: Kimber Methodist Episcopal Church
9. Emden: St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
10. Fowler: St. Paul’s Evangelical Church
11. Gifford: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
12. Havana: St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
13. Lincoln: Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church
14. Newman: Methodist Episcopal Church
15. Newmansville: Mt. Zion Congregation
16. Philo: Zion’s Lutheran Church
17. Quincy: St. James Lutheran Church
18. Quincy: St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
19. Quincy: St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
20. Rantoul: American Lutheran Church
21. San Jose: St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
22. Shelbyville: St. John’s Lutheran Church
23. Springfield: Kumler United Methodist Church
24. Tuscola: Immanuel Lutheran Church
25. Tuscola: Macedonia Lutheran Church
Every Name Index
Roger Minert
(2012), 2020, cloth, 608 pp.
ISBN: 9781628593211
121-FR0592
