This index covers families from Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, and Missouri. They contain various records, including military and land records, census schedules, and family histories from different states, and are valuable resources.
During the early days of the United States, many pioneers ventured westward in search of adventure and the chance to own and cultivate their land. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 played a pivotal role in this westward expansion. This federal law established the criteria for a territory to become a state and offered new land for citizens to settle on, with the promise of government support. One key provision of the Northwest Ordinance was that a territory with more than 60,000 inhabitants could petition for statehood. This population requirement strongly incentivized territories to attract immigrants and promote settlement within their borders.
Additional Resources:
- An Index of Pioneers from Massachusetts to the West, Especially the State of Michigan
- Detroit River Connections: Historical and Biographical Sketches of the Eastern Great Lakes Border Region
- Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Illinois
- Illinois Census Returns, 1810 and 1818
- Illinois Census Returns, 1820
- Revolutionary Soldiers Buried in Indiana (with Supplement)
- Roster of Soldiers and Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Indiana
- Kansas Territorial Settlers of 1860
- Michigan Military Records
- A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri
- Missouri Marriages Before 1840
- Pioneer Families of the Midwest
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