Local History
Civil War Soldiers' Reunion
DeWitt Couty Courthouse, 1918
The Vespasian Warner Public Library's Archive has a large collection of documents, newspapers, photographs, postcards, and artifacts that covers the history of DeWitt County. The library also houses the collections of the DeWitt County Genealogical Society and the DeWitt Clinton Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
For information about the Vespasian Warner Public Library Archive, please call the library at 217-935-5174 or email
Below are listings of our holdings. Not all images are available online at this time, however, if you would like a scanned copy of any image, please contact Bobbi at perryman@vwarner.org.
We have begun adding images to Archive.org, History Pin and the Illinois Digital Archive. We are continuing to add images each week, so be sure to check back.
Proquest is allowing temporary remote access for VWPLD patrons. Please email for more information
Archive
General Collection
Documents, photographs, and artifacts related to DeWitt County history.
A partial list of photographs in our collection.
Many images are also available in the library's Archive.org and HistoryPin.com accounts.
Civil War Collection
Diaries, photographs, artifacts
Digitization of these items was made possible by a grant from the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation
Clinton Area Yearbooks
Includes Clinton, Heyworth, Le Roy, Kenney, Maroa-Forsyth, and Wapella.
Digitized versions of Clinton yearbooks.
Helen Hume Thorp Collection
Wapella and Rucker Chapel History
Clinton Newpapers
On microfilm. 1854-present.
Weinberg Library of Comparative Religion
Donated by Dr. Harold Weinberg
DeWitt County World War I Collection
Letters, service records, and photographs. Available in the Illinois Digital Archive
Letters, newspaper articles, and photographs.
C.H. Moore Collection
This is the original collection from the library's opening in 1908. Includes numerous works on Illinois history and biography.
For information on C.H. Moore, please visit the DeWitt County Museum website.
The DeWitt County Genealogical Society was formed in 1974 to help collect and preserve genealogical history and other resources about the people of DeWitt County.
Contact DCGS:
PO Box 632
Clinton, IL 61727
Email:
You can also fill out the form below.
DCGS items available at the library:
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Census 1840 - 1930
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Death Index 1878 - 1980
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Marriage Index 1839 - 1979
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Birth Index 1878 - 1915
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Obituaries
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Funeral home records
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DeWitt County histories and atlases
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Land Records
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Family files
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Bible Records
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Ancestor charts
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Cemetery records
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Quarterlies
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Family histories
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Clinton city directories (earlist-1915)
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Circuit Clerk's records index
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Military Records
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Probate Records
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Materials about other counties and states
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DeWitt County Early Marriage Licences, 1839-
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Additional Local Records
DeWitt County Genealogical Society
