Blackhawk Statue near Oregon, Illinois….In the Heart of the Rock River Valley

The Blackhawk Statue was created by Lorado Taft beginning in 1908. One of his daughters, Emily, married Illinois U.S. Senator Paul Douglas. Lorado and his family lived in Rockvale Twp. in 1900 where his 2 daughters were born. Click here for more information on Lorado Taft’s family and the statue. Click here for picture from 1911.

Introduction to the Ogle County Genealogy Site

Welcome to our site! The treasure trove of information contained here is the result of the efforts of many individuals researching and documenting Ogle County history and its people. We hope you’ll browse, and as you see fit comment or make suggestions for improvement.

This site was created by Kathryn Arnold-Stauffer in 1997 who maintained it until the current webmaster, Roger Cramer, took over on October 1, 2001.  A major revision was completed in January 2003 including the addition of a search engine. 

Beginning in the fall of 2020, Kerry Knodle signed on as a new volunteer to update and help maintain the site. That work is ongoing.

Sharing genealogical information is the only way we can put all the pieces of the puzzle back together again for future generations. Please feel free to browse the site, donate information, pictures, or offer suggestions for improvement. 

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To offer your help with the site–transcribing, researching, website maintenance or general volunteering,  CLICK HERE.

If you would like one of our volunteers to assist you in Ogle Co. research, please look at our list of Research and Lookup Volunteers.

Searches for birth, marriage, and death records can be requested via e-mail from the Ogle Co. Clerk’s Office. Birth records begin in 1860, marriages in 1837, and deaths in 1878, however Illinois law did not require these records to be kept until 1916 so many went unreported. If document is found, the following information is required: name of person, date of event, type of document and a self addressed stamped envelope for return of document. Click here for more information on requesting records.

Quick Links

• History of the Ogle County GenWeb Site
• Cemetery lists of all locations, photos, and surnames of those buried in Ogle Co.  Updating cemetery inscriptions of all Ogle Co. cemeteries is underway with many complete and online
• Census: Transcribed records: 1840  1850 1860 1870 1910 1930 – Mortality Index 1850 1860 – Illinois Census Record Site
• Obituaries of many early Ogle Co. settlers
• Biographies of many early Ogle Co. settlers *** 
• Biographies from “Brethren in Northern Illinois and Wisconsin”
• Canada Settlement in Ogle Co., IL story of the Lawrence, Poole, Slater, Sanborn, and Johnson families coming to Ogle Co. in the 1830’s
• History of Ogle Co. *** 
• Ogle Co. Fact Sheet ***
• Reasons for settling in early Ogle Co.
• Resource links to genealogical research sites, libraries, maps, projects, and more.
• Contact Look-up Volunteers
• Pictures of some early Ogle Co. settlers and area sites of interest
• Tombstone Photos
• Family Site links to various Ogle Co. family web sites
• Church historical photos and descriptions in Ogle Co.
• 1997 and 1998 Archived Queries
• Township Maps current and from 1872 *** 
• 1872 Twp. Resident Directory *** 
• County Officers from 1837 through 1872
• Newspapers available on microfilm ***
• Byron Express newspaper index from July 1882-December 1887
• Ogle Co. Civil War Volunteers *** 
• Ogle Co. Veterans from “History of Ogle Co., IL” by H. F. Kett & Co., Chicago, IL, 1878″Identifying families from MD, VA, & WV in counties of Midwest including Ogle Co.
• Byron Museum of History and Lucius Read House
• Leaf River Historical Society has published “Leaf River’s Yesterday’s” Booklet and “It Happened in Leaf River” Calendar
• 175 Year History Book for Lindenwood and Lynnville Twp.
• Doris Vogel, long time Ogle Co. genealogist retires. Article from June 2007 Rochelle News-Leader

Neighboring County ILGenWeb Sites