Prairie du Rocher Illinois Genealogy

The Shea Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

John Shea, farmer, of Red Bud, Illinois, Rural Route #3, was born June 20, 1858, in Randolph County, near Prairie du Rocher. He attended the public school and then worked for his father, Michael Shea, until 1880, when he rented a farm near Prairie du Rocher, and in 1885, he moved to the present location, where he still resides. On September 25, 1883, he was united in the holy bonds of wedlock to Miss Katherine Faherty. Six children came to bless the family ties – two sons, William M. and Harry J.; four daughters, Mary C., Julia A., Ellen S. … Read more

The Mudd Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

The influential farmer, James Duncan Mudd of Prairie du Rocher, is a member of the oldest family of settlers in Randolph County. Indeed, his family has been in America since the very earliest days, having come over to Maryland in the time of Lord Baltimore. This band of stout-hearted Englishmen set out from their native shores in 1633 and sought religious freedom in the new world. They established the Church in North America and guaranteed religious liberty, where until then there had been only Puritan fanaticism. The Mudd family were original settlers of this colony. After the Revolution, when the … Read more

The Frawley Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

A very beloved inhabitant of Prairie du Rocher is Mr. Maurice Frawley. He was born in beautiful Ireland, in County Limerick, in the year 1833. Here he spent his childhood, went through the parish school, and was married to Miss Mary Crimmins on February 4, 1859. Of their children only a daughter is still alive. They came to America in 1862, residing in New York until October, 1865, when they joined the westward tide and came to St. Louis and continued their residence there until 1872. That year Mr. Frawley and family moved to Kidd, Monroe County, Illinois, and rented … Read more

The Wierschem Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

One of our literary geniuses has remarked that the history of any locality is but the history of its great men. The destinies of splendid empires are shaped by the personalities of their rulers, and a whole people sometimes owes its prosperity to the energies of one man, who stands at the head of the state. And in a community this principle is even more forcibly demonstrated, for here the thoughts of a few leaders permeate to the farthest boundaries and shape the thoughts of the masses. Viewed in this light, how significant do the biographies of prominent men become! … Read more

The Coerver Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Killian Coerver, the well-known miller, was born in Monroe County, near Waterloo, Illinois, on April 10, 1861. He attended the parochial and public schools and also St. Vincent’s College at Cape Girardeau, Mo. After leaving school he learned the printing trade, and then clerked in a dry goods business a short time, and at the age of 18 he started to work in the circuit clerk’s office. From December, 1882, to 1886, he served as deputy county treasurer, when he was elected on the Democratic ticket as county treasurer of Monroe County and served from 1886 to 1890. On October … Read more

The Moskop Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Every community contains a few men of remarkable business ability, men who have risen to enviable success in some branch of trade. They deserve the public gratitude for their contribution to its prosperity no less than they win general admiration for the manner in which they have risen into eminence and won the hard struggle of life. Such a character is Mr. Moskop, the well-known manager of the Nanson Commission Company. He was born January 28. 1866, in Monroe City. Monroe County, being the son of a prominent farmer. After finishing the parochial and public schools he worked for a … Read more

The Blais Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

The old town of Prairie du Rocher has undergone, perhaps, fewer changes than any other locality of Randolph County. Its foundation dates back to the early part of the previous century. Its growth has not been rapid. The French population of which, its inhabitants were at first entirely composed, has here retained its distinctive character more closely than elsewhere, and a considerable proportion of the present residents of the village are descendants of the families who were identified with its history a century ago. The Blais family is one of the oldest in the town. The first of the name … Read more

The Kribs Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

The best teacher, it is said, is experience. C. J. Kribs, circuit clerk of Randolph County, has had varied experiences. He was born February 19, 1867, in Belleville, Illinois. He attended the parochial and public schools, after which he learned the trade of harness maker in St. Louis. After a residence of five years in this city he went to Chicago and worked for four years as assistant store-keeper in the Illinois Steel Works. Then he went to Prairie du Rocher, and after a short stay went to St. Louis, working for the Metropolitan Insurance Co. He was promoted and … Read more

The Brickey Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Two years prior to Missouri’s admission into the Union, October 16, 1819, Franklin W. Brickey saw the light of day in Potosi, Missouri. He attended the public schools and at the age of 19 he came to Illinois. In 1838 he started in business at Fort Chartres, supplying steam-boats with wood and general merchandise. Enterprising and with great foresight he became interested in the Red Bud Mill. In 1858 he erected the present mill at Prairie du Rocher, and at that time his property in Fort Chartres had been swept away by high water. He afterwards started the general merchandise … Read more

The Ker Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

The father of Henry Ker, a leading farmer in the neighborhood of Prairie du Rocher, was a man than whom few have seen more varied vicissitudes or left lives of more remarkable adventure. His name, like that of the subject of our biography, was Henry Ker, and he was born at Boston, Massachusetts, the son of English parents, who were temporarily residing at that place. He lived but a short time in Massachusetts. The family moved back to London where Henry received his education. He seems to have been born with an adventurous disposition, and habits of personal courage and … Read more

History of Education at Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Since they were rather uniform in pattern, it will doubtless yield a clearer picture if the common points of the pioneer schools are given rather than giving short references to each one. Nearly all of the first school houses were built of unhewed or round logs and had roofs made of clapboards that had been split from some convenient oak of large size. These boards were generally two feet or more long, about eight inches wide, and were often laid without the use of nails, poles being used on each course to hold them down. These weight poles were fastened … Read more

The Seitz Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Residence of George J. Seitz, Prairie du Rocher

George J. Seitz, the well-known liquor dealer, was born August 11, 1870, in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. After attending the public and parochial schools, learned the trade of butcher and at the age of 20 went to St. Louis, working at his trade for some time; then he returned to Ste. Genevieve, and in 1894 he went to Prairie du Rocher, working for Mr. Hauck, the butcher. From 1906 to 1910 he conducted a hotel and two years later, in 1912, he started a saloon and has conducted it ever since. Mr. Seitz is a Democrat, and is popular. He acquired … Read more

The Langlois Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

It has been difficult to trace the line of descendants of this founder of Prairie du Rocher. In a document of December 30, 1740, we learn that the late Ettienne Langlois married Catherine Beaudrau, a widow, and had the following children; Marie Louise, who married Pierre Messenger; Marie Josefine, m. Louis Populus sieur de St. Photes; Toinette, m. Pierre Boucher de Monbrum sieur de Soudray; Francois, Louis, Girard, Perine and Auguste. These last five were minors. From other sources it is learned that Ettienne had two brothers, August who lived at Kaskaskia, and Louis. What relation the notary Pierre Langlois … Read more

The O’Hara Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Henry O’Hara and his family, consisting of his wife, Margaret Brown O’Hara, and ten children, left Fredrick County, Maryland, in the latter part of 1811 and moved to Nelson County, Kentucky. His children, born in order here named, were: Mary, Amellia, Catherine, James, Thomas, Samuel, Henry, Sarah, John, and Charles. The family lived on a farm in Kentucky for six years, and in the fall of 1817 set out by wagons for the State Illinois. Arriving in Illinois, they lived during the winter of 1817 in the Mississippi bottom, south of Cahokia, and in the spring of 1818 moved on … Read more

Early Exploration and Native Americans

De Soto and his band gave to the Choctaws at Moma Binah and the Chickasaws at Chikasahha their first lesson in the white man’s modus operandi to civilize and Christianize North American Indians; so has the same lesson been continued to be given to that unfortunate people by his white successors from that day to this, all over this continent, but which to them, was as the tones of an alarm-bell at midnight. And one hundred and twenty-three years have passed since our forefathers declared all men of every nationality to be free and equal on the soil of the North … Read more

The Siegfried Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Anton Siegfried, whose address is Red Bud, Illinois, Rural Route #3, was born in Elsass, Germany, July 26, 1852. After leaving school he worked for his father on a farm until 1872, when he immigrated to America, direct to Red Bud. For a while he worked on a farm, and in 1876 rented a farm. In 1888 he became a dealer in cattle and hogs. In 1891 he went to Ruma and opened a meat market. Seven years later he also opened a general merchandise store. Mr. Siegfried did not confine his buying to live stock, but also bought and … Read more

Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Catholic Parish Records, 1695-1956

A help guide for accessing the images of parish registers recording the events of baptism, first communion, confirmation (to 1907), marriage (to 1930) or death (to 1956) in the Diocese of Belleville (Illinois), Roman Catholic Church. The index to some volumes may reference pages within a given volume beyond current publication dates. As such, these images are not currently available. In addition to traditional parish registers, this collection includes a small number of census, church history, family and financial records. To assist the researcher I have broken down the available registers by county and name of parish, including the years covered by those parish records.

The Conner Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Conner's General Merchandise Store, Prairie du Rocher

There are few citizens of American blood, native born in Randolph County, who date their birth back as far as does Mr. W. S. Conner, a resident of the southern part of Township five — eight. He was born within a quarter of a mile of his present residence, in the year of 1815. He was the son of Henry Conner, who was born in Maryland and moved to Kentucky when ten years old, about the year 1795. The Conner family is of Irish extraction. The name was formerly spelled “O’Connor,” in which form it will be easily recognized as … Read more

The Louvier Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

The oldest resident in the town of Prairie du Rocher is John N. Louvier, who was born in the village, in the year 1802, and has since lived in the town or in the vicinity. His father was Antoine Louvier, a Frenchman, who came to Illinois country when a boy. Antoine Louvier was born about the year 1767, and was ten or fifteen years of age when he came to Randolph County. He married Louise Langlois. The Langlois family was one of the earliest and most influential in the community, the first of which to come to Prairie du Rocher … Read more

The Hoef Family of Prairie du Rocher Illinois

Mr. Hoef is one of those citizens who have come to our shores, leaving their native country, and seeking a new home in a new world. In early times all of our people crossed the seas, “but their hardihood and enterprise has all but been forgotten. Those who emigrated in more recent times serve to remind us of the dangers and privations attending the long voyage from another continent. Mr. Hoef was born in Cobenz, Germany, on March 16, 1851. He came to America with his parents in 1865 and settled in Madonnaville. Here he attended the parochial and public … Read more