In 1980, in celebration of the Coles Co., IL Sesquicentennial, the Coles Co. Genealogical Society issued PIONEER CERTIFICATES to direct descendants of early settlers in Coles Co. Beginning in 2000, this project is being continued.

ELIGIBILITY:  An applicant must be a DIRECT DESCENDANT of an ancestor who settled in Coles Co. Prior to 1880. Every applicant must submit a separate application for each Pioneer family for which a Pioneer Certificate is desired. A Pioneer Husband and Wife may be listed as such on the same Certificate if desired. Eligibility shall be determined by a committee, and their decision will be final. As soon as your eligibility has been determined, a certificate will be prepared and mailed to you. if you are not found to be eligible, your payment will be returned to you.

TYPE or PRINT:  All entries on your application and submit it with your DOCUMENTED evidence and your payment of $5.00 for each Pioneer Certificate requested. ALL applications should be submitted to Shirley Nees, Pioneer Certificate Project Chairperson, 4 Circle Drive, Charleston, IL 61920-2917.

ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE:  Documentary evidence MUST accompany the application, but ONLY for the settler-ancestor.  Only ONE of the following need be submitted as evidence that your ancestor was a resident of Coles Co., IL prior to 1880.
    a.   Birth -Birth Certificate, Bible Record, Tombstone Inscription, church Record.
    b.   Marriage - Marriage Certificate, Bible Record, Tombstone Inscription, or Church Record.
    c.   Death - Death Certificate, Bible Record, Church Record, Cemetery Record, Tombstone
          Inscription, Dated Obituary, Dated Newspaper Notice, or Undertaker's Records.
    d.   Estate File - Probate, Will, or Administration.
    e.   Land Records - From County Recorder's Office - Grantee or Grantor Entries.
    f.   U.S. Census - From Published Federal Census Book or Microfilm.
    g.   City or County Directory - Yes, one does exist prior to 1880!
    h.   Military Records -

    If you do not have one of the above to send with your application, you must obtain one BEFORE you submit the application. Please note that County Histories are NOT considered as a primary evidence document and therefore will not be accepted as evidence of Coles County residency for your ancestor, and may be used by you only to assist your establishment of the direct line of descendancy to you.

You do NOT have to submit evidence for the line of descendancy. Just evidence that your ancestor lived here.

DO NOT SEND ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS!  Submit legible photocopies of these records only. Your application and verifying evidence will not be returned. they will become the property of the Coles Co. Genealogical Society and will be filed with the Society's records at the Charleston Public Library. the information that you furnish will be a valuable addition to the history of Coles Co. and a source of information to other members of your family for years to come. All application forms will be assembled in book form and placed in the library for review by other researchers.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION  Certificates for persons living in Coles Co. before the end of 1830 will receive a GOLD SEAL attached to the Pioneer Certificate. 1831-1840 will receive a RED SEAL. 1840-1860 will receive a SILVER SEAL. 1861-1880 will receive a BLUE SEAL.

THE CERTIFICATES  will be 8 1/2" by 11", printed on heavy colored parchment, and will include depictions of various historical sites in Coles Co. A brief description of each of the historical sites, or landmarks, will be included separately.