Our AHSGR Chapter’s Purpose
Our Chapter’s purpose is to bring together people interested in the history of Germans from Russia. Through a better understanding and appreciation of our heritage, we will promote the preservation of our history for generations to come.
Our Chapter was formed in 1978 to reach out to those Germans from Russia who live in Northern Illinois. Chapter members today represent ancestral connections to the major German-Russian settlement areas in metropolitan Chicago and the Midwest.
The Chapter encourages historical interest and genealogical research as well as to come together in good fellowship at our meetings throughout the year.
Membership Information
Please contact Maggie Hein for Membership Dues information. (Contact information below.)
Please print out the MEMBERSHIP FORM and mail your remittance to the address below or bring it to a chapter meeting!
Mail To:
Maggie Hein
P.O. Box 418
Glencoe, IL. 60022
Send Email
Chapter Library
We have a large collection of German-Russian books, maps, AHSGR Journals and Clues, and other resource materials available to our membership. The Library is open one half hour prior to the start of the meeting. Members may check out and return books at this time.
Chapter Newsletter
Our “NIC NEWS” is published quarterly for chapter members. The newsletter provides articles about AHSGR International, local Chapter news, library additions, and other items of interest to our members.
Genealogy
The Chapter has members who are active in personal research and can provide expertise and support to those who wish to explore German-Russian Research. For anyone wishing information regarding former German-Russian settlements please contact the chapter.
Chapter Publications
Unser Leute: Settlers in Northern Illinois, now in its 3rd printing, has 89 pages of surnames of Germans from Russia. Extracted from the churches in the Volga German communities in the Townships of Jefferson, Proviso and Thorton in Cook County, Illinois. The amount of information that was available from church records many entries include birth and death dates, names of children, other relatives, birth place, emigration date and burial location.
Churches researched include:
- Calvary United Methodist Church (Second United Brethren Church), Chicago
- Eden Evangelical Lutheran United Church of Christ, Chicago
- Peace United Church of Christ, Bellwood
- St. John Lutheran Church, Bellwood
- St. John Lutheran Church, Lansing
- St. Paul Lutheran Church, Dolton
- St. Paul Lutheran Church, Melrose Park
- St. Paul Lutheran Church, Thornton
- Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Bellwood
Germans From Russia Death Extractions, Years 1914-1995, from the John V. May Funeral Home, Chicago, IL. Award recognition for this publication has been given by the Illinois Association of Museums, Springfield, Ill. This publication contains an alphabetical listing of 1125 Germans from Russia, extracted from ledgers of the John V. May Funeral Home. Included are surname, first name, birthplace, birth and death dates, spouse information, last known address, relatives (if known), church attended, and place of final internment. Also given is a listing of major area cemetery locations, and the names and addresses of churches attended by Germans from Russia in the Jefferson Park area of Chicago.
Both books are available for purchase and are $20 each. The price includes postage and handling. Make check payable to: Northern Illinois Chapter AHSGR.
Send requests for copies to:
Duane Funk
847-987-2264
Send Email
Chapter members have also extracted names of German-Russians from the 1920 US Federal Census of the GR communities in the Chicago area. The extractions from Film #338 which includes the Jefferson Park neighborhood, Cook County Ward 27, are complete. The extractions from microfilms #360, 362 & 363 of Calumet, Proviso, Thornton townships, which includes the villages of Bellwood, Broadview, Forest Park, Maywood, Melrose Park, Dolton, River Forest, Lansing and Riverdale, IL is complete. The 1910 US Federal Census for Proviso Township, Cook County extractions are complete as well. Copies of these extractions have been sent to AHSGR Headquarters in Lincoln, Neb., and reference copies are available in our Chapter Library.