Tazewell County
Genealogical & Historical Society
Ortssippenbücher (OSB) Collection

Many of the early settlers of Tazewell County emigrated from the Ostfriesland area of Germany. One of these settlers, Teis Smith, became a successful businessman in Pekin. He encouraged many other Ostfriesen families to migrate to central Illinois, providing employment in his wagon factory.

Ostfriesland, also called East Friesland or East Frisia, is an area in the northwest corner of Germany on the North Sea coast and Includes the German islands in the North Sea. Ostfriesland is a region rather than any kind of administrative or political district such as a state or province.

Ostfriesland is contained within the German state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony). The approximate borders of Ostfriesland are the Netherlands to the west, south to about Papenburg, and east to Oldenburg.

The largest city in Ostfriesland is Emden. Other important cities are Aurich, Leer, Esens, Jever, Norden, and Wittmund.

Ortssippenbücher (OSB) books contain important information for Ostfriesen researchers such as names, occupations, family relationships, and dates of births, marriages, and deaths for families of a specific Ostfriesen town or village. The information (usually extracted from local church records) is presented alphabetically by family group surname.

OSBs are created by volunteers, some of whom have spent up to fourteen years writing them. The books are written in German and typically cover the time period from the mid-1600’s through 1900.

OSBs are published in Germany by the Upstalsboom-Gesellschaft (Genealogical Society of Ostfriesland).  Although these books are a great resource, please remember they are still a secondary source. Errors have been known to exist.

Our OSB collection is currently thought to be the largest in the State of Illinois. We are always interested in expanding the collection.  If you know of a source of some of the other OSB volumes, please contact us.

Ostfriesland
Village
Years
Covered
Ostfriesland
OSB Volume
Deutsch
OSB Volume
Remarks
Amdorf 1649-1900 Band 22

A 131

 

Ardorf

 1749-1900

 Band 37

 A 210

 

Arle 1720-1900 Band 71 A 367  
Asel 1631-1930 Band 70 A 366  
Aurich 1700-1900 Band 5 A 67 Includes Oldendorf
Backemoor 1712-1900 Band 11 A 82  
Bagband 1696-1900 Band 27 A 163  
Baltrum 1707-1962 Band 3 A 65  
Bangstede 1724-1900 Band 12 A 130  

Barstede

 1684-1907

 Band 31

 A 175

 

Bedekaspel

 1726-1900

 Band 29  A 169

 

Bingum

 1760-1900

 Band 33  A 192

 

Böhmerwold 1695-1910 Band 68 A 364  
Breinermoor 1700-1900 Band 10 A 77  
Buttforde 1646-1920 Band 76 A 401  
Canhusen 1740-1900 Band 41 A 222  

Canum

 1729-1900

 Band 47  A 241

 

Collinghorst 1701-1900 Band 34 A 200  

Detern

 1644-1900

 Band 40  A 217

 

Ditzumerverlaat

 1853-1900

 Band 53  A 266

 

Driever

 1767-1900

 Band 36  A 209

 Includes Esklum

Dykhausen-Neustadtgödens

 1611-1900

 Band 60  A 313

 

Eggelingen

 1651-1920

 Band 54  A 267

 

Emden (French Reform)

 1661-1897

 Band 63  A 341

 

Engerhafe

 1666-1900

 Band 38  A 214

 

Esklum

 1682-1900

 Band 36  A 209

 Includes Driever

Filsum 1716-1900 Band 46 A 234  

Freepsum

 1719-1900

 Band 49  A 243

 

Groß Midlum

 1701-1900

 Band 50  A 244

 

Großwolde

 1728-1900

 Band 55  A 268

 

Grotegaste

 1725-1900

 Band 35  A 208

 Includes Mitling-Mark

Hesel 1643-1900 Band 8 A 71  

Holtgaste

 1695-1900

 Band 59  A 299

 

Holtland

 1629-1900

 Band 26  A 161

 

Holtrop 1634-1900 Band 17 A 135  
Horsten 1682-1900 Band 13 A 184  
Ihrhove 1723-1900 Band 32 A 188  
Jarssum 1786-1900 Band 74 A 400  
Jemgum - Parts 1 & 2 1674-1900 Band 72 A 388  
Kirchborgum 1724-1900 Band 19 A 116  

Landschaftspolder

 1766-1900

 Band 63  A 316

 

Larrelt 1671-1900 Band 43 A 231  
Leerhafe 1672-1900 Band 45 A 233  
Leerort 1600-1900 Band 18 A 113  
Loga 1728-1900 Band 9 A 72  
Logabirum 1719-1900 Band 7 A 70  
Logumer Vowerk 1730-1900 Band 44 A 232 Includes Nesserland

Loppersum

 1720-1900

 Band 42  A 223

 

Marienchor 1755-1910 Band 69 A 365  

Middels

 1684-1950

 Band 4  A 66

 

Mitling-Mark

 1637-1900

 Band 35  A 208

Includes Grotegaste

Moordorf 1892-1900 Band 73 A 399 Includes Victorbur
Nesserland 1719-1872 Band 44 A 232 Includes Logumer Vowerk
Neuburg 1648-1900 Band 23 A 132  

Neustadtgödens

 1695-1900

 Band 61  A 314

 

Norderney 1688-1900 Band 67 A 352  
Nortmoor 1671-1900 Band 20 A 177  

Nüttermoor – Parts 1 & 2

 1663-1900

 Band 28  A 166

 

Ochtelbur 1706-1900 Band 15 A 108  
Oldendorf 1700-1900 Band 5 A 67 Includes Aurich

Potshausen

 1685-1900

 Band 30  A 162

 

Reepsholt – Parts 1-3

 1633-1900

 Band 14  A 97

 

Steenfelde 1719-1900 Band 39 A 220  

Strackholt

 1706-1900

 Band 52  A 246

 

Timmel 1699-1900 Band 21 A 136  

Twixlum

 1706-1900

 Band 58  A 298

 

Uphusen

 1727-1900

 Band 24  A 142

 

Veenhusen 1669-1900   A 315  
Victorbur 1620-1900 Band 73 A 399 Includes Moordorf

Völlen

 1677-1900

 Band 57  A 282

 

Werdum - Parts 1 & 2 1662-1900 Band 6 A 68 & 69  

Westerbur

 1556-1900

 Band 25  A 147

 

Westerende 1663-1910 Band 16 A 98  

Wirdum

 1652-1900

 Band 56  A 281

 

Woltzeten

 1780-1900

 Band 48  A 242

 

Woquard 1724-1900 Band 1 A 176  

Wybelsum

 1724-1900

 Band 51  A 245

 

Return to Home Page



Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society © 1999-2008
P. O. Box 312
Pekin, Illinois 61555-0312
(309) 477-3044
Send a message to TCGHS
This website designed & maintained by
Mike Dickson