Descendants of the Bishop Hill Colonists
Henry County, Illinois, USA

The formation of the Bishop Hill Colony is recognized as one of the largest driving forces in the immigration into the United States of millions of Swedes and others from Scandinavia. Bishop Hill was a focus of the Swedish and American Jubilee Committees during the year 1996. Other participants included Ellis Island Immigration Museum, Indianapolis Chidren's Museum, and the Minnesota History Center.

As part of the "Emigrants and Immigrants in Swedish History, 1846-1996", the Bishop Hill Old Settlers Association was compiling a list of the living direct descendants of the Bishop Hill Colony, beginning in 1846 and ending in 1861.

If you are a direct descendant or know someone who is, please send the name and address to

Bishop Hill Old Settlers Association
Box 68
Bishop Hill, IL 61419

Historical Archaeology at Bishop Hill, Illinois

1994-1995 Project: excavations around the Boy's Dorm behind the Colony Church
For more information contact the Bishop Hill State Historic Site.

Tracing Swedish Ancestry

Those desiring to trace Swedish roots may find assistance in Swedish-American colleges or museums.

• Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College, Rock Island, IL 61201
• Vasa National Archives in Bishop Hill, IL

Some WWW resources for tracing Swedish Roots and Swedish-American History include:

• American Swedish Historical Museum, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Bishop Hill Home Page

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