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Hancock County History and Information
County History | Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |

Hancock County Facts

Hancock County was created on January 13, 1825 (Laws, 1825, p. 93) and was formed from Pike County. County organization was completed on January 15, 1829. Present area, or parts of it, formerly included: Attached to Adams County (Laws, 1825, p. 95) (1825–1829), Pike County (1821–1825), Madison County (1812–1821) and St. Clair County (1795–1812).

The County was named for John Hancock, a prominent figure of the Revolutionary period, a Major General of the militia, President of the Continental Congress, first signer of the Declaration of Independence, and first Governor of the State of Massachusetts. The County Seat is Carthage (1833-Present). See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Hancock County are Henderson County (northeast), McDonough County (east), Schuyler County (southeast), Adams County (south), Lewis County, Missouri (southwest), Clark County, Missouri (west), Lee County, Iowa (northwest).

Hancock County Townships include Appanoose, Augusta, Bear Creek, Carthage, Chili, Dallas City (Formed from Pontoosuc in 1860), Durham, Fountain Green, Hancock (Formed from Fountain Green and St. Marys on April 27, 1855), Harmony (Formed from Carthage and Chili on September 12, 1854), La Harpe, Montebello, Nauvoo, Pilot Grove, Pontoosuc, Prairie (Formed from Montebello and Carthage on September 12, 1854), Rock Creek (Formed from Sonora and Pilot Grove on April 27, 1855), Rocky Run, Sonora, St. Albans, St. Mary's, Walker, Warsaw (Included only city of Warsaw after November 15, 1855), Wilcox (Formed from Warsaw on November 15, 1855), Wythe Townships

Cities, Towns and Communities include Augusta, Basco, Bentley, Bowen, Carthage, Dallas City, Elvaston, Ferris, Fountain Green, Hamilton, La Harpe, Nauvoo, Plymouth, Pontoosuc, Warsaw, West Point

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Records at the Hancock County Courthouse

See Also Illinois Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

The Official County website is located at N/A . All departments below at located at the Hancock County Courthouse, Courthouse Square, Carthage, Illinois 62321 , unless a different address is listed below. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

   Hancock County Circuit Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1830 and Court Records from 1829 and is located at the address above. Phone Number: (217) 357-2616
   The Clerk of the Circuit Court, commonly known as the Circuit Clerk, is the keeper of the files and records of the Circuit Court.  The Circuit Clerk works at the direction of Circuit Court, Appellate Court and Supreme Court of Illinois and is mandated to follow and enforce the laws of the State of Illinois.  The Circuit Clerk's Office processes all documents in criminal law, chancery, support, probate, adoption, juvenile, drainage, local improvement, mental, small claims, traffic, ordinance violations, prepares appeals to the higher court, issues passports, summons jurors, tax deeds and handles approximately ten million dollars in costs, fines, restitution, investments and support each year.  The Office also issues summonses, writs, attachments, subpoenas and all other tasks as mandated by the courts.

   Hancock County Recorder has Land Records from 1817 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (217) 357-3911
   The County Recorder of Deeds serves the people of County by receiving, filing and maintaining all records related to real property in our county. These documents range from all types of conveyance deeds, mortgages, releases and assignments, property liens, as well as, assorted federal, state and local liens. The Recorder’s office is responsible for the recordation and storage of plats of subdivision, land surveys and monument records. Many other types of miscellaneous documents are recorded, such as; foreign birth certificates, foreign marriage licenses, and military discharge paperwork to name a few.

   Hancock County Clerk has Birth / Death Records from 1877 and Marriage Records from 1829 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (217) 357-3911
    The County Clerk maintains records and issues certificates of vital statistics (birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates) for the entire County.

Search Online Click Here to Search Illinois Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

Below is a list of online resources for Hancock County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Hancock County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Hancock County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Illinois

Search Online Click Here to Search Illinois Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.

Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records, 605 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, IL 62702-5097. It can take up to 6 weeks to get a vital record from Illinois.

A number of resources are available for individuals doing genealogical research using vital records filed in the state of Illinois. Births and deaths before January 1, 1916 and marriages before January 1, 1962 are recorded only in the office of the county clerk where the event occurred. Most county clerks have indexes to the records that are prior to 1916 that are available for the purpose of genealogical research. These indexes generally provide the name, date and place of occurrence and are located in county courthouses located throughout the state. Although self-service access to the indexes is generally permitted, the law limits physical access to the individual records to the clerk's staff. When you locate a record from the index, it will be necessary for the clerk to pull the record for you once you have paid the appropriate search fee. Please check with the county clerk for fees and policies on reviewing indexes.

  • Birth, Death Certificates: The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains birth, death and marriage records that occur in Illinois from 1916 to the present.
    • Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $17.00 (long) or $10.00 (uncertified) per certificate by mail.
      Make your check or money order payable to "Illinois Department of Public Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. The cost of each record includes a ten-year search if the exact date or place of event is not known. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • In Person: In-person orders can be dropped off for mail out within two business days at the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records office, 605 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, on Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding holidays. (Large volume orders may take longer.) PLEASE NOTE: the person requesting the record will be asked to show a valid picture identification card.
    • Processing Time: 6 weeks when ordered by MAIL [application for birth records, application for death records] or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: The Division of Vital Records also maintains an index of marriages & divorces from 1962 to the present. Copies of the marriage & divorce records are available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the marriage license was obtained or divorce was granted. Fees vary.
    • Cost: $5.00. Make your check or money order payable to "Illinois Department of Public Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. The cost of each record includes a ten-year search if the exact date or place of event is not known. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $5.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • Processing Time: 6 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
    Birth Certificates
         		Death Certificates
         		Marriage Certificates
         		Divorce Records

Below is a list of online resources for Hancock County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Hancock County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

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Hancock County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

Search Online Click Here to Search Illinois Voter Lists & Census Records! - Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable.

  Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Hancock County, Illinois are 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Hancock County, Illinois are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

  See Also Statewide Records that exist for Illinois

Below is a list of online resources for Hancock County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Hancock County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Hancock County, Illinois Census Books at Amazon.com

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Hancock County Maps & Atlases

   Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.

  You can view rotating animated maps for Illinois showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps
   You can view rotating animated maps for Illinois showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries.

Below is a list of online resources for Hancock County Maps. Email us with websites containing Hancock County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Hancock County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Illinois

Search Online Click Here to Search Illinois Military Records! - Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

   The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Hancock County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Hancock County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Hancock County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

   The first known tax authorization in Illinois fell under the jurisdiction of the Territory of the United States North West of the River Ohio. The tax was based on every hundred acres of unimproved uncleared prairie or wood land, divided into three classes based on quality of earth surface and soil. The rates were thirty, twenty, and ten cents, to be paid annually. Property with delinquent taxes was sold at public auction. There do not appear to be any surviving tax records from this territorial period.

Beginning with statehood, tax records form a large part of county archival material. The 1819 laws provided the first taxation process, imposing taxes on land, bank stock owned, slaves and indentured negroes or mulattoes, plus a poor tax. The tax was collected by the county with income divided between the county and state. Taxpayers lists were eliminated in 1824, and in 1825 a county road tax and school taxes were enacted.

Original and microfilmed tax records at Illinois Regional Archives Depositories include taxable land lists, assessors books, railroad tax books, road tax records, and collectors books, the earliest record dated 1817. Other county tax records are located in county seats.

Below is a list of online resources for Hancock County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Hancock County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Hancock County, Illinois Tax Books at Amazon.com

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Hancock County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Illinois Genealogical Addresses

   The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Hancock County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Hancock County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

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Hancock County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Illinois

Search Online Click Here to Search Illinois Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

   There are many churches and cemeteries in Hancock County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Hancock County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Despite the early Catholic missionaries in Illinois, their church had almost totally disappeared from the state by the time of the American Revolution. Later migration of English-speaking Catholics reestablished the church in the state. In 1850 the largest religious denomination in Illinois was the Methodists. Baptists, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Congregationalists followed. Episcopalians had organized in the state in 1835, the Disciples of Christ were in Illinois prior to 1830, and the Lutherans grew in numbers with the German and Scandinavian emigration of the 1840s.

   The Genealogical Society of Utah and the Daughters of the American Revolution have compiled cemetery records for the state of Illinois. Soldiers' Burial Places in State of Illinois for Wars 1774-1898 is available on thirty-one reels of microfilm from the FHL. Local genealogical societies may have information and possible printed records of cemeteries in their locale.

Below is a list of online resources for Hancock County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Hancock County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Search Online Click Here to Search Illinois Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

   When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Hancock County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Hancock County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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County History

John Hancock [1737 - 1793] was the first governor of Commonwealth of Massachussetts. He was a member of the Continental Congress from 1775-80 and 1785-86, serving as President of the Congress from 1775-77.

Hancock is most famous as the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. Hancock made his signature large, "So the King of England could read it without his spectacles" or so the legends say....
Established Seven Years after Illinois became a State

Formed on 13 Jan 1825 from unorganized territory attached to Pike County, Illinois.
The first county courthouse was at Montebello, on the banks of the Mississippi River between Warsaw and Nauvoo. The town site is no longer occupied, but is marked by a plaque placed by the Hancock County Historical Society at the Hoot Owl Rest Area along the River.

In 1833, the General Assembly of the state of Illinois, commisioned the founding of the first permanent county seat at Carthage, in the center of the county. The first log courthouse was built in 1833 on the south side of the square. It was used from 1839-45 for other purposes.

The second courthouse in Carthage, was built in the center of the square 1839 by Moses Stephens, at a cost of $3,700. It was razed in 1906 to make way for the new courthouse. The present county courthouse was dedicated on October 21, 1908.

On October 2, 1925, during the Hancock County's centennial year, a plaque was placed on the north side of the Hancock County Courthouse:

The Founding of Hancock County, commemorated by the Six Thousand Children of the Elementary Schools. October 2, 1925 Erected and dedicated in honor of John Hancock.

The plaque was unveiled by 10-year-old John Siepel, a native of Hancock Township, Hancock County, Illinois.

The Mormons in Hancock County - About 1839, the Mormons came to the town of Commerce. The settlement was renamed Nauvoo (Beautiful Place). From 1839-1846, Nauvoo was Illinois' largest (population 20,000) and most politically powerful town. In June of 1844, the Mormon prophet and leader, Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum Smith were killed by a mob while detained in the jail at Carthage. The Mormon exodus from Nauvoo began in early 1846 as they traveled across the Great Plains to their new headquarters in Utah.

French Icarians - Utopia in Nauvoo - The Icarians came to Nauvoo in 1849. They established a utopian society. Emile Baxter, an Icarian, planted Baxter's Vineyards, now the oldest winery in Illinois.

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