Woodford County History and Information

Woodford County Facts

Woodford County was created on February 27, 1841 (Laws, 1841, p. 84) and was formed from McLean and Tazewell Counties. Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in: Eastern Part: McLean County (1831–1841), Tazewell County (1827–1831), Fayette County (1821–1827), Clark County (1819–1821), Crawford County (1816–1819) and Edwards County (1815–1816); Western Part: Tazewell County (1827–1841), Peoria County (1825–1827), Sangamon County (1821–1825), Bond County (1817–1821), Madison County (1812–1817), St. Clair County (1801–1812) and Knox, Northwest Territory (1790–1801).

The County was named for Woodford County in Kentucky through the influence of emigrants from that county. The County Seat is Eureka . Prior County Seats was Versailles—Temporary designation (1841–1843), Metamora—Named Hanover until February 21, 1845 (1843–1894) and Eureka (1894-Present). See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Woodford County are Marshall County (north), LaSalle County (northeast), Livingston County (east), McLean County (southeast), Tazewell County (southwest), Peoria County (west).

Woodford County Townships include Cazenovia, Clayton (Clayton and Linn were originally attached and treated as one township), Cruger (Formed from Olio on September 14, 1869), El Paso (Formed from Palestine in September, 1861), Greene, Kansas (Formed from Palestine in September, 1859), Linn (Linn and Clayton were originally attached and treated as one township), Metamora, Minonk (Minonk and Panola were originally attached and treated as one township), Montgomery, Olio, Palestine, Panola (Panola and Minonk were originally attached and treated as one township), Partridge, Roanoke, Spring Bay, Worth Townships. Cities, Towns and Communities include Bay View Gardens, Benson, Congerville, El Paso, Eureka, Germantown Hills, Goodfield, Kappa, Lowpoint, Metamora, Minonk, Panola, Roanoke, Secor, Spring Bay, Washburn

• The Woodford County Official Government Website
• Map of Woodford County and its civil and congressional townships
• Woodford County, Illinois History Books at Amazon.com
• Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

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Records at the Woodford 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 http://www.helpillinois.net/woodford.htm. All departments below at located at the Woodford County Courthouse, 115 N. Main, Suite 202, Eureka, IL 61530 , unless a different address is listed below. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

   Woodford County Circuit Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1841 and Court Records from 1841 and is located at the address above. Phone Number: (309) 467-3312
   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.

   Woodford County Recorder has Land Records from 1831 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (309) 467-2822
   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.

   Woodford County Clerk has Birth / Death Records from 1877 and Marriage Records from 1841 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (309) 467-2822
    The County Clerk maintains records and issues certificates of vital statistics (birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates) for the entire County.

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 Woodford County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Woodford County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
• Woodford County, Illinois Court Books at Amazon.com
• Illinois Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.

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Woodford County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Illinois

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 Woodford County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Woodford County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

• Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
• Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Illinois newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
• Database index on death certificates for the years 1916 to 1950
• Statewide Marriage Index, 1763 to 1900
• Woodford County, Illinois Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com

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Woodford County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

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 Woodford County, Illinois are 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Woodford 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 Woodford County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Woodford County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Woodford County, Illinois Census Books at Amazon.com

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Woodford 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 Woodford County Maps. Email us with websites containing Woodford County Maps by clicking the link below:

• The USGenWeb Archives Digital Map Library
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Illinois Maps
• Federal Township Plats of Illinois (1804-1891)
• Woodford County, Illinois Map Books at Amazon.com

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Woodford County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Illinois

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 Woodford County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Woodford County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Illinois Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
• National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
• Illinois Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
• National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Illinois (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Illinois (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Database of Illinois War of 1812 Veterans
• Database of Illinois Black Hawk War Veterans
• Illinois Mexican War Veterans
• Illinois Civil War Database
• Illinois Civil War Rosters
• Illinois Spanish-American War Veterans Database
• Rock Island County, Illinois - Confederate Dead at Rock Island Prison (now called Arsenal Island)
• Illinois: 1929 Roll of Honor Database contains the burial locations of 72,000 Illinois veterans, some from WWI
• Woodford County, Illinois Military Books at Amazon.com

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Woodford 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 Woodford County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Woodford County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Woodford County, Illinois Tax Books at Amazon.com

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Woodford 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 Woodford County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Woodford County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Lexington Genealogical & Historical Society, Inc. (Covers Livingston, McLean & Woodford Counties)
• Illinois Regional Archives Depository, Illinois State University, 2016 Warehouse Road, Campus Box 1520, Normal, IL 61790-1520; Telephone: (309) 452-6027. Map and Directions. Covers the following counties: Champaign, DeWitt, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, Livingston, Logan, Marshall, McLean, Piatt, Tazewell, Vermilion, Woodford. Hours: Monday – Friday, except state holidays 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Local Illinois Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
• National Archives - Great Lakes Region(Chicago), 7358 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, Illinois 60629-5898; 773-948-9001; E-mail: chicago.archives@nara.gov (Maintains retired records from Federal agencies and courts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.)
  General Information Leaflet
• Illinois State Archives, Norton Building, Capitol Complex, Springfield, IL 62756; TELEPHONE: (217) 782-4682, Fax: (217) 524-3930; HOURS: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• The Illinois State Historical Society, 210 1/2 S. Sixth, Springfield, IL 62701-1503; Phone: (217)525-2781, Fax: (217)525-2783, [EMAIL]
• Illinois State Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 10195, Springfield, IL 62791; Phone: (217) 789-1968, [EMAIL]
• Illinois State Library, 300 South 2nd Street, Springfield, IL 62701-1796; Phone: (217) 785-5600
  
• Illinois State Historical Library, Old State Capitol, Springfield, IL 62701
  County histories, plat books, census indexes, cemetery indexes, city material, family and association files, microfilmed newspapers, manuscripts, and photographs are located beneath the restored old state capitol between 5th and 6th streets and Washington and Adams streets.
• Illinois Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
• Illinois Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

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Woodford County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Illinois

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 Woodford County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Woodford 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 Woodford County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Woodford County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Illinois obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Illinois newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Illinois.
• Woodford County, Illinois Ancestors Tombstone Project
• Woodford County, Illinois Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Woodford County, Illinois Church Books at Amazon.com

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

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 Woodford County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Woodford County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data : For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Woodford County ] [ Illinois ] [ Main Page ]
• Woodford County ILGenWeb Archives
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• The Illinois Family Group Sheet Project
• Meet your ancestors. Learn their stories. Start your FREE family tree.
• Illinois Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
• Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
• Woodford County, Illinois Family Books at Amazon.com

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County History

The first settlers of Woodford County settled at first along the Illinois river at Spring Bay, then among the groves of Walnut Creek and in Metamora. Early settlers of Spring Bay were: Wm. Baylock in 1819, William Blanchard in 1822, William Phillips and George Kingston in 1823, and John Stephenson and Auston Crocker in 1824. The first cabin built in Woodford County was built in the fall of 1822 by a man named Darby on a part of what was known as the old Crocker farm in Spring Bay Township.

Other early settlers were Joseph Dillion, who settled three miles south of the present Eureka Court House near Walnut Creek in 1824 and Charles Moore, Jonathon Baker and Daniel Meek who settled at Walnut Grove at Walnut creek in 1827

Next came the settlers to Panther and Crow creek. Some of the earliest settlers of Woodford County were Amasa Stout and wife who were the first settlers at Panther Grove at Panther Creek in 1828. The McCords, Patricks and Bilbreys settled there before 1831.

In 1832, William Maxwell settled in the eastern part of what now is the village of Washburn near Crow creek and built an inn and entertainment house for travelers on the State Road. He also kept fresh horses for the stage coach.

In 1836, a school district was formed which included an area from Morsetown to Lowpoint and west to Bricktown. It may have been the first free school in the state of Illinois and was paid for out of the public fund in northern Illinois. The school house was built in 1838 near the home of James Owen. Miss Love K. Morse was the first teacher.

James Boys established the first post office three miles north of Hanover (Metamora) in 1836 in a settlement called Black Partridge.

By 1840, the groves along Panther and Crow creeks were fairly settled. Woodford County, Illinois was organized in 1841. It was named after birthplace of an early pioneer, Thomas Bullock - Woodford County, Kentucky. The first county seat was versailles, Illinois. The county seat was moved to Hanover (now Metamora) in 1843. Eureka, Illinois became the county seat in 1894. Abraham Lincoln was one of the early lawyers who practiced in Versailes and later at Hanover (Metamora), Illinois.

County affairs were conducted by a board of three commissioners until 1850. In 1850, the present township organization plan was adopted and the townships were organized in 1852. The county was divided into 16 townships. Each township was represented by a supervisor who was elected annually. This continued until 1890. In 1890, the supervisors were divided into two classes and a two-year election term was adopted. This continued until 1930 when the present four-year term was established by a state law that was approved on June 10, 1929.

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