Kane County was created on January 16, 1836 (Laws, 1836, p. 273) and was formed from unorganized land (La
Salle County ) and Cook County. Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in: LaSalle County (1835–1836), Putnam County (1825–1835), Fulton County (1823–1825), Pike County (1821–1823), Clark County (1819–1821), Crawford County (1816–1819), Edwards County (1815–1816), Madison County (1812–1815), St. Clair County (1801–1812) and Knox, Northwest Territory (1790–1801).
The County was named for Elias Kent Kane, a pioneer lawyer, Territorial judge, prominent member of the Constitutional Convention of 1818, first Secretary of State of Illinois, and later United States Senator. The County Seat is Geneva (1836-Present). See also County History for more historical details.
Kane County Townships include Aurora, Batavia, Big
Rock, Blackberry, Burlington, Campton(Name
changed from Milo on July 2, 1850), Dundee, Elgin, Geneva, Hampshire, Kaneville, Plato (Name
changed from Homer on July 2, 1850), Rutland (Name
changed from Jackson on July 2, 1850), St.
Charles, Sugar Grove, Virgil Townships
Cities, Towns and Communities include Algonquin - partly in McHenry County, Aurora - partly in DuPage County, Kendall County and Will County, Barrington Hills, Bartlett - mostly in DuPage and Cook counties, very small part in Kane County, Batavia - very small section in DuPage County, Big Rock, Burlington, Campton Hills, Carpentersville, East Dundee - very small parcel on eastern boundary in Cook County, Elburn, Elgin - partly in Cook County, Geneva, Gilberts, Hampshire, Hoffman Estates - primarily in Cook County, very small parcel in Kane County, Huntley - partly in McHenry County, Kaneville, Lily Lake, Maple Park -- partly in DeKalb County, Illinois, Montgomery - partly in Kendall County, North Aurora, Pingree Grove, St. Charles - very small section in DuPage County, Sleepy Hollow, South Elgin, Sugar Grove, Virgil, Wayne - partly in DuPage County, West Dundee
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. Some records lost or damaged in a fire in 1843. Volumes saved; 5,000 court files burned in a Fire on March 13, 1890
The Official County website is located at http://www.countyofkane.org/. All departments below at located at the Kane County Courthouse, Government Center, 719 South Batavia Avenue, Geneva, IL 60134 , unless a different address is listed below. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.
Kane County Circuit Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1836 and Court Records from 1836 and is located at the Kane County Judicial Center,
37W777 Route 38,
St. Charles, IL 60175; (630) 232-3413 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.
Kane County Recorder has Land Records from 1836 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (630)
232-5935 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.
Kane County Clerk has Birth / Death Records from 1877 and Marriage Records from 1836 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (630) 232-5950 The County Clerk maintains records and issues certificates of vital statistics (birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates) for the entire County.
Below is a list of online resources for Kane County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Kane County Court Records by clicking the link below:
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.
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.
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
Below is a list of online resources for Kane County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Kane 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.
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.
Below is a list of online resources for Kane County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Kane County Census Records by clicking the link below:
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 Kane County Maps. Email us with websites containing Kane County Maps by clicking the link below:
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 Kane County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Kane County Military Records by clicking the link below:
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.
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.
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 Kane County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Kane County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
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 Kane County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Kane County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Illinois Regional Archives Depository, Northern Illinois University, c/o Regional History Center, Founders Memorial Library, Room 400, DeKalb, IL 60115; Telephone: (815) 753-1807. Map and Directions. Covers the following counties: Boone, Bureau, Carroll, DeKalb, DuPage, JoDaviess, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will and Winnebago. Hours: Monday – Friday, except state holidays 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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.
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.
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.
Below is a list of online resources for Kane County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Kane 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.
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 Kane County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Kane County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
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.
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.
marquett.gif (2669 bytes)The growth of Kane County from virgin prairie to an agricultural-industrial area is a study in the evolution of modern government. Now the fifth most populous County in the state, Kane County is included in that part of Illinois travelled by French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet in 1673.
The Marquette-Joliet expedition traveled down the Mississippi River from Canada and explored this region on their return north along the Illinois River. The land was later claimed for France by the explorer La Salle and his lieutenant, Tonti, and in 1717 was placed under the government of Louisiana.
The territory becomes a state...
Northwestern Terrirtory - 1796 The territory remained a French possession until after the French-Indian war when it was ceded to the British by the Treaty of Paris in 1763. British domination of the area ended in 1778 when George Rogers Clark captured Kaskaskia and Cahokia (cities on the southwestern border of Illinois - see map below) and the land was claimed by the Commonwealth of Virginia. After the signing of the Articles of Confederation, Virginia surrendered all claim to the territory to the federal government.
There were many plans advanced for dealing with the new territories. Thomas Jefferson wanted Illinois divided into three states with Kane County in the state of Assenisipia. Northwestern Terrirtory - 1817It was decided, however, to give Illinois large boundaries at the advice of James Monroe who had made several trips to the area and deemed the entire midwest "worthless and uninhabitable."
The Northwest Territory was established in 1787 by Congress to provide for government of all land northwest of the Ohio River. In 1800 Illinois became a part of the Indiana Territory and in 1809 the Illinois Territory was established by an act of Congress. Finally, in 1818 Illinois was admitted as the 21st state with Kaskaskia as its capital.
The county is formed...
Chief Black Hawk of the Sauk; General Winfield ScottAt the time of statehood, written records indicate that only Native Americans resided in the area now known as Kane County. However, settlers soon began to take over this land, and resident tribes were forced to the west of Iowa. In 1832 a Sauk leader and warrior named Black Hawk (Makataimeshekiakiak) gathered together members of the Sauk and Fox tribes in an effort to regain their homelands. To aid against this uprising, United States Army troops under the command of General Winfield Scott were sent from the east to Chicago, where they were delayed by a cholera epidemic. While there were no battles in Kane County, Scott's men marched through the area on what is now Army Trail Road and forded the Fox River north of the present city of St. Charles near the Blackhawk Forest Preserve. Black Hawk's band was defeated at the Bad Axe River in Wisconsin.
Within two years the trail from Chicago made by the army wagons was followed by permanent settlers and the way was paved for new development in the Kane County area.
Elias Kent KaneOn January 16, 1836, the Illinois legislature formed a new County and named it after Elias Kent Kane, the highly-respected attorney who helped draft the Illinois constitution and was the first Secretary of State. Kane was later elected to Congress and represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate until his death in 1835.
The new "Kane County" included what is now DeKalb County and part of the northern portions of Kendall. DeKalb subsequently separated from Kane County in 1837 and Kendall in 1841.
The government is established...
kane_ct1.gif (16218 bytes)A committee of three members of the legislature selected LaFox (Geneva) as the Kane County seat since James Herrington's Tavern and Inn, located on North State Street near the Fox River, had the only post office in the County. Herrington's Tavern also served as the first County Courthouse. On June 4, 1836, 180 men gathered at Herrington's Tavern to elect officials for the new County: three commissioners, a Sheriff, a Recorder of Deeds, a Coroner, and a Surveyor.
The Illinois Constitution of 1848 empowered counties to change their form of government and the residents of Kane County, mostly from New England, chose the county-township type. Sixteen townships were created: Hampshire, Jackson (Rutland), Dundee, Burlington, Washington (Plato), Elgin, Franklin (Virgil), Fairfield (Campton), St Charles, Royalton (Kaneville), Blackberry, Geneva, Batavia, Little and Big Rock, Sugar Grove, and Fox River (Aurora).
The following year the responsibilities of the County Commissioners were divided. The administration of the County was transferred to a Board of Supervisors consisting of one supervisor from each of the 16 townships. Another elected official, the County Clerk, was added. A Chief Judge and two associate judges assumed the judicial responsibilities formerly held by the commissioners.
The form of government for Kane County changed again in 1972 when the Illinois legislature abolished the Board of Supervisors and established the County Board. Kane County was divided into 26 districts and one Board member was elected from each district. The new 26 member County Board took office in May, 1972.
The courthouses are built...
First home of county offices - Herrington's TavernIn 1837 the County offices were moved out of Herrington's Tavern into a new Courthouse on the corner of 4th and State Streets in Geneva. Total construction cost for this Courthouse was $3,000. Seven years later Kane County had outgrown these quarters and a new Courthouse, constructed of quarry stone, was built on the site of the present Geneva City Hall on Rt. 31.
Overcrowding in the jail and the Courthouse soon created a need for a newer and larger building, and in 1854 bids were let for construction at the site of the present Courthouse on 3rd Street in Geneva. Disputes with the contractor over completion dates and workmanship prevented the building from being occupied until 1857.
Third Kane County courthouseThe new Courthouse was a magnificent structure, considered the most important architectural monument in Kane County. It was designed by John M. Van Osdel, one of Chicago's leading architects. The ornate, three-story limestone building was capped with a large cupola which became a favorite valley vantage point.
On the night of March 13, 1890, Kane County lost one of its most prized buildings when the Courthouse burned. Fortunately, the records of the recorder, County Clerk, and the Circuit Clerk were locked in fireproof vaults and not damaged.
For the next two years, the County rented a house at 2nd and Campbell Streets in Geneva for $30 a month in order to conduct County business. The clerks crowded into the various rooms and the judges held court in the dining room.
Fourth Kane County courthouseThe Kane County Board commissioned Chicago architects W. J. Edbrooke and Franklin P. Burnham to design the new Courthouse and jail. The massive 4-story Courthouse which stands today is still regarded as one of the finest in Illinois. The original construction cost was $195,000. The square dome rises high above the rotunda. Decorative ironwork railings encircle each floor and eleven murals, depicting various scenes from the County, are painted on the arches of the 4th floor.
Soon the County Board was faced with problems in the County jail. The 1892 facility had come under attack for being "totally inadequate" and having "deplorable conditions." In June of 1972, construction was authorized on the new jail, called the Kane County Corrections Complex, located on Fabyan Parkway in Geneva. The new institution cost 3½ million dollars.
With the continued growth of Kane County, the Courthouse was also crowded and the County had been forced to rent a number of downtown homes for additional office space. In November of 1972, the County purchased the Sacred Heart Seminary on Rt. 31 in Geneva. Remodeling began and by spring of 1975, all County administrative offices had moved to the site, called the Kane County Government Center.
In September, 1975, the County Board empowered the Public Building Commission to refurbish the Courthouse and convert the vacated administrative offices into space for the Circuit Court and Clerk. Subsequent growth of the County in the 1980's required the acquisition of the former Sixth Street School to house the Family Court and the rental of space in the former Campana building on Rt. 31 and Fabyan Parkway for the offices of the Circuit Clerk.
Kane County Judicial CenterThe County continued to rapidly grow, and once again the 1892 Courthouse became exceedingly crowded. In 1991 the County Board approved the construction of the Kane County Judicial Center to be located on Route 38 in St. Charles. The Judicial Center was opened in October of 1993.
The economy and population grows...
Besides financing construction of the new Courthouse, the Kane County Board faced other budgetary problems as the Civil War required a continual outlay of men and money. In July, 1861, the Board appointed a War Committee which appropriated money for horses, bounties, equipment for the troops, and family benefits. The hundreds of men from Kane County who volunteered to serve in the Civil War attest to Kane County's involvement in the war operations. The names of these men are preserved in a plaque on the monument in front of the present Courthouse in Geneva.
The years following the Civil War were marked by a sudden increase in population as people came to the area looking for jobs in the mills and factories which were built along the Fox River. The railroads also played a significant part in the growth of Kane County as the first line in northern Illinois crossed Elgin and continued south to Geneva. This was the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad which linked the lead mines on the Mississippi River with the Chicago industrial area. This line eventually became the Chicago and North Western Railroad which has run through Kane County since 1853.
Aurora was also a major railroad center with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, now the Burlington Northern, operating through Aurora. The old roundhouse still stands on North Broadway. and has been converted to a restaurant and micro-brewery.
Other railroad lines connected the river towns with each other, as well as the Chicago metropolitan area.
The railroad was also instrumental in establishing Kane County as a prominent dairy region around this time. The Chicago hotels were a major consumer for the milk, butter and cheese from the northern Kane County area and the railroads provided rapid transportation for the fresh dairy products which were shipped daily into the city. The Elgin Board of Trade established butter prices throughout the entire country.
Kane County continued its rapid growth during the 1900's. The population doubled from 65,000 to 130,000 during the 50-year period from 1890 to 1940. The population doubled again to 260,000 in the next 30-year period to 1970, along with the increasing number of industries, medical centers, and educational institutions. In 1967, the United States government built Fermilab, a center for energy research and development, on a 6,800 acre site outside Batavia. This research center provides educational and cultural opportunities for residents of Kane and surrounding counties.
According to the census bureau, as of 2002 Kane County's population is estimated to be over 443,000 and is steadily increasing due largely to expansion from the Chicagoland area. More Kane County farm lands are being rezoned to fit the demand of housing construction.
The Kane County Board is now struggling with the problem of maintaining the traditional beauty and open spaces of Kane County despite the pressures for rapid development of the agricultural areas. The decisions made today will influence the future growth of Kane County.
