Illinois Census Records - Federal Population Schedules that exist for Illinois are 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Edgar County lists county of births on the 1850 census. In addition to the three-volume 1860 AIS index, a card index for Cook County developed by Bernice C. Richard is at the Illinois State Archives with microfilm copies at Newberry Library and National Archives/Great Lakes Region. Over 1,000 cards in the O section for the Soundex for the 1880 federal population schedules were omitted. All of the aforementioned are at the Illinois State Historical Library.Only Mound Township of McDonough County survives from the 1890 census.
See Also Researching in Census Records - What is the name, age, sex, color, occupation, and birthplace of each person residing in this house? Which of these individuals attended school or was married within the year? Who among them is deaf and dumb, blind, insane, “idiotic,” a pauper, or a convict? Is there anyone in the household over twenty years of age who cannot read and write? What is the name of the slave owner? How many slaves belong to the owner? What is the tribe of this Indian? What were the places of birth of the person’s parents? In what year did this person immigrate to the United States and, if naturalized, what was the year of naturalization? For answers to these and other questions, researchers look to census records......
Territorial Schedules: Two territorial censuses were taken for Illinois populace in 1810 (as Indiana Territory) and 1818 (as Illinois Territory). The 1810 extant returns only include Randolph County in the southern portion of the state. What remains of both censuses have been indexed by AISI. Originals are at the Illinois state archives.
State Schedules: The state censuses will list only the head of family by name, followed by numerical totals in age categories for the balance of the household. The following enumerations were taken by the state and remain extant.
1820—Eighteen counties which included all of Illinois except Edwards County
1825—Edwards, Fulton, and Randolph counties only
1830—Morgan County only (includes present counties of Cass, Morgan, and Scott)
1835—Fayette, Fulton, Jasper, and Morgan counties (includes present counties of Cass, Morgan, and Scott)
1840—Thirty-five counties included. Consult Descriptive Inventory of the Archives of the State of Illinois (see Archives, Libraries, and Societies) for list of counties.
1845—Cass, Madison, Putnam, and Tazewell counties only
1855—For all counties except Carroll, Champaign, Franklin, Gallatin, Henry, Jefferson, Lake, Stark, Will, and Woodford
1865—For all counties except Gallatin, Mason, Monroe, and Tazewell (Elm Township in Tazewell County has survived)
Some city census enumerations were made in Illinois in the 1930s. There is also a microfilmed military census, enumerated in 1862, by county, which lists men eighteen to forty-five years of age. It can be borrowed on interlibrary loan from the Illinois State Archives.
Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"
There are numerous ways to determine the location in which to concentrate research for an ancestor. One of the most popular and productive is the census.
Alice Eichholz, Ph.D.,
In Ancestry’s Red Book: American State,County and Town Sources
Since 1790, the U.S. government has taken a nationwide population count every ten years. Unique in scope and often surprisingly detailed, the census population schedules created from 1790 to 1920 are among the most used of records created by the federal government. Over the course of two centuries the United States has changed significantly, and so has the census. From the six basic questions asked in the 1790 census, the scope and categories of information have changed and expanded dramatically.
Early censuses were essentially basic counts of inhabitants; but as the nation grew, so did the need for statistics that would reflect the characteristics of the people. In 1850, the focus of the census was radically broadened. Going far beyond the vague questions previously asked of heads of households, the 1850 census enumerators were instructed to ask the age, sex, color, occupation, birthplace, and other questions regarding every individual in every household. Succeeding enumerations solicited more information; by 1920, census enumerators asked twenty-nine questions of every head of household and almost as many questions of everyone else in the residence. (Only a very small segment of the 1890 census remains; a fire in the Commerce Department destroyed the vast majority of the original records for that year. Because of privacy considerations, census records less than seventy-two years old are not available to the general public; thus, the 1920 census is the most recent available to the public.)
Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do the U.S. federal censuses. The population schedules are successive “snapshots” of Americans that depict where and how they were living at particular periods in the past. Once home sources and library sources have been exhausted, the census is often the best starting point for further genealogical research. Statewide indexes are available for almost every census; they are logical tools for locating individuals whose precise place of residence is unknown. While some inaccuracies are to be expected in census records, they still provide some of the most fascinating and useful pieces of personal history to be found in any source. If nothing else, census records are important sources for placing individuals in specific places at specific times. Additionally, information found in the census will often point to other sources critical to complete research, such as court, land, military, immigration, naturalization, and vital records.
The importance of census records does not diminish over time in any research project. It is always wise to return to these records as discoveries are made in other sources because, as you discover new evidence about individuals, some information that seemed unrelated or unimportant in a first look at the census may take on new importance.
When you can’t find family, vital, or religious records, census records may be the only means of documenting the events of a person’s life. Vital registration—the official recording of births, deaths, and marriages—did not begin until around 1920 in many areas of the United States, and fires, floods and other disasters since have destroyed some official government records. When other documentation is missing, census records are frequently used by individuals who must prove their age or citizenship status (or that of their parents) for Social Security benefits, insurance, passports, and other important reasons.
How to Find Census Records
All available federal census schedules (those made from 1790 to 1920) have been microfilmed and are available at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.; at the National Archives’ regional archives; at the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church) in Salt Lake City and LDS family history centers throughout North America, “The Family History Library and Its Centers”); at many large libraries; in genealogical society libraries; and through companies that lend microfilmed records. Some state and local agencies have census schedules for the state or area they serve. Generally, microfilm copies may be borrowed through interlibrary loan.
Starting With the Census
It is usually best to begin a census search in the most recently available census records (1920) and to work from what is already known about a family. With any luck, birthplaces and other clues found in these more recent records will point to locations of earlier residence.
Illinois Court Records - Illinois circuit courts were established by the Constitution of 1818. The judges, who were also the justices of the Illinois Supreme Court, were appointed by the Illinois General Assembly and served during good behavior. The period from 1818 to 1848 saw Supreme Court justices serving as circuit court judges from 1818 to 1824, 1827 to 1835, and 1841 to 1848. Independent circuit court judges were appointed by the legislature from 1824 to 1827 and from 1835 to 1841. The Constitution of 1848 provided for the election of circuit judges to six-year terms. In 1934, two additional judges were elected for each circuit. The Judicial Amendment of 1962 created two classes of judge: circuit judges and associate judges. Both were elected to six-year terms. The terms of associate judges were shortened to four years by the Constitution of 1970, and it required that they be appointed by the circuit judges.
See Also Research In State Court Probate - Even today, few people escape mention in court records at some time during their lives as witnesses, litigants, jurors, appointees to office, or as petition signatories. However, Americans of a few generations ago also expected to attend local court proceedings when they were in session. It was a civic duty-and they could be fined if they did not attend......
Circuit court jurisdiction covered all criminal cases and all civil suits for more than $20. Circuit courts were empowered to hear appeals from justices of the peace as well as to naturalize citizens. In 1827, the courts gained the responsibility of seeing that prisoners in county jails were treated humanely. Since 1848, circuit courts have enjoyed almost an unlimited legal jurisdiction. In 1872, the courts gained jurisdiction over election contests in counties. This was extended in 1895 to cover contests for mayors and village presidents, in 1899 to cover contests for election to the state judiciary, and in 1965 to cover township officers. In 1921, circuit courts gained appellate jurisdiction over the decisions of the Illinois Commerce Commission. The Constitution of 1970 gave the courts unlimited rights to review the decisions of state administrative bodies.
The office of clerk of the circuit court was created by the Constitution of 1818. Statutory duties were originally limited to selecting juries, but in 1827 these were expanded to include issuing process, entering all judgments into the court record, and keeping docket and fee books. In 1829, clerks began to keep a complete court record, and they were allowed to appoint deputies in 1831. From 1818 to 1848, clerks were appointed by the circuit judges, but the Constitution of 1848 made the office elective, with a four-year term. In 1849, circuit clerks assumed the duties of ex officio county recorders. In 1865, clerks were required to keep index books to cases; in 1874, they were required to keep record books of the names of all parties to legal actions in the courts; and in 1933, they were required to file the monthly reports of the county defenders. In 1963, the duties of ex officio county recorder were transferred to the county clerk, and in 1970 the office of circuit clerk was deconstitutionalized.
Illinois Probate Records - The Illinois General Assembly granted probate jurisdiction to the clerk of the county commissioners’ court in 1819. This jurisdiction was subject to review and reversal by the commissioners’ court. Probate duties included issuing letters of administration for estates, distributing the estates of individuals who died intestate, recording all wills and letters, ruling on contested wills, receiving bonds from administrators, paying witnesses, ordering a final distribution of an estate, ordering the sale of property from an estate for payment of debts, making a pro rata distribution of assets to creditors, appointing guardians for children under the age of fourteen, approving guardians selected by children age fourteen and over, and receiving bonds from those guardians. The circuit court, which was held annually by a judge from the Supreme Court, had appellate jurisdiction in probate matters. Only two years later, in 1821, the functions of the probate court were transferred from the clerk of the county commissioners’ court to county probate courts. Probate judges were elected by the General Assembly, and served during good behavior. Their duties included those specified in 1819, with the addition of jurisdiction over bankruptcy and imprisonment for debt cases, until imprisonment for debt was abolished in 1823. That year, the judges were limited to a two year term. In 1825, their term was restored to good behavior.
See Also Research In State Probate Records - Probate records include a variety of documents created to support court proceedings in the settlement of an individuals' estates. The number and type of probate records created may vary over time in different jurisdictions and due to the amount of real and personal property involved. The various documents generated in the probate process are rarely filed together......
Jurisdiction over apprentices was added to the list of probate duties in 1833. In 1837, probate justices of the peace were established in each county. These justices were elected to four year terms. The county commissioners’ court was empowered to reverse the actions and decisions of these justices until 1845, when it lost this authority. The Constitution of 1848 moved original jurisdiction in probate cases to the newly created county courts. County judges were elected to four year terms. The Constitution of 1870 gave the General Assembly the authority to create probate courts in counties with populations of 50,000 or more. This was specified by statute in 1877, when the minimum population for a county probate court was raised to 100,000. Both judge and clerk were elected to four year terms. In 1881, the population requirement was dropped to 70,000; in 1933 it was raised again, this time to 85,000. Counties which had populations greater than 70,000 and less than 85,000 were permitted to retain the court by local option.In 1953, this local option was extended to counties with populations between 70,000 and 125,000.
By the terms of the Judicial Amendment of 1962, the functions of both the probate courts and the county courts were transferred to the circuit courts, effective January 1, 1964. Since that date, probate matters have been handled by circuit courts
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Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"
Even today, few people escape mention in court records at some time during their lives as witnesses, litigants, jurors, appointees to office, or as petition signatories. However, Americans of a few generations ago also expected to attend local court proceedings when they were in session. Arlene H. Eakle, Ph.D. “Research in Court Records”
In The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy
American court files mirror U.S. history. Buried away in courthouses and archives everywhere are the dreams and frustrations of millions of citizens. The chances are great that your ancestors have left a detailed record of at least some aspects of their lives in court records.
Most of us don’t think of court records as the rich source of personal history that they are. But America’s English heritage established a tradition of court processes in which the people have a right to participate actively—and we always have. With relative freedom from royal supervision and with court enforcement of religious as well as civil laws, American courts tried many matters that were not subject to court action in other parts of the British empire and that are now considered too minor to warrant criminal action.
When a person dies, every state has laws that provide for public supervision over the estate that is left, whether or not there is a will. The term “probate records” broadly covers all the records produced by these laws, although, strictly speaking, “probate” applies only when there is a will.
Family historians use probate case files far more than any other kind of court record. Probate case files are logical sources because they tend to include so much personal data, and because Americans have depended on the courts to settle their estates since North America was colonized. According to Val Greenwood in his Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, “All records which relate to the disposition of an estate after its owner’s death are referred to as probate records. These are many and varied in both content and value, but basically, they fall into two main classes: testate and intestate” (page 255). Probate case files generally provide names, addresses, and biographical data for the deceased, but frequently provide the same information for other relatives named in the papers. Relationships, maiden names of wives, married names of daughters, past residences, and place of origin in a native country are just a few of the details that can be discovered in probate files. And probate files can be found in courthouses and archives across the United States.
When requesting probate information from the county clerk, it is important not to limit yourself by asking for a person’s “will.” The clerk will usually take you at your word and not copy other papers in the probate file that may have equally important information if there is no will.
Even if your ancestor is not mentioned in a probate case, consider all of the other procedures which might have resulted in him or her appearing in court records:
Illinois Church Records - - 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.
See Also Research In State Church & Cemetery Records - Church records rank among the most promising of genealogical records available. Indeed, for periods before the advent of civil registration of vital statistics (a very late development in many American states), church records rank as the best available sources for information on specific vital events: birth, marriage, and death. They are also among the most under-used major records in American genealogy. Part of the reason lies in the number of denominations-there are hundreds of them. Identifying and locating the records of these various churches makes even professional genealogists hesitate......
In the spring of 1839 a group of five thousand Latter-day Saints, following their expulsion from Ohio and Missouri, were led into Illinois by Joseph Smith. At Nauvoo, originally called Venus and Commerce, they established their Mormon community. The population increased, prosperity increased, and opposition against the Mormons increased. This opposition and dissension within their church ended in the murder of Joseph Smith. In September of 1845 the Mormons were told they were being expelled from the state, an expulsion which led to their migration west.
The Bishop Hill colony of Henry County was founded by a group of Swedish immigrants. Fifteen hundred of them, led by Eric Janson, established a communal existence of a "Bible only" sect in 1846. The murder of Janson in 1853 led to the 1860 dissolution of this religious community. Most the Janonists eventually became Methodists.
Some of the local genealogical societies have published regional church records in their respective quarterlies.
Original forms for the inventory Guide to Church Vital Statistics Records in Illinois; Historical Records Survey (Chicago, 1942) are at the Illinois State Archives. Included in the published inventory are: name of county and city/town; church name and address; denomination; date organized; date of lapse, if now defunct; description (by years, volumes, file boxes) of minute book, register book of baptisms, confirmations, marriages, members, and deaths, record book of Sunday school or other organization, and financial record; location and condition of records; general condition of all records; bibliographical information on any published or unpublished historical sketches of the church; and other information, particularly as to origins, history, and previous names of church. Files also include descriptions of records of orphanages, schools, and rest homes affiliated with the respective churches
Illinois Cemetery Records - 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.
Illinois Saving Graves - "Illinois Saving Graves is dedicated to providing leadership, education and advocacy in preserving and restoring endangered and forgotten cemeteries statewide"
Cemetery records and gravestone inscriptions are a rich source of information for family historians. Cemetery and other sources of information associated with death include:
Illinois Land Records - In 1791 a special act of Congress gave 400 acres to those who were heads of families in the year 1783 at Vincennes or in the Illinois country. This included the region west of Vincennes, Indiana, across the Wabash River. A later act in 1813 provided pre-emption rights to land occupied in the state.
See Also Researching in Land Records - Land records provide two types of important evidence for the genealogist. Prior to the Civil War, more than eighty-five percent of all Americans owned or leased land. Therefore, almost every researcher, whether a seasoned professional or weekend hobbyist, has required land records to document the existence, association, or movement of an individual or ancestral family. Most beginning genealogists underestimate the importance of using land records to pin persons to specific locales. In the South, which has far fewer vital records than New England, the land records are even more crucial to genealogical success. For answers to these and other questions, researchers look to Land records......
But the major land disbursements in Illinois occurred based on its status as a public-domain state. The first General Land Office opened at Kaskaskia in 1804 and began selling land ten years later. There were a total of ten land districts. The BLM Eastern States Office has patents, tract books, and township plats. Land-entry case files are at the National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Sale of public land was first conducted under a credit system, which proved to be unmanageable. Many purchasers overextended their ability to pay. In April of 1820 the credit system was abolished, requiring full payment for land at time of purchase. The same legislation reduced the minimum purchase from 160 acres to eighty acres and the minimum price per acre from $2.00 to $1.25. Several acts of Congress provided for further credit and extensions on the previously unpaid accounts.
In some counties there are county recorders to register all property transactions. Smaller counties give the responsibility to the county clerk. Land records usually have grantor and grantee indexes, with property records beginning with the creation of the county. Illinois Central Railroad land records are in the appropriate county courthouses.
The Archives has compiled the Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database which is a searchable database of more than 500,000 first sales of the public domain by the federal government to individuals (R.G. 952.000). Subsequent sales of land are recorded in deed records. The Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) system does hold deed records for many counties in Illinois. Search the IRAD local governmental records database for the term deed to get a listing of all deed records held by IRAD. Researchers should contact the county recorder's office in the county where the land was bought or sold if IRAD does not have deed records for that county.
Illinois Public Land Purchase Records: The records in this database were transferred to the Illinois State Archives and detail the sale of over 54,000 square miles of public land.
Prior to the Civil War, more than eighty-five percent of all Americans owned or leased land. Therefore, almost every researcher, whether a seasoned professional or weekend hobbyist, has required land records to document the existence, association, or movement of an individual or ancestral family. While many researchers may feel a sense of historical excitement when finding an ancestor in a land deed, many also fail to understand the importance of such a document and how land can be used to make vital links between generations; they are not aware that it can bridge distant origins and help solve even the most difficult problems. E. Wade Hone,
In Land and Property Research in the United States
The right to own land has always been one of the great incentives for living in the United States. Yet researchers often overlook the importance of land records as a source of family history information. Written evidence of people’s entitlement goes back in time further than virtually any other type of record family historians might use.
Land records meet the needs of researchers in different ways and contain a variety of genealogical and historical data. They are a major source of information for many family histories and provide primary source material for local history as well. They are closely related to probate and other official court records and should be investigated in connection with them. Land and property are leading issues in the settlement of estates, and the majority of civil cases in the courts deal with real and personal property. Although land records rarely yield vital statistics, in many instances they provide the only proof of family relationships. Often they include the names of heirs of an estate (including daughters’ married names and a widow’s subsequent married name) and refer to related probates and other court cases by number and court name. In some places where other records are scarce, the land records take on extra importance. Occasionally these documents disclose former residences and more often provide the new address of the grantors or heirs at the time of the sale of the property.
Land records provide two types of important evidence for the family historian. First, they often document family relationships. Second, they place individuals in a specific time and place, allowing the researcher to sort people and families into neighborhoods and closely related groups. One of land records’ most important qualities is that they are sometimes the only records that allow us to distinguish one person of a common name from another.
The National Archives has bounty-land warrant files, donation land entry files, homestead application files, and private land claim files relating to the entry of individual settlers on land in the public land states. There are no land records for the original thirteen states or for Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Hawaii. Records for these states are maintained by state officials, usually in the state capital. Searching for the record of a particular land grant from the federal government requires contacting both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Archives (NARA).
Illinois Military Records - The Illinois State Archives has indexes to men serving in Illinois units during the Indian Wars, Black Hawk War, Mexican War, Civil War, and Spanish-American War. They will search a specified index and send reports on two soldiers. They will also search the Honor Roll of Veterans Buried in Illinois for two names (with county locations). The Honor Roll is a multi-volume set organized by county and includes veteran's name, cemetery, war service, and grave location within cemetery.
See Also Researching in Military Records - 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.......
A National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (Veterans Administration Center) was created at Danville, Illinois, in 1898. Records are located in National Archives in Record Groups 15 and 231.
The World War I Selective Service Draft Registration Cards for Illinois are on microfilm, available at the Illinois State Archives. The Records of the Selective Service Board...Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin-1917-1919 (Record Group 163) are at the National Archives-Great Lakes Region; the collection includes an Index to Delinquent and Deserter Forms (incomplete for some states).
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.
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.
Military and pension records are among the most useful sources available to genealogists because of the detail they offer. These records are important because they may provide an ancestor’s date of birth, place of residence, the names and addresses of family members, and other details that can round out a picture of his or her life. Judith Prowse Reid,
Head, Local History and Genealogy, Library of Congress
Military records have originated at the federal, state, and local levels. Whether created in time of war or in time of peace, these records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served in the military forces of the United States. Almost every American family, in one generation or another, has seen one or more of its members serve in America’s armed forces. From regimental histories, which provide blow-by-blow accounts of a unit’s participation in military actions, to the personal details contained in the service and pension files of individual men and women, military records provide valuable information concerning a large and significant portion of the American population. And because military records have been preserved and made available at and through a number of research institutions, much information awaits the well-prepared researcher.
How to Find Military Records
To locate military records for any individual, it is essential to know when and where in the armed forces he or she served and whether that person served in the enlisted ranks or was an officer. (If you don’t have that identifying information, some potential solutions are discussed below.)
As in any research project, it is important to study carefully whatever is already known about the subject of interest. Families and communities frequently pass down stories of military heroes from generation to generation. In most cases, these stories retain some fact, but, with the passage of years and in the process of retelling, accuracy fades. At any rate, family stories should not be overlooked for clues at the start of a military search.
When and where did the individual live? Did the family keep evidence of military service? Certificates, letters, journals, diaries, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, photographs, medals, swords, and other memorabilia kept in private collections may provide the basic facts needed to begin searching in military record collections.
Military Time Lines
Creating a historical time line can be especially useful for determining if and when the subject might have served in the military. By compiling a chronological list of the known dates and places of residence of an individual from birth through adulthood, it is frequently easy to discover the possibility of military service. Was the individual the right age to be eligible for the draft or to serve voluntarily in the Civil War? Is it likely that the person served on the Northern rather than the Southern side, or vice versa? For records from the colonial period to more recent military engagements, the place of residence is key to finding an individual’s records.
Evidence of Military Service in Hometown Records
There are a number of public records that are potentially valuable in discovering the military history of a veteran. It has been a long-standing American tradition to foster patriotism by honoring local sons and daughters who have defended the ideals of their country. Hometown military heroes are frequently noted on public monuments, and local newspaper files may yield surprisingly detailed accounts of a community’s well-known and less-famous military personnel.
Military History
Commercial enterprises and historically oriented groups and institutions have regularly published local histories. As a rule, these histories will include glowing accounts of the area’s involvement in military activities. Some volumes provide biographical sketches of military leaders, while others attempt to list all of the community’s participants in various military conflicts. Locally focused histories have been published at various times for virtually every state and county in the United States. Do not overlook them as an important research aid. P. William Filby’s A Bibliography of American County Histories is a list of five thousand such sources.
In addition to the standard histories, local public libraries and historical societies usually preserve and make available other types of publications that document the military history of the geographical areas they serve. Historical agencies collect biographies, letters, diaries, journals, and all sorts of memorabilia from military units and servicemen and -women. The personal accounts found in some collections are a fascinating means of stepping back in time. Firsthand accounts afford a better understanding of the day-to-day drudgery, loneliness, fears, and satisfactions of military life.
Evidence of Military Service in Cemeteries
Cemeteries provide yet another local source of information regarding individuals who served in the armed forces. Almost every cemetery in the United States contains some evidence of military events and veterans. Cemetery records and grave markers frequently identify military dead by name, rank, and unit designation. If a man or woman died elsewhere while in the service, the body was frequently brought home for burial; cemetery records often note the place and date of death.
Evidence of Military Service in Court Records
Court records are yet another potential source for identifying those who served in the military. Most counties formally recorded and indexed the names of their citizens who were discharged from the military. In some local courts, “military discharges” will be found indexed separately, and in others the military records may be oddly interspersed with deeds, naturalizations, or other categories of documents. The contents of military records may vary greatly from one courthouse to another. Some will provide biographical information, while others may simply list names and the event or names and date of certificate issue.
Military Records in the National Archives
Federal military documents that have been classified as archival material are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration. Not all records created by military agencies are judged to be permanently valuable. Generally, only records of historical or administrative importance are kept.
A wonderful array of federal military records are available in major libraries and archives and through microfilm rental programs. (Heritage Quest, a division of AGLL, Inc., PO Box 329, Bountiful, UT 84011-0329, is a source of rental microfilms.) With sufficient identifying information, you may request a search of the registers of enlistments or the compiled military service records. The minimum information required for a search is (1) the soldier’s full name, (2) the war in which he or she served or period of service, and (3) the state from which he or she served. For the Civil War, you must also indicate whether the person served in Union or Confederate forces. A separate copy of the form must be used for military service, pension, and bounty-land warrant applications. Submit requests for information about individuals who served in the military before World War I on NATF form 80 (Order for Copies of Veterans Records). Write to the National Archives and Records Administration, General Reference Branch, Washington, DC 20408 to obtain copies of NATF form 80. Always ask for “all records” for an individual.
Make requests for information about U.S. Army officers separated from the service after 1912 on standard form 180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records) and send it to the Military Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132.
U.S. Military Records
By far the most comprehensive study of military records and how to use them is found in James C. Neagles’s U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present. Neagles’s guide addresses primary and secondary military sources and accessibility, including the following information-rich sources:
Records of state militias and the National Guard
Records of the army, navy, and other branches of the U.S. military
Records of the military academies
Post-service records
Pensions
Bounty-land grants
Bonuses and family assistance
Soldier’s homes
Military burials
Military installations
Censuses of veterans
Conscription
Civilian affairs
Illinois Vital Records - 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.
See Also Researching in Vital Records - Vital records, as their name suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their recent creation in the United States, are critically important in genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back into the nineteenth century.......
Birth Records Access to birth records is restricted due to privacy rights and fraud prevention. Uncertified copies of birth records for genealogical purposes are available to individuals who may not otherwise be entitled to receive a certified copy if the person's date of birth precedes the current date by 75 years or more. A copy of the birth record of any deceased individual may be obtained by completing a special application form and showing proof of the death. You may request this special application, only for birth records after 1916, form at vitalrecords@idph.state.il.us or by writing to:
Illinois Department of Public Health,
Division of Vital Records,
605 W. Jefferson St.,
Springfield, IL 62702-5097
Copies of birth records for genealogical purposes may be requested from either the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records or from the county clerk in the county where the birth occurred. Requests of IDPH, Division of Vital Records cost $15 for the long form, uncertified, genealogical copy and can be made online, by mail, by fax or in person
Many public and genealogical libraries, including the Illinois Regional Area Depository (IRAD) system, have statewide microfiche indexes of Illinois deaths that occurred more than 50 years ago, but not prior to 1916. In addition to microfiche, the Illinois State Archives maintains a database index on death certificates for the years 1916 to 1950.
Uncertified, genealogical copies of death records of persons who died more than 20 years ago, but not prior to 1916 may be requested either from IDPH or from the county clerk in the county where the death occurred. Requests of IDPH, Division of Vital Records cost $10 and can be made made online, by mail, by fax or in person.
The Illinois State Archives has microfilm copies of death records for deaths that occurred more than 50 years ago. In accordance with a policy agreement with IDPH, the Illinois State Archives will provide unofficial and uncertified copies of death certificates only in cases in which the decedent was 25 years or older at the time of his or her death. Click here for information on requesting copies from the Illinois State Archives..
Copies of death records filed before 1916 may be obtained from the county clerk in the county where the death occurred or from IRAD if it holds death records for that particular county.
If you do not know the date of death, IDPH, Division of Vital Records can perform a search of the death record indexes for genealogical research for a fee of $10 per name. If the requested record is found and is more than 20 years old, one uncertified copy would be issued without additional charge.
Copies of marriage records can be obtained from the county clerk in the county where the marriage occurred. IDPH, Division of Vital Records does not provide copies of these records. It does have a statewide index of marriages from 1962 through the current index date available and for a $5 fee can verify the facts of a marriage or perform a search, if you do not know the county where the marriage occurred. To request a search, you can use the (application for verification of marriage record files) and submit it mail or in person.
The Illinois State Archives has a database containing information on more than 1 million marriages for the years 1763 to 1900. Copies of marriage records included in the Statewide Marriage Index, 1763 to 1900, may be obtained from (IRAD) if it holds marriage records for that county or from the county clerk in the county in which the marriage occurred. There is no statewide index for marriages for the years 1901 to 1961. Some individual county indexes prior to 1916 are available in the (Illinois State Archives).
Divorce Records Copies of divorce decrees can only be obtained from the circuit court clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. If you do not know the county of divorce, IDPH, Division of Vital Records has a statewide index from 1962 through the current index date available. Staff will search this index for a $5 fee. (Please note, the index is by husband's name only.) To request a search, you can use the (application for verification of divorce record files) and submit it by mail or in person. There is no statewide index for divorces prior to 1962.
Ordering Vital Records Online - Getting documents by mail can take a long as six weeks or more. Through VitalChek Express Certificate Service you can get Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed, Sealed, & Delivered in as few as three business days!
Ordering Vital Records 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. Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records
605 W. Jefferson St.
Springfield, IL 62702-5097
Facts on Birth Records - Most early birth records contain very little biographical information. Typical early New England town and church records, for example, give little information beyond the name of the child, date and place of birth, and parents’ names. Some localities listed only the name of the father.
While early birth records can be discouragingly lacking in information, by the mid-nineteenth century birth records in the United States began to include more information. Even though births were not widely recorded during the early years of America’s existence, the records that do exist may be the only source of a birth date for an individual and should always be consulted.
Delayed births are also important vital registrations that you should consider for obtaining biographical information. When Social Security benefits were instituted in 1937, individuals claiming benefits had to document their birth even if the state of their birth did not require registration when they were born. Individuals who were not registered with state or county agencies at the time of their birth often applied for a delayed birth registration. Obtaining passports, insurance, and other benefits also required proof of age.
Applications were accompanied with full name, address, and date and place of birth; father’s name, race, and place of birth; and evidence to support the facts presented. The evidence could be in the form of a baptismal certificate, Bible record, school record, affidavit from the attending physician or midwife, application for an insurance policy, birth certificate of a child, or an affidavit from a person having definite knowledge of the facts. Delayed birth records are usually filed and indexed separately from regular birth registrations, and it may be necessary to request a separate search for them.
Facts on Marriage Records - Because of the importance of the legal distribution and control of property, most states and counties began to record marriages before births and deaths. The recording of a marriage is a two-step process. Traditionally, couples apply for a license to marry, and the applications are usually filed loose among other applications or in bound volumes. Marriage returns are filed once the marriage has taken place. The latter document is the proof of a marriage (not the license application).
Marriage applications are often filled out by both the bride and groom and typically contain a significant amount of genealogical information. They may list full names of the bride and groom, their residences, races, ages, dates and places of birth, previous marriages, occupations, and their parents’ names, places of birth, and occupations.
Marriage certificates are issued by counties after the marriage ceremony is completed, and these are usually found among family items. While the certificates tend to have less biographical data than the application, the name of the individual officiating at the wedding may lead you to religious records by revealing the denomination. The religious records, in turn, may reveal the names of witnesses and other useful information.
Early American records sometimes include marriage bonds, which served as a protection for the future children of the marriage. A bond obligated a prospective groom to pay the bond if he were discovered to be a bigamist or imposter or otherwise ineligible to contract a valid marriage. As long as the marriage was legal, the bond was void. Bonds generally include the groom’s name, name of the surety, the sum, and the date of the agreement.
Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860: This database is an index to individuals who were married in Illinois between 1790 and 1860.
Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900: This database is an index to approximately 707,000 individuals who were married in select areas of Illinois between 1851 and 1900.
Facts on Death Records - Early death records in the United States provide little more than the name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death. Obituaries and cemetery, court, and other records often provide more information about the deceased than do most official death records created before the last quarter of the 1800s.
By 1900 death records included more details. They often include the name of the deceased; date, place, and cause of death; age at the time of death; place of birth; parents’ names; occupation; name of spouse; name of the person giving the information; the informant’s relationship to the deceased; the name and address of the funeral director; and the place of burial. Race is listed in some records, and modern death certificates generally include a Social Security number.
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 Alabama.
America's Obituaries (1977 to current) at Genealogybank.com - Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries - includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!
