Knox County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  Knox County

County Organization
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Knox County are kept, see the Knox County Courthouse page.

Historical Facts


The county is named for General Henry Knox (1750-1806), Revolutionary War hero, and the nation's first Secretary of War.

Parent County

 * 1825--Knox County was created 13 January 1825 from Fulton County. County seat: Galesburg

Boundary Changes
A part of Knox County was taken to create Stark County 2 March 1839.

See an interactive map of Knox County boundary changes.

Populated Places
Galesburg | Knoxville | Oneida | Abingdon | Altona | Appleton | Bridgeport | Burnside | Centerville | Dahinda | DeLong | Douglas | East Galesburg | Elba Center | Eugene | Gilson | Henderson | Henderson Grove | Hermon | Knox | London Mills | Maquon | Oak Run | Ontario | Rapatee | Rio | Saint Augustine | Saluda | Soperville | Trenton Corners | Truro | Uniontown | Victoria | Walnut Grove | Wataga | Williamsfield | Yates City

Neighboring Counties

 * Fulton
 * Henry
 * Mercer
 * Peoria
 * Stark
 * Warren

Cemeteries
Illinois cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.


 * Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone.  May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.


 * Find A Grave also gives a list of cemeteries in Knox County and links to the information for the individuals buried there.


 * Knox Co. IL USGenWeb Tombstone Project usually gives the names of the deceased in alphabetical order by last name with birth and death dates plus any remarks.


 * Illinois Cemeteries by county.


 * The Family History Library Catalog lists . Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * ePodunk list of Knox County cemeteries gives the names of the cemeteries in the county with a link to more information such as address, phone number, and web site.

1840 Pensioners

 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. ; ; digital version at Google Books. [See Illinois, Knox County on page 187.]

Church Records
LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Galesburg

African American
The following have information concerning African American research.


 * African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records


 * Illinois State Archives pamphlet on African American Research describes what records are at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
 * African-American Resources for Illinois

Land and Property
Illinois Land and Property for more information and explanations about specific state land records.


 * 1796-1907U.S General Land Office Records at Ancestry–($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Recordsat Ancestry–($)
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales (free) can be searched by name. See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database. Also available at Ancestry ($)
 * Knox County Federal Township Plats (free) shows an outline map of the townships in Knox County.
 * Federal Township Plats of Illinois(free) shows an outline map of the townships in Knox County, explanations of the retangular system and links to the Illinois State land page..

Local Histories

 * Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and Knox County. Chicago: Munsell Pub. Co., 1899. Digital version at Ancestry ($); USGenNet. Perry, Albert J. History of Knox County, Illinois: Its Cities, Towns and People. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1912. Digital version at Ancestry ($); Google Books; Internet Archive.


 * Knox County, Illinois, the Honor Roll, 1917-1918-1919: Being a Record of What was Done in Knox County in Those Three Eventful Years and Who Did It. Galesburg, Ill.: Wagoner Print. Co., 1920. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps

 * Knox County on Google Maps shows towns, roads, rivers, lakes, etc.
 * Knox County Federal Township Plats (free) shows an outline map of the townships in Knox County.
 * Federal Township Plats of Illinois(free) shows an outline map of the townships in Knox County, explanations of the retangular system and links to the Illinois State land page..

Military

 * Civil War Civil War service men from Knox County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Knox County.


 * - 33rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies E and H.
 * - 42nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 45th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 51st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies C.
 * - 55th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 58th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 59th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
 * - 64th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (Yates’ Sharpshooters), Company D.
 * - 66th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
 * - 71st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 72nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 77th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
 * - 83rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies E, G, I and K.
 * - 84th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 86th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
 * - 89th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.

Probate Records

 * Doubet, Mildred Cadwell, General Index to Estates, 1832-1900 : as recorded in Knox County Courthouse, Galesburg, Illinois, (Galesburg, Illinois : Knox County Genealogical Society (Illinois), [19--?]), 85p., other libraries with book (WorldCat).
 * Illinois. Probate Court (Knox County), Wills, 1830-1922. Microfilm copy of original records located at the Knox County courthouse, Galesburg, Illinois. Wills are filed alphabetically in each box but also includes indexes..

County Courthouse
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Knox County are kept, see the Knox County Courthouse page.

Family History Library
The Family History Library has many books and filmed records about Knox County. Click on one of the types of records to see a list of specivic records. Click on one of the titles to see the catalog entry describing the record with the book or microfilm numbers that are needed to use the book or film.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
The Illinois State Archives administers IRAD. Local governments puts their records in the regional depositories.

Knox County is in the Western Illinois University (WIU) region of IRAD. This depository is located in Macomb, Illinois. Click on the link for address, phone number, and hours as well as maps and directions to go there.

Newberry Library
Newberry Library 60 West Walton Street Chicago, IL 60610 Telephone: 312-943-9090 Telephone to reference desk: 312-255-3512

The Newberry Library has many records for Knox County, as well as other Illinois counties, Illinois, other states and other countries.

Public Libraries
Galesburg Public Library 40 East Simmons Street Galesburg, Illinois 61401 Telephone: 309-343-6118 Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 9AM-8PM, Fri. 9AM-5PM, closed Sun.

The Galesburg Public Library has a fine collection of local and state histories, censuses, city directories, cemetery records, county plat books, maps, newspapers, journals, yearbooks, and photographs that reflect the history and heritage of Galesburg and the surrounding area. The collection includes many rare books and original manuscripts. The Library also houses the records of the Knox County Genealogical Society.

Vital Records
Knox County Clerk Knox County Courthouse 200 S. Cherry St. Galesburg, Illinois 61401-4992 Telephone: 309-345-3815 Fax: 309-345-3801 Email: info@knoxclerk.org Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30AM-4:30PM

Copies of Knox County birth, marriage and death records can be obtained from the county clerk. To make a credit card payment for birth, marriage, and death records use the Illinois E-PAY system.

Birth Records

 * Knox County (Illinois). Clerk of the County Court, Birth and Delayed Birth Records, 1877-1900. Microfilm copy of original records located at the Knox County courthouse, Galesburg, Illinois. On . Includes indexes.

Internet Sites

 * 1830s-1850s - Illinois Miscellaneous Genealogical Records: From Counties, Bond, Boone, Calhoun, Cook, Crawford, Du Page, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Will, Pope: Kentucky county, Mercer: Missouri county, Ralls. Evanston, Ill.: Illinois Society, D.A.R., 1946. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Includes marriages dated 1833-1838 and 1850-1852.
 * To-1850 Illinois Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
 * 1878-1888 State Board of Health returns of marriges
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
 * 1851-1900 Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
 * 1790-1860 Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE

Books and Microfilms

 * Knox County Genealogical Society (Galesburg, Illinois),Index to Marriage Records, Knox County, Illinois, (Galesburg, Illinois : Knox County Genealogical Society (Illinois), [198-?]-1990), copied from original record books in Knox County courthouse, Galesburg, Illinois by members of Knox County Genealogical Society, Contents: v. 1. 1830-1878 -- v. 2. 1879-1904., other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Knox County (Illinois). Clerk of the County Court, Knox County, Illinois Marriage Certificates, 1830-1922. Microfilm copy of original records located at the Knox County courthouse, Galesburg, Illinois.

Internet Sites

 * 1916–1947 
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates

Books and Microfilms

 * Knox County Genealogical Society (Galesburg, Illinois), Index, Death Records, Knox County, Illinois 1878 through 1910, (Galesburg, Illinois : Knox County Genealogical Society [Illinois], [198-?]), copied from original records books in Knox County courthouse, Galesburg, Illinois by Ruth Herrick ... [et al.], 136 p. and, other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Knox County (Illinois). Clerk of the County Court, Knox County, Illinois Death Records, 1877-1900; Index, 1878-1935. Microfilm copy of original records located at the Knox County courthouse, Galesburg, Illinois. On.

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Knox County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Knox County, section ofIllinois Ancestors, has biographies, cemetery and tombstone photos, military and obituaries, veteran histories, township histories, and more.
 * Knox County, section ofIllinois Ancestors, has biographies, cemetery and tombstone photos, military and obituaries, veteran histories, township histories, and more.