Massac County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Massac County, Illinois ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Massac County Organization
Massac County's civil records start the following years:

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

Historical Facts
Massac County was named for, built in 1757. The fort was named in honor of the Marquis de Massiac, the French Naval Minister.

Description
The county was named for Fort Massac. The county seat is Metropolis and the county was organized on February 8, 1843. The County is located in the Southern tip of the state.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Illinois county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Illinois County Boundary Maps" (1790-1869) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.


 * 1843--Massac County was created 8 February 1843 from Pope and Johnson Counties.

Records Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Cemeteries
ePodunk had list of cemeteries in and around Massac County.

Census
For tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.

Church Records
A chapter on Massac County, Illinois religious history appears in a local history (1900), available online, beginning on page 100.

Baptist

 * First Baptist Church (Metropolis, Ill.). Church History, 1841-1939. MSS. Copy:.
 * Macadonia Baptist Church. Church Minutes, 1851-1868. MSS. Copy:.
 * New Hope Baptist Church (New Columbia, Ill.). Church Roll (Alphabetical). MSS. Copy:.

Catholic
FamilySearch has made parish records from two Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Massac County available online. The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:


 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.

Christian

 * First Christian Church (Metropolis, Ill.). Church History, 1912-1968. Copy:.
 * McMahan, Abbie Deegan. The Early Years of the Christian Church of Brookport, Illinois. 1957..

Lutheran (Evangelical)

 * Foss, Carolyn Cromeenes et al. Massac County, Illinois Zion's Evangelical Church Records 1854-1927 and Cemetery. Newburgh, Ind.: J.F. Lee, 1993..
 * Foss, Carolyn Cromeenes et al. Massac County, Illinois, St. John's Lutheran Church Records, 1860-1889 and Cemetery. 1991..
 * Foss, Carolyn Cromeenes et al. Massac County, Illinois, St. Stephen's Evangelical Lutheran Church Records, 1865-1925, and Cemetery. 1992..
 * St. John Lutheran Church: Route 4, Metropolis, Illinois: 125th Anniversary. Metropolis, Ill.: The Church, 1986. WorldCat (Other Libraries)

Methodist

 * First Methodist Church (Metropolis, Ill.). Church Records, 1839-1884. MSS. Copy:.
 * 100th Anniversary, Powers United Methodist Church, June 23, 1974. . WorldCat (Other Libraries)
 * Powers United Methodist Church: Historical Perspective, 1874-1992. WorldCat (Other Libraries)

Reorganized LDS

 * Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Joppa Branch. Church Records, 1909-1919. MSS., RLDS Library Archives, Independence, Mo. Copy:.

Court Records
Original court records are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Court Records for more information about using court records.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Massac County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.


 * 1843–1849 Order book, A


 * 1843–1849 Circuit court record IRAD (SIU)

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 IllinoisCemeteries

History
The online Shawnee Community College Local History Project includes dozens of personal interviews and even a "Letter From the Birdman of Alcatraz," that give you a taste of historic Massac County. Was your relative one of the interviewed individuals?


 * Page, Oliver J. History of Massac County, Illinois: With Life Sketches and Portraits. Metropolis, Ill.: O.J. Page, 1900. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive.

Land and Property
Original land records are held in the office of the County Clerk. See Illinois Land and Property for more information about using land records.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online sources, the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Massac County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Abstracts

 * 1816–1878 Massac County Genealogical Society. Massac County, Il. land entries and swamp land sales, 1816-1878. Metropolis, Illinois : Massac County Genealogical Society (Illinois), 1998.Other libraries (WorldCat)


 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family maps of Massac County, Illinois: with homesteads, roads, waterways, towns, cemeteries, railroads and more. Norman, Oklahoma : Arphax Pub. Co., c2008.Other libraries (WorldCat) The publisher's bookstore includes a free online surname index.

Copies of original records

 * 1843–1900 Grantee index
 * 1842–1900 Grantor index
 * 1843–1896 Deeds
 * 1843–1900 Deed index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1843–1911 Deed record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1984 Rockford Map Publishers. Massac County (Illinois), land atlas and plat book, 1984. Rockford, Ill. : Rockford Map Publishers, [©1984]. 12052115 Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Plat of Macadonia Cemetery south side
 * St. John Lutheran church, old cemetery plat
 * Plat of L.W. Smith &amp; Salem Trustees addition of Salem Cemetery

Online Resources

 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * 1796–1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Massac County Federal Township Plats

Maps



 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)

Civil War
Civil War service men from Massac 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 Massac County.


 * - 6th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company A.
 * - 15th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company B (Carmichael's Cavalry Company).
 * - 29th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies H and K.
 * - 56th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and D.
 * - 131st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, C, D, and H.
 * - 136th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I.

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1772 - 1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1819 - 1988 at FamilySearch.org — images

Original estates and wills are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Probate Records for more information about using probate records.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through, the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Massac County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Copies of original records

 * 1846–1894 Probate index
 * 1860–1894 Will and index ; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1866–1885 Probate journals IRAD (SIU)
 * 1846–1964 Probate case files index IRAD (SIU)

Online Resources

 * 1871–1883 Massac County Probate books 2-5 (1871-1883) are available digitally at . Click on "browse through images" link, select Massac County, and select the record type you are interested in.

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

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
IRAD is a system of Illinois Regional Archives Depositories managed by the Illinois State Archives, housing the archival records of local Illinois counties, townships, municipalities and school districts. The seven Regional Depositories are housed on state university campuses scattered throughout Illinois. Southern Illinois University houses the records for Massac County.

Societies
Massac County Historical Society 405 Market Street IL 62960 23 Chick Street Metropolis, IL 62960 Telephone Number: 618-524-7203 (Society President, no phone at museum) E-mail:[mailto:thecrow@midwest.net thecrow@midwest.net] Website

Massac County Genealogical Society PO Box 1043 Metropolis, IL 62960-1043 Website

Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois has a page with details about its' activities.

Vital Records
See Illinois Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Illinois. See also How to order Illinois Vital Records or order electronically online.

Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Massac County Clerk while those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health with a copy to the County Clerk. Original marriage records are usually kept by the County Clerk from the establishment of the county to the present. Original divorce records are generally in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online databases, the Family History Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Massac County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.


 * 1849–1869 Fellows, Paul E. Massac County memories. Metropolis, Illinois: Massac Print., 1992. libraries (WorldCat)

Births
Copies of Original Birth Records


 * 1864–1941 Births
 * 1878–1916 Birth record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1878–1941 Birth record index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1864–1877 Birth record delayed IRAD (SIU)

Abstracts of Marriage Records

 * 1843–1900 Foss, Carolyn Cromeenes and Judy Foreman Lee. Massac County, Illinois early marriage records. [Newburgh, IN] (6688 Outer Gray St., Newburgh 47630): J.F. Lee, 1991-&lt;1993&gt;. Other libraries (WorldCat)


 * 1858–1903 Massac County Genealogical Society. Massac County, Illinois marriages from misc. sources, 1858-1903. Metropolis, Illinois: Massac County Genealogical Society (Illinois), 1998.Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1865, 1866–1880 Other libraries (WorldCat)

Copies of original Marriage Records

 * 1854–1923 Marriage records and index
 * 1854–1923 Marriage record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1854–1901 Marriage record index IRAD (SIU)

Online Resources

 * 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900
 * 1790–1860 Illinois Marriage index found at Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1810–1934 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index

Abstracts of Death Records

 * 1906–1908; 1913–1917 Ferrell, Ed. Index to obituaries and death notices which appeared in the Metropolis Herald, Massac County, Illinois, 1906-1908; 1913-1917. Other libraries (WorldCat)


 * 1878–1902 Massac County Genealogical Society. Massac County, Ill. death records. Metropolis, Illinois : Massac County Genealogical Society, 1992. Other libraries (WorldCat)


 * 1896–1914 Coles, James E. and Brenda Jenkins. Massac County, Illinois coroner's reports : volume one (Book A 1869-1914). [Metropolis, Illinois]: Massac County Geneal. Society, 1992. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Copies of original Death Records

 * 1878–1971 Deaths
 * 1878–1915 Death recordIRAD (SIU)
 * 1878–1971 Death record indexIRAD (SIU)

Online Resources

 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950
 * 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 found at Ancestry.com ($)

Websites

 * Massac County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Massac County IL Genealogy
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Massac County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)
 * Massac County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)