Clay County, Illinois Genealogy

United States  Illinois  Clay County

History
The county is named after U.S. Speaker of the House Henry Clay (1777-1852).

Parent County
1824--Clay County was created 23 December 1824 from Wayne, Lawrence and Fayette Counties. County seat:  Louisville

Neighboring Counties

 * Effingham
 * Fayette
 * Jasper
 * Marion
 * Richland
 * Wayne

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

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 Clay County and links to the information for the individuals buried there.


 * Clay 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 Clay 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.

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

Military

 * Civil War Civil War service men from Clay 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 Clay County.


 * - 40th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 98th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and F.

Vital Records
Illinois Marriages Clay County marriage records for 1860 and 1861 are interspersed with each other. Not overlapped at the end of the year. but mixed at other dates.

Societies and Libraries

 * Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois John A. Logan College Library 700 Logan College Road Carterville, Illinois 62918 Telephone: 618-985-2828, Ext. 8338 Hours: vary by season, see website

The Society focuses on Alexander, Clay, Clinton, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saline, St. Clair, Union, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, and Williamson counties. The Society's book and microfilm collection is housed at the John A. Logan College Library. The Society publishes a newsletter (click here for recent issues) and a quarterly journal The Saga of Southern Illinois (click here for a topical index for a breakdown of what has been published for each county).

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Clay County, IllinoisGenealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Clay County, IllinoisGenealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)