Tazewell County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Tazewell County, Illinois ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records. Illinois Online Genealogy Records

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

Historical Facts
The county was named for Lyttleton Waller Tazewell, and iminent lawyer, Governor, Representative in Congress, and United States Senator from Virginia

Parent County

 * 1827--Tazewell County was created 31 January 1827 from Sangamon County. County seat: Pekin

Description
The county was named for Littleton Tazewell, who served in the U.S. Senate, and who became Governor of Virginia in 1834. The county seat is Pekin and the county was organized on 1827. The County is located in the Central area 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.

1825-1827 Peoria

1821-1825 Sangamon

1817-1821 Bond

1812-1821 Madison

1790-1812 St. Clair

1790-1801 Knox. Northwest Territory

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

Biography
The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Tazewell County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Tazewell County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

Portrait and Biographical Record of Tazewell and Mason Counties, Illinois (Internet Archive)

Tazewell County Biography  (WorldCat)

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, Tazewell County on page 188.]

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

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 FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Illinois State University (ISU) - search for Tazewell County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.

1837-1859 Circuit Court Dockets IRAD-ISU

Court Records Available at the FamilySearch Library

1862-1926 Guardian's Records. Tazewell County Court. Items 2-4 First of 10 films. Index included.

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

1850-1863 Swamp Land Record IRAD-ISU

Land Records available through the FamilySearch Library

1824-1920 Deed Records Tazewell County Recorder first film of 51. Index included

1827-1871 Deed Records. Tazewell County Recorder.

Local Histories

 * Early History of Washington, Illinois and Vicinity. Washington, Ill.: Tazewell County Reporter, 1929. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * Township Map of 1870 Tazewell County, Illinois with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
For information about using Military records see Illinois Military Records
 * 1860s - 1960s at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Revolutionary War
Veteran Burials (Genealogy Trails History Group)

War of 1812
Military Land GrantsTazewell County, Illinois for Soldiers of the War of 1812 - USGenWeb

Blackhawk War
Captain John G. Adams' Company- USGenWeb

Captain Jacob M. Farley's Company- USGenWeb

Indian Wars
Military Land Grantsin Tazewell County, Illinois for Soldiers of the Indian Wars - USGenWeb

Mexican War
Comapny G Fourth Illinois Volunteers- USGenWeb

Civil War
Civil War service men from Tazewell 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 Tazewell County.

Cavalry


 * - 3rd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company B
 * - 4th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company H
 * -11th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company F, and Company H

Infantry


 * - 8th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company F
 * - 8th Regiment, (3 years) Illinois Infantry, Company F
 * - 31st_Regiment,_Illinois_Infantry, Company I
 * - 44th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A, and Company K
 * -47th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B, and Company E
 * - 73rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B
 * - 85th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A, and Company E
 * - 86th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G
 * - 94th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I
 * - 100th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A
 * -108th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A, Company B, and Company K
 * -115th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H
 * -139th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C
 * -146th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K
 * -148th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C
 * -152nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D

Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)

A list of GAR Post in Illinoisan additional site for post in Illinois; Library of Congress

Delavan Post,Delavan 1913 - USGenWeb

Joe Hanna Post, Pekin 1913 - USGenWeb

John Hunter Post, Minier 1913 - USGenWeb

1861-1862 Militia Roll Record - IRAD-ISU

1864-1949 Military Discharge Record IRAD-ISU. Also available at the FamilySearch Library

Available at the FamilySearch Library

1864-1891 Soldier's Discharge. Tazewell County Recorder. Items 3-4

1883 Tazewell County PensionersList -USGenWeb

World War I
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918   (Ancestry)

World War II
Army Casualties Part 1   (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)

Army Casualties Part 2    (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)


 * Tazewell County veterans of World War II : Pearl Harbor to V-J Day.Pekin, Illinois : Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society (Illinois), c2007 FS Library 977.354 M2t

Naturalization and Citizenship
Original naturalization records are held in the office of the County Clerk. See Illinois Naturalization Records for more information about using naturalization records.

The following copies of original records may be accessed through the FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Illinois State University (ISU) - search for Tazewell County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.


 * 1839-1892 Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court IRAD-ISU


 * 1866-1903 Naturalization Declarations of Intent, County Court IRAD-ISU. Also available at the FamilySearch Library


 * 1856-1906 Naturalization Papers, County Court IRAD-ISU


 * 1867-1888 Naturalization Record of Soldier's and Minors, Circuit Court IRAD-ISU


 * 1903-1906 Naturalization Record, County Court IRAD - ISU


 * 1858-1886 Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court IRAD-ISU


 * 1876-1903 Naturalization Record, Final, County Court IRAD-ISU

Naturalization Records available at FamilySearch Library


 * 1839-1906 Naturalization Records. Tazewell County Court.


 * 1856-1906 Naturalization Papers, Declarations of Intent, Tazewell County Clerk.


 * 1839-1909 Tazewell County, Illinois Naturalization and Immigration Records. by Christal E. Dagit

Online Records


 * 1800-1998 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1856-1991 Illinois, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991 at Ancestry - index and images, ($)

Newspapers and Obituaries

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)


 * Newspapers Published in Tazewell County (Illinois Newspaper Project)


 * Chronicling American  (Library of Congress)


 * GenealogyBank has Historical Newspapers 1690-2007

Obituaries

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

Illinios, Pekin Public Library Obituaries (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and 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 FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at theIllinois State University (ISU) - search for Tazewell County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.

1912-1924 Probate Record IRAD-ISU

Probate records available at the FamilySearch Library

1827-1923 Probate Records. Tazewell County Court. First of 25 films. Includes index

1830-1924 Will Records. Tazewell County Court. first film of 8. Includes indexes.

Repositories
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. Illinois State University houses the records for Tazewell County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Champaign Illinois Family History Center
 * Normal Illinois Family History Center
 * Peoria Illinois Family History Center


 * El Paso District Library - an affiliate library
 * Eureka Public Library District - an affiliate library
 * McLean County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Vespasian Warner Public Library - an affiliate library

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

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
Illinois State Universtiy (ISU) 2016 Warehouse Road Campus Box 1520 Normal, Illinois 61802 Phone: 1-309-452-6027

Illinois Regional Archives Depository System- Local Governmental Records Listings Arranged by County

Public Libraries
Tazewell County Public Libraries  (Public Libraries Libraries Directory)

Societies

 * Mackinaw Historical Collection RR #1 Box 260 Mackinaw, IL 61755-9637 Email:[mailto:huggerorange48@yahoo.com huggerorange48@yahoo.com] Facebook
 * Tazewell County Genealogical and Historical Society PO Box 312 Ehrlicher Research Center 719 N. Eleventh Street Pekin, Illinois 61555-0312 Phone 309-477-3044 Facebook Website
 * Tremont Museum & Historical Society PO Box 738 367 South Sampson Street Tremont, IL 61568-0738 Phone 309-840-0094 Facebook Website
 * Washington Historical Society 105 Zinser Place Washington, IL 61571 Phone 309-444-4793 Email:[mailto:washingtonilhs@gmail.com washingtonilhs@gmail.com] Facebook Website

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.

Order Birth and Death Certificates Online

Vital Records (years vary; birth, marriage and death) available at FamilySearch Library

1904-1964 Cornoner's Inquest. Tazewell County Coroner.

Birth
1858-1916 Birth Record Index IRAD-ISU

1877-1916 Birth Record IRAD-ISU

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHertitage($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1810-1934 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1827-1922 Marriage Record Index IRAD-ISU
 * 1827-1835 Early Marriages of Tazeewell County - USGenWeb
 * 1827-1922 Marriage Record IRAD-ISU
 * Early Marriages in Tazewell County (Internet Archives)

Death

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — index, some images


 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images


 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHertitage($)


 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)

1877-1954 Death Record Index IRAD-ISU

1877-1914 Death Record IRAD-ISU

1915-1934 Death Record, Coroner's IRAD-ISU

1869-1964 Coroner's Inquest Record IRAD-ISU

Online Resources
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index, ($)

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Neighboring Counties

 * Fulton
 * Logan
 * Mason
 * McLean
 * Peoria
 * Woodford

Websites
Databases Pertinent to Tazewell County Local Governmental Records Database Name Index to Illinois Local Governments Illinois Statewide Marriage Index Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950 Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database Federal Township Plats of Illinois 
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Tazewell County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Tazewell County IL Genealogy
 * Tazewell County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Tazewell County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)