Mercer County, Illinois Genealogy

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



Description
The county was named for Hugh Mercer (1726–1777), a physician and general during the American Revolution who died from wounds suffered at the Battle of Princeton. The county seat is Aledo and the county was organized on January 13, 1825. The County is located in the West area of the state.

County Courthouse
Mercer County Courthouse 100 SE 3rd St Aledo, IL 61231 Phone: 309-582-7711 Mercer County Courthouse

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

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:

Biographies

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

Census Records
 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, Mercer County on page 187.]

Church Records
Church records may give birth, death and marriage information as well as indictate family relationships. See Illinois state wiki article Church Records for more ideas about how to use church records in your research.
 * The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Mercer County edition. Church information can be found in the township histories beginning on page 658. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and 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.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African Americans
 * African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records
 * Illinois African-American Resource Guide by the Illinois State Archives describes what records are at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
 * African-American Resources for Illinois

Land and Property Records
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 FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Mercer County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the WIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1834-1901 Deed Index IRAD–WIU
 * 1834-1901 Deed Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1834-1954 Entry Books IRAD–WIU
 * 1979 Land atlas and plat book Other libraries (WorldCat) FS Library book 977.3395 R2m
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * Mercer County Federal Township Plats
 * 1935 Thomas, Clarence C. Township plat book of Mercer County, Illinois: supplement of the official directory of Mercer County 1935. [S.l. s.n., 19--]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.

Local Histories

 * History of Mercer and Henderson Counties Together with Biographical Matter, Statistics, Etc. Chicago, Illinois: H.H. Hill and Company, 1882. ; digital versions at Ancestry ($), and Internet Archive (free)
 * Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Mercer County. Chicago: Munsell Pub. Co., 1903. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1788-1940 Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
 Civil War Regiments. Civil War service men from Mercer 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 Mercer County.
 * - 9th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 17th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 26th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 27th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 30th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and G.
 * - 37th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
 * - 45th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 65th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (Scotch Regiment), Company B.
 * - 83rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
 * - 84th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
 * - 102nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, C, E, G and K.
 * - 124th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 126th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 140th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company F.

 World War II
 * Joe Dale Linn, Linn's 1995 World War II veterans of Mercer County, Missouri : published in honor of the 50th anniversary of all the men and women who served their country; including some history of Mercer CountyKansas City, Missouri : Great American West, c1995 FS Library 977.8213 M2L

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.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1800-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1856-1991 Illinois, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991 at Ancestry - index and images ($)

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * NewspaperArchive.com ($) has historical newspapers online including Burlington, Iowa newspapers dating back to the mid 1800's that may have included Mercer County residents. This database is free at some libraries.

Other Records
Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.
 * Mercer County Almshouse Registers Index, 1859-1948, courtesy: Illinois State Archives
 * 1859-1986 Almshouse Registers IRAD–WIU

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records 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.
 * 1772-1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only

Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Mercer 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.

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHertitage($)
 * 1790-1860 Illinois Marriage index at Ancestry ($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

Death

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 at Ancestry ($)
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHertitage($)
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index

Archives
 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. Western Illinois University houses the records for Mercer County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Burlington Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Davenport Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Muscatine Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Bureau County Genealogy Society - an affiliate library
 * Geneseo Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Aledo Mercer Carnegie Public Library District 200 N. College Av. Aledo, IL 61231 Phone: 309-582-2032 Fax: 309-582-5155 Email: [mailto:mercer.carnegie@mchsi.com mercer.carnegie@mchsi.com] Website
 * New Windsor Public Library District 412 Main Street New Windsor, IL 61465 Phone: 309-667-2515
 * Sherrard Library District 200 5th Avenue Sherrard, IL 61281 Phone: 309-593-2178 Fax: 309-593-2179 Website

Societies

 * Mercer County Historical Society PO Box 269 1406 South 2nd Avenue Aledo 61231-2504 Phone 309-582-2280 Email:[mailto:mcmuseum@frontier.com mcmuseum@frontier.com] Website
 * Under the direction of the Mercer County Historical Society, the Essley-Noble Museum, houses their Genealogy Division.
 * They specialize in having an INDEXED cross-referenced obituary collection, back to early publication dates of the local papers.
 * They also have microfilm available for these papers.
 * In 2010 they completed a cemetery project for the county. It has GPS locations for the cemeteries, useful when trying to locate the small and hidden township cemeteries.
 * Currently the museum is collecting civil war veteran photos, biographies, and histories from Illinois, specifically in Mercer County.
 * These resources are well worth a visit.

Websites

 * Mercer County ILGenWeb
 * Mercer County IL Genealogy
 * Mercer County, IL Linkpendium
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.