Ford County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois Ford County

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

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

Historical Records
This county is named for Governor Thomas Ford, its eighth governor.

Boundary Changes

 * 17 February 1859: Ford County was created from Clark County. Note: An earlier attempt to create Holmes County (proposed), on 31 January 1857 in the same general area, was unsuccessful. (Ill. Laws 1859, pub., pp. 29-33) (source:Newberry Library}

See an interactive map of Ford County boundary changes.

Biography
Portrait and Biographical Record of Ford County.1892.

History of Ford County, by E.A. Gardner. another filming 934983 items 4-5

Cemeteries
Find A Grave, list of cemeteries. Additional information can be found at local level (city, township, etc.)


 * Ford 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.
 * Cemetery Records of Ford County. Daughters of the American Revolution.

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

Church Records
The Farmersville Settlement, by Shirley Hildman Johnson.

''A County History: Ford County History: Ford County, Illinois. ''by Ford County Historical Society, c. 1984 has a section on church records.

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.

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

History
History of Ford Coutny, Illinois:From it's Earliest Settlement to 1908 (Ancestry)

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


 * 1885-1890 Deed Record. IRAD-ISU
 * 1888-1897 Chattel Mortgage Extensions. IRAD-ISU
 * 1938-1952 Chattel Morgage Record. IRAD-ISU

Index
1860-1941 Chattel Mortgage Index. IRAD-ISU

Available through the Family History Library

1837-1901 Grantor and Grantee Indexes, and Deed Records '''1859-1904. ''' first film of eighteen

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 ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Ford County Federal Township Plats

Family History Centers
Introduction to LDS Family History Centers

Military
For information about using Military records see Illinois Military Records

Civil War
Civil War service men from Ford 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 Ford County.


 * - 76th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.

List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 (Source: Internet Archives)

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

World War II
World War II Casualities, Army and Army Air Corps (Source: Access Genealogy)

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 Family History Library

1859-1906 Naturalization Records.

Newspapers
Newspapers Published in Ford County (Source: Illinois Newspaper Project)

Chronicling AmericaFord County (Source: The Library of Congress)

Cataloged Titles (Source: Illinois Newspaper Project)

Probate 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.

1860-1942 Will Record, 1859-1929 Administrator's Record, and 1859-1953 Guardian Record. Ford County Courthouse.

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 Ford County.


 * County Courthouse

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


 * Family History Center

Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah (United States) and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources to assist you in the research and study of your genealogy. Currently there are no Family History Centers located directly in Ford County.

You may search your address for a center near you on the FamilySearch site. The following centers are located in surrounding counties. Their wiki pages may supply hours and other information.

Find a FamilySearch Center


 * Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)

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


 * Public Libraries

Societies
Ford County Historical Society

Taxation
1833-1876 Taxable Lands Lists. IRAD-ISU

Vital Records
See Illinois Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Illinois.

IDPH Registrar of Vital Records Room 101 Courthouse 200 West State Street Paxton, IL 60957 1-217-379-2721

Order Birth and Death Certificates Online

Births

 * 1878-1909 Birth Record Index
 * 1878-1901 Birth Records. IRAD-ISU

Available through the Family History Library

1870-1909 Index to Birth Records, Birth Records, 1878-1909

Marriages

 * 1859-1983 Marriage Record Index. IRAD-ISU. Available throught the Family History Library
 * 1859-1927 Marriage Record. IRAD-ISU. Available through the Family History Library

Deaths

 * 1878-1915 Death Record Index. IRAD-ISU
 * 1878-1901 Death Record. IRAD-ISU

Available through the Family History Library

1878-1901 Index to Deaths, Register of Deaths, 1878-1901

Web Sites

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

Databases Pertinent to Ford 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