Pope County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  Pope County

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

Historical Facts
Pope County is named for Nathaniel Pope who was the first Territorial Secretary of State.

Parent County

 * 1816--Pope County was created 10 January 1816 from Gallatin and Johnson Counties. County seat: Golconda

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Pope County boundary changes.

Cemeteries
The Illinois Cemeteries page provides general explanations of the following online Pope County resources:

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

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, Pope County on page 187.]

Presbyterian Church Records

 * Michael Hillegan Chapter D.A.R. (Harrisburg, Ill.). Church Records Presbyterian Church of Golconda, Pope County, Illinois Founded 1819. Reputed to be the Oldest Presbyterian Church in Illinois. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Court Records

 * 1818–1851 Circuit court docketsIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1821–1859 Circuit court miscellaneous recordIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1900–1909 Justice of the peace dockets IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD

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

Genealogy

 * [Glass] Young, John C. Descendants of Francis and James Glass of Pope County, Illinois. Marissa, Ill.: n.p., 1975. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Local Histories

 * Allen, John W. Pope County Notes. Carbondale, Ill.: Museum of Natural and Social Sciences, Southern Illinois University, 1949. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Land and Property

 * 1816–1819 Territorial bargain and sale record; IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD


 * 1835–1857 School land sale record IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD

Military Records

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


 * - 56th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 60th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
 * 1861–1865 Militia roll record IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD

Naturalization

 * 1820–1859 Naturalization declarations of intentIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1864–1894 Naturalization recordIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1868–1886 Naturalization record of soldiers and minors IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1888–1898 Naturalization record IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD

Probate Records

 * 1867–1888 The probate journals for Pope County probate records are also available in . Click on the browse through images link, select Pope County, and select the record type you are interested in.


 * Index to Pope County, Illinois Will Record Volume A (1861-1916), available online, courtesy: USGenWeb.


 * 1861–1916 Probate will record IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD

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

Taxation

 * 1826–1827 Road tax lists IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1825–1865 Taxable lands listIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD

Birth

 * 1862–1952 Birth certificate index IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1877–1915 Birth certificates IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1862–1916 Birth certificates, delayedIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD

Marriage

 * 1839–1853, 1865 Winget, Judy Walley. Williamson County, Illinois marriages, 1839 to 1853 and 1865; Pope County, Illinois marriages, 1826 to 1845; Johnson County, Illinois marriages, 1857 to 1860. S.P.: Saline County Genealogical Society (Illinois), 1984. Worldcat
 * Pope County Marriage Records, available online, courtesy: USGenWeb


 * 1813–1915 Marriage licensesIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1816–1944 Marriage recordIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1816–1960 Marriage record indexIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD

Death

 * 1877–1915 Death recordIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1877–1909 Death record indexIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1883–1915 Death record, stillbirths IRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD
 * 1813–1915 Marriage licensesIRAD (SIU) Search for Pope records How to use IRAD

Places / Localities
To see a list of places in Pope County, click on [Show], in the bar above.' The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.

Web Sites

 * Pope County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)
 * Pope County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)