Vermilion County, Illinois Genealogy

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

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

Historical Facts
Vermilion County was named after the Vermilion River of which the branches have a presence in the county.

Parent County

 * 1826--Vermilion County was created 18 January 1826, from unorganized territory and Edgar County.County seat: Danville

Description
The county seat is Danville and the county was organized on January 2, 1826. The County is located in the East 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.


 * 1823-1826 Edgar


 * 1819-1823 Clark


 * 1816-1819 Crawford


 * 1815-1816 Edwards


 * 1812-1815 madison


 * 1801-1812 St. Clair


 * 1790-1803 Knox, Northwest Territory

Record Loss
1872 A fire burned the courthouse and some records were lost or damaged.

Biography
Portrait andd Biographical Album of Vermillion and Edgar Counties, Illinois 1889 Internet Archives

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, Vermilion County on page 188.]
 * 1892 Rossville City Census - USGenWeb

Church Records
Elwood Quaker Monthly Meeting Minutes

Georgetown, Quaker Monthly Meeting Minutes 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 Vermilion County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.

Coroner's Inquest Files Index, 1908-1956 Illinois State Archives

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
 * African American Coal Miner Information Center

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.

Maps

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * 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
1835 Revolutionary War Pensioners

Veteran Burials

War of 1812
Military Land Grants in Vermillion Coutny, Illinois for Soldiers of the War of 1812 - USGenWeb

Blackhawk War
Captain Robert Griffin's Company - USGenWeb

Captain John B. Thomas' Company - USGenWeb

Captain Eliakem Ashton's Company - USGenWeb

Captain Morgan L. Payne's Company - USGenWeb

Captain James Palmer's Company - USGenWeb

Captain I.M. Gillispie's Company - USGenWeb

Captain Jacob M. Earley's Company- USGenWeb

Indian Wars
Military Land Grants in Vermillion County, Illinois for Soldiers of the Indian Wars - USGenWeb

Civil War
Civil War service men from Vermilion 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 Vermilion County.

Cavalry


 * -4th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company F.

Infantry


 * - 12th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (3 months, 1861, Company C.
 * - 12th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 25th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * -28th Regiment, (Consolidated), Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 35th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D, Company E, Company F, and Company I.
 * - 37th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 51st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 71st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
 * - 73rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C, and Company E.
 * - 79th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
 * -125th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A, Company B, Company C, Company D, Company G, Company I, and Company K
 * - 133rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K
 * - 135th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D, Company E, and Company K
 * - 149th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E
 * - 150th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E, and Company K

Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)

A list of GAR Post for Illinios, additional site for post list,Library of Congress

Charles A. Clark Post, Ridge Farm 1913 - USGenWeb

General T.J. Hendrson Post, 1913 - USGenWeb

Harmon Post, Hoopeston 1913 - USGenWeb

Kenesaw Post, Danville 1913 - USGenWeb

Kyger Post, Georgetown 1913 - USGenWeb

Lawton Post, Danville 1913 - USGenWeb

Trisler Post, Sidewll 1913 - USGenWeb

Pensions

1883 Federal Pension - USGenWeb

World War I
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 Danville

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

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 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 Vermilion County

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 the Illinois State University (ISU) - search for Vermilion County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.

1826-1860 Probate Case Files - IRAD-ISU

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 Vermilion County.

Family History Centers

 * Champaign Illinois Family History Center
 * Danville Illinois Family History Center
 * Decatur Illinois Family History Center
 * Normal Illinois Family History Center
 * Springfield Illinois Family History Center


 * Champaign County Historical Archives - an affiliate library
 * Danville Public Library (Illinois) - an affiliate library
 * Iroquois County Genealogical Society - 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 Vermilion County are kept, see the Vermilion County Courthouse page.

Illinois Regional Archives Repository
Illinois State University 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
Vermilion County Public Libraries

School Records
1912-1938 School Student Permanent Record, High School - IRAD-ISU

Societies

 * Catlin Historical Society PO Box 658 210 North Paris Street Catlin, Illinois 61817 Phone Number 217-427-5766 Email:[mailto:catlinhistorical@att.net catlinhistorical@att.net] Facebook Website
 * Hoopeston Historical Society 617 East Washington Street Hoopeston, IL 60942-1659 Phone 217-597-4526] Facebook
 * Illiana Genealogical and Historical Society 215 W. North St. Danville, Illinois 61832-5749 Phone 217-431-8733 E-mail:[mailto:ighs@outlook.com ighs@outlook.com] Facebook
 * The I.G.H.S. is the oldest genealogy society in Illinois.
 * The library covers all of Vermilion county, Illinois and has numerous resources for all other states as well.
 * The obituary books are a little known treasure.


 * Rossville Historical Society PO Box 263 108 West Attica Street Rossville, IL 60963 Phone 217-748-4080 Email:[mailto:roshisoc@cooketech.net roshisoc@cooketech.net] Facebook
 * Tilton, Illinois Historical Society 201 West 5th Street Tilton, IL 61833-7427 Phone 217-477-0800 Facebook
 * Vermilion County Museum 116 N. Gilbert Street Danville, IL 61832-8506 Phone 217-442-2922 E-mail:[mailto:susricht@aol.com susricht@aol.com] 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.

The website of the Vermilion County Clerk explains how to order copies of birth, marriage, and death records.

Marriage Records

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index $
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1810-1934 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index

Death Records
Pape Funeral Homes Obituary Records for Vermilion County, Illinois. Pape Genealogy, Kruger-Coan-Pape Funeral Home & Crematory. Online searchable database of death records from 1800s to the present. The records include surrounding areas as well as some nearby Indiana counties. Vermilion County Coroner's Inquest Files Index, 1908-1956 at the Illinois State Archives.
 * 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($)
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at:MyHeritage ($)
 * Index to Death Register Volume 1 - USGenWeb

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

 * Benton County, Indiana
 * Champaign
 * Douglas
 * Edgar
 * Ford
 * Iroquois
 * Vermillion County, Indiana
 * Warren County, Indiana

Websites

 * Vermilion County IL Genealogy
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Vermillion County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)