Tazewell County, Illinois Genealogy

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



Description
Tazewell 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.

County Courthouse
Tazewell County Courthouse 342 Court St Pekin, IL 61554 Phone: 309-477-2214 Tazewell 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.

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:

History Timeline
Parts of other areas taken from or added to this county
 * 1825-1827 Peoria
 * 1821-1825 Sangamon
 * 1817-1821 Bond
 * 1812-1821 Madison
 * 1790-1812 St. Clair
 * 1790-1801 Knox. Northwest Territory

Biographies
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)

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 Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. ; . Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). 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.

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1837-1859 Circuit Court Dockets IRAD-ISU
 * 1862-1926 Guardian's Records. Tazewell County Court. Items 2-4 First of 10 films. Index included.

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.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1850-1863 Swamp Land Record IRAD-ISU
 * 1824-1920 Deed Records Tazewell County Recorder first film of 51. Index included
 * 1827-1871 Deed Records. Tazewell County Recorder.
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

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

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1788-1940 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  Revolutionary War Veteran Burials (Genealogy Trails History Group)  War of 1812  Indian Wars  Blackhawk War  Mexican War  Civil War 1883 Tazewell County PensionersList -USGenWeb 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 Regiments. 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
 * 1862-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * Military Land GrantsTazewell County, Illinois for Soldiers of the War of1812 - USGenWeb
 * Military Land Grantsin Tazewell County, Illinois for Soldiers of the Indian Wars - USGenWeb
 * Captain John G. Adams' Company- USGenWeb
 * Captain Jacob M. Farley's Company- USGenWeb
 * Comapny G Fourth Illinois Volunteers- USGenWeb
 * 1861-1862 Militia Roll Record - IRAD-ISU
 * 1864-1949 Military Discharge Record IRAD-ISU. Also available at the FamilySearch Library
 * 1864-1891 Soldier's Discharge. Tazewell County Recorder. Items 3-4
 *  Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)
 * - 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, andCompany 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

 World War I  World War II
 * 1917-1918 World War I Draft Registration Cards,1917-1918 (Ancestry)
 * 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. Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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 ($)
 * Newspapers Published in Tazewell County(Illinois Newspaper Project)
 * Chronicling American (Library of Congress)
 * GenealogyBank has Historical Newspapers 1690-2007

Obituaries
Illinios, Pekin Public Library Obituaries (FamilySearch Historical Records)

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. 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.

Online Probate Indexes and 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
 * 1912-1924 Probate Record IRAD-ISU
 * 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.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Birth

 * (*) at FamilySearch Catalog

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1827-1835 Early Marriages of Tazewell County - USGenWeb
 * "Early Marriages in Tazewell County" in Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. Vol. 14, no.1-2, yr. 1921-1922. Online at: Internet Archive.
 * (*) at FamilySearch Catalog

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
 * 1904-1964 (*) Tazewell County Coroner by FamilySearch Catalog
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * (*) at FamilySearch Catalog

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. Illinois State University houses the records for Tazewell County. Illinois State University (ISU) 2016 Warehouse Road Campus Box 1520 Normal, IL 61802 Phone: 309-452-6027

FamilySearch Centers

 * Champaign Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Normal Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Peoria Illinois FamilySearch 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

Libraries
Tazewell County Public Library Website Multiple locations

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

Websites

 * Tazewell County IL Genealogy
 * Tazewell County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Tazewell ILGenWeb
 * – 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.