Calhoun County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Calhoun 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 Vice President John C. Calhoun. The county seat is Hardin and was founded 1825. It is located in the West-Central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Calhoun County Courthouse 301 S County Rd Hardin, IL 62047 Phone: 618-576-2451 Calhoun County Courthouse County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Calhoun County are kept, see the Calhoun 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

 * Every Name Index to Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois. Every Name Index compiled by Cathy L. O'Connor, 2011, original text by Biographical Publishing Company, 1891, reproduction by Unigraphic, Inc., 1975.  EveryNameIndex.com
 * Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois: Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Together with Portraits and Biographies of All the Presidents of the United States, and Governors of the State. Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1891. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive
 * Portrait Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois. Chicago, IL, USA: Biographical Publishing, 1891. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Reprint 19823 with index

Cemeteries

 * Calhoun County Cemeteries at GenealogyTrails
 * Calhoun County Cemeteries at IL Gen Soc

Census Records
 Federal


 * Calhoun County, Illinois 1830 census.
 * United States census, 1850, Calhoun County, Illinois
 * U. S. census, Calhoun County, Illinois, 1860, indexed
 * Ancestry.com ($)
 * heritagequestonline.com ($)

 State
 * State census, 1855 and 1865 Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1855 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * State census, 1865
 * Name index to early Illinois 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, Calhoun County on page 186.]

Church Records
 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. 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 Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Calhoun County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the WIU IRAD Wiki page.
 * 1825-1850 Circuit court dockets IRAD–WIU
 * 1825-1843 Court records
 * 1842-1850 Court records

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African American
 * 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 Calhoun County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the WIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Land Indexes and Records  Copies of original records
 * 1825-1926 Grantee and grantor indexes
 * 1825-1881 Deeds
 * 1841-1857 School land records
 * 1854-1894 Estray book
 * 1825-1915 Public records
 * 1987 Land atlas and plat book Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1820-Onward Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * Tract Index
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * Calhoun County Federal Township Plats
 * 1825-1850 Entry books IRAD–WIU
 * 1825-1886 Marks and brands record IRAD–WIU
 * 1827-1894 Estray record IRAD–WIU
 * 1841-1853 School land sale petitions IRAD–WIU
 * 1841-1857 School land sale record IRAD–WIU
 * 1841-1851 School land sale reports IRAD–WIU
 * 1846 Taxable lands lists IRAD–WIU
 * 1847-1852 Surveyor's record IRAD–WIU
 * 1850-1860 Chattel Mortgage record IRAD–WIU
 * 1853-1872 Swamp land record IRAD–WIU

Maps and Gazetteers

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

Military Records
 Civil War Regiment. Civil War service men from Calhoun 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 Calhoun County.
 * 1860s-1960s at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * - 97th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.


 * Genealogy Trails. (Civil War) Military Data for Calhoun County. (accessed 31 May 2011)

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 Western Illinois University (WIU)

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records - search for Calhoun County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the WIU IRAD Wiki page.
 * 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 & images ($)
 * 1849-1897 Naturalization record, finalIRAD–WIU
 * 1859-1924 Naturalization declarations of intent IRAD–WIU
 * 1866-1902 Naturalization declarations of intent IRAD–WIU
 * 1867-1906 Naturalization record of minors IRAD–WIU
 * 1868-1902 Naturalization record, final IRAD–WIU
 * 1903-1926 Naturalization record IRAD–WIU
 * 1911-1926 Naturalization petition record IRAD–WIU

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

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 the Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Calhoun County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the WIU 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
 * 1829-1916 Some estate records, probate records, and wills for Calhoun County probate records are also available in . Click on the browse through images link, select Calhoun County, and select the record type you are interested in.
 * 1829-1874 Estate Records at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1832-1843 Estate books at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1834-1843 Probate settlement record IRAD–WIU
 * 1859-1904 Probate records at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1870-1916 Will records at FamilySearch Catalog
 * SAMPUBCO - Index of testators of wills.
 * Calhoun County Wills found at USGenWeb Archives Illinois.

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1852-1876 Tax judgement and sale record IRAD–WIU
 * 1823-1850 Tax sale record IRAD–WIU

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 Calhoun County Clerk while those recorded after 1916 are kept by theIllinois 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. The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online databases, the FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Calhoun County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

 * 1878-1904 Birth Registers
 * 1877-1905 Birth record IRAD–WIU

Marriage

 * 1825-1982 Calhoun County Historical Society. Marriages of Calhoun County, 1825-1982. [Hardin, Illinois]: Calhoun County Historical Society, [1982?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1825-1905 Marriage record IRAD–WIU
 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index $
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900. Also found at genealogytrails.com.
 * 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
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index

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.com (free)
 * 1877-1903 Death records IRAD–WIU
 * 1878-1903 Death records
 * 1893-1915 Coroner's inquest record IRAD–WIU
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950. Also found at genealogytrails.com.
 * 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-WIU) 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 Calhoun County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Alton Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Hannibal Missouri FamilySearch Center
 * Jacksonville Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Litchfield Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * St Louis Missouri FamilySearch Center
 * St Louis Missouri North FamilySearch Center
 * St Louis County Library - an affiliate library
 * St. Louis Public Library - Charing Cross Library - an affiliate library
 * The State Historical Society of Missouri - Saint Louis - an affiliate library

Libraries
South County Public Library District Main Street P.O. Box 93 Brussels, IL 62013 Tel: 618-883-2522

Societies

 * Calhoun County Historical Society PO Box 46 204 North County Road Hardin, IL 62047-0327 Phone 618-576-2660
 * Pike-Calhoun County Genealogical Society PO Box 104 305 W. Quincy Pleasant Hill, IL 62366-0104 Phone Number: 217-734-2712

Websites

 * ILGenWeb
 * Calhoun County IL Genealogy
 * Calhoun County, IL Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * EveryNameIndex.com  Free online genealogy indexes for those big old county histories.
 * – 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.