DeWitt County, Illinois Genealogy

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

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

Historical Facts
DeWitt County, like Clinton County, is named for who was the Governor of New York and chief promoter of the Erie Canal.

Description
The county was named for the seventh Governor of New York State, DeWitt Clinton. The county seat is Clinton and the county was organized on 1839. The County is located in the Central part of the state.

Boundary Changes

 * 1 March 1839: DeWitt County was created from Macon and McLean

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.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Biography
History of DeWitt County, Illinois. Pioneer Publishing Company, 1910 another filming 934982 items 2-3

History of DeWitt County, Illinois. 1882. item 2 also a FHL Book 977.3585 H2b

Portrait and Biographical Album of DeWitt and Piatt Counties, Illinois. 1891. item 3 also a FHL Book 977.3 D3de

Census
For information and 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, DeWitt County on page 186.]

Church Records
Church Records, 1834-1877 : in collection of Genevieve M. Dolle. Joseph A. Roof


 * 1873-1885 - Texas Christian Church, Texas Township, Baptism Index 1873-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1873-1895 - Texas Christian Church, Texas Township, Marriage Index 1873-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

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

 * Portrait and Biographical Album of DeWitt and Piatt Counties, Illinois. Chicago: Chapman Brothers Publishing Company, 1891. For DeWitt County portion only DeWitt Co. ILGenWeb

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.

Copies of original records are available:


 * 1839-1875 Deed Records IRAD- ISU

Available through the Family History Library and Family History Centers

1868-1913 Deed Records. DeWitt County Recorder

Online Resources


 * Beginning 1820 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.com ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * DeWitt County Federal Township Plats

Maps

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * Cemetary Maps of DeWitt County

Military History and Records
For information about using Military records see Illinois Military Records

Revolutionary War
Veterans Burials(source: Genealogy Trails Histroy Group)

Civil War
Civil War service men from DeWitt 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 Dewitt County.


 * Artillery


 * - 1st Regiment, Illinois Artillery, New Battery K


 * Cavalry


 * - 2nd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company A
 * - 4th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company L


 * Infantry


 * - 20th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E
 * - 26th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K
 * - 39th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D and Company I.
 * - 41st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C, Company F, and Company K.
 * - 46th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H
 * - 68th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E
 * - 107th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A, Company B, Company D, Company F, and Company I
 * - 140th Regiment, Illinois, Infantry, Company H
 * - 145th Regiment, Illinois, Infantry, Company G


 * 1865-1939 Military Discharge Record, Civil War. IRAD-ISU

1883 List of Pensioners(Source: Internet Archives)

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

World War II
Casualties World War II- DeWitt County, Illinois (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 or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Illinois State University (ISU) - search for DeWitt County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.


 * 1866-1903 Naturalization Records, County Court. IRAD-ISU
 * Available throught the Family History Library


 * 1863-1898 Naturalization Records. DeWitt County Clerk

Online Records
 * 1800-1998 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
DeWitt County (Source: Newspaper Abstracts)

Newspapers Published in De Witt County (Source: Illinois Newspaper Project)

Cataloged Titles (Source: Illinois Newspaper Project)

Chronicling America DeWitt County (Source: The Library of Congress)

Obituaries
Illinois Obituary Project (Source: USGenWeb Illinois Archives)

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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Probate Records
Online Probate 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 Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Illinois State University (ISU) - search for DeWitt County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.


 * 1873-1894 Probate Administrator's Accounts IRAD-ISU

Available through the Family History Librar and Centers

1839-1950 Probate Listing DeWitt County, by George Wylder.

1850-1898 Wills and Letters. DeWitt County Clerk.

1862-1923 Records of Wills. DeWitt County Probate Court.

1866-1900 Adminstrative Records. DeWitt County Probate Court.

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 DeWitt 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 DeWitt County are kept, see the DeWitt County Courthouse page.

Family History Centers
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 DeWitt 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 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

This library has extensive DeWitt County only extractions of many census. They have marriage index. They publish a quarterly Journal with extracts about people from old newspapers that include births, marriages and funerals. The also include little family notices about who was visiting who and who was at weddings and other family news items.

Societies
DeWitt County Genealogical Society PO Box 632 Clinton, Illinois 61717-0632 E-mail:[mailto:dewittcgs@yahoo.com dewittcgs@yahoo.com]

Taxation

 * 1845-1851 Taxable Land Lists. IRAD-ISU
 * 1888-1897 Road Tax Lists, Delinquent IRAD-ISU
 * 1894-1911 Road Tax List. IRAD-ISU

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.

DeWitt County Clerk P.O. Box 439 Clinton,IL 61727-0439 1-217- 935-2119

Births

 * 1877-1905 Birth Records. IRAD-ISU
 * 1880-1930 Birth Certificates, Delayed. IRAD-ISU
 * 1924-1958 Cirth Certificates. IRAD-ISU
 * 1860-1950 Birth Records Index, Delayed. IRAD-ISU
 * 1877-1959 Birth Records Index. IRAD-ISU

Online


 * 1877-1885 - DeWitt County Birth Index 1877-1885 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.

Available through the Family History Library

1877-1906 Birth Records and Index 1871-1930

Marriages

 * 1839-1955 Marriage Record. IRAD-ISU
 * 1876-1935 Marriage License Applications. IRAD-ISU
 * 1839-1949 Marriage Record Index. IRAD-ISU

Online


 * 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1810–1934 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1839-1928 - DeWitt County Marriage Index 1839-1928 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batches, , , and.
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900

Available through the Family History Library


 * 1839-1928 Marriage Records and Index 1839-1901.

Deaths

 * 1878-1917 DeWitt County Death Index 1878-1917 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 1878-1917 Death Records. IRAD-ISU Also available through the Family History Library
 * 1886-1957 Death Certificates. IRAD-ISU
 * 1878-1962 Death Record Index. IRAD-ISU Also available through the Family History Library


 * 1924-1977 DeWitt County Coroner's Inquest Files Index IRAD-ISU

Online Resources
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950

Websites

 * DeWitt County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * DeWitt County IL Genealogy
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * DeWitt County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)

Databases Pertinent to DeWitt 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 DeWitt County Coroner's Inquest Files Index (1924–1977)