Washington County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Washington 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 George Washington. The county seat is Nashville and the county was organized on January 2, 1818. The County is located in the Southwest central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Washington County Courthouse 125 E. Elm St Nashville, IL 62263 Phone: 618-327-4800 Washington County Courthouse

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

Census Records

 * For tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 found at Ancestry ($)

 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, Washington County on page 188.]

Church Records
 Catholic FamilySearch has made parish records from six Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Washington County available online. The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:  List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * FamilySearch Places

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. 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 Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Washington County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence found at Ancestry ($).
 * WashingtonCounty Federal Township Plats
 * Coulter, Claudine, Washington County, Illinois land records, prior to 1836 and 1841 (Marissa, Illinois: Marissa Historical and Genealogical Society, 1998) Other Libraries (WorldCat)
 * Rockford Map Publishers (Rockford, Illinois), Land atlas and plat book, Washington County, Illinois, 1986 (Rockford, Illinois Rockford Map Publishers, c1986). Other Libraries (WorldCat);

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 Regiments. Civil War service men from Washington 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 Washington County.
 * - 5th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company H.
 * - 44th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
 * - 60th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 62nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 110th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
 * - 111th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 136th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company B.
 * - 154th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 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

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 online or through, the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Washington County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1772-1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1818-1979 Probate Record - IRAD-SIU
 * 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * 1853-1858 Probate Administrator's and Guardian's Record - IRAD-SIU
 * 1856-1930 Probate Guardian's Record - IRAD-SIU
 * 1862-1905 Probate Executor's Record - IRAD-SIU
 * 1863-1964 Probate Administrator's Record - IRAD-SIU
 * 1879-1905 Probate Will Record - IRAD-SIU
 * Pre - 1910 Probate Records Index, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.

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 Clinton County Clerk while those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois 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 Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Washington County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

 * 1809-1870 Myer, Lois C. Vital records of Randolph and Washington counties, Illinois, 1809–1870. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1969.
 * 1860-1890 Genealogy Trails offers a variety of birth records from the 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s.
 * 1928-1948 Dickinson, H.B. and compiled by Elda (McCormick)Jones, Birth records, Dr. H.B. Dickinson, Coulterville, Illinois (Marissa, Illinois Marissa Historical and Genealogical Society, 2003). Other Libraries (WorldCat)

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($) includes Washington County marriages from 1831-1858
 * 1790-1860 Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 at Ancestry ($) - Index, INCOMPLETE
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1809-1870 Myer, Lois C. Vital records of Randolph and Washington counties, Illinois, 1809–1870. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1969.
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1831-1858 Bohbrink, Mary Ann, Washington County, Illinois marriage records, 1831-1858 (Marissa, Illinois: Marissa Historical and Genealogical Society, 1998). Other Libraries (WorldCat);
 * 1831-1858 Marriage records
 * 1831-1921 Genealogy Trails' site includes abstracts of marriage books A to E (1831-1921)
 * To -1850 Illinois Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry ($) - Index, INCOMPLETE
 * 1851-1900 Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 at Ancestry ($) – Index, INCOMPLETE

Death

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1809-1870 Myer, Lois C. Vital records of Randolph and Washington counties, Illinois, 1809–1870. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1969.
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHertitage($)
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage ($) - index,
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index

Archives
 Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) 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. Southern Illinois University houses the records for Washington County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Centralia Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * O'Fallon Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * O'Fallon Public Library - an affiliate library
 * St Louis Public Library - Central Library - an affiliate library
 * Tazewell County Genealogical and Historical Society - an affiliate library

Societies
Washington County Historical Society PO Box 9 326 South Kaskaskia Street Nashville,62263

Websites

 * Washington ILGenWeb
 * Washington County, IL Genealogy Trails
 * Washington County, IL USGenWeb Archives
 * Washington County IL Genealogy
 * Washington County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * – 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.