Warren County, Illinois Genealogy

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

Description
Warren County was named for Dr. Joseph Warren, killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. He is believed to have been the first officer to die in the Revolutionary War. The county seat is Monmouth and the county was organized on 1825. The county is located in the west-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Warren County Courthouse 100 West Broadway Monmouth, IL 61462 Phone: 309-837-9278 Warren County Courthouse

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

 * The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Warren County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Warren County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

Census Records

 * 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 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, Warren County on page 188.

Church Records
 List of Churches and Church Parishes Online Records  Abstracts
 * FamilySearch Places
 * 1831-1922, some 1930s to 1950s Register of United Presbyterian Church
 * 1839-1910 First Meridian Christian Church
 * 1851-1906 Cameron/Berwick circuits, Methodist churches
 * 1869-1945 Membership records of the Roseville Methodist Church, Roseville, Il : also contains records of Asbury and Point Pleasant
 * 1955-1958, 1972–1984 Fall Creek Methodist Church
 * Parrish, Joyce W. United Brethern [sic] Ellison Circuit: includes Wassom Chapel (later, Sugar Grove); Roseville U. B. Mission, Fairview United Brethren (later, Fairview Center United Methodist). [Monmouth, Illinois] Warren Co., Il. Geneal. Society, 1986.
 * Records of Olive Christian Church, Avon, Illinois

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 Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Warren County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the Wiki article IRAD (WIU). Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1831-1924 Probate records
 * 1832-1930 Circuit Court Execution DocketsIRAD–WIU
 * 1847-1907 Circuit Court Dockets IRAD–WIU
 * 1856-1956 Justice of the Peace Dockets IRAD–WIU
 * 1859-1922 County Court Execution Dockets IRAD–WIU
 * 1859-1929 County Court DocketsIRAD–WIU
 * 1869-1940 Jail Registers IRAD–WIU
 * 1872-1949 Jury ListsIRAD–WIU
 * 1872-1955 Justice's Transcript RecordIRAD–WIU
 * 1873-1920 Jury RegistersIRAD–WIU
 * 1874-1950 Circuit Court Judgment Dockets IRAD–WIU
 * 1893-1945 Insanity Dockets IRAD–WIU
 * 1893-1964 Insanity Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1905-1942 Adoption, delinquent &amp; dependent records
 * 1905-1964 Dependent and Delinquent Children Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1916-1949 Feeble-Minded RecordIRAD–WIU
 * 1916-1950 Feeble-Minded DocketsIRAD–WIU

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 Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Warren County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the Wiki article IRAD (WIU). Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1776-2015 U.S. General Land Office Records, 1776-2015 at Ancestry ($). Includes images of the land patents which contain the information necessary for ordering the complete case files from the National Archives. This appears to be the same information that is online at the Federal Land Office site Bureau of Land Management.
 * 1817-1908 Deeds
 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * 1830-1901 Entry book to the record of deeds
 * 1831-1854 Estray Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1831-1884 Grantee index
 * 1831-1898 Grantor index
 * 1855 Owners' descriptions index to lands listed for taxation
 * 1855-1882 Chattel mortgage records
 * 1855-1964 Chattel Mortgage Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1870-1962 Chattel Mortgage IndexIRAD–WIU
 * 1934-1958 Chattel Mortgage Releases IRAD–WIU
 * 1935-1945 Assessor's Books IRAD–WIU
 * 1940-1945 Chattel Mortgage Abstracts IRAD–WIU
 * Bounty register
 * Illinois Federal Township Plats, by County
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales at the Illinois State Archives. Online index to the records of Public land sales held by the State Archives. The indexes are by purchasers name and by legal description. This is a statewide collection with nearly 550,000 land sales from 54740 square miles. Also at Ancestry ($).
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * The Past and present of Warren County, Illinois. Chicago: H.F. Kett & Co., 1877. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($).
 * Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Warren County. Chicago: Munsell Pub. Co., 1903. 2 volumes. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vols. 1 & 2 - Ancestry ($).

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 Warren 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 Warren County.
 * - 11th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies I and K.
 * - 12th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company L.
 * - 13th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company E.
 * - 17th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
 * - 36th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 50th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, and K.
 * - 59th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 61st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 83rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, B, C, F, and H.
 * - 102nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and B.
 * - 138th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Companies A and C.

 World War I
 * Declaration of loyalty, 1918, Warren County. 8 volumes. Monmouth, Illinois : Warren County, Illinois Genealogical Society, 1991

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 ($) - index
 * NewspaperArchive.com ($) has historical newspapers online, including Burlington, Iowa newspapers dating back to the mid 1800's that may have included Warren County residents. This database is free at some libraries and at FamilySearch Centers.

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 Warren County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the Wiki article IRAD (WIU).

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
 * 1844-1940 Warren County, Illinois Genealogical Society. Master index of will books. [Monmouth, Illinois : Warren County Geneal. Society], 1986.
 * 1831-1915 Bishop, Lois. Warren County, Illinois will index.
 * 1831-1924 Probate records
 * 1831-1983 Probate index card file
 * 1849-1947 Probate Appraisement Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1850-1925 Will records
 * 1858-1927 Executor's records
 * 1858-1946Probate, guardian and related records
 * 1858-1969 Probate Executor's RecordIRAD–WIU
 * 1859-1916 Probate judgement dockets
 * 1859-1919 Estate inventory records A-G
 * 1859-1929 Estate appraisement records
 * 1859-1931 Sale bills of estates
 * 1859-1955 Probate Administrator's Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1859-1961 Probate Inventory Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1859-1868 Probate Judgment Docket Index IRAD–WIU
 * 1859-1915 Probate Judgment Dockets IRAD–WIU
 * 1859-1945 Probate Sale Record, Personal Property IRAD–WIU
 * 1859-1964 Probate Guardian's Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1861-1901 Probate Minutes IRAD–WIU
 * 1861-1864 Probate journal or minute book of the county judge
 * 1870-1888 Executor's ledger B
 * 1870-1886 Probate Executor's Accounts IRAD–WIU
 * 1871-1971 Probate Guardian's and Conservator's Account RecordIRAD–WIU
 * 1872-1936 Widows relinquishment and selection records, and award and selection record
 * 1872-1943 Probate Widow's Relinquishment and Selection Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1873-1964 Probate Inventory Record, Guardians and Conservators IRAD–WIU
 * 1875 Probate Sale Petitions, Real Estate, Guardians IRAD–WIU
 * 1878-1950 Insanity and Conservator's Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1881-1901 Will probate docket of the county court
 * 1888-1963 Probate Conservator's Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1894-1946 Probate Guardian's and Conservator's Dockets IRAD–WIU
 * 1907-1968 Probate Conservator's and Insanity Proceedings Fee Books IRAD–WIU
 * 1911-1964 Probate Guardian, Adoption and Delinquent Fee Books IRAD–WIU
 * 1911-1951 Probate Heirship Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1912-1936 Heirship record [one record from 1911]
 * 1919-1958 Probate Administrator's Record De Bonis Non with Wills IRAD–WIU
 * 1920-1923 Executors and administrators report record
 * 1923-1931 Probate Conservator's Account Record IRAD–WIU

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

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * 1852-1879 Tax Sale Records IRAD–WIU
 * 1862-1911 Tax Deed Affidavits 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 Warren 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 Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Warren County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the Wiki article IRAD (WIU).

Birth

 * 1866-1903 Birth Records
 * 1877-1900 Birth records
 * 1877-1900 Birth Records IRAD–WIU
 * 1877-1983 Birth Record Index IRAD–WIU
 * 1878-1983 Index to births
 * 1882-1900 Still Births

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1790-1860 Illinois Marriage index found at Ancestry ($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1827-1915 Index to Warren County, IL Male Marriages courtesy Usgennet.org
 * 1831-1923 Marriage records
 * 1831-1932 Marriage Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1831-1983 Index to marriages
 * 1831-1983 Marriage Record Index IRAD–WIU
 * 1932-1957 Marriage Licenses IRAD–WIU

Death

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1851-1934 Burial Record, Soldiers and Sailors IRAD–WIU
 * 1877-1900 Death Records IRAD–WIU
 * 1877-1901 Death records
 * 1877-1983 Index to death records
 * 1877-1983 Death Record Index IRAD–WIU
 * 1882-1900 Death Record, Stillbirths IRAD–WIU
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage ($) - 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. Western Illinois University houses the records for Warren County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Burlington Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Macomb Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Peoria Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Burlington Public Library - Iowa - an affiliate library
 * Geneseo Public Library - an affiliate library
 * McDonough County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

Libraries
Warren County Public Library District 62 Public Square Monmouth, IL 61462 Phone: 309-734-3166 Email: [mailto:lgood@wcplibrary.org lgood@wcplibrary.org] Website

Societies
Warren County Historical Society PO Box 761 238 South Sunny Lane Monmouth, IL 61462-0761 Phone: 309-734-8433 Email: [mailto:director@wchistorymuseum.com director@wchistorymuseum.com] Website Warren County Illinois Genealogical Society 62 Public Square Monmouth, IL 61462 Phone: 309-734-3166 Email: [mailto:wcgs@wcplibrary.org wcgs@wcplibrary.org] Warren County Historical Society RR 2 Avon, IL 61415 Phone: 309-465-3361 Email: [mailto:info@warrencountyhistoricalsociety.net info@warrencountyhistoricalsociety.net]

Websites

 * Warren ILGenWeb
 * Warren County IL Genealogy
 * Warren 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.