Pike County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Pike 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 Zebulon Pike, leader of the Pike expedition in 1806 to map out the south and west portions of the Louisiana Purchase. The county seat is Pittsfield and the county was organized on 31 January 1821. The County is located in the West Central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Pike County Courthouse 100 E Washington St Pittsfield, IL 62363-1445 Phone: 217-285-6612 Pike County Website

For more information about where records for Pike County are kept, see the Pike 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

 * 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 found at Ancestry ($)
 * 1830 Federal Census Index
 * 1840 Federal Census Index
 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. ; ; digital version at Google Books. [See Illinois, Pike County on page 188.]
 * United States Census (Mortality Schedule), 1850
 * U. S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1860
 * U. S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules,1870
 * U. S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules,1880
 * U. S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules,1900
 * Illinois State Census Collection, 1825-1865 ($)
 * 1860 Mortality Schedule
 * 1880 United States Federal Census ($)
 * 1910 United States Federal Census ($)
 * 1919 Prairie Farmers Directory
 * United States Census, 1920
 * Illinois, 1930 federal census
 * 1930 United States Federal Census($)
 * Pike County, Illinois Directories

Church Records
 List of Churches and Church Parishes  Baptist  Methodist Episcopal
 * FamilySearch Places
 * History of Pike County. Chicago: Chas. C. Chapman, 1880. Online free digital copy. Internet Archive. Church history for each township is found beginning at page 405 in township histories.
 * Churches of Pike County Illinois
 * Regular Baptist Church and Parsonage in Griggsville.
 * Duncan, Robert S. The History of the Baptists in Missouri. Scammel and Co., St. Louis: 1882.Online free digital copy.Google Books.
 * 1848-1918 German Episcopal Courtesy of ILGenWeb.

Court Records
Pike County, Illinois Court Records Many Guardianship records for Pike County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see the from their catalog.

Online Court Indexes and Records

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 Pike County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the WIU IRAD Wiki page. Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 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 ($)
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * Pike County Federal Township Plats
 * 1817-1940 Tract Index
 * 1818-1891 Deed RecordIRAD–WIU
 * 1818-1910 Deed records
 * 1835-1945 Town lot index, town lots
 * 1852-1854 Swamp Land Record IRAD–WIU

Local Histories

 * 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


 * Pike County History by Jess M. Thompson
 * 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 ($); Internet Archive
 * 1880 History of Pike County Illinois by Chas. M. Chapman; digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1891 Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties
 * Portrait Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois. Chicago, IL, USA: Biographical Publishing, 1891. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * An Index to the names of person appearing in Portrait and Biographical Album of PIke and Calhou County Illinois
 * A True Picture of Emigration by Rebecca Burlend
 * Copperheads, Black Republicans and Bushwhackers
 * Diary and Financial Account of Joseph Treaster
 * WWI With The Colors From Pike County
 * Past and Present of PIke County, Illinois (1906); digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Pike County, Illinois Biographies
 * Pike County Biographies
 * History of Pike County, Illinois Volume 1
 * WorldCat
 * Biographies
 * Pioneer Families of Pike County, Illinois
 * Grimshaw, William A. History of Pike County; A Centennial Address. Pittsfield, Ill., 1989. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Thompson, Jess M. The Jess M. Thompson Pike County History: As Printed in Installments in the Pike County Republican, Pittsfield, Illinois, 1935-1939. Pittsfield, Ill.: Pike County Historical Society, 1967. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * 1876 Map of Eastern Pike County
 * 1876 Map of Western Pike County
 * City Map
 * Illinois County Boundaries 1790 - Present
 * USGS Mapping Information
 * Township Map of 1870 Pike County, Illinois with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
 * Many Maps for Pike County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see the from their catalog.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Spanish American War  Civil War Regiments. Civil War service men from Pike 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 Pike County.
 * Illinois Spanish-American War Veterans Database
 * - 2nd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company K
 * - 5th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company G
 * - 7th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, New Company D
 * - 8th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company G
 * - 10th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company L
 * - 16th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K
 * - 27th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C
 * - 28th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, E, and I
 * - 33rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I
 * - 68th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B
 * - 70th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I
 * - 73rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H
 * - 99th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, all Companies
 * - 137th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company F

World War I World War II
 * Civl War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Database
 * Ninty-Ninth Infantry Regiment of Illinois Volunteers
 * Federal Pension Roll of 1883
 * WWI With The Colors From Pike County
 * Database of 1929 Illinois Roll of Honor
 * W.M. Hailey, ed. An honor roll : containing a pictorial record of the gallant and courageous men from Pike County, Illinois, U.S.A. who served in the Great War, 1917-1918-1919.Barry, Illinois : Barry Record, 192-
 * WWII Service Record of Men and Women

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.
 * Many Naturalization and Citizenships for Pike County have been microfilmed or abstracted. Some of those copies are available at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City. For a listing of their holdings, see the from their catalog.

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 ($)
 * Pike County, Illinois Old Newspapers
 * 1896 Bary Adage Speical Edition
 * 1946 Anniversary Edition of the Barry Adage
 * Kinderhook Centennial Souvenir
 * Newspapers Serving Pike County
 * Notes and Newspaper Excerpts
 * Obituaries
 * Pike County Republican
 * Pike Press

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and 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.
 * 1821-1873 Probate records
 * 1850-1950 Estate papers index
 * 1850-1923 Will 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

School Records
Online School Indexes and Records
 * 1901-1959 School teacher's daily registers IRAD–WIU
 * Pike County, Illinois Schools

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records
 * U. S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918

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 Pike 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 Pike County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

 * 1877-1915 Births IRAD–WIU
 * 1877-1886 Birth Record Index IRAD–WIU
 * Pike County Birth Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives Illinois.

Marriage

 * 1827-1923 Marriage RecordIRAD–WIU
 * 1827-1923 Marriage Record IndexIRAD–WIU
 * 1828-1857 Marriages
 * 1831-1878 Marriage Licenses IRAD–WIU
 * 1831-1923 Marriages
 * 1948-1976 Marriage Licenses ApplicationsIRAD–WIU
 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index $
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHertitage($)
 * 1790-1860 Illinois Marriage index found at Ancestry ($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * Pike County Marriage Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives Illinois.

Death

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1850 Mortality Schedule for Pike County, Illinois courtesy genealogytrails.com
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1877-1915 Death Record IRAD–WIU
 * 1877-1902 Death Record index IRAD–WIU
 * 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
 * Pike County Death Records courtesy USGenWeb Archives Illinois.

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 Pike County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Hannibal Missouri FamilySearch Center
 * Jacksonville Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Quincy Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Athens Municipal Library - an affiliate library
 * Chatham Area Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Barry Public Library 880 Bainbridge St. Barry, IL 62312 217-335-2149 Email: [mailto:barrypubliclibrary@adams.net barrypubliclibrary@adams.net]Website Griggsville Public Library 119 South Corey St. Griggsville, IL 62340 217-833-2633 Facebook Pittsfield Public Library 205 North Memorial Pittsfield, IL 62363 217-285-2200 [mailto:pittsfieldlibrary@kcds.net pittsfieldlibrary@kcds.net] Facebook

Societies
Griggsville Area Genealogical and Historical Society PO Box 75 Griggsville, IL 62340-0075

New Canton Historical Society PO Box 155 New Canton, IL 62356

Pike-Calhoun County Genealogical Society PO Box 104 305 W. Quincy Pleasant Hill, IL 62366-0104 Telephone Number: 217-734-2712

Pike County Historical Society and Museum PO Box 44 400 E. Jefferson Pittsfield, IL 62363-0044 Phone 217-285-4618 Email:info@pikecoilhistory.org info@pikecoilhistory.org] Facebook Website

Websites

 * Genealogy Trails, Welcome to Pike County, Illinois
 * Pike County, Illinois Online Genealogical Projects
 * Pike County Chamber of Commerce
 * Pike ILGenWeb Project
 * USGenWeb Archives Illinois, Pike County
 * Pike County, IL Linkpendium
 * Pike County IL Genealogy
 * – 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.