Iroquois County, Illinois Genealogy

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

Description
Iroquois County was named for the Iroquois people (a confederacy of six tribes - the Mohawk, Oneida, Seneca, Onondaga, Cayuga and Tuscarora). The county seat is Watseka and the county was organized on 26 February 1833. The county is located in the east-central part of the state.

County Courthouse
Iroquois County Courthouse 550 S 10th St Watseka, IL 60970 Phone: 815-432-6950 Iroquois County Courthouse

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

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

History Timeline
Land taken from each of these counties
 * 1826-1833 Vermillion
 * 1823-1826 Edgar
 * 1819-1823 Clark
 * 1816-1819 Crawford
 * 1815-1816 Edwards
 * 1812-1815 Madison
 * 1801-1812 St. Clair
 * 1795-1801 Knox, Northwest Territory

Census Records
 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, Iroquois County on page 187.

Church Records

 * 1851-1878, 1878-1889 (Marriage Book B) Catholic Church. St. John the Baptist. Marriage Records. item 15 and Fiche 6004547
 * Quaker Records at Ancestry.com ($), includes Onarga and Watseka Monthly Meetings
 * St. Mary's Catholic Church Records 1859-1882. by Nancy Tabo Scott WorldCat
 * St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Records 1879-1944. by Nora Meier WorldCat
 * St. Peter Catholic Church Records 1869-1919. by Norma Meier WorldCat
 * Milford Christian Church Records. by Daughters of American Revolution WorldCat

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

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.

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. IRAD - Illinois State University (Following records originally from Office: Recorder.(IRAD- County Listing)
 * Chattel Morgages 1930-1968. IRAD - ISU book.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1835-1887 Land Records. County Court Iroquois County, Illinois. filmed by Genealogical Society of Utah, 1983. 60 microfilms. first film.
 * 1831-1882 Iroquois County Original Land Purchases,: a research project of the Iroquois County Historical Society. by Ralph D. Moore and Virginia M. Moore. item 2 and Book 977.364R2m.
 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Iroquois County Federal Township Plats
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Data Base
 * Federal Township Plats of Illinois.

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
For information about using Military records see Illinois Military Records

 Revolutionary War Veteran Burials (Genealogy Trails History Group)

 War of 1812 Military Land Grants for Soldiers of the War of 1812 (partial list - USGenWeb)

 Civil War Regiments. Civil War service men from Iroquois 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 Iroquois County.
 * - 9th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company M.
 * - 10th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company C.
 * - 20th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I
 * - 25th Regiment, Illinois Infantry. Company F.
 * - 51st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 76th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A<span,
 * - Company E, and Company K.
 * - 113th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, D, F, and I.
 * - 134th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company B.
 * - 150th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Company D.
 * - 155th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.

 Union Veterans
 * A list of GAR post in Illinoisadditionsl site for post list Library of Congress
 * Williams Post no. 25 of Watseka. Personal War Sketches of the Members of Williams Post. Item 2.
 * B. Brown Post, Sheldon 1913 - USGenWeb
 * Gilman Post, Gilman 1913 - USGenWeb
 * Kirkpatrick Post, Loada 1913 - USGenWeb
 * Williams Post, Watseka 1913 - USGenWeb

 World War I World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 ($) Ancestry.com , (FamilySearch.org) Browse cards in alphabetical order by county of registration.

 World War II (FamilySearch.org) Covers men born 1877-1897.

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 Illinois State University (ISU) - search for Iroquois County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page. IRAD -Illinois State University (Following records originally from Office: County Court). IRAD Counties Listing Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1876-1903 Naturalization Dockets - IRAD-ISU
 * 1859-1906 Naturalization Records. Illinois, County Court (Iroquois County) Each volume includes an index.
 * 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 ($)
 * 1867-1931 1867-1931 Index of Petitons for Naturalizations Iroquois Coutny, Illinois (Iroquois County Genealogical Society)
 * Naturalized Citizens no dates given (Iroquois County Genealogical Society)

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Chronicling America (Library of Congress)

Other Records
 Databases Pertinent to Iroquois County
 * Local Governmental Records Database
 * Names Index to Illinois Local Governments

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records The Iroqouis County Genealogical Society has an online list of county probate records from 1870-1898. ($) Original estates and wills are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Probate Records for more information about using probate records.
 * 1772-1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only

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 1890 Tax List and book 977.364 R4i

Vital Records
IRAD- Illinois State University (Following records originally from Office: County Clerk). IRAD County Listing

Birth

 * 1878-1900 Birth records; and 1853-1915 delayed birth records at

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 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
 * Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
 * 1866-1935 Index to marriages; and 1866-1904 marriage records at

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
 * 1877-1901 Death Record. IRAD-ISU microfilm. Also available through the FamilySearch Library and its Centers Item 2
 * 1878-1900 Birth Records; and 1853-1915 Delayed Birth Records,
 * 1902-1948 Death Records of Iroquois County, Illinois and book 977.364 V2g.
 * pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Statewide Death index, 1916-1950
 * 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. Illinois State University houses the records for Iroquois County.  Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) Illinois State University (ISU) 2016 Warehouse Road Campus Box 1520 Normal, Illinois 61802 Phone: 309-452-6027

FamilySearch Centers

 * Bourbonnais Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Normal Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * West Lafayette Indiana FamilySearch Center
 * Iroquois County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Jasper County Public Library - Rensselaer - an affiliate library
 * McLean County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Otterbein Public Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
Watseka Public Library 201 South 4th Street Watseka, IL 60970 Phone: 815-432-4544

Societies
Iroquois County Genealogical Society Old Courthouse Museum 103 West Cherry Street Watseka, IL 60970-1524 Phone: 815-432-3730 Email: [mailto:iroqgene@gmail.com iroqgene@gmail.com] Website Iroquois County Historical Society 103 West Cherry Street Watseka, IL 60970-1524 Phone: 815-432-2215 Email [mailto:ichs221567@yahoo.com : ichs221567@yahoo.com] Website

Websites

 * Iroquois County IL Genealogy
 * Iroquois ILGenWeb
 * Iroquois County, IL 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.