Piatt County, Illinois Genealogy

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

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

Historical Facts
The county as named for James A. Piatt, Sr. who settled in the area of the present county in 1829. Jesse Warner also was instrumental in helping to form the county and the county was named for James after winning a coin flip against Jesse Warner.

Parent County

 * 1841--Piatt County was created 27 January 1841 from DeWitt and Macon Counties. County seat: Monticello

Description
The county was named for James A. Piatt, a local resident instrumental in formation of the county. The county seat is Monticello and the county was organized on 1841. The County is located in the Central area of the state.

Boundary Changes
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.

1839-1841 DeWitt

1831-1841 Macon

1831-1839 McLean

1827-1831 Shelby

1821-1827 Fayette

1819-1821 Clark

1816-1819 Crawford

1815-1816 Edwards

1812-1815 Madison

1801-1812 St. Clair

1790-1801 Knox, Northwest Territory

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

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

Portrait and Biographical Album of Dewitt and Piatt Counties, Illinois 1891  (Internet Archive)

Piatt County Biographies Bibliography  (WorldCat)

Cemeteries
The following web site hasadditional information on Piatt county cemeteries.
 * ePodunk list of Piatt County cemeteries gives the names of the cemeteries in the county with a link to more information such as address, phone number, and web site.

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 Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Illinois State University (ISU) - search for Piatt County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.

1841-1911 Circuit Court Record - IRAD-ISU

1854-1878 Circuit Court Dockets - IRAD-ISU

1859-1878 Circuit Court Default Judgement Record - IRAD-ISU

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

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.

1841-1918 Deed Index -IRAD-ISU

1840-1931 Deed Records -IRAD-ISU

18861-1874 Chattel Mortgage Records -IRAD-ISU

1865-1891 Mortgage Record - IRAD-ISU

Available at the Family History Library

1835-1854 Book of Taxable Lands and Patentees. Illinois Auditor's Office. Item 3

1841-1954 Deeds, Piatt County (Illinois) Recorder. first film of 46 microfilm. indexes included.

1859-1942 Sheriff's Certificate Sale record and Sheriff's deed record, 1868-1912.

Maps

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)

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

War of 1812
Military Land Grantsin Piatt County Illinois for Soldiers of the War of 1812 - USGenWeg

Civil War
Civil War service men from Piatt 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 Piatt County.

Cavalry


 * - 2nd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company F

Infantry


 * - 21st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C
 * - 73rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D
 * - 107th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C, Company E,

Company H, and Company K


 * - 116th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A
 * - 144th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D

1860-1864 Enlisted Men in the Civil War. Piatt County Clerk. Items 2-8

1861 Soldiers' Enlistment. Piatt County Recorder Item 1

Civil War Discharges, Piatt County Historical and Genealogical Society.

Civil War Veterans, Piatt County: an Information guide. By Dorothy Dowdle.

1865-1920 Soldiers' Discharges. Piatt County Recorder. Includes index. Item 9

1883 List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883  (Internet Archive)

World War I
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918Piatt County (Ancestry)

World War II
Army Casualties  (U.S. National Archives and Record Administration)

Naturalization
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 Piatt County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.

1858-1872 Naturalization Record, Circuit Court - IRAD-ISU

1864-1880 Naturalization Record Final, Circuit Court - IRAD-ISU

1864-1880 Naturalization Record Final, County Court - IRAD-ISU

1864-1888 Naturalization Record of Soldiers and Minors, Couty Court - IRAD-ISU

1870-1880 Naturalization Record of Minors, Circuit Court - IRAD-ISU

1888-1901 Naturaliation of Minors, County Court - IRAD-ISU

Naturalization Records availiable at the Family History Library

1858-1884 Naturalization Records. Circuit Court.

1862-1906 Naturalization Records, Circuit Court. Items 2-4 and Item 6

Online Records


 * 1800-1998 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers
Newspapers Published in Piatt County (Illinois Newspaper Project)

Chronicling America    (Library of Congress)

Piatt County Republican and Piatt Independent. First film of 24.

Poorhouse
Almshouse Register item 11 and FHL book: 977.3673 P3w

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 theIllinois State University (ISU) - search for Piatt County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.

1843-1901 Probate Record - IRAD-ISU

1850-1961 Probate Will Record - IRAD-ISY

1859-1915 Probate Guardian's Record - IRAD-ISU

1861-1869 Probate Inventory, Appraisement and Sale Record - IRAD-ISU

1869-1905 Probate Inventory Record - IRAD-ISU

Probate Records Availiable at the Family History Library

1843-1887 Probate Record. Piatt County Court first film of 7

1850-1918 Will Record. Piatt County Court.

Online Probate Records - at FamilySearch

1850-1918 Illinois Probate Records

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

Family History Center
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 Piatt 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.

FamilySearch Centers (Family History Library)

Archives and Libraries
Public Libraries of Piatt County

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
Illinois State Universtiy (ISU) 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

Societies
Piatt County Genealogical and Historical Society PO Box 111 Monticello 61856

Piatt County Genealogical and Historical Society 1115 N. State Street, Suite 119 Monticello Illinois 61856 Telephone Number: 217-762-9997 E-mail:[mailto:piatthistory@gmail.com piatthistory@gmail.com] Website

Taxation
1835-1854 Taxable Lands Lists - 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.

Order Birth and Death Certificates Online

Birth

 * 1863-1936 Birth Certificates, Delayed IRAD-ISU
 * 1877-1916 Birth Record IRAD -ISU
 * 1877-1974 Birth Record Index IRAD-ISU

Available at the Family History Library


 * 1877-1931 Birth Records. Piatt County Clerk. Includes index. Book: 977.3673 V22i

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1810-1934 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index

Available at the Family History Library


 * 1841-1971 Marriage Register. Piatt County Clerk
 * 1878-1938 Marriage Records. Piatt County Clerk.
 * 1841-1874 Piatt County Marriage Records. by Betty Varner and Linda Redmond. FHL Book 977.3 A1 no. 236
 * 1841-1853 Piatt County, Illinois Marriage and Cemetery Records (at Ancestry)

Death

 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950
 * 1877-1915 Death Records, Piatt County County Clerk. Includes index.
 * 1841-1853 Piatt County, Illinois Marriage and Cemetery Records, 1841-1853. at Ancestry

Neighboring Counties

 * Champaign
 * DeWitt
 * Douglas
 * Macon
 * McLean
 * Moultrie

Websites

 * Piatt County ILGenWeb
 * Piatt County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Piatt County IL Genealogy
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook

Databases Pertinent to Piatt 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


 * Piatt County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Piatt County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)