Gallatin County, Illinois Genealogy

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

Description
Gallatin County was named for Albert Gallatin, who was Secretary of the Treasury at the time. The county seat is Shawneetown and the county was organized in 1812. The county is located in the southeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Gallatin County Courthouse 484 Lincoln Blvd. E. Shawneetown, IL 62984 Phone: 618-269-3140 Gallatin County Courthouse County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Gallatin County are kept, see the Gallatin 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:

Cemeteries
Additional Cemetery information:
 * Glen Miner Cemetery Books

Census Records
For tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.

 1830
 * Census, 1830, Gallatin County, Illinois. n.p.: n.p., 1900. Digital version 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, Gallatin County on page 187.

Church Records
A chapter on early Gallatin County, Illinois church history appears in an 1887 local history, available for free online, beginning on page 126.

 Baptist
 * Church and Family History Research Assistance for Gallatin County, Illinois Primitive Baptists
 * Harmony Church of General Baptist (Junction, Ill.). Records of Organization, 1856 and 1889. MSS. Copy:.
 * Levin, Pat Ann. "Kinships, Communities, and Conflicts: Bethel Creek Primitive Baptist Church, 1820-1840," Ph.D. Thesis, University of Pennsylvania, 1995. WorldCat (Other Libraries)
 * Nelson, Ronald L. and Doris Nelson. Minutes of The Muddy Baptist Association Illinois 1820 - 1840, available online, courtesy: RootsWeb.

 Catholic FamilySearch has made parish records from four Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Gallatin County available online. The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths: For information about St. Patrick's, see:
 * 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * Dedication Souvenir, St. Patrick's Church, Gallatin County, Illinois. Doherty, Ill.: The Church, 1929. WorldCat (Other Libraries)

 Methodist
 * First Methodist Episcopal Church (Shawneetown, Ill.). Church Records, 1867-1938. Copy: . Contains list of pastors; alphabetical lists of members; probationers; marriages, 1868-1933 -- baptisms, 1867-1938 -- burials, 1915-1933 -- historical record; classes.

 Presbyterian
 * Pisgah C.P. Church Records, courtesy: ILGenWeb.

 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 Probate Records for more information about using court records. The following records may be accessed through the FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Gallatin County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1813-1839 Circuit Court Order Books IRAD (SIU)
 * 1813-1820 Court records, Gallatin County, Illinois
 * 1814-1920 Circuit Court Case Files IRAD (SIU) and

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African Americans
 * Register of Slaves (Indentures) and Emancipation of Slaves - provided by the Illinois State Genealogical Society; originally published in 1978.
 * 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 Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Land Records for more information about using land records. The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online sources, the FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Gallatin County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1813-1900 Deed Index IRAD (SIU) and
 * 1813-1911 Deed Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1813-1917 Land records
 * 1820-1914 County recorder's miscellaneous instruments, Gallatin County, Illinois land related records IRAD (SIU) and
 * 1829-1865 Early Illinois land records
 * 1987 Gallatin County (Illinois) land atlas and plat book, 1987 Other Libraries (WorldCat) and
 * 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 at Ancestry ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Gallatin County Federal Township Plats

Local Histories

 * History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin, and Williamson Counties, Illinois: From the Earliest Time to the Present, Together with Sundry and Interesting Biographical Sketches, Notes, Reminiscences, Etc., Etc. Chicago: Goodspeed, 1887. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1877-1940 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 Gallatin 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 Gallatin County.
 * - 1st Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company B.
 * - 1st Regiment, Illinois Light Artillery, Battery K.
 * - 6th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies F and L.
 * - 7th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company G.
 * - 14th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company E.
 * - 18th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 29th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies C, D, and G.
 * - 56th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies D and F.
 * - 118th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 120th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies D and H.
 * - 131st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, D, E, and F.

Naturalization and Citizenship
The following copies of original records may be accessed through the FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Gallatin County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1839-1906 Naturalization Papers IRAD (SIU)'''
 * 1859-1888 Naturalization Record, Final IRAD (SIU)
 * 1859-1893 Naturalization Declarations of Intent IRAD (SIU)
 * 1859-1893 Naturalization records: intentions, vol. A, 1859-1893; final papers, Vol. A; soldiers and minors, vol B, 1881-1953; papers, box 112, 1802-1906
 * 1881-1886 Naturalization Record of Soldiers IRAD (SIU)
 * 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
Online Probate Indexes and Records Original estates and wills are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk (618) 439-2011. 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 and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Gallatin County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.
 * 1813-1838 Order book
 * 1814-1847 Will Record I, Gallatin County, Illinois, November 1814-January 1847 Other Libraries (WorldCat) and
 * 1817-1893 Early Gallatin County, Illinois probates Other Libraries (WorldCat) and
 * 1838-1908 Early Saline County, Illinois court records administrator's records, books B-F. Some of the early Saline estates may be located in Gallatin County. Other Libraries (WorldCat) and
 * 1849-1859 Gallatin County, Illinois wills and estates, October 1849-November, 1859, book A Other Libraries (WorldCat) and
 * 1813-1928 Probate Case Files IRAD (SIU) and
 * 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * 1814-1931 Probate Will Record IRAD (SIU) and
 * 1815-1860 Probate files
 * 1815-1900 Probate Case Files Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1821-1838 Records of Gallatin Co., Illinois; some early records of estates in Gallatin County.
 * 1847-1849 Probate DocketsIRAD (SIU)
 * 1860-1887 Probate Record IRAD (SIU) and

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

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 Gallatin County Clerk while those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health 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 Gallatin County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the Wiki article IRAD - Southern Illinois University.

Birth

 * 1878-1972 Birth Record Index IRAD (SIU) and

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 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
 * 1830-1858 Gallatin County, Illinois marriages Other Libraries (WorldCat) and
 * 1859-1870 Gallatin County, Illinois marriage Other Libraries (WorldCat) and
 * 1813-1838 Marriage licenses issued in Gallatin County, Illinois from 1813 through 1838 Other Libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1813-1896 Marriage Licenses/CertificatesIRAD (SIU) and
 * 1813-1926 Marriage Indexes
 * 1830-1926 Marriage Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1867-1882 Gallatin County, Illinois marriage indexes Other Libraries (WorldCat) and
 * 1867-1887 Gallatin County, Illinois marriages, book B, 1867 to 1874, book C, 1874 to 1882, book D, 1882 to 1887 Other Libraries (WorldCat) and
 * USGenWeb spotlights a few obscure Gallatin County marriage indexes.

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
 * 1878-1916 Death Record Index IRAD (SIU)and
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index

Archives
Illinois Regional Archives Depository 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 Gallatin County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Eldorado Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Foxcroft Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Herrin City Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Gallatin County Historical Society John Marshall Museum 434 Main St Old Shawneetown, IL 62984 Email: [mailto:GallatinHistoricalSociety@gmail.com GallatinHistoricalSociety@gmail.com] Website

Websites

 * Gallatin County IL Genealogy
 * Gallatin ILGenWeb
 * Gallatin 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.