Clay County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Clay 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 Henry Clay, famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century, who authored the "Missouri Compromise". The County Seat is Louisville and was founded 1824. It is located in the Central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clay County Courthouse 111 Chestnut St Louisville, IL 62858 Phone: 618-665-3523 Clay County Courthouse County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Clay County are kept, see the Clay 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

Biographies

 * Biographical and reminiscent history of Richland, Clay and Marion counties, Illinois (Google Books)
 * History of Wayne and Clay Counties, Illinois (Google Books)

Census Records
 Federal
 * 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 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, Clay County on page 186.]

Church Records
 Catholic Parish records from two Clay County Catholic churches in the Diocese of Belleville are available online at FamilySearch.org. The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:  List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * 1893-1895 Christian Church, Sailor Springs, Baptism Index 1893-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1893-1895 Christian Church, Sailor Springs, Marriage Index 1893-1895 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 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.

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1825-1841 Illinois County Commissioner's Court (Clay County), Records, 1825-1841

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African American
 * 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. For information on how to use IRAD see the EIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * 1825-1892 Deed Index IRAD-EIU Search for Clay County records. IRAD-EIU
 * 1825-1911 Deed Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1825-1911 Clay County, Illinois Recorder, Deeds, 1825-1911
 * 1800s – Present Use the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land Patent Index to obtain original federal land transfer records, including homestead, military warrants, and cash entry patents. These records help a researcher establish location and lead to National Archives’ records which may include genealogical information. Earlier land transfer records are at the National Archives.
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records, at Ancestry.com ($) 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.
 * Taylor, Lola B., Gleanings from old newspapers, Clay and Richland counties, Illinois (Olney, Illinois:Taylor Print Shop, c1975) ;
 * Rockford Map Publishers (Rockford, Illinois), Land atlas and plat book, Clay County, Illinois, 1986 (Rockford, Illinois:Rockford map Publishers,c1985) ;
 * Wabash, Sally, Miscellaneous records at court house, Clay County, Il., 1998 (Flora, Illinois:S. Wabash,1998.) ;
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales, also available at Ancestry ($)
 * Clay County Federal Township Plats

Local Histories
Every Name Index to History of Wayne and Clay Counties, Illinois. Every Name Index compiled by Cathy L. O'Connor, 2010, original text by Globe Publishing Company, Historical Publishers, 1884, reproduction by Unigraphic, Inc., 1970. EveryNameIndex.com
 * Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois. Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen Co., 1909. Online at:,Ancestry ($),Internet Archive.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * Clay County Federal Township Plats
 * 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 Clay 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 Clay County.
 * - 21st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 40th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 98th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and F.
 * - 111th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 136th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company F.
 * - 143rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company D.
 * - 152nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Company E.

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 Eastern Illinois University (EIU) - search for Clay County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the EIU IRAD Wiki page.

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 ($)
 * 1868-1910 Naturalization Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1868-1904 Illinois County Court (Clay County), Naturalization records,
 * 1904-1904 Naturalization Record, Final IRAD-EIU
 * 1907-1927 Illinois Circuit Court (Clay County), Naturalization records,

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Clay County, Illinois USGenWeb Obituaries
 * Clay County Newspaper Data (Genealogy Trails)

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. 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; index & images
 * 1837-1885 Probate Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1837-1925 Illinois. County Court (Clay County), Probate records, 1837-1925. at FamilySearch Catalog
 * 1863-1877 Probate Administrator's Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1863-1894 Probate Guardian's Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1863-1919 Probate Executor's Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1865-1925 Probate Will Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1872-1885 Probate Appraisement Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1874-1896 Probate Widow's Relinquishment and Selection Record
 * 1874-1902 Probate Inventory Record, Guardians IRAD-EIU
 * 1879-1885 Probate Guardian's and Conservator's Account Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1884-1897 Probate Inventory Record IRAD-EIU
 * Bailey, Jean, editor; Rena Lents Thomas; Ann Hoyt, Abstracts of wills and probate records, Clay County, Illinois (Louisville, Illinois:Clay County Genealogical society (Illinois), 1998-2000) ;
 * Hoyt, Ann, Wills at the Clay County, IL., courthouse (Louisville, Illinois:A. Hoyt, 2000) ;
 * Clay County, Illinois USGenWebWills
 * Clay County Wills and Probates, Court News and Probate Notices (Genealogy Trails)

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 Clay 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 Eastern Illinois University (EIU) - search for Clay County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the EIU IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

 * 1877-1918 Birth Record - IRAD-EIU
 * 1877-1904 Birth Record Index - IRAD-EIU
 * 1844-1944 Birth Record, Delayed- IRAD-EIU
 * 1862-1918 Clay County (Illinois) County Clerk, Birth records, 1862-1918.
 * 1842-1889 McPeak, Becky, Clay County, Illinois delayed births, 1842-1889 [i.e.1863-1889](Louisville, Illinois:Clay County Genealogical society, Illinois, 1997.) ;
 * 1886-1907 Hoyt, Ann Clay County, Illinois birth records:alpha (Louisville, Illinois :A Hoyt, 2000,2002.) ; Other Libraries
 * 1877-1885 McPeak, Becky Early birth records of Clay County, Illinois 1877–1885 (Louisville, Illinois: Clay County Genealogical Society, Indiana, 1994.)

Marriage

 * 1825-1845 Marriage Record, Transcription IRAD-EIU
 * 1858-1919 Marriage Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1858-1919 Clay County, Illinois County Clerk, Marriage register and records, 1858-1919.
 * 1825-1845 Wiegant, Winifred, Seenah Fry, Berdella McGrew, Early Clay County marriage records, 1825-1845 (Salt Lake City, Utah:Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1976.)
 * 1825-1877 Clay County Genealogical Society, Clay County [Illinois] marriages (Louisville, Illinois:Clay County Genealogical Society, Illinois, 1989.) ;
 * 1874-1881 Frye, Mary Ann, Becky McPeak, Clay County, Illinois marriage book D (Louisville, Illinois:Clay County Genealogical Society, Indiana, 1977.) ;
 * 1877-1895 Tanner, John, Becky McPeak, Clay County, Illinois marriages (Louisville, Illinois:Clay County Genealogical Society, Indiana, 1990.) ;
 * 1895-1916 Clay County Genealogical Society; indexed by Becky McPeak, Clay County, Illinois marriages (Louisville, Illinois:clay County Genealogical Society, Illinois, 1994-1996.)
 * 1840-1899 Taylor, Lola B., Early marriages of Richland County, Illinois, 1840- (Olney, Illinois:Taylor Print Shop, c1970.) ; Includes Clay, Lawrence and Jasper Counties.
 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index $
 * 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
 * Clay County, Illinois USGenWeb, Marriages with brides list and brooms list
 * 1825-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 (1825-1900 for Clay County)
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index

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
 * 1877-1918 Clay County, Illinois County Clerk, Death records.
 * 1877-1918 Death Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1877-1904 Death Record Index IRAD-EIU
 * 1877-1935 Clay County Genealogical Society; Ann Hoyt, Clay County, Illinois death records (Louisville, Illinois:Clay County Genealogical Society, Illinois, 1991-2006.) ;
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916-1950 (1916-1950 for Clay County)
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * Clay County, Illinois USGenWeb, County Clerk Death Records Indexes

Archives
 Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) The Illinois State Archives administers a system of Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD) to manage the archival records of local governments. Local governments which have transferred records to the regional depositories include counties, townships, municipalities, and school districts. The records of Clay County come under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Illinois University (EIU) regional depository. Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) Booth Library Eastern Illinois University (EIU) 600 Lincoln Avenue Charleston, IL 61920 Telephone: (217) 581-6093 Hours: Monday – Friday, except state holidays 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Note: The depository is staffed by graduate student interns. Because of class scheduling conflicts, hours may vary somewhat from the published schedule. Researchers are urged to call before planning a visit.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Centralia Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Vincennes Indiana FamilySearch Center
 * C.E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District - an affiliate library
 * Knox County Public Library - Indiana - an affiliate library

Libraries
Flora Public Library 216 North Main Street Flora, IL 62839 Phone: (618) 662-6553 Website

Societies

 * Clay County Illinois Genealogical Society PO Box 94 Louisville, ILL 62858 Phone 618-665-4544 Facebook

Websites

 * Clay County IL Genealogy
 * Clay IL GenWeb
 * Clay 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.