White County, Illinois Genealogy

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

Description
White County was organized within the Illinois Territory by an act of the Territorial Legislature of 7 December 1815 and was named for Captain Leonard White. The county is located in the southeastern area of the state.

County Courthouse
White County Courthouse 301 E. Main Street Carmi, IL 62821 Phone: 618-382-7211 White County Courthouse County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for White County are kept, see the White 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:

Census Records
For information and tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.  1840 Pensioners
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1850-1880 Mortality Schedules, at Ancestry ($)
 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. ; . Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Illinois, White County on page 188.

Church Records
 Baptist  Catholic FamilySearch has made parish records from four Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in White County available online. The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:  Christian  Evangelical  Methodist  Presbyterian  Quaker  Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints  List of Churches and Church Parishes Information about early White County, Illinois churches may be found in the township histories section of a local history published in 1883, see:.
 * Gifford, Linda Darlene Brown. Antioch Church Records, Mill Shoals, Il., White Co., Il.: ca. 1867-1935. Fairfield, Ill.: Bland Books, 1984..
 * Hopewell Congregation. Church Records, 1819-1868. MSS. Copy: . WorldCat (Other Libraries). Contains bapts., 1819-1868 -- births, 1819-1851 -- marrs., 1819-1957 -- communicants; deaths, 1821-1867 -- and session minutes.
 * Church and Family History Research Assistance for Primitive Baptist Churches in White County, Illinois
 * Lick Creek Primitive Baptist Church (Heralds Prairie Twp., Ill.). Church Records, 1820-1844. MSS. Copy:.
 * Little Wabash Primitive Baptist Church (Phillips Twp., Ill.). Membership Records, [1836]-1954. MSS. Copy:.
 * Mt. Hope Regular Baptist Church of Christ (Indian Creek Twp., Ill.). Church Records, 1846-1860. MSS. Copy:.
 * Mt. Sterling Predestinarian Baptist Church. Church Records, 1856-1888. MSS. Copy:.
 * 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * The History of St. Patrick's Parish, Enfield, Illinois 1839-1989 is available online.
 * Christian Church (Springerton, Ill.). Church History, 1855-1955. Typescript. Copy:.
 * White House Church or Pleasant Hill (Bridgeport, Ill.). WorldCat (Other Libraries)
 * German Evangelical Church (Grayville, Ill.). Church Records, 1856-1919. MSS. Copy:.
 * Big Prairie Methodist Church (Hawthorne Twp., Ill.). Church Records, 1881-1944. MSS. Copy:.
 * Concord United Methodist Church (Emma, Ill.). Concord United Methodist Church: Homecoming and Worship Celebration. 2000. WorldCat (Other Libraries)
 * First United Methodist Church (Carmi, Ill.). Church Records, 1898-1932. MSS. Copy: FS Library
 * Frazier, William and C. William Fechtig. Maunie United Methodist Church: Homecoming and Worship Celebration, 100 Years Plus, October 29, 2000. 2000?. WorldCat (Other Libraries)
 * Burnt Prairie Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Church Records, 1869-1945. MSS. Copy:.
 * Delap, Sam L. and Harve E. Delap. History of Mount Oval Cumberland Presbyterian Church 1869-1969. 1969. Free digital copy at Issuu. Includes transcript of 100s of burials at the church's cemetery.
 * First Presbyterian Church (Enfield, Ill.). Church Records, 1868-1896. MSS. Copy:.
 * Land, Margaret D. et al. Presbyterianism in White County. Typescript. Copy:.
 * Mt. Olive Cumberland Presbyterian Church historical statistics and information are available online.
 * Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Burnt Prairie, Ill.). Church Records, 1823-1830. MSS. Copy:.
 * Records: White Lick, Union Grove/Lamong, Chicago, Fairview and Beech Grove/Valley Mills Monthly Meetings. WorldCat (Other Libraries)
 * Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Springerton Branch. Church Records, 1873-1918. MSS. Copy:.
 * 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. The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through the FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for White County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1816-1834; 1848–1855 Vaught, Harriet B. Circuit Court index book A, B, 1816-1834; index book E, 1848-1855. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.
 * 1842-1859 Vaught, Harriet B. White County, Illinois, records, 1842-1859. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1976.
 * 1860-1888 Vaught, Harriet B. Index to White County court papers, White County, Illinois, 1860-1888. Carni, Illinois : H.B. Vaught, [198-?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)

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

Genealogies

 * Rudolph, C.F. (Mrs.) Illinois White County Genealogical Records: Jacob Christopher Rudolph -- Stokes and Allied Families 1201-1946. n.p.: Illinois D.A.R., 1946. Digital version at Ancestry ($) Another digital version at Ancestry ($)
 * Wheeler, Gertrude S. Genealogical records of McLean, White and Will Counties, Illinois. Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1971.
 * 1914-1920 Hillyard, Clara Mae. Scrapbook of Clara Mae Hillyard, 1914-1920. Carmi, Illinois: Mary Smith Fay Genealogy Library, c2001.Other libraries (WorldCat)

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 Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for White County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page. Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * 1814-1854 Davis, Patricia S. Index to Harriet Vaught's Early land grants of White County, Illinois, 1814-1854 and probate index, 1818-1976. Marion, Illinois : Patricia S. Davis, c1995. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1814-1854 Vaught, Harriet B.Early land grants of White County, Illinois, 1814-1854, probate index, 1818-1976. [Carmi, Ill.]: Vaught, [1980?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1814-1970 Deeds index; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1816-1854 Illinois. State Archives Division, and White County Historical Society. Original land grants, White County, Illinois. Carmi, Illinois: White County Historical Society (Illinois), 1992. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1886 Grantee and grantor index
 * 1816-1886 Deeds
 * 1816-1928 Deed record; IRAD (SIU)
 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * 1842-1859 Vaught, Harriet B. White County, Illinois, records, 1842-1859. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1976.
 * 1852-1957 Land records
 * 1853-1857 Swamp land record; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1871 Westbrook, J. B. Map of White County, Illinois [1871] [S.l.] J.B. Westbrook, 1871. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1987 Rockford Map Publishers. Land atlas and plat book, White County, Illinois, 1987. Rockford, Illinois: Rockford Map Publishers, c1987. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence, found at Ancestry ($).
 * White County Federal Township Plats
 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family maps of White County, Illinois: with homesteads, roads, waterways, towns, cemeteries, railroads, and more; 3 maps per township, [1] homesteads and other land patents, [2] roads, [3] rivers, creeks and railroads [and cemeteries]. Norman, Oklahoma: Arphax Pub. Co., c2005. 71649169 Other libraries (WorldCat).

Local Histories
A variety of early White County genealogical records are transcribed in:
 * Every Name Index to History of White County, Illinois.Every Name Index compiled by Cathy L. O'Connor, 2010; original text by Inter-State Publishing Company, 1883; republished in 1954 just in time for Carmi's sesquicentennial celebration in 1966, subsequent reproduction was in 1973.EveryNameIndex.com
 * McLean County, White County, Will County Genealogical Records. Evanston, Ill.?: Illinois Society, D.A.R.?, 1945?. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

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
 Civil War Regiments. Civil War service men from White 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 White County.
 * - 7th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies E and G
 * - 14th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company H
 * - 26th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G
 * - 29th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, D, and G
 * - 40th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C
 * - 56th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B and F
 * - 62nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D
 * - 87th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, C, F, G, I and K
 * - 98th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F
 * - 120th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H

Naturalization and Citizenship
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
 * 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry ($) - index

Obituaries

 * 1816-1916 Davis, Patricia. Index to Harriet Vaught's White County, Ill. wills 1816-1916 and obituaries, naturalization papers, marriages in 1916. Marion, IL: P.S. Davis, ©1994. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Other Records
 Townships and Election Precincts The County Court (county commissioners, county government) met for the first time on 12 February 1816. They divided the county into three townships:


 * Prairie, beginning at the mouth of the Little Wabash River, up that river to the line between Townships 4 and 5 South, and along that line to the (Big) Wabash River.
 * Fox River, the part of the county north of the line dividing Townships 4 and 5 South and east of the Little Wabash River.
 * West, the part of the county west of the Little Wabash River.

In December 1819, the County Court divided the county into two townships, East and West, separated by the line between Ranges 7 and 8 East.

In 1830 there were four townships: Burnt Prairie, Mantua, Fox River, and Prairie.


 * Indian Creek, comprising Township 6 South (T6S) Range 8 East (R8E) and the north half of T7S R8E.
 * Enfield, comprising the territory north of Indian Creek, south of the Skillet Fork, and west of Seven-Mile Creek.
 * Burnt Prairie, all the territory between the Skillet Fork and the Little Wabash River.
 * Carmi, east of Enfield, south of Skillet Fork on the west side of the Little Wabash River, and on the east side of the river south of Townships 27, 28, and 29 of T4S R10E, and extending south to Lick Creek, west of the river, and east of the river to the south line of Sections 27 and 30 of T5S R10E.
 * Grayville, east of Burnt Prairie, and south to the south line of Sections 9 and 12 of T4S R10E, the line extending eastward to the (Big) Wabash River.
 * Fox River, east of Carmi and south of Grayville to the south line of Sections 35 and 36 of T5S R14W.
 * Prairie, all south of Carmi and Fox River, and between the Little Wabash and (Big) Wabash Rivers.
 * Herald's Prairie, bounded on the north by Lick Creek, on the east by the Little Wabash River, on the south by the county line, and on the west by Indian Creek.
 * Indian Creek, same as the voting precinct.
 * Enfield, T5S R8E.
 * Burnt Prairie, T4S R9E and the south half of T3S R9E.
 * Carmi, T5S R9E.
 * Gray, T3S R14W and the south halves of T3S R10E and T3S R11E.
 * Herald's Prairie, T6S R9E and the north half of T7S R9E.
 * Mill Shoals, T4S R8E and the south half of T3S R8E.
 * Phillips, T4S R10E and T4S R11E, and T4S R14W.
 * Hawthorne, T5S R10E and T5S R11E, and T5S R14W.
 * Emma, T6S R10E and T6S R11E, the north half of T7S R10E and T7S R11E, and a small part of T8S R10E and T8S R11E.

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. The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through, the FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for White County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page. 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; Images only
 * 1818-1976 Davis, Patricia S. Index to Harriet Vaught's Early land grants of White County, Illinois, 1814-1854 and probate index, 1818-1976. Marion, Illinois: Patricia S. Davis, c1995. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1818-1976 Vaught, Harriet B.Early land grants of White County, Illinois, 1814-1854, probate index, 1818-1976. [Carmi, Ill.]: Vaught, [1980?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1976-1979; 1961–1981 [probate index; wills index] Vaught, Harriet B. and Dorothy E. Wallace. Marriages from White County, Illinois. [Illinois? : s.n.], 1950-[198-?] Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1976-1979; 1961–1981 Davis, Patricia S. Index to Harriet Vaught's marriages from White County, Illinois. Marion, Illinois: P.S. Davis, c1996. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1848 White County Historical Society. Early White County, Illinois wills, 1816-1848. Carmi (Ill.): White County Historical Society, 1998. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1916 Davis, Patricia. Index to Harriet Vaught's White County, Ill. wills 1816-1916 and obituaries, naturalization papers, marriages in 1916. Marion, IL: P.S. Davis, pub. 1994. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1916 Vaught, Harriet B. White County, Ill. wills, 1816-1916: also obituaries copied from Carmi Democrat-tribune. Other items also included: White County, Illinois, naturalization papers; marriages in 1916. S.l.: Vaught, [between 1970 and 1981]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1822-1844 Cyrus, Carol. White County, Illinois Probate Journal, Volume B, 1822-1844, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * 1843-1847 Cyrus, Carol. White County, Illinois Probate Journal 1843-1847, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * 1816-1969 Probate index
 * 1816-1914 Will Records ; IRAD (SIU) Search for White records How to use IRAD
 * 1820-1874 Probate journals
 * 1843-1848 Probate records
 * 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only

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 White 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. Illinois Regional Archives Depository - Southern Illinois University(IRAD-SIU)

Birth

 * 1856-1915 Birth Certificates; IRAD-SIU
 * 1856-1935 Birth record index; IRAD-SIU
 * 1865-1915 Births and delayed births
 * 1865-1935 Birth index
 * 1877-1916 Birth index
 * 1877-1916 Birth records and still births
 * 1877-1916 Birth record; IRAD-SIU

Marriage

 * 1816-1916 Davis, Patricia S. Index to Harriet Vaught's marriages from White County, Illinois. Marion, Illinois: P.S. Davis, c1996. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1916 Vaught, Harriet B. Marriages from White County, Illinois. [Carmi, Ill.]: Vaught, [1980?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1840 Bender, Lucy. Early settlers' records of White County, Illinois, marriages licences, 1816-1840. [S.l.] : Bender, 1936.
 * 1816-1844 Daughters of the American Revolution. Hopewell Congregation Church records, White County marriage records, 1816-1844. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.
 * 1816-1821 Harrelson, Ralph S. Marriages, information taken from original marriage documents &amp; old marriage record books relative to marriages celebrated in Hamilton County, Illinois, 1821-1870: also a record of marriages celebrated in White County, Illinois, 1816 through 1821. Carterville, Illinois: Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois, c1986. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1840 Tindall, Emogene. White County, Illinois, marriages, 1816-1840. [S.l.: s.n.], 1983. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1880 Davis, Patricia S. White County, Illinois marriages. Marion, Illinois : P.S. Davis, c1995. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1840 Stephenson, James. Marriages from 1816 to 1840, Surnames A-K, Surnames L-Z, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * 1816-1918 Marriage records
 * 1874-1924 Index to Marriage records
 * 1816-1917 Marriage record; IRAD-SIU
 * 1874-1945 Marriage record index; IRAD-SIU
 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 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

Death

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1877-1902 Knotter, Janice Melton. White County Illinois death register: book 1– December 1877–September 1902: with lists of doctors and undertakers and explanation in medical terms. Carmi, Illinois: Genealogy Society of White County (IL), c2008. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1877-1912 Death record index; IRAD_SIU
 * 1877-1915 Death record; IRAD_SIU
 * 1877-1916 Death record, stillbirths; IRAD_SIU
 * 1878-1912 Index to deaths
 * 1878-1915 Death register
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage ($) - index
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index

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. Southern Illinois University houses the records for White County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Eldorado Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Evansville Indiana FamilySearch Center
 * Foxcroft Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Herrin City Library - an affiliate library
 * Willard Indiana Library - an affiliate library

Societies
White County Historical Society 203 N. Church St Carmi, IL 62821-0121 Phone:618-382-8425 email: w.c.h.s-genealogy@hotmail.com The Carmi Times.; also The Carmi Times. Online Catalog Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois
 * Has a page with details about its' activities.

The Genealogical Society of White County 1220 Outer East Main Street Carmi IL 62821 E-mail:[mailto:gswcil@hotmail.com gswcil@hotmail.com] Website White County Historical Society 203 N. Church St Carmi, IL 62821-0121 Phone 618-382-8425 E-mail:[mailto:w.c.h.s-genealogy@hotmail.com w.c.h.s-genealogy@hotmail.com] Website

Websites

 * White County ILGenWeb
 * White County IL Genealogy
 * EveryNameIndex.com Free online genealogy indexes for those big old county histories.
 * White County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History(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.