Illinois, Church Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection is an index to selected marriages from some churches in Illinois for the years 1805-1985. The churches may include:
 * Atwood and Macedonia Church
 * First Methodist Epicopal Church
 * Knob Prairie Baptist Church
 * Methodist Episcopal Church
 * St. Paul's Church
 * United Church

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be included in these records:

Marriage
 * Name
 * Age
 * Birth year
 * Birth place
 * Parents’ names
 * Marriage date
 * Marriage place
 * Marital status
 * Race
 * Previous spouse
 * Title
 * File number
 * Page/Volume/Entry/Certificate number

Collection Content
Here’s an example of information that might be included in an indexed record in this collection:

Coverage Map
Illinois Marriage Holdings by County

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate marriage date
 * The place where the marriage occurred
 * The name of the intended spouse

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
Once you’ve located your ancestor’s marriage record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. The new information can give you new biographical details to pursue in your research. See the links on this page for more research routes.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the index to locate the actual marriage record
 * Search for the family in census records
 * Look for additional vital records, such as birth and death
 * Search for church, land, and probate records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of names.
 * Look for alias names, nicknames or abbreviated names
 * Search records of nearby localities

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.