Sangamon County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  Sangamon County

Sangamon County Organization
Sangamon County's civil records start the following years:

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

Historical Facts
Sangamon County is named after the Sangamon River, which derived its name from the Pottawatomie Indian word Sain-guee-mon or Sangamon (pronounced sang gä mun), meaning literally "where there is plenty to eat" or what we would call the "land of milk and honey."

Parent County

 * 1821--Sangamon County was created 30 January 1821 from the Northwest Territory. County seat:  Springfield

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Sangamon County boundary changes.

Neighboring Counties

 * Cass
 * Christian
 * Logan
 * Macon
 * Macoupin
 * Menard
 * Montgomery
 * Morgan

Cemeteries
Illinois cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.


 * Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone.  May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.


 * Find A Grave also gives a and links to the  information for the individuals buried there.


 * Sangamon Co. IL USGenWeb Tombstone Project usually gives the names of the deceased in alphabetical order by last name with birth and death dates plus any remarks.


 * Illinois Cemeteries by county.


 * The Family History Library Catalog lists some records of cemeteries in Sangamon County. Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * ePodunk list of Sangamon 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.


 * Springfield's Oak Ridge Cemetery, famous for being the resting place of Abraham Lincoln, has excellent burial records available on-line through Illinois Digital Archives. The Oak Ridge Cemetery Interment collection includes six volumes, covering the years 1858 - 1940.  The ledger books include name, age, cause of death, place of birth, and location of burial plot.  Additional comments sometimes include the name of a parent or exact place of death (address).

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, Sangamon County on page 188.]
 * [1850–1880] U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules Ancestry($) Only includes those persons who died within the year previous to the census enumeration.

Church Records
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church 220 S. Second St. Springfield, IL 62701 (217) 522-8151

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church has a searchable on-line index of baptism, marriage, and burial records dating back as far as 1839. For a listing of available records, go to the church's History/Archives page.


 * Addtional index to Trinitry Lutheran Church Burials 1839–1861

Court Records
Original court records are held by the Judicial Circuit Court and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) at the University of Illinois, Springfield. At IRAD–UIS, a large number of records are available listed both as circuit court records and county court records. IRADcase files (1821–1909) and dockets (1836–1917) can be orderd from IRAD. An index (1836–1890) is available as well as other circuit court documents. Most of these records are original and not on film. Later original records are held by the clerk of the circuit court.

IRAD records also include court case files (1870–1950), court dockets (1874–1895), a judegement index (1916–1926) among other court records. As with the circuit court records, these are original records and are not on microfilm.

Copies of court records are available as follows:


 * [1821–1901] Circuit Court Record IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1836–1917] Circuit Court Dockets IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1836–1897] Circuit Court Execution Dockets IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1853–1857] County Court Record F. Manuscript on film. Springfield, Illinois: Office of the Secretary of State, Micrographics Division, Source Documents Unit, 1986.
 * [1903–1927] County Court Plea Record IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln by The Papers of Abraham Lincoln — Free


 * This is a searchable database of all of Lincoln's papers related to his law practice. It includes papers concerning his cases, billings, etc. These records are primarily related to Cases in Sangamon County, but he also had cases elsewhere. The papers includes names of private citizens involved in the cases as well as businesses he represented. The names include witnesses, parties, attorneys, and others.

African American
Database of Servitude and Emancipation Records (1722–1863) This database includes approximately 3,400 names found in governmental records involving the servitude and emancipation of Africans and, occasionally, Indians in the French and English eras of colonial Illinois (1722–1790) and African-Americans in the American period of Illinois (1790–1863). The Illinois State Archives extracted the names of servants, slaves, or free persons and masters, witnesses, or related parties from selected governmental records to produce this database. Courtesy of the Illinois State Archives.

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

History
A History of the early settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois "Centennial Record"(1876) by John and Sarah Power is available free on Google Books. This book provides small biographies of the residents of 1800's Sangamon County.

Land and Property
Original deeds are held by the Sangamon County Recorderand the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS).

Available indexes to land records:


 * [1822–1832] Sangamon County Genealogical Society. Sangamon County, Illinois Deed &amp; Misc. Record Index, 1822-1832. Springfield, Ill.: Sangamon County Genealogical Society, 1995. Other libraries (WorldCat
 * [1822–1902] Deed Index IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1825–1876] Sangamon County Town Lots Record(IRAD–UIS #4/275/02) Courtesy of USGenWeb.
 * [1822–1844] Deed Index This index is from Menard County.
 * [1824–1902] Deed Index
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Each purchase entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, numeric code indicating the county in which the land is located, legal description (township, section, range), volume and page numbers of original entry, and variously, the sale type, and the purchaser's sex and residence. Courtesy of the Illinois State Archives.
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This database indexes the same record group as the IRAD Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales. However, this version includes the volume and page number of the record. Ancestry($) IRAD holds the following original deed records, which are also on microfilm:
 * [1823–1910] Deed Record IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1833–1867] Town Lot Entry Books IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD

The following copies of deed records are available:


 * [1671–1820] Cahokia Books B &amp; C, Land Records (1800-1820) and Historical Material (ca. 1671-1819), 1671-1820. Manuscript on film. {{FHL|533302}item|disp=FHL film 1543598}}
 * [1796–1907] General Land Office Records Ancestry ($) Land patents (cash and homestead)
 * [1822–1917] Deed Records
 * [1827–1900] Deed Records These records are from Menard County.

The following deed abstracts are available:


 * [1858] Gochanour, Eileen L. 1858 Sangamon County, Illinois, Plat. Springfield, Illinois : W.W. Allers and E.L. Gochanour, 1987.Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * [1887] Sangamon County Genealogical Society. Directory of the Farmers and Land owners of Sangamon County. Springfield, Illinois: Sangamon County Genealogical Society, 1987. Other Libraries (WorldCat)
 * Rockford Map Publishers. Land atlas and plat book, Sangamon County, Illinois, 1985.Rockford, Illinois: Rockford Map Publishers, 1985. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Sangamon County Genealogical Society. Early Federal Land Sales of Sangamon County, Illinois: within the Present Boundries. Springfield, Illinois: Sangamon County Genealogical Society, 1978. Other Libraries (WorldCat)

Maps
Township map of Sangamon County. Courtesy of Illinois State Archives.

Military
Veterans Databases Courtesy of the Illinois State Archives. Includes War of 1812, Indian Wars, Mexican War and various other databases.

Civil War
Civil War service men from Sangamon 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 Sangamon County.


 * - 19th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 26th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
 * - 29th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies D and I.
 * - 30th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 33rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
 * - 38th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
 * - 64th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (Yates’ Sharpshooters), Company C.
 * - 70th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, E and F.
 * - 73rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, G and I.


 * Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls DatabaseCourtesy of the Illinois State Archives
 * Database of Illinois Civil War Veterans Serving in the U.S. Navy Courtesy of the Illinois State Archives
 * Database of Illinois Civil War Veterans of Missouri Units Courtesy of the Illinois State Archives

Newspapers and Obituaries
Sangamon County Obituary Index Courtesy of Rootsweb

Obituaries of Sangamon County Courtesy of Illinois Trails

Sangamon County Obituaries Courtesy of US GenWeb

Probate Records
Many of the early Sangamon County pre-1946 original probaterecords are held at IRAD. (How to search IRAD.) These records include dockets, case files, guardianship files, inventories and administrator and executor records. Additionally, probate bonds for the sale of real estate are included in this record group. See IRADfor a complete list of these holdings. (Search for Sangamon County) The Sagamon County Circuit Clerk holds more recent probate records.

The following indexes are available:


 * [1825–1901] Sangamon County Guardian's Case Files Index; another copy courtesy of Genealogy Trails.
 * [1821–1906] Sangamon County Probate Case Files Index
 * [1850–1946] Dixon, Dan. Index to Record of Letters and Wills, Sangamon County, Illinois. Springfield, Illinois: Sangamon County Genealogical Society, 1988-1992. Other libraries (WorldCat)

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

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Springfield Illinois Family History Center

Public Libraries
Sangamon Valley Collection Lincoln Library 326 South Seventh Street Springfield, IL 217-753-4900 The Sangamon Valley Collection closes at 1 p.m. on Fridays. Regular library hours are observed all other days. The Sangamon Valley Collection (SVC) provides in-depth resources for the study of Springfield, Illinois, Sangamon County and the eleven adjacent counties. A significant genealogical resource of this colelction is a card index of obituaries published in the Springfield IL newspapers from the mid-1800's to the present. The index contains basic information and references the newspaper in which the obituary was published. Microfilm copies of those papers are available on the same floor of the library. http://www.lincolnlibrary.info/research/sangamonValley.html

Births
The original Sangamon County birth records are held by the Sangamon County Clerk and the Illinois Department of Public Health. In addtion there are some Springfield City birth records.

Indexes to births


 * [1884–1887]–Sangamon County Genealogical Society. Sangamon County, Illinois Birth Record Index. Springfield, Ill.: Sangamon County Genealogical Society, 2000. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * [1860–1916] Delayed birth index cards. 4 records only for 1860–1862. 1865 missing.

Copies of birth records for Sangamon County are available through the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) at Northern Illinois University and the Family History Library as follows:


 * [1860-1917]–Birth Certificates IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1912-1917]–Birth Record (Springfield) IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1923–1929]–Birth Certificates, Delayed (Springfield) IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD . Delayed birth records include submissions by individuals who were born before the state officially collected birth records, but who are in need of a birth record for identification.These may include affidavits by family members or Bible records.

The following are abstracts of birth records:


 * [1860-1883]–Birth Records

Marriages
The original Sangamon County birth records are held by the Sangamon County Clerk. After 1962, copies are also held by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Indexes


 * [1821–1955]–Marriage Record Index IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD.
 * [1821–1900]–Statewide Marriage Index
 * [1821–1850] Illinois Statewide Marriage Index Ancestry($)
 * [1825–1889]–Sangamon County Genealogical Society. Divorce index, Sangamon County, Illinois, October 1825-October 1899. Springfield, Illinois : Sangamon County Genealogical Society, 1988. Other Libraries (WorldCat) The following copies are available:


 * [1879–1975]–Marriage License Applications IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD.
 * [1821–1901]–Marriage Licenses IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD. Some of these records held by IRAD are original county records.
 * [1821–1874]–Marriage Licenses

The following abstracts are available:


 * [1821-1907]–Sangamon County Genealogical Society. Marriage Records, Sangamon County, Illinois. Springfield, Illinois: Sangamon County Genealogical Society, 1977-2006. Other Libraries(WorldCat)
 * [1822–1870]–Daughters of the American Revolution. Sangamon County, Marriage Records. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * [1879-1881, 1886–1889]– Sangamon County, Illinois Marriage Applications. Springfield, Illinois: Allers and Gochanour, 1986. Other Libraries(WorldCat) (Library lacks v.2–3)
 * Walter R. Sanders. Sangamon County, Illinois, 325 Miscellaneous Marriage Records. Litchfield, Ill. 196-? Typescript. Other Libraries (WorldCat)

Deaths
Death records prior to 1916 are incomplete. The original Sangamon County death records are held by the Sangamon County Clerk and the Illinois Department of Public Health. Use the index to discover the death date and death certificate number for an ancestor, then contact the Sangamon County Clerk to order the corresponding death certificate. In addition, some Springfield City burial and death records are available.

Indexes


 * [Pre–1916] Illinois Statewide Death Index
 * [1868–1888] Sangamon County, Illinois death certificate card index. Manuscript on film. Few records prior to 1886.
 * [1916–1950] Illinois Statewide Death Index
 * [1850–1880] U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules Ancestry($) Only includes those persons who died within the year previous to the census enumeration.

Copies of death records for Sangamon County are available through the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) at Northern Illinois University and the Family History Library as follows:


 * [1877-1927]–Death Certificates IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1886-1918]– Death Record (Springfield) IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1908-1916]– Burial Permit Record (Springfield:) IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1917-1958]–Death Certificates,Stillbirths IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD
 * [1932-1949]–Burial Certificates, Veterans Only IRAD–UIS. Search for Sangamon records. How to use IRAD

The following abstracts are available:


 * [1878–1890} Sangamon County Genealogical Society. Sangamon County, Illinois Physician's Certificate of Death, 1878–1890.Springfield, Illinois: Sangamon County Genealogical Society, 1997. Other Libraries(WorldCat)

Researching Your Roots in Central Illinois offers the following free online death indexes:


 * 1) WWII U.S. Army Deaths
 * 2) Sangamon County Patient Deaths at the Illinois State Hospital (1910s-1930s)
 * 3) Portuguese Deaths 1886-1888 and 1916-1918
 * 4) Pritchett Funeral Home (Illiopolis) Book I (Feb 1921 - Oct 1939) and Book II (Oct 1939 - Mar 1962)

Web Sites

 * Sangamon County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Sangamon County, Illinois (Researching Your Roots in Central Illinois). Cemetery, Church Records, Directories, Guardianship, Local Histories, Oibtuaries, Naturalizations, Probate Records, Soldier's and Sailor's Home, Tax Lists, Vital Records
 * Sangamon County, Illinois (Researching Your Roots in Central Illinois). Cemetery, Church Records, Directories, Guardianship, Local Histories, Oibtuaries, Naturalizations, Probate Records, Soldier's and Sailor's Home, Tax Lists, Vital Records