Alexander County, Illinois Genealogy

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

Description
Alexander County was named for William M. Alexander, an early settler a Illinois state senator and a physician who practiced in the town of America. It was founded in 1819. The county seat is Cairo and is located in the South-West area of the state.

County Courthouse
Alexander County Courthouse 2000 Washington Ave Cairo, IL 62914 Phone: 618-734-0107 Alexander County Courthouse County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Alexander County are kept, see the Alexander 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:

History Timeline

 * Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in: Union (1818–1819) Johnson (1812–1818) Randolph (1795–1812) St. Clair (1790–1795)

Census Records
For information and tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.
 * Index to the 1820 census of Alexander County...Bond County...Crawford County...Wayne County, Illinois.
 * Illinois 1870 census index, Alexander County
 * USGenWeb Archives - Alexander County, Illinois

Church Records
 Baptist
 * 1840-1979 (Tamms, Illinois)
 * 1887-1984 (Tamms, Illinois)
 * 1944-1983 (Tamms, Illinois)

 Catholic FamilySearch has made parish records from four Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Alexander County available online (requires free registration). The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:
 * 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.

 Methodist
 * 1864-1910 First United Methodist Church, Cairo, Baptism Index 1864-1910 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch.
 * 1865-1910 First United Methodist Church, Cairo, Marriage Index 1865-1910 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free. Batch

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records

 Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) Collection The following copies of records may be accessed through: IRAD-Southern Illinois University (SIU) and search for Alexander County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page

 Circuit Court
 * 1842-1873 Circuit Court Record

 County Board/County Commissioners
 * 1819-1929 County Commissioners' Minutes and Index
 * 1819-1942 County Commissioners' Proceedings Files
 * 1931-1935 Blind Relief Warrant Registers

 County Clerk
 * 1873-1930 County Court Case Files

 Justice of the Peace
 * 1942-1949 Justice of the Peace Dockets

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
 * Illinois Afrigeneas

Land and Property Records
Original land records for Alexander County are held in the office of the County Recorder (618) 734-7001. See Illinois Land Records for more information about using land records.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database. Also available at Ancestry ($)
 * Alexander County Federal Township Plats

 Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) Collection The following abstracts and copies of land records may be accessed through: IRAD-Southern Illinois University (SIU) and search for Alexander County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page
 * 1816-1857 Entry Books
 * 1818-1943 Deed Index
 * 1818-1944 Deed Record
 * 1853-1939 Plat Record
 * 1864-1870 Mortgage Release Record
 * 1865-1904 Mortgage Record
 * 1872-1903 Incorporation Record, Corporations
 * 1900-1944 Mortgage Index
 * 1915-1963 Chattel Mortgage Record

 FamilySearch Library Collection
 * Selected Land records from Alexander and Pulaski counties
 * Atlas and plat book, Pulaski - Alexander County, Illinois, 1978
 * 1819-1917 Deeds and mortgages, 1818-1910; indexes

Local Histories

 * Shawnee Community College Local History Project includes dozens of personal interviews, newspaper clippings, and even a locally-composed song to give you a taste of historic Alexander County. Was your relative one of the interviewed individuals?

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * Township Map of 1870 Alexander County, Illinois with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) Collection The following records may be accessed through: IRAD-Southern Illinois University (SIU) and search for Alexander County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

 Civil War
 * 1861-1862 Militia Roll Record
 * Alexander County/Illinois Genealogy Trails. Information about Civil War soldiers from Alexander County such as their burials, pension applications and decendants' records. (accessed 31 May 2011)

Regiments. Civil War service men from Alexander 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 Alexander County.
 * - 1st Regiment, Illinois Light Artillery, Battery A (Smith's Battery Chicago Light Artillery), Battery D, and Battery G.
 * - 2nd Regiment, Illinois Light Artillery, Battery D.
 * - 6th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company M.
 * - 7th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
 * - 8th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 9th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (3 months, 1861), Companies A, H, I, and K.
 * - 15th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company A, (Stewart's Independent Cavalry Company).
 * - 16th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company K.
 * - 18th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 29th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 58th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, I and K.
 * - 109th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 130th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 143rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company B.

World War I and II
 * 1918-1944 Military Discharge Record

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 & images ($)

The following copies of records may be accessed through: IRAD-Southern Illinois University (SIU) and search for Alexander County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

 Circuit Court
 * 1857-1941 Naturalization Record Index
 * 1864-1892 Naturalization Record of Soldier and Minors
 * 1864-1893 Naturalization Record, Final
 * 1865-1941 Naturalization Declarations of Intent
 * 1907-1940 Naturalization Petition Record
 * 1929-1940 Naturalization Order Books

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. See Illinois Probate Records for more information about using probate 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

The following copies of records may be accessed through: IRAD-Southern Illinois University (SIU) and search for Alexander County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
 * Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) Collection
 * 1819-1942 Probate Minutes
 * 1829-1870 Probate Case Files
 * 1842-1943 Probate Guardian's Record
 * 1850-1942 Probate Will Record
 * 1857-1889 Probate Record
 * 1865-1938 Probate Administrator's Record
 * 1866-1944 Probate Publication Record
 * 1872-1944 Probate Administrator's and Executor's Record
 * 1873-1928 Probate Sale Record, Personal Property
 * 1873-1944 Probate Inventory Record
 * 1879-1940 Probate Appraisement Record
 * 1887-1940 Probate Conservator's Record
 * 1911-1917 Probate Fee Books
 * 1913-1916 Probate Dockets

1819-1902 Probate records, 1819-1902; index to probate files
 * FamilySearch Library Collection
 * Conservators bonds and letters
 * proof of birth and death
 * Index to probate files, estates guardians, 1820-1971
 * Estates probate files 1828 to 1867
 * Wills, 1850 to 1902
 * Probate Order Books, 1857 to 1889


 * SAMPUBCO - Index of testators of wills.

School Records
The following copies of records may be accessed through the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Franklin County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.


 * 1870-1926 Almshouse Registers
 * 1889-1949 School Teachers' Directories
 * 1895-1959 School Teachers' Daily Registers
 * 1914-1928 School Teachers' permanent Record
 * 1941-1976 Santa Fe Township Poor Relief Account Books

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 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 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 Alexander County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

 * 1850-1878 Birth and Death Record, Proof of IRAD (SIU)
 * 1878-1915 Birth Record index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1878-1915 Birth records, 1878-1915
 * 1878-1917 Birth Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1893-1901 Cairo Birth and Death Record IRAD (SIU)
 * Selected birth and death records for Alexander County at Genealogy Trails.

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
 * 1819-1850 James Stephenson prepared an index to Marriages --Alexander Co., IL From 1819 to 1850. Available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.
 * 1819-1870 Marriages of Alexander County, Illinois, volume I, 1819 through 1870 Other libraries (WorldCat).
 * 1819-1918 Alexander County, Illinois marriage records, 1819-1918
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1819-1934 Alexander County / Illinois Genealogy Trails Marriages, 1819–1934
 * 1819-1944 Marriage Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index

Death

 * Selected birth and death records for Alexander County at Genealogy Trails.
 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1850-1878 Birth and Death Record, Proof of IRAD (SIU)
 * 1878-1915 Death Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1879-1917 Alexander County, Illinois death records, v.1-3, 1879-1917
 * 1893-1901 Cairo Birth and Death Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1916-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * 1960s-1990s Roxanne Layton-Bayle prepared a list of people who died in Thebes, Illinois. Dates range from the 1960s to the 1990s. Courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.

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 Alexander County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Paducah Kentucky FamilySearch Center
 * Sikeston Missouri FamilySearch Center
 * McCracken County Public Library - an affiliate library
 * The State Historical Society of Missouri - Cape Girardeau - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Cairo Public Library 1609 Washington Avenue Cairo, Illinois 62914 Phone: 618-734-1840
 * Dodge Memorial Public Library P.O. Box 65 Railroad Street Olive Branch, Illinois 62969 Phone: 618-776-5115

Societies

 * Thebes Historical Courthouse PO Box 14 Thebes, IL 62990-0014 Website
 * Cairo Historical Association/Magnolia Manor PO Box 286 2700 Washington Ave. Cairo, Illinois 62914 Phone 618-734-0201 Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb for Alexander County, IL
 * Alexander County IL, at LDSGenealogy.com
 * Alexander County, IL at Linkpendium
 * Deb Davis' Alexander County Illinois Ancestry and History Research
 * Genealogyvillage.com
 * – 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.