Ogle County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Ogle 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 Captain Joseph Ogle, a veteran of the Revolutionary War who came to Illinois in 1785. The county seat is Oregon and the county was organized on January 16, 1836. The County is located in the North area of the state.

County Courthouse
Ogle County Courthouse 106 S 5th St Oregon, IL 61061 Phone: 815-732-1130 Ogle County Courthouse

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

Biographies

 * The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Ogle County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Ogle County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

Census Records
 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, Ogle County on page 187.]

Church Records
Church records may give birth, death and marriage information. It is usually best to locate church records with a search at a local level such as the city, town, or village.
 * Historical Churches of Ogle Co. links to photos and histories of several congregations.
 * History of North Grove Christian Church and Cemetery, Leaf River, Illinois Includes photos, histories, and indexes for gravestone inscriptions.
 * History of Silver Creek Church of the Brethren Includes a church history and a surname index for Silver Creek Cemetery.
 * 1894-1903 Mayer, John Lucien. [His] Pastoral Record, 1858-1903. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1985. This record covers several localities with varying time periods, including service in Forreston and Westgrove of Ogle County, 1894–1903.

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 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 Northern Illinois University - search for Ogle County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the NIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1837-1842 Circuit court records and index
 * 1837-1842 Circuit Court Record IRAD-NIU
 * 1837-1890 Circuit Clerk's Miscellaneous Files IRAD-NIU
 * 1837-1915 Circuit and Chancery Court Case FilesIRAD-NIU
 * 1838-1904 Circuit Clerk's Oaths, Bonds and Appointments IRAD-NIU
 * 1838-1888 Jury Venires and Summonses IRAD-NIU
 * 1838-1889 Circuit Court Execution Files IRAD-NIU
 * 1858-1872 Circuit Court Narr and Cognovit Files IRAD-NIU
 * 1859-1891 Jail Reports by Grand Juries IRAD-NIU
 * 1860-1870 Circuit Court Case Files, Chancery IRAD-NIU
 * 1867-1897 County Court Miscellaneous Record IRAD-NIU
 * 1872-1900 County Court Dockets IRAD-NIU
 * 1872-1931 County Court Case Files, Criminal IRAD-NIU
 * 1873-1963 County Court Case Files, Common Law IRAD-NIU
 * 1872-1963 Jury Registers IRAD-NIU
 * 1887-1894 Circuit COurt Master's Sale Certificates IRAD-NIU
 * 1892-1894 Circuit Court Master's Sale Report IRAD-NIU

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

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 online, through the FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at Northern Illinois University -search for Ogle County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD - Northern Illinois University NIU IRAD Wiki page. Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * 1833-1855 Land Patent Records IRAD-NIU; search for Ogle County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1837-1903 Grantor and Grantee indexes
 * 1837-1934 Deeds
 * 1837-1940 Deed Records IRAD-NIU; search for Ogle County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1837-1942 Deed Index IRAD-NIU; search for Ogle County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1800s-Present Use the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land Patent Index to obtain original federal land transfer records including homestead, military warrants, and cash entry patents. These records help a research establish location and lead to National Archives' records which may include genealogical information. Earlier land transfer records are housed at the National Archives.
 * 1800s-Present Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales from Illinois State Archives also provides an index to federal land sales.
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Ogle County Federal Township Plats

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1788-1940 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 Ogle 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 Ogle County.
 * - 2nd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, (Logan's Escort, Ord's Escort, Stevenson's Escort) Company A.
 * - 4th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company D (Also known as Quinby's Escort).
 * - 7th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company B (Also known as Rosecran's Escort).
 * - 15th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
 * - 17th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company M
 * - 34th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies E, F, and H.
 * - 39th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
 * - 55th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B and H.
 * - 65th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (Scotch Regiment), Company A.
 * - 92nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, D, E, H, and K.
 * - 140th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company I.
 * - 142nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Companies D and I.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1872-1906 Naturalization Papers at Illinois State Archives; Index
 * 1839-1900, 1906-1929 Naturalization Records, Circuit Court IRAD-NIU; search for Ogle County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1839-1931 Naturalization Record Index, Circuit Court IRAD-NIU; search for Ogle County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1872-1906 Naturalization Records, County Court IRAD-NIU; search for Ogle County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 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 ($)

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Polo Public Library digital newspapers for the Tri County Press (1901-2000), Tri-County Press (1902-2008), and Ogle County Press (1875-1878)
 * Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has Freeport City newspapers from the late 1800s and early 1900s that covered local news on residents from Ogle County. The Rock Island Public Library provides free access to this database at its library.
 * Newspaper clippings from the Davis Leader and Freeport Journal online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

 * 1878-1933 Ogle County Almshouse Register at Illinois State Archives; Index
 * 1878-1933 Almshouse Registers IRAD-NIU; search for Ogle County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)

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 Northern Illinois University (NIU) - search for Ogle County records. For information on how to use IRAD see theNIU 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
 * 1838-1940 Probate recordsIRAD-NIU
 * 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 Ogle 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 Northern Illinois University (NIU) - search for Ogle County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

 * 1857-1965 Birth Record Index IRAD-NIU
 * 1878-1935 Birth Records and Certificates IRAD-NIU; search for Ogle County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1870-1954 Delayed Birth Record Index IRAD-NIU
 * 1870-1954 Delayed Birth Record Index IRAD-NIU

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1837-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives; Index
 * 1837-1923 Marriage Records and Licenses IRAD-NIU
 * 1837-1930 Marriage Record Index IRAD-NIU
 * 1837-1930 Register of marriages and applications for marriage licenses

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
 * 1850,1860,1870,1880 U. S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 at Ancestry ($) These include the deaths occurring twelve months before the census was taken.
 * 1878-1934 Death Records and Certificates IRAD-NIU
 * 1878-1965 Death Record Index IRAD-NIU
 * 1878-1901 Register to deaths
 * 1878-1915 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives; Index
 * 1878-1953 Index to deaths
 * 1902-1915 Death Certificates, Stillbirth IRAD-NIU
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives; Index
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index

Archives
 Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) The Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD), managed by the Illinois State Archives, houses 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.
 * The Northern Illinois University (IRAD-NIU) holds the records for Ogle County. Learn more about finding and using their records.
 * Illinois Regional Archives Depository c/o Regional History Center Founders Memorial Library, Room 400 Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115 Telephone: (815) 753-1807

FamilySearch Centers

 * Dekalb Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Freeport Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Rockford Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Sterling Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Algonquin Area Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Huntley Area Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Lee County Historical and Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Polo Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Town & Country Library - an affiliate library

Libraries
The following Ogle County libraries have collections of specific interest to genealogists. Bertolet Memorial Library District 705 S. Main St., Box 339 Leaf River, IL 61047 Phone: (815) 738-2742 Website Byron Public Library District 109 N. Franklin St. Byron, IL 61010 Phone: (815) 234-5107 Website Oregon Public Library 300 Jefferson St Oregon, IL 61061 Phone: (815) 732-6643 Ogle County Genealogical Society Website Polo Public Library District 302 W Mason St Polo, IL 61064-1417 Phone: (815) 946-2713 Website Rockford Public Library 215 N. Wyman St. Rockford, IL 61101 Phone: (815) 965-6731 Website

Societies

 * Flagg Township Historical Society & Museum 518 4th Avenue Rochelle, IL 61068 Phone 815-562-3040 Email:[mailto:hubhistory@gmail.com hubhistory@gmail.com] Website
 * Ogle County Genealogical Society PO Box 251 Oregon 61061 Website
 * NOTE: The Ogle Co. Genealogy Society Materials have been MOVED to the OGLE CO. HISTORICAL MUSEUM in OREGON,IL.
 * Click on their site (listed below) for information regarding the location and hours.


 * Ogle County Historical Society and Museum 111 North Sixth Street PO Box 183 Oregon, Illinois 61061 Phone 815-732-7545 Email:[mailto:oglecohistory@gmail.com oglecohistory@gmail.com] Website
 * Polo Historical Society 113 #B N. Franklin Ave. Polo, IL 61064 Phone 815-946-4142 Email:[mailto:bettyobendorf@gmail.com bettyobendorf@gmail.com] Website

Websites

 * Ogle County ILGenWeb
 * Ogle County, IL Linkpendium
 * Ogle County IL Genealogy
 * – 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.