Kane County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  Kane County

County Organization
Kane 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 Kane County are kept, see the Kane County Courthouse page.

Historical Facts


Kane County is named for Elias Kent Kane who helped draft the Illinois constitution and was the first Secretary of State.


 * The Illinois General Assembly, established the borders of Kane County January 16, 1836, as: "...Commencing at the northeast corner of Township No. 42 north, Range No. 8 east of the third principal maridian and running thence south to the southeast corner of Township No. 37, in the range aforesaid; thence west to the southeast corner of Township No. 37, Range No 2 east of the third principal meridian; thence nort with the range line between 2 and 3 to the northern boundary line of Township No. 42; thence east along said line to the place of beginning, shall constitute a county to be called Kane." Commemorative, Biographical

Boundary Changes
Prior to County Formation 


 * 1790-1801 - Kane part of Fulton County and the Northwest Territory
 * 1801-1812 - Kane part of St. Clair County
 * 1812-1815 - Kane part of Madison County
 * 1815-1816 - Kane part of Edwards County
 * 1816-1819 - Kane part of Crawford County
 * 1819-1821 - Kane part of Clark County
 * 1821-1823 - Kane part of Pike County
 * 1823-1825 - Kane part of Fulton County
 * 1825–1835 - Kane part of Putnam County
 * 1835-1836 - Kane part of LaSalle County

County Formation and After 


 * 1836 - Kane County created from Cook County and unorganized territory
 * 1837 - DeKalb County created from Kane
 * 1841 - Kendall County created from Kane and LaSalle counties

For more information see Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties or Kane County Fact Sheet (Illinois State Archives). For interactive county boundary maps see Illinois County Boundaries, 1790-Present, Illinois Historical Counties, or Illinois County Maps and Atlases.

Record Loss
1890 -- Courthouse destroyed by fire, March 13, 1890. The records of the recorder's office, the county clerk, and the circuit clerk were locked in fire-proof vaults and were not damaged.

Townships
Aurora | Batavia | Big Rock | Blackberry | Burlington | Campton | Dundee | Elgin | Geneva | Hampshire | Kaneville | Plato | Rutland | St. Charles | Sugar Grove | Virgil

Cities and Towns
Algonquin (partly in McHenry county | Aurora (partly in DuPage, Kendall and Will counties) | Barrington Hills | Bartlett (mostly in DuPage and Cook counties) | Batavia (partly in DuPage county) | Big Rock | Burlington | Campton Hills | Carpentersville | East Dundee | Elburn | Elgin (partly in Cook county) | Geneva | Gilberts | Hampshire | Hoffman Estates (mostly in Cook county) | Huntley (partly in McHenry county) | Kaneville | Lily Lake | Maple Park (partly in DeKalb county) | Montgomery (partly in Kendall county) | North Aurora | Pingree Grove | St Charles | Sleepy Hollow | South Elgin | Sugar Grove | Virgil | Wayne (partly in DuPage county) | West Dundee

Communities
Allens Corners | La Fox | Mooseheart | Plato Center | Starks | Wasco

Neighboring Counties

 * Cook
 * DeKalb
 * DuPage
 * Kendall
 * McHenry
 * Will

Biography

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

Cemeteries
Cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, military information, and religious affiliation.


 * The Kane County Genealogical Society's Master Every Name Index includes cemetery inscriptions from over fifty local cemeteries.


 * Linkpendium links to Kane County cemetery records and resources.

State

 * 1865 State Census was indexed by the Kane County Genealogical Society.
 * The census index was published in The Index to the Kane County, Illinois, 1865 State Census. Geneva, IL: 2000.
 * The index is available in the Master Every Name Index located at the Kane County Genealogical Society. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilkcgs/mast_name_index.html

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, Kane 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.


 * Find Kane County church records and resources available at many libraries (WorldCat).


 * Table of historical churches in Elgin (Kane County GenWeb)

Catholic

Catholic Church records may be located with the Diocese of Rockford, Chancery Office, P.O. Box 7044, Rockford, IL 61126, Phone: (815) 962-3709, Fax: (815) 968-2824.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


 * 1936–1948 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aurora Branch (Illinois). Record of Members, 1936–1942; Annual Genealogical Report, Form E, 1937–1948. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1951. The Aurora Branch included members living in Cook, DeKalb and Kane Counties, Illinois.
 * 1936–1948 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Batavia Branch (Illinois). Record of Members, 1936–1948; Annual Genealogical Report, Form E, 1937–1948. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1951. The Batavia Branch, which was discontinued in 1957, included members living in Cook, DuPage, and Kane Counties, Illinois.

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 Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at Northern Illinois University - search for Kane County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the NIU IRAD Wiki page.

Copies of Original Records


 * 1836-1870 Circuit Court Case Files Index, 1836–1870 at Illinois State Archives
 * 1836-1870  Circuit Court Case Files IRAD-NIUThe Kane County Circuit Court Case Files include chancery, criminal and common law proceedings. Documents include summonses, affidavits of witnesses, subpoenas, bonds, receipts, depositions, declarations, decrees and orders of the court, jury and witness lists, indictments, warrents, writs of habeas corpus, verdicts, dismissals and transcripts of coroner's inquests (from the Illinois State Archives web site)
 * 1881-1884  County Court Dockets IRAD-NIU

Abstracts


 * 1895-1899 Abstractions from the Valley chronicle and the St. Charles chronicle, 1895-1899 (some court records)
 * 1881-1884 Kane County Circuit Court Docket Index, 1881-1884 Transcribed by Kimberly Torp from original documents at the IRAD courtesy genealogytrails.com

Aurora


 * 1857-1906 Aurora: Court of Common Pleas Case Files IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD

Elgin


 * 1857-1917 Elgin: Court of Common Pleas Case Files IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1854-1926 Elgin: City Council Proceedings Files IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD

African American
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
There are 5 county histories in 6 volumes.


 * The Past and Present of Kane County, Illinois. Chicago: LeBaron and Company, 1878.
 * Commemorative, Biographical and Historical Record of Kane County, Illinois. Chicago: Beers, Leggett &amp; Co., 1888.
 * Biographical Record of Kane County, Illinois. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1898.
 * Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County edited by Newton Bateman, et.al. Chicago: Munsell Publishing Company, 1904
 * History of Kane County, Illinois. Volumes I &amp; II by R. Waite Joslyn &amp; Frank W. Joslyn. Chicago:

The Pioneer Publishing Company, 1908.The indexes for all 5 Kane County histories (6 volumes) are part of the Master Every Name Index located at the Kane County Genealogical Society. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilkcgs/mast_name_index.html

Land and Property
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 or through the Family History Library.

Abstracts


 * Family maps of Kane County, Illinois with homesteads, roads, waterways, towns, cemeteries, railroads and more
 * Kane County (Illinois) land atlas and plat book, 1986
 * Abstractions from the Valley chronicle and the St. Charles chronicle, 1895-1899 (some land records)

Online Resources


 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * 1796–1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Kane County Federal Township Plats

Military
American Legion Post 57; Elgin, Illinois; Deceased/Transferred File www.elginroots.com/v4/AmericanLegion/index.html.

Civil War
Civil War service men from Kane 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 Kane County.


 * - 7th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company A.
 * - 7th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
 * - 8th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies A, B, and I.
 * - 16th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company H.
 * - 17th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company B.
 * - 36th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, B, F and K.
 * - 42nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 52nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, D, H, I and K.
 * - 55th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 58th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, G, and I.
 * - 89th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies E and K.
 * - 153rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Company C.
 * - 156th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B and F.

Grand Army of the Republic; Veteran Post 49; Elgin, Illinois; Member Roster with links to obituaries at www.elginroots.com/v4/GAR/index.html.

Naturalization
Naturalization facts for Kane County, Illinois:


 * 4 courts processed naturalizations in Kane County: the Aurora Court, the Kane County Court, the Elgin Court and the Kane County Circuit Court.
 * 1965 - all records were moved to the Kane County Circuit Court.
 * 162 volumes of records exist at the Kane County Circuit Court
 * 1853 – earliest record
 * 1954 – latest record
 * 40,000+ Declarations and Final Papers were processed
 * 2000 pages of extracted information were developed by the Kane County Genealogical when they indexed the naturalizations for the Kane County Circuit Court in the 1980s.
 * 4 indexes were developed: Applicant index, Spouse index, Child index and Witness index
 * All indexes are available in the Master Every Name Index located at the Kane County Genealogical Society. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilkcgs/mast_name_index.html

Naturalization Records


 * Naturalization records, 1858-1954 
 * 1840-1950 Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index, 1840-1950
 * 1872-1906 Naturalization Declarations of Intent IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1872-1906 Naturalization Dockets IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1904-1906 Naturalization Record of Minors IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1873-1896 Naturalization Record of Soldiers and Minors IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1872-1906 Naturalization Record, Final IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD

Newspaper
An on-line index of Elgin area newspaper articles from the Courier News &amp; Daily Herald is available on the Gail Borden Library website. This index includes information pulled for the historical papers as well as current.


 * [1999] Fox Valley Obituary Index–Obituaries reported in the Aurora Beacon–News

Probate
Probate Facts for Kane County, Illinois:


 * In 1993 the Kane County Circuit Court microfilmed the Probate and Guardianship packets and gave the original packets to 12 county historical societies.
 * The Circuit Court retained a copy of the microfilm.
 * 36,000 Probate and Guardianship packets were distributed.
 * Dates started in the late 1830s and included some as late as the 1970s.
 * Index to Kane County, Illinois, Probate and Guardianship Records Located in Local Historical Societies was published in 2003 by the Kane County Genealogical Society and can be found in genealogical library collections.
 * The index is part of the Master Every Name Index located at the Kane County Genealogical Society. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilkcgs/mast_name_index.html

Probate Records


 * Index to Kane County, Illinois probate and guardianship records located in local historical societies 
 * 1819-1970  at FamilySearch.org
 * 1837-1922 Miscellaneous probate records, 1837-1922 
 * 1850-1946 Probate Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1854-1869 Probate Executor's Record Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1854-1874 Probate Administrator's Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1855-1869 Probate Guardian's Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1865-1872 Probate Administrator's Petition Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1869-1946 Probate Appraisement Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1870-1946 Probate Administrator's and Executor's Reports IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1861-1946 Probate Inventory Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1866-1946 Probate Will Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1917-1927 Probate Fee Books IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD


 * Elgin

The Elgin Genealogical Society has created a Probate Records Index online. The Elgin Historical Society has the probate papers and you may send a query to them at the Elgin Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1418, Elgin, Illinois 60121-1418. Please check the Research Assistance Policy before sending a query.

Public

 * 1893-1899 Insanity Dockets IRAD-NIU Search for Kane County How to use IRAD
 * 1948-1974 Jail Registers IRAD-NIU Search for Kane County How to use IRAD
 * 1968-1974 Jail Visitor Registers IRAD-NIU Search for Kane County How to use IRAD
 * 1869-1922 School Trustees' Minutes IRAD-NIU Search for Kane County How to use IRAD

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

Family History Centers
Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah (United States) and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources to assist you in the research and study of your genealogy.

You may search your address for a center near you on the FamilySearch site.

Currently there are no Family History Centers located directly in Kane County. The following centers are located in surrounding counties. Their wiki pages may supply hours and other information.


 * Naperville Illinois Family History Center 1320 Ridgeland Road Naperville, Illinois Telephone:(630) 505-0233


 * Westchester Illinois Family History Center 1550 S Haase Road Westchester,Illinois Telephone: (708) 409-8412


 * Schaumburg Illinois Family History Center 1320 W. Schaumburg Road Schaumburg, Illinois 60194 Telephone: (847) 885-4130


 * Dekalb Illinois Family History Center 675 Fox Avenue Sycamore, Illinois 60178 Telephone: (815) 895–0702

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 Kane 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

Public Libraries
The following Kane County libraries have collections of specific interest to genealogists.

Aurora Public Library 1 E. Benton St. Aurora, Illinois 60505 (630) 264-4100


 * Aurora Genealogy Index
 * Now and Then Index includes Name and Subject searches for the "Now and Then" collection of newspaper clippings from the Beacon-News (held in the Main Library)
 * Beacon News Obituary Index

Gail Borden Public Library District 270 N. Grove Ave. Elgin, Illinois 60120 (847) 742-2411

Their genealogy collection concentrates on Elgin and Kane County, Illinois, but contains materials for other localities. The collection includes microfilm of the early Elgin Death Records and a card file to vital records information contained in the Watch Word. The Watch Word was a coporate newsletter published by the Elgin Watch Factory.

Societies
Elgin Area Historical Society 360 Park St. Elgin, Illinois 60120 Phone: 847-742-4248

The Elgin Area Historical Museum is a genealogical gem for those with Elgin, Illinois roots. There you will find original probate and divorce records for Kane County, Elgin Township, some Elgin mortuary records, a vertical file of surnames researched by the Elgin Genealogical Society, Elgin histories, business directories, phone books, memoirs and more. The museum is also strong in Elgin Watch holdings and general Elgin history.

Elgin Genealogical Society PO Box 1418 Elgin, IL 60121-1418

The Elgin Genealogical Society was formed in 1972, and has been working since then to assist their members and the genealogical community with their research. The society currently is working to index all the back issues of Elgin area newspaper, in cooperation with the Gail Borden Public Library.

Kane County Genealogy Society has created a Master Name Index with 800,000 names of people in the following records of Kane County.


 * Kane County Naturalization, Marriage, Guardianship, and Probate records
 * All 5 county histories dating from 1878 to 1908
 * Census records, including the 1840, 1850, 1860 federal censuses and the 1865 Illinois state census
 * Cemetery inscriptions from over 50 county cemeteries
 * Community and organization histories
 * Kane County Gazeteers and church histories
 * School, bible and funeral home records

The query fee for these records is $15 per hour. This fee will cover a search for a husband and his wife (including her maiden name). An additional fee of $1.50 will be added for postage. Send your request to: KCGS P.O. Box 504 Geneva, IL 60134 Attention: Computer Search

Taxation

 * Kane County, Illinois 1848 Personal Property Tax List transcribed by Joseph Kearns. Kane County Genealogical Society, 1984.
 * The index is available in the Master Every Name Index located at the Kane County Genealogical Society. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilkcgs/mast_name_index.html

Vital Records
Kane County vital records for genealogical purposes are provided by the County Clerk. They are defined as follows:


 * Birth records over 75 years
 * Marriage records over 50 years
 * Death certificate records of more than 20 years

Fill out the Vital Record Certified Copy Request form and send the application to: Kane County Clerk, Attn: Vital Records, 719 S Batavia Ave, Bldg B, Geneva, Illinois 60134. Remember to include the cost of the record:


 * Birth--$11 and $4 for each additional copy
 * Marriage--$11 and $4 for each additional copy
 * Death--$13 and $6 for each additional copy

Birth

 * 1877-1915 Birth index -
 * 1855-1900 Births -
 * 1877-1916 Kane County, Illinois birth index cards, 1877-1916
 * 1895-1899 Abstractions from the Valley chronicle and the St. Charles chronicle, 1895-1899
 * 1855-1900 Birth Certificates IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1891-1897 Birth Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1877-1915 Birth Record Index IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD

Marriage

 * To-1850 Illinois Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
 * 1790-1860 Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
 * 1851-1900 Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
 * 1836-1925 Marriage registers, 1836-1925; marriage certificates/licenses, 1836-1923; uncertified marriage certificates/licenses, 1887-1896, 1899 (only 1); marriage affidavits, 1836-1902; indexes, 1836-1923
 * 1836-1925 Marriage record index, Kane County, Illinois
 * 1895-1899 Abstractions from the Valley chronicle and the St. Charles chronicle, 1895-1899
 * 1810-1934  at FamilySearch.org
 * 1836-1902 Marriage License Affidavits IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1836-1923 Marriage Licenses IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1836-1925 Marriage Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1836-1923 Marriage Record Index IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD

Online Resources


 * 1815–1900 Illiniois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 (1836–1922 for Kane County)
 * Kane County Marriages Courtesy Genealogytrails.com

Divorce

 * Elgin Civil Court Divorce Records The records in this index are held at the Elgin Area Historical Society Museum.

Death

 * 1877-1919 Death certificates and indexes, 1877-1919
 * 1895-1899 Abstractions from the Valley chronicle and the St. Charles chronicle, 1895-1899
 * 1916-1947  at FamilySearch.org
 * 1877-1915 Death Certificates IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1877-1919 Death Record Index IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD

Online Resources


 * Pre–1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre–1916 (Oct. 1877–Dec. 1915 for Kane County)
 * 1916–1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916–1950
 * 1850 Kane County 1850 Mortality Index. Courtesy Genealogytrails.com
 * 1860 1860 Mortality Index Courtesy Genealogytrails.com
 * Kane County, IL Death Listings Courtesy Genealogytrails.com Genealogytrails.com


 * Aurora 
 * 1895-1901 Aurora: Death Certificates IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD
 * 1859-1891 Aurora: Death Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD


 * Elgin 
 * 1837-1949 Elgin: Death, Burial and Removal Permit Record IRAD-NIU Search for Kane records How to use IRAD

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Elgin Genealogical Societyis a great gateway to sites to aid researches to this area.
 * Kane County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Kane County Genealogical Society covers records from the whole county.
 * Kane County Genealogical Society covers records from the whole county.