Clinton County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Clinton County, Illinois ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. Illinois Online Genealogy Records

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

Historical Facts
Clinton County is named for who was the Governor of the State of New York and a promoter of the Erie Canal.

Description
The county was named for N.Y. Governor DeWitt Clinton. The County Seat is Carlyle and was founded 1824. It is located in the Central area of the state.

Boundary Changes

 * 27 December 1824: -- Clinton County was created from Washington,Bond, Fayette and Crawford Counties.

For animated maps illustrating Illinois county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Illinois County Boundary Maps" (1790-1869) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

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:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Cemeteries

 * Pritchett Cemetery, Boulder

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, Clinton County on page 186.]

Church History and Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

General
Clinton County Church Records available through WorldCat.org.

Catholic
FamilySearch has made parish records from 14 Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Clinton County available online. The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:


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Court Records
See Illinois Court Records for more information on Court Records in Illinois.

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

Germans
Archives, Libraries, and Museums Biographies Church Records Cemetery Records Court Records Histories Immigration/emigration/migration Maps Newspapers Societies

Land and Property
Illinois Land and Property for more information on land records in Illinois.

Land records for Clinton County are held in the office of the County Clerk and Recorder. (618) 665-3626 Email: ccclerk@clintonco.illinois.gov

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


 * 1818-1915 Deeds, 1818-1915
 * 1818-1920 Entry books, 1818-1920
 * 1818-1920 Deed Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1816-1890 Entry Books IRAD (SIU)
 * 1825-1915 Deed Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1857-1873 Plat Record, Roads IRAD (SIU)
 * 1858-1890 Mortgage records, 1858-1890
 * 1874-1908 Tax Deed Affidavits IRAD (SIU)
 * 1886-1891 Tax Judgment, Sale, Redemption and Forfeiture Record IRAD (SIU)
 * Family maps of Clinton County, Illinois with homesteads, roads, waterways, towns, cemeteries, railroads and more. Other libraries (WorldCat).
 * Land atlas and plat book, Clinton County, Illinois, 1985 Other libraries (WorldCat).

Online Resources


 * 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.com ($)
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database. Also available at Ancestry ($)
 * Clinton County Federal Township Plats

Maps

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Civil War
Civil War service men from Clinton County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment)that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Clinton County.


 * - 15th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company D (Clinton County Cavalry, O'Harnett's Cavalry Company).
 * - 22nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A
 * - 111th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies G and I.
 * - 117th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 150th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Company F.

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


 * 1865-1948 Military Discharge Record

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

Circuit Court


 * 1857-1902 Naturalization Record, Final
 * 1858-1880 Naturalization Declarations of Intent
 * 1861-1900 Naturalization Record

County Court


 * 1854-1906 Naturalization Record
 * 1899-1903 Naturalization Record, Final

Family History Library Collection

The following copies of records may be accessed through the Family History Library:


 * 1857-1904 Naturalization records

Online Records
 * 1800-1998 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1772 - 1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1819 - 1988 at FamilySearch.org — images


 * See Illinois Probate Records for more information.

Some of the original wills may be found in the Circuit Clerk's office in Carlyle (618) 594-2464 extension 620.

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


 * 1825-1898 Probate Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1825-1899
 * 1825-1968 Probate Case Files Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1855-1863, 1866-1873
 * 1855-1873 Probate Case Files IRAD (SIU)
 * 1857-1914 Probate Will Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1857-1928
 * 1857-1928 Probate Will Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1864-1869 Probate Appraisement Record IRAD (SIU)

Online Resources


 * Wills Index Clinton County, Illinois, courtesy: ILGenWeb

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 Clinton County Courthouse page.

Family History Center

 * Centralia Illinois Family History Center

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 Clinton County.

Public Libraries
Case-Halstead Public Library 571 Franklin Street Carlyle, Illinois 62231 Phone: 618-594-5210 Fax: 618-594-8415 Email: casehalstead@gmail.com Hours: Monday - Thursday 12 - 8 pm Friday: 12 - 15 pm Saturday: 9 am - 12 pm Sunday: Closed

Breese Library 530 North Third Breese, Illinois 62230 Phone: 618-526-7361 Email: bra@breeselibrary.org Hours: Monday - Friday 10 am - 8 pm Saturday 10 am - 3 pm

Societies

 * Clinton County Historical Society Museum 1091 Franklin Street Carlyle, Illinois 62231 Telephone Number: 618-594-4015 The museum is free - donations accepted.


 * Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois has a page with details about its' activities.

Vital Records
See Illinois Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Illinois. See also How to order Illinois Vital Records or order electronically online.

Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Clinton 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 Family History Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Clinton County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Births

 * 1867-1941 Birth Record Index, Delayed IRAD (SIU)
 * 1867-1941 Birth Record, Delayed IRAD (SIU)
 * 1874-1915 Delayed birth certificates, 1874-1915; index, 1874-1941
 * 1877-1898 Birth Certificates IRAD (SIU)
 * 1877-1915 Birth Records and IndexIRAD (SIU) and
 * 1884-1887 Falk, Dorothy. Clinton County Illinois Births Jan 1884 - June 3 1887, courtesy: ILGenWeb

Marriages

 * 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1810–1934 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1825-1856 Clinton County, Illinois marriages
 * 1825-1937 Marriage Record IRAD (SIU) and
 * 1825-1920 Marriages 1825-1920, courtesy: ILGenWeb (Split into several collections)
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1874-1937 Marriage Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1886-1914 Marriage applications volumes 2-10
 * 1886-1914 Marriage License Applications IRAD (SIU)

Deaths

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — index, some images
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1877-1903 Death Record Book 1 Index, Clinton County, Illinois December 1877 - June 1903, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * 1877-1915 Death records, 1877-1915; still birth register, 1878-1911
 * 1877-1915 Death Record and IndexIRAD (SIU)
 * 1878-1916 Death Record, Stillbirths IRAD (SIU)
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950

Websites

 * Clinton County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Clinton County IL Genealogy
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Clinton County, Illinois GenWeb project has extensive resources including cemetery indexes, marriages, deaths, obituaries, biographies, maps, name indexes, history and other information for the county.
 * Clinton County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)