Tazewell County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois Tazewell County

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

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

Historical Facts
The county was named for Lyttleton Waller Tazewell, and iminent lawyer, Governor, Representative in Congress, and United States Senator from Virginia

Parent County

 * 1827--Tazewell County was created 31 January 1827 from Sangamon County. County seat: Pekin

Boundary Changes
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.

1825-1827 Peoria

1821-1825 Sangamon

1817-1821 Bond

1812-1821 Madison

1790-1812 St. Clair

1790-1801 Knox. Northwest Territory

Records Loss
For a list of record loss in Illinois counties see: Illinois Counties with Burned Courthouses

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

Portrait and Biographical Record of Tazewell and Mason Counties, Illinois (Internet Archive)

Tazewell County Biography  (WorldCat)

Cemeteries
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 list of cemeteries in Tazewell County and links to the information for the individuals buried there.


 * Tazewell 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 FamilySearch Catalog lists . Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * ePodunk list of Tazewell 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.

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, Tazewell County on page 188.]

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 the Illinois State University (ISU) - search for Tazewell County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.

1837-1859 Circuit Court Dockets IRAD-ISU

Court Records Available at the Family History Library

1862-1926 Guardian's Records. Tazewell County Court. Items 2-4 First of 10 films. Index included.

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

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.

1850-1863 Swamp Land Record IRAD-ISU

Land Records available through the Family History Library

1824-1920 Deed Records Tazewell County Recorder first film of 51. Index included

1827-1871 Deed Records. Tazewell County Recorder.

Local Histories

 * Early History of Washington, Illinois and Vicinity. Washington, Ill.: Tazewell County Reporter, 1929. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * Township Map of 1870 Tazewell County, Illinois with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)

Military Records
For information about using Military records see Illinois Military Records

Revolutionary War
Veteran Burials (Genealogy Trails History Group)

War of 1812
Military Land GrantsTazewell County, Illinois for Soldiers of the War of 1812 - USGenWeb

Blackhawk War
Captain John G. Adams' Company- USGenWeb

Captain Jacob M. Farley's Company- USGenWeb

Indian Wars
Military Land Grantsin Tazewell County, Illinois for Soldiers of the Indian Wars - USGenWeb

Mexican War
Comapny G Fourth Illinois Volunteers- USGenWeb

Civil War
Civil War service men from Tazewell 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 Tazewell County.

Cavalry


 * - 3rd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company B
 * - 4th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company H
 * -11th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company F, and Company H

Infantry


 * - 8th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company F
 * - 8th Regiment, (3 years) Illinois Infantry, Company F
 * - 31st_Regiment,_Illinois_Infantry, Company I
 * - 44th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A, and Company K
 * -47th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B, and Company E
 * - 73rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B
 * - 85th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A, and Company E
 * - 86th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G
 * - 94th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I
 * - 100th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A
 * -108th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A, Company B, and Company K
 * -115th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H
 * -139th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C
 * -146th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K
 * -148th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C
 * -152nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D

Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)

A list of GAR Post in Illinoisan additional site for post in Illinois; Library of Congress

Delavan Post,Delavan 1913 - USGenWeb

Joe Hanna Post, Pekin 1913 - USGenWeb

John Hunter Post, Minier 1913 - USGenWeb

1861-1862 Militia Roll Record - IRAD-ISU

1864-1949 Military Discharge Record IRAD-ISU. Also available at the Family History Library

Available at the Family History Library

1864-1891 Soldier's Discharge. Tazewell County Recorder. Items 3-4

1883 Tazewell County PensionersList -USGenWeb

World War I
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918   (Ancestry)

World War II
Army Casualties Part 1   (U.S. National Archives and Records Administation)

Army Casualties Part 2    (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)

Naturalization
Original naturalization records are held in the office of the County Clerk. See Illinois Naturalization Records for more information about using naturalization records.

The following copies of original records may be accessed through the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Illinois State University (ISU) - search for Tazewell County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.

1839-1892 Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court IRAD-ISU

1866-1903 Naturalization Declarations of Intent, County Court IRAD-ISU. Also available at the Family History Library

1856-1906 Naturalization Papers, County Court IRAD-ISU

1867-1888 Naturalization Record of Soldier's and Minors, Circuit Court IRAD-ISU

1903-1906 Naturalization Record, County Court IRAD - ISU

1858-1886 Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court IRAD-ISU

1876-1903 Naturalization Record, Final, County Court IRAD-ISU

Naturalization Records available at Family History Library

1839-1906 Naturalization Records. Tazewell County Court.

1856-1906 Naturalization Papers, Declarations of Intent, Tazewell County Clerk.

1839-1909 Tazewell County, Illinois Naturalization and Immigration Records. by Christal E. Dagit

Newspapers and Obituaries
Newspapers Published in Tazewell County (Illinois Newspaper Project)

Chronicling American  (Library of Congress)

GenealogyBank has Historical Newspapers 1690-2007

Obituaries

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

Illinios, Pekin Public Library Obituaries (FamilySearch Historical Records)

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

1912-1924 Probate Record IRAD-ISU

Probate records available at the Family History Library

1827-1923 Probate Records. Tazewell County Court. First of 25 films. Includes index

1830-1924 Will Records. Tazewell County Court. first film of 8. Includes indexes.

Repositories
See also a List of Illinois Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical & Genealogical Societies

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. Illinois State University houses the records for Tazewell County.

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. Currently there are no Family History Centers located directly in Tazewell County.

You may search your address for a center near you on the FamilySearch site. The following centers are located in surrounding counties. Their wiki pages may supply hours and other information.

FamilySearch Centers  (Family History Library)

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

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
Illinois State Universtiy (ISU) 2016 Warehouse Road Campus Box 1520 Normal, Illinois 61802 Phone: 1-309-452-6027

Illinois Regional Archives Depository System- Local Governmental Records Listings Arranged by County

Public Libraries
Tazewell County Public Libraries  (Public Libraries Libraries Directory)

Societies
Tazewell County Genealogical and Historical Societywas established in 1978 with the following mission: "to stimulate interest, to collect, preserve, and safeguard records, and to provide related educational services for the purpose of increasing and enriching public knowledge of our [Tazewell County] heritage." We currently (2011) have about 400 members.

Our library (the Ehrlicher Research Center) is located at 719 N Eleventh Street in Pekin, Illinois. The library is open Monday 9 am-1 pm, Tuesday 9 am-1 pm and 7-9 pm, Wednesday 9 am-4:30 pm, Thursday-Friday 9 am-1 pm, and Sunday 2-4:30 pm central time (closed on holidays and holiday weekends). We will also try to open at other times by advance appointment.

Our collection currently contains over 5000 volumes including family histories; county histories; atlases; cemetery books; marriage books, census records, newspapers on microfilm; funeral home records; surname card file; surname correspondence files; obituary index; church directories; historic photo collection; research publications from surrounding counties of McDonough, Fulton, McLean, Mason, Menard,and Peoria as well as other Illinois counties and other states; Civil War Records including "The War of the Rebellion. A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 128 Volumes. Washington. 1882-1900". Our German collection including a complete set of "Germans to American" and Ostrfriesland OSB books is one the largest in the state of Illinois.

We also offer research services for those that can't make the trip to our library.Web Sites


 * Tazewell County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Tazewell County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)

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.

Order Birth and Death Certificates Online

Vital Records (years vary; birth, marriage and death) available at Family History Library

1904-1964 Cornoner's Inquest. Tazewell County Coroner.

Birth
1858-1916 Birth Record Index IRAD-ISU

1877-1916 Birth Record IRAD-ISU

Marriage

 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900

1827-1922 Marriage Record Index IRAD-ISU

1827-1835 Early Marriages of Tazeewell County - USGenWeb

1827-1922 Marriage Record IRAD-ISU

Early Marriages in Tazewell County (Internet Archives)

Death

 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916


 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950

1877-1954 Death Record Index IRAD-ISU

1877-1914 Death Record IRAD-ISU

1915-1934 Death Record, Coroner's IRAD-ISU

1869-1964 Coroner's Inquest Record IRAD-ISU

Neighboring Counties

 * Fulton
 * Logan
 * Mason
 * McLean
 * Peoria
 * Woodford

Websites
Databases Pertinent to Tazewell County Local Governmental Records Database Name Index to Illinois Local Governments Illinois Statewide Marriage Index Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950 Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database Federal Township Plats of Illinois 
 * Tazewell County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook