Jackson County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois Jackson County

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

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

Historical Facts


The county is named after War of 1812 hero Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) who became Seventh President of the United States in 1829.

Parent County

 * 1816--Jackson County was created 10 January 1816 from Randolph and Johnson Counties.
 * County seat: Murphysboro (since 1 Aug 1843). Prior to that time the county seat was located a few miles to the west in Brownsville, which is no longer extant.

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.

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

January 10, 1843 -- The original courthouse in Brownsville was destroyed by fire with a near total loss of records. On February 1, 1843, the Illinois General Assembly passed a law whereby the records destroyed by the fire could be re-recorded based upon written or oral testimonty before a panel of at least two of three members of a special Board of Investitagation appointed for this purpose. The term of the Board was for one year, unless extended by the governor.

For further information on researching in burned counties, see the following:


 * Burned Counties Research
 * http://blogs.ancestry.com/circle/?p=2424

Biography

 * All of the Jackson County, Illinois family biographies from The Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois (1894) published by Biographical Publishing Co. are available free online at My Genealogy Hound.

Cemeteries
The Illinois Cemeteries page provides general explanations of the following online Jackson County resources:

The surname index to Jackson County Historical Society's publication Cemeteries of Jackson County, Illinois, Volume I, Makanda Township is available for free online, courtesy: Jackson County ILGenWeb Project.

Local Cemeteries


 * Ava Evergreen Cemetery, courtesy Hinton Genealogy Research
 * Etherton Cemetery, courtesy The Etherton's Genealogical Page
 * Hagler Cemetery, courtesy The Etherton's Genealogical Page

Census
For tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.

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, Jackson County on page 187.]

Church Records
Copies of Original records


 * 1834–1871 Unity Baptist Church
 * 1849–1942 Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church and Oakland Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * 1866–1973 Mt. Joy Evangelical Lutheran Church
 * 1895–1970 Little Crab Orchard Christian Church
 * 1901 Minutes of the seventy-first annual session of the Clear Creek Baptist Association
 * Mt. Joy Lutheran Church records

Catholic
FamilySearch has made parish records from more than five Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Jackson County available for free online (free registration is required to view the images). The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:


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Court Records
Jackson County Court records are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. For more information on court records see Illnois Court Records

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


 * 1843–1855 County Court record, v. D
 * 1844–1855 Circuit Court record law, v. E
 * 1844-1856 Circuit Court record IRAD (SIU) Search for Jackson records How to use IRAD
 * 1873-1973 Jail Registers IRAD (SIU) Search for Jackson records How to use IRAD

The following abstracts are available at the Family History Library:


 * 1823–1841 Wright, John W. D. Jackson County, Illinois meetings of county court and jury lists, 1823- 1841. Murphysboro, Illinois: Jackson County Historical Society (TN), 1981. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1823–1835 Illinois. County Commissioner's Court (Jackson County) and Ruth L. Hutchcraft and Barbara Burr Hubbs. County commissioners court record, Jackson County, Illinois. Murphysboro, Illinois: Jackson County Historical Society (TN), c1993. Other libraries (WorldCat)

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

 * Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the Counties: Together with Biographies and Portraits of All the Presidents of the United States, and the Governors of the State of Illinois. Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1894. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive. For additional access, see WeRelate.

Land and Property
Original land records are held in the office of the County Recorder. See Illinois Land and Property for more information about using land records.

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

Copies of Original Records


 * 1836-1853 School Land Sale Petitions IRAD (SIU)
 * 1836-1861 School Land Sale Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1838-1889 Deed Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1843-1936 Deed Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1843–1889 Grantor and grantee index to deeds IRAD (SIU);
 * 1843–1889 Deeds
 * 1840–1861 Sale of school lands.
 * 1855-1962 Plat Record, Schools IRAD (SIU)
 * 1870-1962 Chattel Mortgage Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1879-1880 Agricultural Society Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1886-1963 Chattel Mortgage Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1887-1906 Plat Record, Roads IRAD (SIU)
 * 1888-1940 Chattel Mortgage Extensions IRAD (SIU)
 * 1905-1948 Mortgage Index, Marginal Releases IRAD (SIU)
 * 1924-1964 Lien Record, Federal Taxes IRAD (SIU)
 * 1962-1964 Lien Record, Real Estate, Old Age Assistance IRAD (SIU)
 * 1962-1974 Lien record Index, Real Estate, Old Age Assistance IRAD (SIU)
 * 1986 Rockford Map Publishers. Jackson County (Illinois) land atlas and plat book, [1986]. Rockford, Illinois: Rockford Map Publishers, c1986. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Abstracts


 * 1814–1840 Wright, John W.D. Jackson County, Illinois formation and early settlement. Murphysboro, Illinois: Jackson County Historical Society (TN), 1983. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1907 index of landowners; De Voe, Glenda. Index of landowners to the 1907 plat book of Jackson County, Illinois . Murphysboro, Illinois: Jackson County Historical Society (TN), [1986?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1907 R. Allyn and George Ogle, Elisabeth Pinkerton Leighty, and Glenda DeVoe. 1878 history and 1907 atlas of Jackson County, Illinois. Murphysboro, Illinois: Jackson County Historical Society (Illinois),[1908?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Other Land Resources


 * Family Maps of Jackson County, Illinois (2007) plats the land of many nineteenth-century Jackson County residents. The publisher's bookstore includes a free online surname index.

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 ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Jackson County Federal Township Plats

Maps



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

Civil War
Civil War service men from Pike 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 Pike County.


 * - 9th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 15th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company E (Hutchens' Cavalry Company).
 * - 18th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, New Company C and Company K.
 * - 27th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
 * - 31st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
 * - 73rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 81st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, D and F.
 * -109th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 145th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.

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

Copies of Original Records


 * 1859-1892 Naturalization records: final papers
 * 1860-1892 Naturalization Record, Final IRAD (SIU)
 * 1864-1906 Naturalization Papers IRAD (SIU)
 * 1868-1898 Naturalization Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1868-1906 Naturalization records
 * 1873-1906 Naturalization Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1904-1906 Naturalization Record of Minors IRAD (SIU)
 * 1904-1906 Naturalization Record, Final IRAD (SIU)
 * Index to naturalization records of Jackson County, Illinois Other Libraries (WorldCat);

Extractions


 * 523 extractions from naturalization records of Jackson County, Illinois Other Libraries (WorldCat);
 * 826 additional extractions from naturalization records of Jackson County, Illinois Other Libraries (WorldCat);

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

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


 * 1840–1888 Index to probate files
 * 1840-1960 Probate Case Files Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1842-1964 Probate Will Record IRAD (SIU) Search for Jackson records
 * 1843-1844 Probate Record, Board of Investigation IRAD (SIU)
 * 1843-1857 Probate Administrator's Accounts IRAD (SIU)
 * 1843-1888 Probate Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1843–1897; 1899–1822 Will record v. 1-2 1843-1864
 * 1843-1913 Probate Case Files, Guardians IRAD (SIU)
 * 1843-1925 Probate Case Files IRAD (SIU)
 * 1843–1888 Probate record
 * 1844–1825 Probate estate case files
 * 1859-1902 Probate Guardian's Record IRAD (SIU)

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

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Carbondale 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 Jackson County.

Public Libraries
Carbondale Public Library 405 West Main Street Carbondale, IL 62901 (618)457-0354 Has HeritageQuest and Ancestry and other Genealogical tools available for use.

Grand Tower Public Library 516 Front Street Grand Tower, IL 62942 (618)565-2181

Rick Warren Memorial Public Library Fourth And Board Elkville, IL 62932 (618)568-1843 Has area historical information and newspapers

Sallie Logan Public Library 1808 Walnut Murphysboro, IL 62966 (618)684-3271 Has Genealogical resources (HeritageQuest, America's Genealogy Bank)

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

Taxation
Original tax records are held in the office of the County Clerk.

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


 * 1827-1880 Tax Sale Record
 * 1833-1846
 * 1858-1881 Tax Sale Record Index, Lands
 * 1868-1880 Tax Judgment Record
 * 1883-1901 Tax Judgment, Sale, Redemption and Forfeiture Record
 * 1936-1962 Tax Abatement Record, Personal Property
 * 1941-1946 Tax Lists, Delinquent

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 Jackson 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 vital 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 Jackson County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

General

 * 1889–1891, 1919, 1927–1934 Lee, Brenda Garver and William W. Lee. Fireside tales: newspaper abstracts, 1889-1891, 1919, 1927–1934. [S.l.: s.n., c1989].
 * 1889 Lee, Brenda Garver. Ava remembers, 1889. [S.l.: s.n.], c1989.
 * 1930–1935 Lee, Brenda Garver. Seeds of Ava, Illinois: Ava newspaper abstracts, 1930-1935 [S.l.: s.n., c19--].
 * Lee, Brenda Garver. Ava lives and Ava passings, volume I: Ava citizen, Du Quoin herald, early Carbondale, early Murphysboro newspapers. Steeleville, Illinois: Westerman Print., 1993. *Lee, Brenda Garver. Memories. [S.l.: s.n., c19--].

Births
Abstracts


 * 1878–1881 Kindorf, Catherine. Birth records, 1878-1881, returned by a midwife in Jackson County, Illinois.

Copies of Original Records


 * 1852–1943 Index to birth certificates and IRAD (SIU)
 * 1877-1916 Birth and Death Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1877–1915 Birth register and index
 * 1877-1916 Birth and Death Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1852–1915 Birth Certificates
 * 1852-1916 Birth Certificates
 * 1877-1916 Birth and Death Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1877-1937 Birth Record
 * 1877-1916 Birth and Death Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1902–1940 Index to births and deaths
 * 1902-1915 Birth Records
 * 1916–1941 Delayed birth record

Marriages
Online Resources


 * 1790–1860 Illinois Marriage indexfound at Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900
 * 1819-1851 Jackson County Marriage Records on USGenWeb Archives Illinois. Contains marriages from 1819 - 1851 as well as other selected marriages

Abstracts


 * 1843–1875 Ellis, Roberta McDaniel and Helen Falkenheim Williams. Marriages recorded from 1843 to 1875 (Jackson County, Illinois). Murphysboro, Ill.: Ellis, 1975. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Copies of Original Records


 * 1875-1895 Index to marriages (brides)
 * 1842-1915 Marriage Record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1843-1895 Marriage Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1843-1915 Marriage record and register

Deaths
Online Resources


 * 1850–1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 found at Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916

Abstracts


 * 1850 Wright, John W.D. Jackson County, Illinois, residents in 1850. Carbondale, Illinois: Jackson County Historical Society (TN), [c1972]. This book includes mortality schedule, showing deaths in Jackson County for the year ending June 30, 1850. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1844–1906 Gildehaus, Valerie Phillips. Index to death records, 1844-1906, Jackson County, Illinois Murphysboro, Illinois: Jackson County Historical Society (Illinois), c1996. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1904–1915 Cox, Phoebe; Jackson County Historical Society (Ill.). Phoebe Cox; Jackson County Historical Society (Ill.)Index to Jackson County, Illinois death books: 1904–1915. Murphysboro, Illinois: Jackson County Historical Society (Illinois), c2003. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Jackson County, Illinois Obituary and Death Notices Collection Free from GenealogyBuff.com. From various funeral homes in the Carbondale, Murphysboro, Somerset, Elk, and surrounding area.
 * Death Index and Selected Death records for Jackson County, Illinois on UsGenWeb Archives Illinois. The "death index" contains a few selected names which came from obituaries during the 1900's. The "selected death records" contains about fifty names.

Copies of original records

 * 1877–1901 Death register and index and IRAD (SIU)
 * 1877-1916 Birth and Death Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1902-1918 Coroner's Inquest RecordIRAD (SIU)
 * 1877-1916 Birth and Death Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1902–1940 Index to births and deaths
 * 1908-1917 Death record
 * 1913-1917 Death Certificates, Coroner's IRAD (SIU)
 * 1877-1916 Birth and Death Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1914-1922 Death Certificates IRAD (SIU)
 * 1877-1916 Birth and Death Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1916–1922 Jackson County, Illinois death and stillborn certificates.
 * Jackson County, Illinois funeral card collection

Voter Registration
Original Voting Registers are held in the office of the county Clerk. The following records may be accessed through the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Jackson County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.


 * 1865-1874 Voter Registers

Places / Localities
To see a list of places in Jackson County, click on [Show], in the bar above. The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.

Web Sites

 * Jackson County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Jackson County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Jackson County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)