Ford County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois Ford County

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

Historical Records


Ford County is named for, the eighth Governor of Illinois.

Boundary Changes

 * 17 February 1859: Ford County was created from Clark County. Note:An earlier attempt to create Holmes County (proposed), on 31 January 1857 in the same general area, was unsuccessful. (Ill. Laws 1859, pub., pp. 29-33) (source:Newberry Library}

See an interactive map of Ford County boundary changes.

Cemeteries
Find A Grave, list of cemeteries. Additional information can be found at local level (city, township, etc.)


 * Ford 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.

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

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
1885-1890 Deed Record. IRAD-ISU

1888-1897 Chattel Mortgage Extensions. IRAD-ISU

1938-1952 Chattel Morgage Record. IRAD-ISU

Index
1860-1941 Chattel Mortgage Index. IRAD-ISU

Civil War
Civil War service men from Ford 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 Ford County.


 * - 76th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.

List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 (Source: Internet Archives)

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

World War II
World War II Casualities, Army and Army Air Corps (Source: Access Genealogy)

Newspapers and Obituaries
Newspapers Published in Ford County (Source: Illinois Newspaper Project)

Chronicling AmericaFord County (Source: The Library of Congress)

Cataloged Titles (Source: Illinois Newspaper Project)

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

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

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

Societies
Ford County Historical Society

Taxation
1833-1876 Taxable Lands Lists. IRAD-ISU

Vital Records
Ford Vital Records Office

IDPH Registrar of Vital Records

Room 101 Courthouse

200 West State Street

Paxton, IL 60957

1-217-379-2721

Order Birth and Death Certificates Online

Births
1878-1901 Birth Records. IRAD-ISU

index
1878-1909 Birth Record Index

Marriages
1859-1927 Marriage Record. IRAD-ISU

Index
1859-1983 MarriageRecord Index. IRAD-ISU

Deaths
1878-1901 Death Record. IRAD-ISU

Index
1878-1915 Death Record Index. IRAD-ISU

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Ford County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Ford County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)