Henderson County, Illinois Genealogy

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

Description
The county was named for the Henderson River. Large numbers of Kentuckians settled in frontier Henderson County, Illinois. The name of the county (Henderson) is reminiscent of Henderson (KY) - the previous residence of many pioneer settlers. The county seat is Oquawka and the county was organized on 1841. The County is located in the Western part of the state.

County Courthouse
Henderson County Courthouse 307 Warren St Oquawka, IL 61469 Phone: 309-867-3121 Henderson County Courthouse

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

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

Biographies

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

Census Records

 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 found at Ancestry ($)

Church Records
The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through the FamilySearch Library.

Presbyterian  List of Churches and Church Parishes Original court records are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Court Records for more information about using court records.
 * 1834-1861 Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church of South Henderson minutes
 * 1846-1884 Marriages performed by Rev. W.S. Campbell
 * 1865-1900 Parsons, Mary Lou and Ethel Ketchum Trego. Smith Creek United Presbyterian Church, Henderson County, Illinois, 17 June 1865-1900. [S.l.: s.n., 1996?].
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1843-1928 Probate records and index
 * 1856-1944 Naturalization records
 * 1859-1939 Miscellaneous probate records and bonds
 * 1841-1853 Warren County, Illinois Genealogical Society. Early court commissioner's records of Henderson County, IL: 1841-1853. [S.l.]: Warren County, Illinois Genealogical Society, 1992. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library,

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African Americans
 * African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records
 * Illinois African-American Resource Guide by the Illinois State Archives describes what records are at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
 * African-American Resources for Illinois

Land and Property Records
Original land records are held in the office of the County Clerk. See Illinois Land and Property for more information about using land records. Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1841-1886 Grantee index
 * 1841-1887 Grantor index
 * 1841-1902 Deed records
 * 1982-1983 Land atlas and plat book Many libraries (WorldCat)
 * 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 ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence, at Ancestry ($).
 * Henderson County Federal Township Plats

Local Histories

 * History of Mercer and Henderson counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. gathered from matter furnished by the Mercer and Henderson County historical societies, interviews with old settlers, county, township and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources as have been available Chicago, IL, H.H. Hill and Company, 1882. Online at:FamilySearch Digital Library, also at Ancestry ($), and Internet Archive (free)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
 Civil War Regiments. Civil War service men from Henderson 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 Henderson County.
 * - 10th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies E and G.
 * - 16th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
 * - 65th Reigment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
 * - 84th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies G and K.
 * - 91st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B and C.
 * - 118th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 138th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company D.


 * Despite the destruction of the 1890 Federal Census, a few 1890 Census Veterans Schedules for Henderson County survived. They are available on roll 118 of "Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War" (NARA M123). The schedules list veterans and their widows who served as Union soldiers in the Civil War. For more information on the 1890 Veterans Schedules see Union Census Records.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Original naturalization records are held in the office of the County Clerk. See Illinois Naturalization Records for more information about using naturalization records. Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1856-1944 Naturalization records
 * 1800-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1856-1991 Illinois, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991 at Ancestry ($) - index and images

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry ($) - index
 * NewspaperArchive.com ($) has historical newspapers online including Burlington, Iowa newspapers dating back to the mid 1800's that may have included Henderson County residents. This database is free at some libraries.

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 FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Henderson County records. For information on how to use IRAD see theWIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1772-1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * 1841-1939 Probate records, wills, administratiors' records, executors' records, guardianship records, and widows relinquishment records for Henderson County probate records are also available in . Click on the browse through images link, select Henderson County, and select the record type you are interested in.
 * 1841-1923 Probate Record
 * 1843-1928 Probate records and index
 * 1859-1939 Miscellaneous probate records and bonds

Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Henderson 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 records may be accessed through online databases, the FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Henderson County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

 * 1877-1901 Birth register IRAD–WIU
 * 1877-1915 Birth Record Index IRAD–WIU
 * 1878-1887 Index to births
 * Miscellaneous Births From Henderson County Register of Births, courtesy USGenWeb Archives.

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1790-1860 Illinois Marriage indexfound at Ancestry ($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index
 * Henderson County, Illinois Marriage Records, courtesy USGenWeb Archives Illinois.
 * 1841-1901 Marriage register IRAD–WIU
 * 1841-1934 Index to Marriages IRAD–WIU

Death

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1878-1900 Death index
 * 1878-1902 Register of deaths, v. 1 IRAD–WIU and
 * 1878-1915 Death Record index IRAD–WIU
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage ($) - index
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * 1999 Stronghurst, Henderson County, Illinois Deaths listed in the Hancock-Henderson Quill, courtesy genealogybuff.com
 * 2000 Stronghurst, Henderson County, Illinois Deaths listed in the Hancock-Henderson Quill, courtesy genealogybuff.com
 * 2001 Stronghurst, Henderson County, Illinois Deaths listed in the Hancock-Henderson Quill, courtesy genealogybuff.com
 * 2002 Stronghurst, Henderson County, Illinois Deaths listed in the Hancock-Henderson Quill, courtesy genealogybuff.com
 * 2003 Stronghurst, Henderson County, Illinois Deaths listed in the Hancock-Henderson Quill, courtesy genealogybuff.com
 * 2004 Stronghurst, Henderson County, Illinois Deaths listed in the Hancock-Henderson Quill, courtesy genealogybuff.com

Archives
 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. Western Illinois University houses the records for Henderson County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Burlington Iowa FamilySearch Center
 * Macomb Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Peoria Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Bureau County Genealogy Society - an affiliate library
 * Burlington Public Library - Iowa - an affiliate library
 * Eureka Public Library District - an affiliate library
 * Geneseo Public Library - an affiliate library
 * McDonough County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library

Libraries
Henderson County Public Library District 110 Hill Crest Drive Biggsville, IL 61418 Telephone: 309-627-2830 Fax: 309-627-2830 Email: [mailto:hcp161418@hotmail.com hcp161418@hotmail.com] Website

Societies

 * Andover Historical Society 418 Locust St Andover, Illinois, 61233 Email:[mailto:andoverhistoricalsociety@gmail.com andoverhistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Website
 * Henderson County Genealogical Society 110 Hill Crest Drive Biggsville, IL 61418 Email:[mailto:hencogen@hotmail.com hencogen@hotmail.com]
 * Henderson County Historical Society 310 Main Street Raritan, IL 61471 Phone 309-746-6103

Websites

 * Henderson County IL Genealogy
 * Henderson County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)
 * Henderson County, Illinois IL GenWeb
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.