Peoria County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  Peoria County

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

Historical Facts
Peoria County is named for the Native American tribe called the Peorias which was originally one of the tribes from the Illinois confederacy.

Boundary Changes

 * 13 January 1825: Peoria County was created from Fulton County. County seat: Peoria


 * Interactive map of Peoria County boundary changes.

Neighboring Counties

 * Fulton
 * Knox
 * Marshall
 * Stark
 * Tazewell
 * Woodford

Biography

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

Cemeteries
Illinois 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 Peoria County and links to the information for the individuals buried there.


 * Peoria 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 Family History Library Catalog lists . Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * ePodunk list of Peoria 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.


 * 1848–1936 Poor Farm Cemetery Record IRAD–WIU

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, Peoria County on page 188.]

Church Records
A brief history of Churches in Peoria County can be found on the Peoria County webpage of Illinois Ancestors. The website host has provided extracts from James Rice's 1912 history of the city and county of Peoria, Illinois.

LDS Ward and Branch Records


 * Peoria

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


 * 1825–1879 Circuit Court Case Files IRAD–WIU
 * 1825–1986 Circuit Court Index IRAD–WIU
 * 1858–1881 Justice of the Peace DocketsIRAD–WIU
 * 1885–1895 Circuit Court Master's Sale ReportsIRAD–WIU

Online Resources

Court Chambers courtesy of Peoria County, Illinois Genealogy Trails including:
 * Arrests, Complaints and Trial News
 * 1872-1883 Circuit Court Cases

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

Local Histories

 * Ballance, C. The History of Peoria, Illinois. Peoria, Ill.: Printed by N.C. Nason, 1870. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive.
 * The History of Peoria County, Illinois: containing a history of the Northwest, history of Illinois, history of the county, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc., etc., a sketch of its cities and towns, their improvements, industries, manufactories, churches, schools, etc., etc., a war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, biographical sketches, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, map of Peoria County, Constitution of the United States, miscellaneous matters, tables, etc., etc.. Chicago: Johnson &amp; Co., 1880. Digital version at Ancestry ($); Google Books; Internet Archive.
 * Portrait and Biographical Album Peoria County, Illinois. Chicago, IL, USA: Biographical Publishing, 1890. Digital version at Ancestry ($). Another Ancestry ($) version; Internet Archive.
 * McCulloch, David. Early Days of Peoria and Chicago: An Address Read before the Chicago Historical Society at a Quarterly Meeting Held January 19, 1904. Chicago: The Society, 1904. Digital version at Ancestry ($); Google Books; Internet Archive.
 * Bess, F. B. Eine populäre geschichte der stadt Peoria. Peoria, Ill.: unknown, 1906, c1905. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive. English translation: (which includes some biographies): A Popular History of the City Peoria. Digital version of translation at Illinois Ancestors Presents Peoria County.
 * Rice, James M. Peoria, City and County, Illinois: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress, and Achievement. Chicago: The S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1912. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Google Books.
 * Slane, Odillon B. Reminiscences of Early Peoria: Including Indian Stories. Peoria, Ill.: Priv. print., 1933. Digital version at Ancestry ($); World Vital Records ($).

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.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online sources, the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Peoria County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the WIU IRAD Wiki page.

Copies of original records


 * 1817–1862 Deed Record IRAD–WIU


 * 1861 Land ownership maps


 * 1980 Land atlas and plat book Other libraries (WorldCat)

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Peoria County land and property may be found in the and. Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FHLC may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

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 Database
 * Peoria County Federal Township Plats
 * Land Things courtesy Peoria County, Illinois Genealogy Trails. Including Street name changes; old buildings and homes; deeds, mortgages and other land transfers from local newspapers.

Civil War
Civil War service men from Peoria 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 Peoria County.


 * - 17th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and B.
 * - 44th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 53rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
 * - 77th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, E, F, G, I and K.
 * - 82nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 86th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies C, D, H, I and K.

Poor Farms

 * 1848–1936 Almshouse Registers IRAD–WIU


 * 1848–1936 Poor Farm Cemetery Record IRAD–WIU

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 the Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Peoria County records. For information on how to use IRAD see theWIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Resources


 * Peoria County Probate Case Files Index, 1825-1887, courtesy: Illinois State Archives.


 * Probate Case Files Index, 1825-1887, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.


 * Estates of Revolutionary Soldiers Buried In Peoria County from the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, courtesy InternetArchive.org

Abstracts


 * 1825–1887 Richards, David E. and Sharon M. Soltys. Index to Peoria County probate case files, 1825-1887. Macomb, Illinois: Ill. Regional Archives Depository System, 1989. Many libraries (WorldCat)


 * 1825–1922 Kramer, H. Dorothy and Peoria County Genealogical Society Estate index of Peoria County IL: 1825 thru 1922. Peoria, Illinois: Peoria County Genealogical Society, 2003. Many libraries (WorldCat)

Copies of original records


 * 1825–1887 Probate case files IRAD–WIU Note Index book above.

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Peoria County probates may be found in the topic page of the Family History Library catalog (FHLC). Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FHLC may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

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

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * Peoria 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. Western Illinois University houses the records for Peoria County.

School Records

 * 1896–1943 School teacher's daily registers IRAD–WIU

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

Marriages
Online Resources


 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900
 * 1790–1860 Illinois Marriage indexfound at Ancestry.com ($)

Deaths
Online Resources


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

Additional Resources
Additional resources for Peoria County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the topic page of the Family History Library catalog (FHLC). Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FHLC may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Web Sites

 * Illinois Ancestors Presents Peoria County. Extensive Biographies, Cemeteries, 1830 Census, Church Information, Directories (1861, 1879, 1883-1884, 1909, 1917), Early Settlers, Obituaries, 1954 Plat Book, Lookup Volunteers, Detailed Maps, School Information, Vital Records Gleaned from Newspapers
 * Peoria County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)
 * Peoria County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History(Linkpendium)