Monroe County, Illinois Genealogy

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



Description
Monroe County was named for James Monroe, who had just served as United States Secretary of War and who was elected President later that same year. The county is located in the southwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse
Monroe County Courthouse 100 S Main St Waterloo, IL 62298 Phone: 618-939-8681 Monroe County Courthouse

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

Biographies

 * All of the Monroe 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.


 * Bertille Brand Klein kept a diary or "news book" of her daily life in Hecker, Illinois from January 1930 (age 15 1/2) until December 1939 (age 25). She mentions many local family names with some birth and death dates. Her granddaughter Angie Kelly is digitizing this valuable resource. Visit Tillie's Tales to read this interesting journal (work in progress).

Census Records
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 Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. ; . Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Illinois, Monroe County on page 187.

Church Records
 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Baptist  Catholic FamilySearch has made parish records from seven Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Monroe County available online (free registration is required). The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:  Evangelical Presbyterian
 * 1806-1959 Bethel Baptist Church history and minutes
 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * ,Baptism, Confirmations, First Communion, Marriages, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * ,Deaths, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * 1856-1896 St. Johannis Gemeine church- has baptisms marriages and deaths [in German]
 * 1877-1948 Salem Evangelical Church
 * Buecher, Robert. Salem Evangelical Church, Bluff Precinct, Monroe County, IL Marriage Index, 1877-1930, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * Buecher, Robert. Salem Evangelical Church, Bluff Precinct, Monroe County, Illinois: baptism index, 1877–1932; confirmation index, 1878–1926; marriage index, 1877–1930, death index, 1877–1948. St. Louis, Missouri: R. Buecher, [2005?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1875-1972 Yankeetown Presbyterian Church records of baptisms, marriages, and deaths.

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 online sources, the FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Monroe County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1877-1963 Vaseska, Pat. Common law book: 1877–1963. Columbia, Illinois: P. Vaseska, c2006. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816 Flynn, Janet M. Minutes of the organization of Monroe County, Illinois, January 6, 1816. Columbia, Illinois: Monroe County Geneal. Society, [1997]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1863 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe County Illinois chancery: section A. Evansville, Illinois: P.K. Veath, [200-?] - 2005.Evansville, Illinois: P.K. Veath, [200-?] - 2005. Other libraries (WorldCat) 
 * 1817-1870 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe County, Illinois chancery records: section A. Evansville, Illinois: P.K. Veath, [200-?].
 * 1835-1963 Flynn, Janet M. and Pat Vaseska. Monroe County chancery records. [S.l.]: J.M. Flynn, c2005-2006. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Cases Surname Index (Book 1, 1835-1905), courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * Veath, Phyllis. Chancery Index 1852-1859, Section A Box 70, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records A73 &amp; A75-A80 Book #2, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records A81 - A89 Book #3, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records A-90 to B3 Book #4, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records Drawers B-4 thru B-15 Book #5, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records Drawers B-16 thru B-31 Book #6, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records Drawers B-32 thru B-47 Book #7, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * Ritter, Vernon. Justice Court Records (Justice of the Peace) Monroe County, Illinois, courtesy: ILGenWeb

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 records at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
 * African-American Resources for Illinois
 * http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17133.html
 * Bloomington-Normal Black History Project

Land and Property Records
The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online sources, the FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Monroe County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
 * Original land records are held in the office of the County Recorder. See Illinois Land and Property for more information about using land records.

Online Land Indexes and Records


 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * 1807-1838 Supreme Court docket and minutes
 * 1816-1900 Grantor and Grantee index
 * 1816-1963 Deed index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1816-1900 Deeds
 * 1816-1963 Deed record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1816-1840 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe Co., Illinois deed index: books A,B,C,D 1816–1840. Evansville, Illinois : P.K. Veath, 2001. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * 1848-1872 Miles, Stephen W., Pat Vseska, Elma Baumann, and Janet M. Flynn. S.W. Miles journal and land lease records.
 * 1854-1870 Swampland record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1910-1917 Stallion registration record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1986 Rockford Map Publishers. Land atlas and plat book, Monroe County, Illinois, 1986. Rockford, Illinois: Rockford Map Publishers, c1986. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Monroe County Federal Township Plats
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * 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.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * Township Map of 1870 Monroe County, Illinois with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
 * 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 Monroe County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment)that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Monroe County.
 * Veterans of Monroe County, Illinois. Evansville, Indiana : M.T. Pub. Co., c2008 FS Library 977.391 M2m
 * - 22nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F
 * - 130th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A
 * - 155th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and 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 ($)

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 copies of original records may be accessed through the FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Monroe County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU 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
 * 1816-1851 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe County, Illinois will books. Evansville, Illinois : P.K. Veath, [1999?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1852-1857 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe Co., Illinois: administrators, bonds and guardianships, 1852-1857. Evansville, Illinois : P.K. Veath, 2002. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1819-1887 Probate Case Files IRAD (SIU)
 * 1820-1885 Estate files
 * 1845-1885 Index to estates
 * 1845-1894 Probate Record Index IRAD (SIU)

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

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 Monroe 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 FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Monroe County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

 * 1868-1915 Birth Records
 * 1868-1915 Birth CertificatesIRAD (SIU)
 * 1877-1915 Birth record IRAD (SIU)

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 index at Ancestry ($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1877-1930 Marriage index for Salem Evangelical Church ilgenweb.net
 * 1816-1877 Hotz, Roberta Sparwasser. Monroe County, Illinois, marriage records, 1816–1977. Thomson, Illinois: Heritage House, c1976. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1820 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe County, Illinois 1820 census and 1816–1820 marriages. Evansville, Illinois: P.K. Veath, 1999. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1830 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe Co., Illinois marriages 1816-1830. Evansville, Illinois: P.K. Veath, 1999. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1878-1920 Vaseska, Pat. Monroe County, Illinois marriage index:1878–1920. Columbia, Illinois: P. Vaseska, c2001. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1816-1877, 1817–1866 Index
 * 1816-1877 Marriage Record Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1816-1915 Marriage records
 * 1816-1916 Marriage records IRAD (SIU)

Death

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1806-1879 Vaseka, Pat. Monroe County, Illinois, death index, 1806 to 1879. Columbia, Illinois P. Vaseska, 1999. Other libraries (WorldCat) 
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885at Ancestry ($)
 * 1877-1915 Death recordsIRAD (SIU)
 * 1878-1915 Death records
 * 1877-1948 Death Index for Salem Evangelical Church found on ilgenweb.net
 * 1884-1953 Death Index for Zoar United Church of Christ found on ilgenweb.net
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 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

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. Southern Illinois University houses the records for Monroe County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Alton Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * O'Fallon Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * St Louis Missouri FamilySearch Center
 * St. Louis Public Library - Barr Library - an affiliate library
 * St. Louis Public Library - Carpenter Library - an affiliate library
 * O'Fallon Public Library - an affiliate library
 * St Louis Public Library - Central Library - an affiliate library
 * Tazewell County Genealogical and Historical Society - an affiliate library

Libraries
Columbia Public Library 106 North Metter Avenue Columbia, IL 62236 Phone: (618) 281-4237 Website Hecker Public Library 151 West Monroe Hecker, IL 62248 Phone: (618) 473-3022 Morrison-Talbott Library 215 Park Street Waterloo, IL 62298 Phone: (618)939-6232 Website Valmeyer Public Library District 300 S. Cedar Bluff Drive Valmeyer, IL 62295 Phone: (618) 935-2626

Societies
Monroe County Genealogical Society PO Box 381 Columbia, IL 62236 Website

Websites

 * Monroe ILGenWeb
 * Monroe County IL Genealogy
 * Monroe County, IL Linkpendium
 * – 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.