Carroll County, Illinois Genealogy

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

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

Historical Facts
The county is named after (1737-1832), a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Description
The county was named for Charles Carroll who signed the Declaration of Independence. The County Seat is Mount Carroll and was founded 1839. It is located in the North-West area of the state.

Boundary Changes
Prior to County Formation


 * 1795-1815 - Carroll part of St. Clair County
 * 1812-1821 - Carroll part of Madison County
 * 1821-1823 - Carroll part of Pike County
 * 1823-1825 - Carroll part of Fulton County
 * 1825-1827 - Some of Carroll part of Henry County
 * 1825-1827 - Some of Carroll part of Putnam County
 * 1827-1839 - Carroll part of JoDaviess County

County Formation and After


 * 1839 - Carroll County created from JoDaviess County

For more information see Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties or Carroll County Fact Sheet (Illinois State Archives). For interactive county boundary maps see Illinois County Boundaries, 1790-Present, Illinois Historical Counties, or 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
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

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

Biography

 * The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Boone County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Boone County residents.  See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.
 * Carroll County Biography &amp; Business Directory, 1922
 * Carroll County Biography &amp; Business 1930

Cemeteries

 * Cemeteries of Carroll County, Illinois.


 * Cemetery Location Project, Illinois State Genealogical Society, Carroll County, Illinois.


 * Welcome To The Carroll County Cemeteries.

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

State

 * 1855, State Census FamilySearch Index only
 * 1855, Name index to early Illinois records
 * 1855, State Census
 * 1865, State 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, Carroll County on page 186.]

Church History and Records
Church records may give birth, death and marriage information. It is usually best to locate church records with a search at a local level such as the city, town, or village.


 * Genealogy Trails Carroll County Churches includes photos and histories of several congregations.

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 the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at Northern Illinois University - search for Franklin County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the NIU IRAD Wiki page.


 * 1849-1861 County Court Miscellaneous Files IRAD-NIU
 * 1867-1944 Insanity Dockets IRAD-NIU

Directories

 * Carroll County Biography &amp; Business Directory, 1922
 * Carroll County Biography &amp; Business 1930

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

 * Portrail and Birgraphical Album of Carrol County Illinois(1889) Biographies.
 * Carroll County, Illinois Biography (WorldCat)
 * Pioneer Families of Carroll County Illinois
 * Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois (1913); digital version at Ancestry ($). Other copies.
 * The History Of Carroll County, Illinois, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. (1878); digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Portrait and Biographical Album of Jo Daviess and Carroll Counties, Illinois. $ (This site is available for free use at Family History Centers). Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Carroll County: A Goodly Heritage. Mt. Morris, Ill.: Kable Print. Co., 1968. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

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.

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

Maps

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)

Civil War
Civil War service men from Carroll 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 Carroll County.


 * - 7th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company B (Also known as Rosecran's Escort).
 * - 15th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 34th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 45th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and E.
 * - 55th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
 * - 61st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and B.
 * - 71st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 91st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 92nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies C and I.
 * - 142nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company G.
 * - 146th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.

World War I

 * World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. $

World War II

 * United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942. United States World War II Draft Records
 * U. S, Word War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946. $

Naturalizations
The Carroll County Genealogical Society's website includes several naturalization collections:


 * Index to Naturalizations from the Carroll County Circuit Court
 * Declarations of Intention: First Papers of Naturalization Carroll County, Illinois
 * Miscellaneous Naturalization Documents

Online Records
 * 1800-1998 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers and Obituaries

 * Carroll County Democrat, March 16, 1898


 * Newspaperarchive.com ($) has historical newspapers available on-line. Their database has Freeport City newspapers from the late 1800's and early 1900's that covered local news on residents from Carroll County. The Rock Island Public Library provides free access to this database at its library.

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.

Online Probate Records
 * 1772 - 1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1819 - 1988 at FamilySearch.org — images

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

Copies of Original Records


 * 1839-1962 Probate Record IRAD-NIU
 * 1860-1955 Probate Appraisement Record IRAD-NIU
 * 1865-1957 Probate Inventory Record IRAD-NIU
 * 1865-1967 Probate Will Record IRAD-NIU

Online Resources

The Clerk of the Circuit Court has responsibility for the probate records of Carroll County. Carroll County is building a free, searchable database of all Closed Probate Records. (id: probate; password: cccc)

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

Family History Centers
Family History Centers (FHCs) are branches of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah (United States) and are located all over the world. Their goal is to provide resources to assist you in the research and study of your genealogy.

You may search your address for a center near you on the FamilySearch site.

Currently there are no Family History Centers located directly in Carroll County. The following centers are located in surrounding counties. Their wiki pages may supply hours and other information.


 * Freeport Illinois Family History Center 1716 S Forest Rd. Freeport, Illinois 61032 Telephone: (815) 232-3310


 * Sterling Illinois Family History Center 2709 N 16th Avenue Sterling, Illinois 61081 Telephone: (815) 625-1229

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
The Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD), managed by the Illinois State Archives, houses 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.

The Northern Illinois University (IRAD-NIU) holds the records for Carroll County. Learn more about finding and using their records.


 * Illinois Regional Archives Depository c/o Regional History Center Founders Memorial Library, Room 400 Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115 Telephone: (815) 753-1807

Public Libraries
The following Carroll County libraries have collections of specific interest to genealogists.


 * Lanark Public Library 110 W. Carroll St. Lanark, Illinois 61046 Telephone: (815) 493-8045 Note that their Genealogy and Local History collection does not circulate.

Societies
Carroll County Genealogical Society History Room of the Savanna Township Library 326 Third Street Savanna, IL 61074 Telephone Number: 815-273-3714 E-mail:[mailto:ahaliotis@internetni.com ahaliotis@internetni.com] Website

Carroll County Genealogical Society PO Box 347 Savanna 61074

Carroll County Historical Society 107 W. Broadway Mt. Carroll, IL  61053 Telephone Number: 815-244-3474 Website

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 Carroll 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 Northern Illinois University (NIU) - search for Carroll County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Births
Copies of Original Records


 * 1872-1942 Birth Record Index IRAD-UIS
 * 1877-1913 Birth Certificates IRAD-UIS
 * 1923-1927 Birth Record IRAD-UIS

Online Resources


 * Carroll County Births.
 * Carroll County Birth Certificates Index, 1877-1913.

Marriages
Copies of Original Records


 * 1839-1964 Marriage Record

Online Resources


 * 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1796-1900 Ilinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1796-1900.
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1810-1934 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1839-1847 Carroll County Marriages 1839-1847, courtesy: ILGenWeb
 * 1861-1876 Carroll County, Illinois Marriages courtesy I Dream of Genealogy.

Deaths
Copies of Original Records


 * 1872-1906 Coroner's Inquest Record
 * 1877-1913 Death Certificates
 * 1877-1963 Death Record Index
 * 1920-1928 Death Certificate Record, Stillbirths

Online Resources
 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1850 Smith, Marjorie. Carroll County, Illinois federal census and mortality schedules for the year 1850. [Forest Park, Ill. : Smith, introd. 1971].  Mortality Schedule, covers June 1, 1849 to May 31, 1850.
 * Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916.
 * Illinois Statewide Death Index (1916-1950).
 * Deaths in Carroll County, Illinois courtesy Genealogytrails.com

Websites

 * Carroll County ILGenWeb
 * Carroll County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Carroll County IL 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.
 * Carroll County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)