Livingston County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Livingston 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 Edward Livingston, Secretary of State in the cabinet of President Andrew Jackson. He was the mayor of New York City, represented New York in the United States House of Representatives, then represented Louisiana in both houses of Congress and the United States Minister to France. The county seat is Pontiac and the county was organized on February 27, 1837. The County is located in the North central part of the state.

County Courthouse
Livingstong County Courthouse 112 W Madison St Pontiac, IL 61764 Phone: 815-844-2006 Livingston County Courthouse

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

Biographies
The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Livingston County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Livingston County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes. The Biographical Record of Livingston County, Illinois1900 Portrait and Boigraphical Album of Livingston Coutny, Illinois1888

Church Records
 List of Churches and Church Parishes A History of Livingston County, Illinois by Livingston Coutny History Project. Dallas, Texas: Curtis Media, c 1991. Has a section on Church and Cemeteries of Livingston County.
 * FamilySearch Places

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.

Online Court Indexes and Records

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African American
 * 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
 * 1857-1865 Swamp Land Records - IRAD-ISU. Available through the FamilySearch Library
 * 1859-1946 Chattel Mortgage Record - IRAD-ISU
 * 1853-1889 General index to deeds  Item 3
 * 1853-1921 Deed Records  first film
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories
The History of Livingston Coutny, Illinois

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
For information about using Military records see Illinois Military Records
 * 1862-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images

 War of 1812 1862-1919 Military Discharge Record -IRAD-ISU
 * Military Land Grants Livingston County Illinois- USGenWeb

 Indian Wars Military Land Grants in Livingston County, Illinois For Soldiers of the Indian Wars

 Civil War Regiments. Civil War service men from Livingston 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 Livingston County.

 Artillery
 * -(William) Cogswell's Battery, Illinois Light ArtilleryRoster

 Cavalry
 * -3rd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry Company K.

 Infantry
 * - 20th_Regiment,_Illinois_Infantry, Company D.
 * - 39th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
 * - 44th_Regiment,_Illinois_Infantry, Company C.
 * - 52nd_Regiment,_Illinois_Infantry, Company D.
 * - 53rd_Regiment,_Illinois_Infantry, Company G.
 * -69th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * -129th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A, Company B, Company C, Company E, and Company G.
 * -138th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.

129th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E, the company was raised in Fairbury, Livingston County - USGenWeb

Patriotic Roster of Livingston County, Illinois. by J.B. Parsons. 1865-1945 Soldier's Discharge Records from Livingston County, Illinois. Recorder Item 3. First film of 3 Grand Army of the Republic Union_Veterans'_and_Lineage_Society_Records (GAR) A list of GAR Post in Illinoisadditional site for post list Library of Congress List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883
 * Aaron Weider Post, Fairbury1913 - USGenWeb
 * Forrest Post, Forrest1913 - USGenWeb
 * T. Lyle Dickey Post, Pontiac 1913 - USGenWeb

 World War I Livingston County, Illinois in the World War at Internet Archives World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at Ancestry

 World War II Army Casualties at U.S. National Archives and Record Administration

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. The following copies of original records may be accessed through the FamilySearch Library. Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1854-1906 Naturalization Records, Illinois. Livingston County Court. Indexed.
 * 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 ($)
 * Chronicling America Livingston County(Library of Congress)
 * Newspapers Published in Livingston County Illinois Newspaper Project )

Probate Records
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
 * 1837-1958 Probate Case Files - IRAD-ISU
 * 1917-1926 Probate Docket Index - IRAD-ISU
 * 1837-1905 Probate Records
 * 1845-1891 Probate Records
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

School Records
1898-1995 School Pupil Diploma Record - IRAD-ISU 1898-1921 School Student Permanent Record, High School - IRAD-ISU 1935-1972 School Pupil Diploma Record, Prison - IRAD-ISU

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

Tax Records
Online Tax Indexes and Records 1872-1876 Tax Lists, Delinquent - IRAD-ISU

Birth

 * 1856-1900 Birth Certificates - IRAD-ISU
 * 1856-1903 Birth Records - IRAD-ISU
 * 1866-1950 Birth Record Index, Delayed - IRAD-ISU
 * 1878-1900 Register of births and birth certificates, Birth index, 1948-1983  First film of 12.

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast ($) — index
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1837-1900 Marriage Licenses - IRAD-ISU
 * 1837-1943 Marriage Record - IRAD-ISU
 * 1915-1975 Marriage Record Index - IRAD-ISU
 * 1837-1922 Marriage Registers and Certificates, first film of 33 films.
 * 1876-1923 Applications from Marriage Licenses. first film of 11

Death
at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1877-1900 Death Record - IRAD-ISU. Available through the FamilySearch Library item 2-3
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index

Archives
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. Illinois State University houses the records for Livingston County.

 Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) Illinois State Universtiy 2016 Warehouse Road Campus Box 1520 Normal, Illinois 61802 Phone: 1-309-452-6027 Website
 * Illinois Regional Archives Depository System -Local Governmental Records Listings Arranged by County

FamilySearch Centers

 * Bourbonnais Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Morris Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Normal Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Ottawa Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * El Paso District Library - an affiliate library
 * Iroquois County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * LaSalle County Genealogy Guild - an affiliate library
 * McLean County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Wilmington Public Library District - an affiliate library

Libraries
Chatsworth Library 432 E. Locust Chatsworth, IL Phone: 815-635-3004 Dwight - Prairie Creek Public Library 501 Carriage House Lane Dwight, IL 60420-1399 Phone: 815-584-3061 Website Odell Public Library 301 E Richard St Odell, IL 60460 Phone: 815-998-2012 Pontiac Public Library 211 E. Madison Pontiac, IL 61764 Phone: 815-844-7229 Dominy Memorial Library & Community Information 201 S. 3rd St Fairbury IL 61739 Phone: 815-692-3231 Website

Museums

 * Streatorland Historical Society Museum 306 S. Vermillion St Streator, IL 61364 Phone 815-672-2443 Email:[mailto:strh1@frontier.com strh1@frontier.com] Website

Societies

 * Lexington Genealogical and Historical Society, Inc. 318 West Main Street Lexington, Illinois 61753 Phone 309-365-4591 E-mail:[mailto:thefortoflex@aol.com thefortoflex@aol.com] Facebook Website
 * Livingston County Historical Society 115 W. Howard Street Pontiac, IL 61764 Phone 815-692-6633 Email:[mailto:livcountyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com livcountyhistoricalsociety@gmail.com] Facebook Website

Websites
Databases Pertinent to Livingston County Local Governmental Records Database
 * Livingston ILGenWeb
 * Livingston County, IL Linkpendium
 * Livingston County IL Genealogy
 * – 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.