Boone County, Illinois, Genealogy

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

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

Historical Facts


Boone County is named for

Description
The county was named for Daniel Boone. The County Seat is Belvidere and was founded 1837. It is located in the North-Central area of the state.

Boundary Changes
Prior to County Formation


 * 1801-1812 - Boone part of St. Clair County
 * 1812-1815 - Boone part of Madison County
 * 1815-1816 - Boone part of Edwards County
 * 1816-1819 - Boone part of Crawford County
 * 1819-1821 - Boone part of Clark County
 * 1821-1823 - Boone part of Pike County
 * 1823-1825 - Boone part of Fulton County
 * 1825-1831 - Boone part of Putnam County
 * 1831-1836 - Boone part of LaSalle County
 * 1836-1837 - Boone part of Winnebago County

County Formation and After


 * 1837 - Boone created from Winnebago
 * 1843 - Boone gained from Winnebago

For more information see Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties or Boone County Fact Sheet (Illinois State Archives). For interactive county boundary maps see Illinois County Boundaries, 1790-Present, Illinois Historical Counties

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

Bible Records
Family Bibles of the Boyce and Perry families of Boone County are included in an Ancestry database ($).

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.

Indexes

 * Boone county, Illinois indexes to records and other information: biographies

Cemeteries

 * ComPortOne offers a list of Boone County cemeteries by township, some with links to transcriptions.


 * Illinois Cemeteries by county.


 * ePodunk list of Boone 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.

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

Federal

 * 1840 census of Boone County, Illinois, Index
 * 1850 federal census of Boone County, Illinois
 * 1860 federal census, Boone County, Illinois
 * 1870 census, Boone Co., Illinois
 * Boone county, Illinois indexes to records and other information: German and French families from the 1870 Boone Co. census
 * 1880 Boone County census : names, age, state or country born in; parents' nativity, etc. information
 * Boone County, Illinois census surnames, 1900, Townships split in two groups: Belvidere - Leroy Townships and Leroy - Spring Townships

State

 * 1855 Boone County Illinois State census index.

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.


 * USGenWeb's links to Boone County church histories and records.


 * Johnson, Martin Wm. Boone County, Illinois Indexes to Records and Other Information.


 * Johnson, Martin Wm. 1839-1947 Boone Co., IL Church Histories &amp; Directories. Belvidere, Ill.: M.W. Johnson, 198-?. Includes information on the Presbyterian, First Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, and Trinity Church 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 Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at Northern Illinois University - search for Boone County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the NIU IRAD Wiki page.

Copies or Original Records


 * 1843-1909 Circuit Court Records IRAD-NIU
 * 1842-1849 Circuit Court Execution Dockets IRAD-NIU
 * 1843-1853 Circuit Court Fee Books IRAD-NIU
 * 1850-1909 Circuit Court Dockets IRAD-NIU
 * 1859-1900 Circuit Court Execution Docket Index IRAD-NIU
 * 1877-1893 Circuit Court Judgment Docket Index IRAD-NIU

Abstracts


 * 1861–1865 Johnson, Martin William and Boone County (Illinois). County Court. Boone County, Illinois Civil War book, 1861-1865: lists of eligible males between 18 &amp; 45, enlistments, draft orders, discharges, etc. [FHL]

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

Genealogy
Genealogical resources for Boone County families can be found at Ida Public Library in Belvidere, IL. Their Local History &amp; Genealogy collection includes newspapers, yearbooks, city directories, maps, vital records indexes, and records of cemeteries, churches, military and censuses.

History

 * Every Name Index to The Past and Present of Boone County, Illinois. Every Name Index compiled by Cathy L. O'Connor, 2011, original text by H. F. Kent &amp; Co., 1877, reproduction by Unigraphic, Inc., 1979.  EveryNameIndex.com


 * The Past and Present of Boone County, Illinois: containing a history of the county, its cities, towns &amp;c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, general and local statistics, history of the Northwest, history of Illinois, constitution of the United States, map of Boone County, miscellaneous matters, etc., etc.. Chicago: H.F. Kett &amp; Co., 1877. Digital version at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive.


 * Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Boone County. Chicago: Munsell Pub. Co., 1909. 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.

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

Copies of Original Records


 * Boone county, Illinois indexes to records and other information: land and property records
 * 1837-1977 Deed Records IRAD-NIU
 * 1837-1977 Deed Index IRAD-NIU

Online Resources


 * 1800s-Present - Use the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land Patent Index to obtain original federal land transfer records including homestead, military warrants, and cash entry patents. These records help a research establish location and lead to National Archives' records which may include genealogical information. Earlier land transfer records are housed at the National Archives.
 * 1800s-Present - Illinois State Archives also provides an index to federal land sales. 
 * Records of Illinois Land Sales for Boone County, Illinois is available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.
 * 1796–1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Records of Illinois Land Sales for Boone County, Illinois Courtesy Genealogytrails.com
 * Boone County Federal Township Plats

Maps

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * Johnson, Martin Wm. Boone County, Illinois Indexes to Records and Other Information.

Civil War
Civil War service men from Boone 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 Boone County.


 * - 9th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company I.
 * - 15th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 37th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 39th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 45th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
 * - 65th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (Scotch Regiment), Company E.
 * - 95th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, G, and K.
 * - 142nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company C.
 * - 153rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Companies A and B.
 * - 13th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company C
 * - 15th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, Company A


 * Genealogy Trails - Boone County Civil War Soldiers (accessed 31 May 2011) Lists Civil War soldiers from Boone County along with their regiments and residences.
 * Boone County, Illinois Civil War book, 1861-1865: lists of eligible males between 18 and 45, enlistments, draft orders, discharges, etc. Kept at Boone County Courthouse, with unrelated genealogical materials


 * 1861–1865 Johnson, Martin William and Boone County (Illinois). County Court. Boone County, Illinois Civil War book, 1861-1865: lists of eligible males between 18 and 45, enlistmewww.familysearch.org/search/catalog/shownts, draft orders, discharges, etc.
 * Johnson, Martin William Boone County, Illinois land purchases by veterans with military land bounty warrants, 1839-1853

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Boone county, Illinois indexes to records and other information: naturalizations

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

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

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.


 * 1839–1962 Johnson, Martin William. Index to Boone Co., Illinois probate, guardian, executor, conservator, proof of heirship, inheritance proof, administrator, files, 1839-1962. Belvidere, IL : M.W. Johnson, [1989?].

County Courthouse
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository.

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 Boone County. The following centers are located in surrounding counties. Their wiki pages may supply hours and other information.


 * Rockford Illinois Family History Center 324 University Dr. Rockford, Illinois 61107 Telephone: (815) 332-7782


 * Beloit Wisconsin Family History Center 2535 Austin Place Beloit, Wisconsin 53511 Telephone: (608) 362-4646


 * Dekalb Illinois Family History Center 675 Fox Avenue Sycamore, Illinois 60178 Telephone: (815) 895–0702

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 Boone 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 Boone County libraries have collections of specific interest to genealogists:


 * Ida Public Library 320 N. State St. Belvidere, Illinois 61008-3299 Telephone: (815) 544-3838 The library's Local History &amp; Genealogy collection includes newspapers, yearbooks, city directories, maps, vital records, land deeds, and records of cemeteries, churches, military and censuses.


 * North Suburban Library District 6340 N. Second St. Loves Park, Illinois 61111 Telephone: (815) 633-4247 Their Local History collection includes materials of local families, churches and businesses.

Schools

 * Boone county, Illinois indexes to records and other information: North Belvidere High School

Societies
Winnebago and Boone Counties Genealogical Society PO Box 10166 Loves Park, IL 61131-0166 FACEBOOK

Boone County Historical Museum 311 Whitney Blvd. Belvidere, IL 61008 Telephone Number: 815-544-8391 Fax: 815-547-1691 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 Boone 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 website of the Boone County Clerk Recorder explains how to order birth, marriage, and death records.

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 Boone County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Births

 * 1877–1909 Birth indexes
 * 1877-1907 Birth Records IRAD-NIU; search for Boone County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1877-1925 Birth Record Index IRAD-NIU; search for Boone County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1916-1976 Birth Certificate Index IRAD-NIU; search for Boone County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)

County Illinois Delayed Births, courtesy: Family History Archives

Marriages

 * 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index at Illinois State Archives; Index
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1810–1934 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1838-1931 Marriage Records and Licenses IRAD-NIU; search for Boone County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1977-1974 Marriage Record Index IRAD-NIU; search for Boone County Records. (Learn more about IRAD.)
 * 1838–1932 Marriage records
 * 1877–1974 Marriage register index

Deaths

 * The mortality schedule for Boone County, Illinois and Winnebago County, Illinois, 1850 to 1880 The actual time frame of deaths are full one year before each census.


 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates.
 * 1977-1952 Death Records and Certificates IRAD-NIU
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1877-1915, 1918-1974 Death Record Index IRAD-NIU
 * 1877–1976 Register of deaths index
 * 1877–1944 Register of deaths [has one record for 1976]
 * 1910–1914 death indexes

Additional Resources
Additional resources for Boone County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the, the , and the topic pages of the FamilySearch Catalog. Online microfilm are indicated by the camera icon in the catalog entry. Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Websites

 * Boone County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Boone 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.
 * Boone County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * EveryNameIndex.com Free online genealogy indexes for those big old county histories.