Pulaski County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Pulaski 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 Casimir Pulaski, who emigrated from Poland and was killed fighting on the side of the patriots in the American Revolution. He saved the life of George Washington and is one of only seven people awarded honorary United States citizenship. The county seat is Mound City and the county was organized on March 3, 1843. The County is located in the South Central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Pulaski County Courthouse 500 Illinois Ave # C Mound City, IL 62963 Phone: 618-748-9300 Pulaski County Courthouse County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Pulaski County are kept, see the Pulaski 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:

Census Records
For tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.
 * 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 at Ancestry ($)

Church Records
 List of Churches and Church Parishes A chapter on Pulaski County, Illinois church history appears in a local history, available for online at Ancestry ($), beginning on page 56. Histories of several Pulaski County churches are included in:
 * Atherton, Wanda L. et al. Pulaski County, Illinois Genealogy Notes. 2 vols. Carterville, Ill.: Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois, 1988, c1988-c1992..
 * Badgley, Glenna Conant. Ohio Chapel Church History. Ill.: G.C. Badgley, 1982. WorldCat (Other Libraries)

 Baptist
 * Plummer, Virginia Hagler. History of Shiloh Baptist Church, Villa Ridge, Illinois. Villa Ridge, Ill.: Shiloh Baptist Church, 1987. WorldCat (Other Libraries)
 * Maple Grove Baptist Church (Perks, Ill.) Records, 1896-1941. WorldCat (Other Libraries)

 Catholic FamilySearch has made parish records from three Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Pulaski County available online. The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:
 * 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * "Benedictine Fathers at Wetaug, or, The Cluny Priory," Tri-County Record, ca. 1932-1933..

 Christian
 * Angel, Mrs. O.L. Grain Chain, Illinois, Christian Church. Typescript. Microfilmed 1974:.

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ward and Branch Records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * Mound

 Disciples of Christ History of the Disciples of Christ in Illinois, Pulaski County section appears on page 364 is available online, courtesy: Internet Archive
 * Hough, Mrs. Frances L. The History of Pulaski County Episcopal Church, available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.


 * 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

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Pulaski County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
 * 1857-1945 Circuit court index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1900-1945 Circuit court record, Chancery IRAD (SIU)

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

Online Land Indexes and Records


 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
 * Pulaski County Federal Township Plats
 * 1873-1891 Grantee and Grantor index
 * 1843-1888 Deeds
 * Selected land records
 * 1978 Rockford Map Publishers. Atlas &amp; plat book, Pulaski - Alexander County, Illinois, 1978 Rockford, Illinois: Rockford Map Publishers, 1962. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1873-1945 Deed Index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1842-1945 Deed record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1940-1944 Recorder's miscellaneous record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1851-1940 Surveyor's record IRAD (SIU)

Local Histories

 * The online Shawnee Community College Local History Project includes dozens of personal interviews, newspaper clippings, and even a Jackson Family Bible to give you a taste of historic Pulaski County. Was your relative one of the interviewed individuals?
 * Wall, J. L. Moyers' Brief History of Pulaski County: 1843-1943. Mound City, Ill.: The Pulaski Enterprise, 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
 * Township Map of 1870 Pulaski 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 Civil War service men from Pulaski 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 Pulaski County.
 * - 9th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K
 * - 31st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F
 * - 81st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I
 * - 109th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K
 * - 144th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F

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

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 ($)
 * 1872-1903 Naturalization record IRAD (SIU)

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.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

The following abstracts and 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 Pulaski County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
 * 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
 * 1862-1973 Index to probate files
 * 1862-1890Probate journals
 * 1862-1944 Probate record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1898-1956 Probate will record 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 Pulaski 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 FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Pulaski County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

 * 1883-1899 Birth Records, 1883-1899, Pulaski County, Illinois donated by Darrel Dexter and transcribed by Sharon Darnell, courtesy of Genealogy Trails.
 * 1881-1899 Delayed Birth Records, 1881-1899, Pulaski County, Illinois Donated by Darrel Dexter and transcribed by Sharon Darnell, courtesy of Genealogy Trails.
 * 1882-1899 Stillbirth Records, 1882-1899, Pulaski County, Illinois donated by Darrel Dexter and transcribed by Sharon Darnell, courtesy of Genealogy Trails.
 * 1882-1918 Birth Record
 * 1882-1926 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
 * 1872-1923 Marriage index
 * 1923-1936 Marriage register index
 * 1857; 1861-1922 Marriage register
 * 1861-1947 Marriage record IRAD (SIU)

Death

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1882-1919 Death record
 * 1882-1926 Death record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1882-1929 Death record, stillbirths IRAD (SIU)
 * 1883-1883 Coroner's inquest record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1883-1899 Death Records, 1883-1899, Pulaski County, Illinois donated by Darrel Dexter and transcribed by Sharon Darnell, courtesy Genealogy Trails.
 * 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 Pulaski County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Carbondale Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Foxcroft Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Paducah Kentucky FamilySearch Center
 * Herrin City Library - an affiliate library
 * McCracken County Public Library - an affiliate library
 * The State Historical Society of Missouri - Cape Girardeau - an affiliate library

Societies
Olmsted Historical Society PO Box 64 Olmsted, IL 62970-0064

Websites

 * Pulaski ILGenWeb
 * Pulaski County Genealogy and History at Genealogy Trails
 * Pulaski County IL Genealogy
 * Pulaski County, IL Linkpendium
 * Pulaski County IL HOME OF THE GRAND CHAIN GANG Ancestry and History Research
 * Black Migration to Pulaski County, Illinois 1860-1900Illinois Historical
 * – 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.