Iroquois County, IllinoisEdit This Page
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United States 
Illinois Iroquois County
Guide to Iroquois County Illinois genealogy. Birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Iroquois County, Illinois | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Illinois | |
 Location of Illinois in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded: | February 26, 1833 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Watseka |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | Iroquois County Courthouse 1001 E. Grant Street Watseka, Illinois 60970 815-432-6960 Iroquois County Website |
County Organization
Iroquois County's civil records start the following years:
| Beginning Dates for Iroquois County Records | |||||
| Birth | Marriage | Death | Census | Land | Probate |
| 1878 |
1866 |
1878 |
1840 |
1834 |
1834 |
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Iroquois County are kept, see the Iroquois County Courthouse page.
Historical Facts
Name taken from the former Iroquois Confederacy of the Six Nations which included the Mohawk, Oneida, Seneca, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Tuscarora.
Parent County
1833--Iroquois County was created 26 February 1833, from Vermilion County. County seat: Watseka [1]
Boundary Changes
- 1826-1833 Vermillion
- 1823-1826 Edgar
- 1819-1823 Clark
- 1816-1819 Crawford
- 1815-1816 Edwards
- 1812-1815 Madison
- 1801-1812 St. Clair
- 1795-1801 Knox, Northwest Territory
See an interactive map of Iroquois County boundary changes.
Record Loss
Marriage records in Iroquois County before October 1866 were destroyed by a courthouse fire. Marriages before October 1866 were entered from the Iroquois Journal and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church records. (source: Illinois Statewide Marriage Index)
Places / Localities
Populated Places
Ashkum, Beaverville, Budkley, Cissna Park,Clifton, Milford, Onarga, Sheldon, and Watseka
Neighboring Counties
Records and Resources
Biography
Cemeteries
Illinois cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation.
- Find A Grave can be searched by the name of a person or family to find where a person is buried. Usually gives birth and death dates often with a picture of the tombstone. May give obituaries, names of family members and links to their information in Find A Grave.
- Find A Grave also gives a list of cemeteries in Iroquois County and links to the information for the individuals buried there.
- Iroquois Co. IL USGenWeb Tombstone Project usually gives the names of the deceased in alphabetical order by last name with birth and death dates plus any remarks.
- Illinois Cemeteries by county.
- The Family History Library Catalog lists some records of cemeteries in Iroquois County. Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.
- ePodunk list of Iroquois 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
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 1,695 | — |
| 1850 | 4,149 | 144.8% |
| 1860 | 12,325 | 197.1% |
| 1870 | 25,782 | 109.2% |
| 1880 | 35,451 | 37.5% |
| 1890 | 35,167 | −0.8% |
| 1900 | 38,014 | 8.1% |
| 1910 | 35,543 | −6.5% |
| 1920 | 34,841 | −2.0% |
| 1930 | 32,913 | −5.5% |
| 1940 | 32,496 | −1.3% |
| 1950 | 32,348 | −0.5% |
| 1960 | 33,562 | 3.8% |
| 1970 | 33,532 | −0.1% |
| 1980 | 32,976 | −1.7% |
| 1990 | 30,787 | −6.6% |
| 2000 | 31,334 | 1.8% |
| 2010 | 29,718 | −5.2% |
| Source: "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. | ||
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. FHL 973 X2pc 1840; FHL 2321; digital version at Google Books. [See Illinois, Iroquois County on page 187.]
Church Records
1851-1878, 1878-1889 (Marriage Book B) Catholic Church. St. John the Baptist. Marriage Records. FHL film 2055157 item 15 and Fiche 6004547.
Quaker Records includes Onarga and Watseka Monthly Meetings (Ancestry.com)
St. Mary's Catholic Church Records 1859-1882. by Nancy Tabo Scott WorldCat
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Records 1879-1944. by Nora Meier WorldCat
St. Peter Catholic Church Records 1869-1919. by Norma Meier WorldCat
Milford Christian Church Records. by Dauthers of American Revolution WorldCat
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.
Ethnic Research
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
History
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.
IRAD - Illinois State University (Following records originally from Office: Recorder.(IRAD - County Listing)
- Chattel Morgages 1930-1968. IRAD - ISU book.
Family History Library Collection
- 1835-1887 Land Records. County Court Iroquois County, Illinois. filmed by Genealogical Society of Utah, 1983. 60 microfilms. FHL film 1321552 first film.
- 1831-1882 Iroquois County Original Land Purchases,: a research project of the Iroquois County Historical Society. by Ralph D. Moore and Virginia M. Moore. FHL film 1036641 item 2 and Book 977.364R2m.
Online Resources
- 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.com ($)
- Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
- Iroquois County Federal Township Plats
Maps
Military Records
For information about using Military records see Illinois Military Records
Revolutionary War
Veteran Burials (Genealogy Trails History Group)
War of 1812
Military Land Grants for Soldiers of the War of 1812 (partial list - USGenWeb)
Civil War
Civil War service men from Iroquois 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 Iroquois County.
- - 9th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company M.
- - 10th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company C.
- - 20th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I
- - 25th Regiment, Illinois Infantry. Company F.
- - 51st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
- - 76th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A, Company E, and Company K.
- - 113th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, D, F, and I.
- - 134th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company B.
- - 150th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Company D.
- - 155th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
Grand Army of the Republic
A list of GAR post in Illinois additionsl site for post list Library of Congress
Williams Post no. 25 of Watseka. Personal War Sketches of the Members of Williams Post. FHL film 1321667 Item 2.
B. Brown Post, Sheldon 1913 - USGenWeb
Gilman Post, Gilman 1913 - USGenWeb
Kirkpatrick Post, Loada 1913 - USGenWeb
Williams Post, Watseka 1913 - USGenWeb
World War I
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 ($) Ancestry.com
World Ward I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, (FamilySearch.org) Browse cards in alphabetical order by county of registration.
World War II
World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 (FamilySearch.org) Covers men born 1877-1897.
World War II Casualties, Army and Army Air Corps (AccessGenealogy)
Naturalization
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 Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Illinois State University (ISU) - search for Iroquois County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the ISU IRAD Wiki page.
IRAD -Illinois State University (Following records originally from Office: County Court). IRAD Counties Listing
1876-1903 Naturalization Dockets - IRAD-ISU
Family History Library Collection
- 1859-1906 Naturalization Records. Illinois, County Court (Iroquois County) FHL film 1321549-1321551 Each volume includes an index.
1867-1931 Index of Petitons for Naturalizations Iroquois Coutny, Illinois (Iroquois County Genealogical Society)
Naturalized Citizens no dates given (Iroquois County Genealogical Society)
Newspapers
Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
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.
Repositories
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 Iroquois County.
County Courthouse
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Iroquois County are kept, see the Iroquois County Courthouse page.
FamilySearh 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.
Iroquois County Genealogical Society
Old Courthouse Museum
103 West Cherry Street
Watseka, IL 60970-1524
Search your home address to locate a center near you on the FamilySearch site. The following centers are located in surrounding counties. Their wiki pages may supply hours and other information.
Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
Illinois State Universtiy (ISU)
2016 Warehouse Road Campus
Box 1520
Normal, Illinois 61802
Phone: 1-309-452-6027
Illinois Regional Archives Depository System - Illinois State University Region
Public Libraries
Watseka Public Library
201 South 4th Street
Watseka, IL 60970
815-432-4544
Social Groups Online
Societies
Miscellaneous Records, Iroquois County, Illinois by Iroquois County Genealogical Society and Cheryl Wixon Gocken. 4 Volumes. FHL Digital version: FamilySearch Books Online Vol. 1 , FamilySearch Books Online Vol. 2 , FamilySearch Books Online Vol 3. and FamilySearch Books Online Vol 4
Taxation
1890 Tax List FHL fiche 6004546 and book 977.364 R4i
Vital Records
See Illinois Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Illinois.
Iroquois County Vital Records Office
1001 E. Grant St.
Watseka, IL 60970
815-432-6970
Order Birth and Death Certificates Online ($)
IRAD- Illinois State University (Following records originally from Office: County Clerk). IRAD County Listing
Birth Records
- 1869-1915 Birth Records Index. IRAD-ISU microfilm.
- 1878-1901 Birth Records. IRAD-ISU microfilm.
- 1853-1962 Delayed Birth Certificats Index. IRAD-ISU microfilm.
- 1853-1915 Delayed Birth Certificates. IRAD-ISU microfilm.
- 1872-1900 Delayed Birth Record. IRAD-ISU microfilm.
- 1878-1900 Birth Records; and 1853-1915 Delayed Birth Records,FHL films 1321541 - 1321547 are available through the Family History Library and FamilySearch centers, including the Iroquois County Genealogical Society.
Marriage
- 1866-1935 Marriage Record Index. IRAD-ISU microfilm.
- 1866-1904 Marriage Record. IRAD-ISU microfilm.
The above Marriage Records Index and Marriage Record are available through the Family History Library and its centers.FHL film 1321547-1321549
Iroquois County Marriages. by Iroquois County Genealogical Society WorldCat
Death
- 1877-1901 Death Record. IRAD-ISU microfilm. Also available through the Family history Library and its Centers FHL film 1321549 Item 2
- 1902-1948 Death Records of Iroquois County, Illinois FHL film and book 977.364 V2g.
Family History Library Collection
- 1878-1900 Birth Records; and 1853-1915 Delayed Birth Records, FHL films 1321541 - 1321547
- 1902-1948 Death Records of Iroquois County, Illinois FHL film and book 977.364 V2g.
Voter Registration
Places / Localities
Web Sites
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- Family History Library Catalog
- Iroquois County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
Databases Pertinent to Iroquois County
Local Governmental Records Database
Names Index to Illinois Local Governments
Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
Illinois Statewide Death index, 1916-1950
Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Data Base
Federal Township Plats of Illinois.
References
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), 194. (FHL Collection Ref Book 973 D27e 2002). WorldCat entry.
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