Douglas County, IllinoisEdit This Page
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United States 
Illinois Douglas County
Coordinates: 39.77°0′N 88.22°0′W / 39.77°N 88.22°W
| Douglas County, Illinois | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Illinois | |
 Location of Illinois in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded: | February 8 and 16, 1859 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Tuscola |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | Douglas County Courthouse 401 S. Center Tuscola, Illinois 61953 (217) 253-2411 Douglas County Website |
Douglas County Organization
Douglas County's civil records start the following years:
| Beginning Dates for Douglas County Records | |||||
| Birth | Marriage | Death | Census | Land | Probate |
| 1877 |
1859 |
1877 |
1860 |
1830 |
1859 |
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Douglas County are kept, see the Douglas County Courthouse page
Historical Facts
Parent County
Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Douglas County boundary changes.
Record Loss
Places / Localities
| |||||||||||||||||||
To see a list of places in Douglas County, click on [Show] in the bar, above. The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.
Records and Resources
Biography
The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Douglas County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Douglas County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.
Cemeteries
The Illinois Cemeteries page provides general explanations of the following online resources:
| Bibliography | Online Gravestone Transcriptions | Cemetery Gazetteers |
| FHLC | Find A Grave | national search | county list | Cemetery Location Project (Illinois State Genealogical Society) |
| WorldCat | USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project | ePodunk |
| USGenWeb |
- Douglas County, Illinois (ILGenWeb), cemetery index
Census
Federal
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 19,097 | ||
| 1910 | 19,591 | 2.6% | |
| 1920 | 19,604 | 0.1% | |
| 1930 | 17,914 | −8.6% | |
| 1940 | 17,590 | −1.8% | |
| 1950 | 16,706 | −5.0% | |
| 1960 | 19,243 | 15.2% | |
| 1970 | 18,997 | −1.3% | |
| 1980 | 19,774 | 4.1% | |
| 1990 | 19,464 | −1.6% | |
| 2000 | 19,922 | 2.4% | |
| IL Counties 1900-1990 | |||
State
Court Records
Directories
USGenWeb, Douglas County, Illinois (ILGenWeb), Prairie Farmer's Reliable Directory of Douglas County, Illinois, 1918.
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
Mailing Lists
Message Boards
History
The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Douglas County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Douglas County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.
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
- [No land and property record holdings noted in IRAD-EIU Douglas County Listing.] Search for Douglas County records. Information about how to use IRAD
- 1839-1910 Deed indexes FHL Film 1316893 First of 21 films.
- 1856-1891 Deeds FHL Film 1316893 First of 21films
Online Resources
- 1796-1907U.S General Land Office Records at Ancestry–($)
- Illinois Public Land Purchase Records at Ancestry–($)
- Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database. Also available at Ancestry ($)
- Douglas County Federal Township Plats
- Federal Township Plats of Illinois
- 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 researcher establish location and lead to National Archives’ records which may include genealogical information. Earlier land transfer records are at the National Archives.
Maps
Military History and Records
The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Clark County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Clark County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.
Civil War
- Civil War service men from Douglas 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 Douglas County.
- - 13th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies G and H.
- - 21st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
- - 25th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
- - 54th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
- - 55th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
- - 57th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
- - 70th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
- - 79th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, E, G, and K.
- - 135th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company G.
- - 149th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Company F.
- - 154th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
- Soldiers discharge record, 1865-1890, 1919-1950 FHL film 1295955, 1295956
Book A 1865-1890
Book B 1919-1950
Book C 1940-1945
World War I
- Soldiers discharge record, 1865-1890, 1919-1950 FHL film 1295955, 1295956
Book A 1865-1890
Book B 1919-1950
Book C 1940-1945
World War II
- Soldiers discharge record, 1865-1890, 1919-1950 FHL film 1295955, 1295956
Book A 1865-1890
Book B 1919-1950
Book C 1940-1945
Naturalization and Citizenship
Newspapers
- Arthur Graphic-Clarion - full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1953-2009
Obituaries
Probate Records
Illinois Probate Records for more information.
- 1869-1927 Wills and Probates FHL Film 1302752 First of 2 films.
Repositories
County Courthouse
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Douglas County are kept, see the Douglas County Courthouse page.
Family History Centers
There are over 4500 Family History Centers worldwide which serve as branch facilities of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Volunteers provide research assistance to help patrons identify their ancestors. Microfilm and microfiche may be ordered from the FHL collection at a nominal cost. Locate your nearest Family History Center at the FamilySearch website. Call ahead to verify operating hours. All are welcome.
The following centers are accessible to residents of Douglas County, Illinois:
Champaign Illinois Family History Center
604 W Windsor Rd
Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
Phone: 217-352-8063
Hours: Thur-Sat 9:30-12:30pm; Thur 7pm-9pm; or by appt
Danville Illinois Family History Center
1941 N Bowman Ave
Danville, Vermilion, Illinois
Phone: 217-446-5887
Hours: Sat 9:30am-2pm
Decatur Illinois Family History Center
3955 Lourdes Ln
Decatur, Macon, Illinois
Phone: 217-875-9396
Hours: T, Sat 10am-3pm; Th 6pm-9pm
Please note: Addresses posted are not mailing addresses. Due to limited staff, Family History Centers are unable to respond to mail inquiries.
Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
The Illinois State Archives administers a system of Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD) to manage the archival records of local governments. Local governments which have transferred records to the regional depositories include counties, townships, municipalities, and school districts. The records of Douglas County come under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Illinois University (EIU) regional depository.
Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
Booth Library
Eastern Illinois University (EIU)
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
Telephone: (217) 581-6093
Hours: Monday – Friday, except state holidays
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Note: The depository is staffed by graduate student interns. Because of class scheduling conflicts, hours may vary somewhat from the published schedule. Researchers are urged to call before planning a visit.
Libraries
Arcola Public Library
407 E Main
Arcola, IL 61910-1513
(217) 268-4477
Arthur Public Library
225 S Walnut
Arthur, IL 61911-1269
(217) 543-2037
Camargo Township District Library
14 N Main St
Villa Grove, IL 61956-1517
(217) 832-5211
Newman Regional Library District
101 W Yates St
Newman, IL 61942
(217) 837-2412
Tuscola Public Library
112 E Sale St
Tuscola, IL 61953-1496
(217) 253-3812
Social Groups Online
Societies
Taxation
Vital Records
Births
- 1860-1917 Index - IRAD-EIU Search for Douglas records. How to use IRAD
- 1877-1901 - IRAD-EIU Search for Douglas records. How to use IRAD
- 1859-1915 Birth index FHL Films 1293663, 1293658
- 1877-1918 Birth register and certificates FHL Film 1293658 One of 3 films.
- Arthur Local Registrar's Birth Cerificates Index (1868-1925)
Marriages
- 1859-1980 Marriage index FHL Films 1293660 and 1293661
- 1857-1911 Marriage record FHL Film 1293661 One of 4 films.
- 1859-1879 Marriages FHL Book 977.368 V2c and FHL Fiche 6017786 fiche 2-3
- 1859-1980 Index - IRAD-EIU Search for Douglas records. How to use IRAD
- 1859-1911 - IRAD-EIU Search for Douglas records. How to use IRAD
- To-1850 Illinois Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
- 1851-1900 Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
- 1790-1860 Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
- Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
Deaths
- Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 (No data for Douglas County as of Aug 2011. Check back again as records are being added.)
- Early to 1917 Death index FHL Film 1293660 One of 2 films.
- 1877-1902 Death register FHL Film 1293660
- 1877-1895 Stillbirth register FHL Film 1293660
- 1916–1947 Deaths and Stillbirths
- 1877-1917 Index - IRAD-EIU Search for Douglas records. How to use IRAD
- 1877-1900 - IRAD-EIU Search for Douglas records. How to use IRAD
- 1877-1899 Stillbirths - IRAD-EIU Search for Douglas records. How to use IRAD
- 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates
Websites
Databases pertinent to Douglas County
- Local Governmental Records Database IRAD
- Name Index to Illinois Local Governments IRAD
- USGenWeb Project, Douglas County, Illinois (ILGenWeb)
- Douglas County, Illinois genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Douglas County, Illinois genealogy and history presented by Illinois Genealogy Trails. This website includes biographies, births, cemeteries, death records, family bibles, county histories, marriages, military, obituaries, and newspaper gleanings.
References
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.; Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002 WorldCat 50140092, FHL Book 973 D27e 2002
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