Vital Records
Vital records are are highly informative primary resources. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, divorce certificates, and adoption records include the full name of the individual(s), the date of the event, and the county, state, or town where the event occurred.
Birth records usually list the parents’ full names, name of the baby, date of the birth, and county where the birth took place. Marriage records often record the names and birthplaces of each individual's parents. Divorce records usually list the names of the couple's children. Death certificates often mention the burial site and provide the name of the individual who reported the death.
Vital records are maintained at the state and county levels. A good starting place to look for vital records is at the county courthouse where the person(s) you're researching lived at the time of the event.
Illinois Vital Records
Birth
- Statewide registration began in 1916
- Some county clerks kept records from 1877 to 1916
- A few counties have records as early as 1838
Marriage
- Recorded by county clerk
- Not required until 1877
- Some county clerks kept records as early as 1790
Death
- Statewide registration began in 1916
- Some county clerks kept records from 1877 to 1916
- A few counties have records as early as 1838
Probate
- Available from the county court
Land
- Court recorder of deeds handles all land records
State Census
- Territorial and state censuses in 1810, 1818, 1820, 1825, 1835, 1840, 1845, 1855, and 1865
- Some residents are listed in the 1807 Indiana territorial census
Locating Vital Records
Birth, Marriage & Death Records
Maps & Land Records
- American Memory Map CollectionWebsite maintained by the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress holds more than 4.5 million items.
- Bureau of Land Management General Land Office RecordsContains federal land title records issued since 1820, survey plats, and field notes dating to 1810.
- Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names OnlineSearchable database of more than 1.1 million locales, historical places, and alternate spellings.
- Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County BoundariesFree interactive atlas shows historical state county boundaries.
- U.S. Geological SurveyCustomizable and interactive maps of the U.S.A.
Records Before 1860s
Prior to the 1860s, registering family events (births, marriages, deaths) was voluntary. Some early settlers traveled by horse to the county seat to register births, marriages, deaths, naturalizations, and land sales. But since these trips could be long, they chose to make them infrequently, resulting in spotty and incomplete records After requirements to vote were made mandatory, record-keeping became more frequent. If you are having difficulty locating a relative prior to 1860, this could be the reason.