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Shelby County, Illinois
Map
Location of Illinois in the U.S.
Facts
Founded:	January 23, 1827
County Seat	Shelbyville
Courthouse
Photo courtesy Illinois Regional Archives Depository, Illinois State Archives
Address	Shelby County Courthouse 301 E. Main Street Shelbyville, Illinois 62565 (217) 774-4421 Shelby County Website

 

United States Illinois Shelby County

Contents 1 Shelby County Organization 1.1 Historical Facts 1.2 Parent County 1.3 Boundary Changes 1.4 Record Loss 2 Places / Localities 2.1 Populated Places 2.2 Neighboring Counties 3 Resources 3.1 Biography 3.2 Cemeteries 3.3 Census 3.3.1 1840 Pensioners 3.4 Church Records 3.5 Court Records 3.6 Ethnic Research 3.6.1 African American 3.7 Genealogy 3.8 History 3.9 Land and Property 3.9.1 Additional Resources 3.10 Maps 3.11 Military 3.11.1 Civil War 3.12 Naturalization 3.13 Newspapers and Obituaries 3.14 Poor House records 3.15 Probate Records 3.15.1 Additional Resources 3.16 Repositories 3.16.1 County Courthouse 3.16.2 Family History Centers 3.16.3 Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) 3.16.4 Libraries 3.17 School Records 3.18 Social Groups Online 3.19 Societies 3.20 Taxation 3.21 Vital Records 3.21.1 Births 3.21.2 Marriages 3.21.3 Deaths 3.21.4 Additional Resources 4 Web Sites 5 References

Shelby County Organization

Shelby County's civil records start the following years:

Beginning Dates for Shelby County Records
Birth	Marriage	Death	Census	Land	Probate
1877	1827	1877	1830	1827	1831

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

Historical Facts

The county is named after Kentucky's First Governor Isaac Shelby (1750-1826).^[1]

Parent County

• 1827--Shelby County was created 23 January 1827 from Fayette County.  County seat: Shelbyville ^[2]

Boundary Changes

See an interactive map of Shelby County boundary changes.

Record Loss

November 17, 1894 -- Courthouse burned and many records were damaged.

For further information on researching in burned counties, see the following:

• Burned Counties Research
  
• http://blogs.ancestry.com/circle/?p=2424

Places / Localities

Populated Places

Neighboring Counties

• Christian
• Coles
• Cumberland
• Effingham
• Fayette
• Macon
• Montgomery
• Moultrie

Resources

Biography

• The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Shelby County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Shelby County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

Cemeteries

Illinois Cemeteries for more information.

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 Shelby County and links to the  information for the individuals buried there.

• Shelby 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 Shelby County.  Some of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.

• ePodunk list of Shelby 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.
• USGenWeb, Shelby County, Illinois (ILGenWeb), Cemetery Records

Census

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1900	32,126		—
1910	31,693		−1.3%
1920	29,601		−6.6%
1930	25,471		−14.0%
1940	26,290		3.2%
1950	24,434		−7.1%
1960	23,404		−4.2%
1970	22,589		−3.5%
1980	23,923		5.9%
1990	22,261		−6.9%
2000	22,893		2.8%
IL Counties 1900-1990

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, Shelby County on page 188.]

Church Records

Timeline of some of the major churches in Shelby County: ^[3]

• 1825 - Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) Church in Shelbyville was the pioneer church in the county
• 1832 - Church of Christ (Baptist) in Shelbyville. Their first meetinghouse was built in 1843. 1839 - Walnut Grove Presbyterian Church. This congregation did not thrive.
• 1832 - Ash Grove Baptist Church south of Windsor
• 1834 - Sand Creek
• 1843 to 1852 - Shelbyville Presbyterian Church
• 1850 - St. Paul's Reformed Church located northwest of Shelbyville
• 1852 -Shelbyville Presbyterian Church organized at Prairie Bird. First building condtructed in Shelbyville in 1856
  
• 1859 - Windsor Baptist Church
• 1860 - Antioch Baptist Church
• 1860 - Bethany Baptist Church
• 1860 - Welborn Creek Baptist Church
• 1860 - West Okaw Presbyterian Church in Prairie Home.
  
• 1862 - Shelbyville Baptist Church was the second Baptist Church organized in the County after the original Church of Christ created in 1832
• 1867 - Tower Hill Presbyterian Church
  
• 1867 - Moweaqua Presbyterian Church .
  
• 1875 - African Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) Church in Shelbyville
  
• 1881 - Cowden Free Methodist was the first Free Methodist church organized in the county. Several others have been organized since.

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

• 1827–1847 Circuit Court Dockets IRAD–EIU
• 1828–1871 Circuit Court Case Files IRAD–EIU

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

• The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Shelby County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Shelby County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

Land and Property

Copies of original records

• 1827–1926 Deed records and indexes FHL film 1009141 (first of 53 films)
• 1827-1926 Deed Record IRAD-EIU Search for Shelby County records.  
• 1828-1892 Deed Index IRAD-EIU Search for Shelby County records. Information about how to use IRAD
• 1833–1891 Land book : record of taxable lands FHL film 1008413
• 1985 Land atlas and plat book At other Libraries(WorldCat) FHL book 977.3798 E7s

• Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database. Also available at Ancestry ($)
• Shelby County Federal Township Plats
• 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.
• Family Maps. Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Shelby County, Illinois. Norman, Oklahoma: Arphax Pub. Co., c2007. WorldCat 86121235FHL book 977.3798 E7b

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Shelby County land and property may be found in the FHLC. Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FHLC may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Maps

• Shelby County Federal Township Plats

Military

• The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Shelby County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Shelby County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

Civil War

Civil War service men from Shelby 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 Shelby County.

- 3rd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company M.

- 5th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company G.

- 7th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company H.

- 35th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C

- 41st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H

- 53rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G

- 54th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies F and H

Naturalization

• 1874–1888 Naturalization Dockets IRAD–EIU
• 1858–1895 Naturalization Record IRAD–EIU
• 1870–1888 Naturalization Record of Minors IRAD–EIU
• 1904–1907 Naturalization Record of Minors IRAD–EIU
• 1876–1888 Naturalization Record, Final IRAD–EIU

Newspapers and Obituaries

• USGenWeb, Shelby County, Illinois (ILGenWeb), Obituaries and Death Notices 

Poor House records

• 1870–1942 Almshouse Registers IRAD–EIU

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.

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 the Eastern Illinois University (EIU) - search for Shelby County records. For information on how to use IRAD see theEIU IRAD Wiki page.

Copies of original records

• 1828–1922 Probate records FHL film 1008423 (first of 13 films)
• 1839–1869 Probate Record IRAD–EIU
• 1854–1890 Probate MinutesIRAD–EIU
• 1859–1894 Probate Administrator's RecordIRAD–EIU
• 1859–1905 Probate Executor's Record IRAD–EIU
• Browse images of Shelby County probate records at Illinois, Probate Records, 1819-1970.
• 1869–1873 Probate Inventory, Appraisement and Sale Record IRAD–EIU
• 1870–1918 Probate Will Record IRAD–EIU
• 1872–1895 Probate Guardian's RecordIRAD–EIU
• 1872–1894 Probate Inventory RecordIRAD–EIU
• 1872–1922 Probate Miscellaneous RecordIRAD–EIU
• 1874–1881 Probate Sale Record, Real Estate IRAD–EIU
• 1884–1889 Probate Administrator's and Executor's Final Reports IRAD–EIU

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Shelby County probates may be found in the Illinois, Shelby – Probate, and on the Illinois, Shelby – Probate record indexes topic pages of the Family History Library catalog (FHLC). Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FHLC may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

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 Shelby County are kept, see the Shelby County Courthouse page.

Family History Centers

There are over 4500Family 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 Shelby 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

Decatur Illinois Family History Center
3955 Lourdes Ln
Decatur, Macon, Illinois
Phone: 217-875-9396
Hours: T, Sat 10am-3pm; Th 6pm-9pm

Springfield Illinois Family History Center
3601 Buckeye Dr
Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois
Phone: 217-529-7930
Hours: T 6pm-9pm; W 10am-2pm, 6pm-9pm; Sat 10am-2pm

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 Shelby 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

Dry Point Township Library
County Highway 651
Cowden, IL 62422
Phone: (217) 783-2616
Facebook

Herrick Township Public Library
303 North Broadway
Herrick, IL 62431
Phone: (618) 428-5223

Moweaqua Public Library District
600 North Putnam Street
Moweaqua, IL 62550
Phone: (217) 768-4700

Shelbyville Public Library
154 North Broadway
Shelbyville, IL 62565
Phone: (217) 774-4432

Windsor Storm Memorial Public Library District
102 South Maple
Windsor, IL 61957
Phone: (217) 459-2498

School Records

• 1891–1971 School teachers' daily registers IRAD–EIU

Social Groups Online

Societies

Taxation

• 1828–1891 Taxable Lands Lists IRAD–EIU

Vital Records

See Illinois Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Illinois.

Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Shelby 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 Family History Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Eastern Illinois University (EIU) - search for Shelby County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Births

Copies of Original Birth Records

• 1848–1915 Birth Certificates and index FHL film 1008032 (first of 31 films)
• 1848-1915 Birth Certificates - IRAD-EIU Search for Shelby County records. How to use IRAD
• 1848-1906 Birth Record Index - IRAD-EIU Search for Shelby County records.

Marriages

Copies of original Marriage Records

• 1827–1831 Marriage licenses FHL film 7710
• 1827–1922 Marriage records and index FHL film 1008065 Item 1 (first of 4 films)
• 1827-1922 Marriage Record IRAD-EIU Search for Shelby County records.
• 1854–1871 Marriage records FHL films 7710
• 1871–1876 Marriage License Applications IRAD-EIU Search for Shelby County records. How to use IRAD
• 1878-1906 Marriage Record Index - IRAD-EIU Search for Shelby County records.

The following abstracts are available:

• 1827–1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 (1827-1900 for Shelby County)

Deaths

• 1878–1917 Death records and index FHL 1008063–4
• 1878–1917 Death Record IRAD-EIU Search for Shelby County records. How to use IRAD
• 1878–1902 Death Record Index IRAD-EIU Search for Shelby County records.
• 1919–1984 Coroner's Inquest Files IRAD–EIU
• 1926–1975 Coroner's Inquest Record IRAD–EIU
• 1952-1955 Death Certificates, Coroner - IRAD-EIU Search for Shelby County records.

The following abstracts are available:

• Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 (Dec 1877-Dec 1915 for Shelby County)
• 1916–1950 Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916-1950 (1916-1950 for Shelby County)

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Shelby County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the Illinois, Shelby – Vital Records, the Illinois, Shelby – Vital Records - indexes, and the Illinois, Shelby – Vital Records - newspapers topic pages of the Family History Library catalog (FHLC). Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FHLC may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

Web Sites

Databases pertinent to Shelby County

• Local Governmental Records Database IRAD
• Name Index to Illinois Local Governments IRAD
• Family History Library Catalog
• Shelby County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
• USGenWeb, Shelby County, Illinois (ILGenWeb)

References

1. ↑ "List of Counties in Tennessee," Wikipedia.
2. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
3. ↑ Historic sketch and biographical album of Shelby County, Illinois : embellished with portraits of well-known residents of Shelby County, Illinois. (Shelbyville, Ill. : The Wilder Pub. Co., 1900.)p 179-204

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