Jersey County, Illinois Genealogy
Guide to Jersey County, Illinois ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Jersey County, Illinois | |
| Map | |
| |
 Location of Illinois in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded: | February 28, 1839 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Jerseyville |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | Jersey County Courthouse 200 N. LaFayette Jerseyville, Illinois 62052 618-498-5571 Jersey County Website |
County Organization[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1878 | 1839 | 1878 | 1845 | 1839 | 1850 | 1810 |
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Jersey County are kept, see the Jersey County Courthouse page.
Historical Facts[edit | edit source]
Jersey County is named for the state of New Jersey.
Parent County[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for the state of New Jersey, from which many of the early settlers emigrated - which was itself named for the Channel Island of Jersey in Great Britain. The county seat is Jerseyville and the county was organized on February 28, 1839. The County is located in the West central part of the state.[3]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Illinois county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Illinois County Boundary Maps" (1790-1869) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Records and Resources[edit | edit source]
Biography[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 4,535 | — |
| 1850 | 7,354 | 62.2% |
| 1860 | 12,051 | 63.9% |
| 1870 | 15,054 | 24.9% |
| 1880 | 15,542 | 3.2% |
| 1890 | 14,810 | −4.7% |
| 1900 | 14,612 | −1.3% |
| 1910 | 13,954 | −4.5% |
| 1920 | 12,682 | −9.1% |
| 1930 | 12,556 | −1.0% |
| 1940 | 13,636 | 8.6% |
| 1950 | 15,264 | 11.9% |
| 1960 | 17,023 | 11.5% |
| 1970 | 18,492 | 8.6% |
| 1980 | 20,538 | 11.1% |
| 1990 | 20,539 | 0.0% |
| 2000 | 21,668 | 5.5% |
| 2010 | 22,985 | 6.1% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Jersey County has many religious denominations represented.Major denominations include Evangelical Denominations, Catholic Church, American Baptist Churches, Assemblies of God, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, Church of the Nazarene, Presbyterian Church, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church. To find more about these denominations and their resources by county, Click here. Few records of churches have been found in print or online.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
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 Family History Library.
- Maire, Jean M. Early records of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois (Springfield, Illinois:Allers and Gochanour, 1986) WorldCat 16880764; FHL Book 977.38 H2ma
Directories[edit | edit source]
- Illinois state gazetteer and business directory
- 1893 Historical Directory
- 1918 Directory of Farmers and Breeders for Jersey and Greene Counties
- 1928 Huber's Directory
- 1947 Farm Directory"
Ethnic Research[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
The following have information concerning African American research.
- African American Genealogy (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[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
Land Records[edit | edit source]
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 or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the University of Illinois at Springfield - search for Jersey County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the UIS IRAD Wiki page.
Online Resources
- BLM GLO Records. Search original land patents for Jersey County from the Govenment Land Office (GLO) or Eastern States Office. Some searches include images of the original warrants. All search results include the patant details needed for requesting copies of the land entry files at the National Archives. The GLO is the custodian of millions of land title documents. The General Land Office Automated Records Project is responsible for making these important documents available to the public.
- 1796–1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry.com ($)
- Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
- Sheldon, Theodore. Land registration in Illinois. Chicago: Callaghan Co., 1901. Digital book. Expains the laws regarding land and the land systems used in Illinois. Includes court cases involving land issues. In addition to being on Ancestry, this book is available online at no cost at Internet Archives and Google Books.
Copies of original records
- Deed Index 1832 to 1855 IRAD-UIS
- Entry books 1821 to 1875 IRAD-UIS
- 1822–1924 Land records and indexes FHL film 1317904 Items 3-4 (first of 28 films)
Additional Resources
Additional resources for Jersey County land and property may be found online in the FamilySearch Catalog. Online microfilm are indicated by the camera icon in the catalog entry. Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the WorldCat Online Catalog.
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Military[edit | edit source]
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Civil War service men from Jersey 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 Jersey County.
- - 14th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
- - 27th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
- - 61st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies C and D.
- - 97th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies H and K.
- - 122nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
- - 124th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
- - 133rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H.
- - 144th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1864-65), Companies F, G and H.
- - 154th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
World War I[edit | edit source]
IRAD holdings:
- Military discharge records 1918 to 1965
- Military discharge records index 1918 to 1967
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Online Records
- 1800-1998 - Illinois, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1998 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1856-1991 - Illinois, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991 at Ancestry.com - index and images, ($)
Newspapers and Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
Places and Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[4]
| Cities | ||
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||
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1772 - 1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1819 - 1988 Illinois Probate Records 1819-1988 at FamilySearch.org — images
Original probate records are held by the circuit court clerk. Probate records include wills, inventories, settlements, and guardianship records. Some probate records are held at IRAD. Explore how to search IRAD–UIS. The following copies are available in the FamilySearch Catalog:
- 1839–1888Index to Estate Papers Record Collection 1834344 Online images. Browse for Jersey records.
- 1839–1933Probate Records Record Collection 1834344 Online images. Browse for Jersey records.
- 1839–1964 Probate Will RecordIRAD–UIS
- 1839–1940 Probate Records FHL Film 1310661 (first of 16 films)
- 1839–1847Wills,Bonds,Inventories Record Collection 1834344 Online images. Browse for Jersey records.
- 1852–1931Will Record Record Collection 1834344 Online images. Browse for Jersey records.
- 1873–1898Guardian Records Record Collection 1834344 Online images. Browse for Jersey records.
- 1874–1966 Probate Inventory RecordIRAD–UIS
- 1875–1879Inventory Record Record Collection 1834344 Online images. Browse for Jersey records.
- 1879–1922 Probate Inventory Record, GuardiansIRAD–UIS
- 1882–1914Estate Inventory and Appraisement Record Collection 1834344 Online images. Browse for Jersey records.
- 1882–1914 Probate Inventory and Appraisement RecordIRAD–UIS
- 1894–1933Order Book Record Collection 1834344 Online images. Browse for Jersey records.
- 1898–1940Administrators' Record Record Collection 1834344 Online images. Browse for Jersey records.
Repositories[edit | edit source]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Jersey County are kept, see the Jersey County Courthouse page.
Family History Center[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Jersey County has no family history centers. The nearest center seems to be:
Alton Illinois Family History Center
6500 Humbert Rd
Godfrey, Illinois
Contact: (618) 466-4352
Hours: The center has limited hours in Tuesdays, Thursdays, the first Saturday of the month, and on Wednesdays by appointment.
Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)[edit | edit source]
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.
The University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) houses the records for Cass County. The link will help you find and use the records. There address is:
Illinois Regional Archives Depository
LIB144
University of Illinois at Springfield Region
One University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield, Illinois 62703-5407
217-206-6520
Public Libraries[edit | edit source]
Jerseyville Public Library
105 North Liberty Street
Jerseyville, IL 62052
Phone: (618) 498-9514
Website
- The Jerseyville Library has a genealogical collection, some of which includes microfilmed copies of censuses for Jersey County and
- local newspapers. Their Genealogy links contain several links specific to Jersey County.
Social Groups Online[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
- Jersey County Historical & Genealogical Society
601 North State Street
Jerseyville, IL 62052
Phone 618-498-3514
Email:webmaster@jerseyusa.net
Facebook
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
See Illinois Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Illinois. See also How to order Illinois Vital Records or order electronically online.
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth (1878) and death (1878) records are kept by the Jersey 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 kept by the County Clerk from 1839 to the present. Original divorce records are generally in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk.
Copies of original records may be accessed through the Family History Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Universtiy of Illinois–Springfield(UIS). Search Jersey County records in the Local Governmental Records Holdings Database . For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD–UIS Wiki page.
Explore Jersey County vital records found in the FamilySearch Catalog. Other libraries(at WorldCat) also hold copies of abstracted Jersey County vital records. (How to explore WorldCat).
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1838–1910 Early Birth Index. Courtesy of USGenWeb.
- 1857–1967 Birth Records index available at UIS IRAD Region search for Jersey County.
- 1867–1956 Birth Records index FHL Film 1317903
- 1878–1932 Birth Records available at UIS IRAD Region search for Jersey County.
- 1878–1900 Birth Register FHL Film 1317904 items 1 and 2
- 1845–1866 Birth Record, Proof of available at UIS IRAD Region search for Jersey County. FHL Film 1317903
- 1905–1932 Stillbirths available at UIS IRAD Region search for Jersey County.
For help with using the above IRAD links, click here for how to Use IRAD
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1805-1985 Illinois, Church Marriages, 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
- 1810–1934 Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1934 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1833-1889 Illinois, Civil Marriages, 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index
- 1839–1967 Marriage Record Index at UIS IRAD Regionsearch for Jersey records.
- Marriages. Courtesy of USGenWeb.
- 1839–1876, 1878–1901 Marriage register FHL Films 131790–3
- 1837–1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index. Search for Jersey records.
- 1835–1850 Illinois Marriages at Ancestry ($)
For help with using the above IRAD links, click here for how to Use IRAD
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1749-1999 Illinois Deaths and Burials, 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — index, some images
- 1850-1880 Illinois Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1878–1983 Death Records Index. Available at UIS IRAD Region Search for Jersey county. FHL Film 1317902
- 1916–1950 Illinois Statewide Death Index Search for Jersey County.
- Pre-1916Death Index
- 1878–1900 Death Record. Available at UIS IRAD Region Search for Jersey county. FHL Films 1317903–1317904 items 1 and 2
- 1905–1932 Death Record,Stillbirths. Available at UIS IRAD Region Search for Jersey county.
Jersey County deaths are not in the statewide pre-1916 death index.
For help with using the above IRAD links, click here forhow to use IRAD
Online Resources
- 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index, ($)
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Jersey County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Jersey County IL Genealogy
- Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Jersey County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Illinois Genealogy Trails. Jersey County Website. This site contains transcriptions of a number of records of genealogical value grouped by category. Not all categories are populated.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Jersey County, Illinois. Page 192-199 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 194-197.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), 195. (FHL Collection Ref Book 973 D27e 2002). WorldCat entry.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jersey County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_County,_Illinois 04/17/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Jersey County, Illinois," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_County,_Illinois, Last accessed 27 February 2020.
