Jefferson County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  Jefferson County

Parent County

 * 1819--Jefferson County was created 26 March 1819 from Edwards and White Counties.

County seat:  Mount Vernon

Places / Localities
To see a list of places in Jefferson 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.

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

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


 * Jefferson 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 of the books or others may be on Google Books or available at public libraries.


 * ePodunk list of Jefferson 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.

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. ; ; digital version at Google Books. [See Illinois, Jefferson County on page 187.]

Catholic
FamilySearch has made parish records from two Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Jefferson County available online (free registration is required). The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:


 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
 * , browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.

Land
Cindy Ford compiled an extensive list of Jefferson County Illinois Early Land Sales, which is available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.

Local Histories

 * Continental Historical Bureau. History of Jefferson County, Illinois, 1810-1962. Mt. Vernon, Ill.: Continental Historical Bureau, 1962. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Perrin, William Henry. History of Jefferson County, Illinois. Chicago: Globe Pub. Co., 1883. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive.
 * Wall, John A. Wall's History of Jefferson County, Illinois. Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen &amp; Co., 1909. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive. Reprint:

Military

 * Civil War Civil War service men from Jefferson 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 Jefferson County.


 * - 44th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 60th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies C, D, G, and I.
 * - 70th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.

Vital Records
Illinois Vital Records for more information.

Indexes for birth, death, and marriage, prior to 1 January 1916 are in the custody of the county clerk.

Births

 * 1877-1915 Births - First of 6 films
 * 1877-1902 Birth index
 * 1867-1915 Birth certificates - First of 15 films
 * 1870-1920 Delayed birth certificates - First of 10 films
 * 1870-1920 Delayed birth certificate index -

Societies and Libraries
Jefferson County Historical Society 1411 N 27th St. Mt. Vernon, IL 62864 Phone: (618) 246-0033 E-mail: jchsvip@mvn.net

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Jefferson County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Jefferson County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)