St. Clair County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  St. Clair County

St.Clair County Organization
St. Clair County's civil records start the following years:

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

Historical Facts
St. Clair County is named for Arthur St. Clair who was appointed governor of the Northwest Territory.

Parent County
1790--St. Clair County was created 27 April 1790 from the Northwest Territory. County seat: Belleville

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of St. Clair County boundary changes.

Record Loss
Declaration and Naturalization papers issued by the Circuit Court before 1906 were destroyed, with one exception. About 60 original naturalization papers for men whose surname began with "G" survived. This court's record also survived and consists of a sequence number, the name, and the court term the declaration or naturalization took place.

Cemeteries
One of the best places to start St. Clair County cemetery searches is:


 * Cemeteries of St Clair County Illinois Among those online are 23,000+ burials in Walnut Hill Cemetery, Belleville, and a surname index to burials in more than 140 smaller to medium sized cemeteries throughout the county. Courtesy: St. Clair County Genealogical Society.

The Illinois Cemeteries page provides general explanations of the following online St. Clair County cemetery resources:


 * The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has burial records for Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery and other Veterans Affairs National Cemeteries around the country.

Census
For tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.

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, St. Clair County on page 188.]

1870 Agricultural Census www.stclair-ilgs.org/1870ag1.htm

1930 Federal Census by surname www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilstclai/1930a-z.htm

Church Records
Baptist, Lutheran, the former Evangelical and Reformed, United Church of Christ (many translated from German), and other published church registers www.stclair-ilgs.org/stcpub.htm#church

Baptist

 * 1851–1863 Oak Hill Baptist Church lists of members


 * 1806–1909 Walsh, Diane Renner. Bethel Baptist Church minutes, 1806-1851, excerpts from the minutes, 1851–1852, membership lists, 1809–1909. Belleville, Illinois : St. Clair County Genealogical Society (Illinois), 1993. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Catholic
FamilySearch has made parish records from 40 Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in St. Clair County available for free online (requires free registration). The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:


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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

 * LDS Ward and Branch Records: Belleville, East St. Louis

Lutheran

 * 1868–1970 Zion Lutheran Church parish register
 * 1915–1919 Davis, Cindy. Trinity Lutheran Church East St. Louis, Illinois Burial Register, available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.

Methodist Episcopal

 * History of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, Belleville, 1840-1998 with surname index to records www.stclair-ilgs.org/bvmethch.htm

Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

 * 1867–1872 Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Blessings of children
 * 1864–1874 Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints membership records and minutes

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 Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for St. Clair County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Abstracts


 * 1791–1801; 1807–1810 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. St. Clair County, Illinois, book A, marriage certificates and licenses, Feb. 1807 - July 1810 : some additional records from Deed Book A &amp; 'Loose Papers', 1791-1801. Springfield, Illinois : Folkworks Research, 1993.Other libraries (WorldCat)

Copies of original records


 * 1790–1857 Indexes to court records, by plaintiff and defendant
 * 1796–1818 Court records
 * 1819–1900 Circuit court dockets; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1790–1913 Circuit court index;IRAD (SIU)
 * 1901–1925 Bellevue: Justice of the Peace Dockets; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1853–1862 Mascoutah: Justice of the Peace Dockets; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1817–1841 Circuit Court record; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1796–1818 Territorial County Court minutes; IRAD (SIU)

Declaration and Naturalization Papers filed in various St Clair courts: explained, indexes availability, record locations www.stclair-ilgs.org/natl.htm

Cahokia
Early records of courts that met at Cahokia in the late 1700s have been published:


 * Alvord, Clarence Walworth. Cahokia Records, Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library, Volume II, 1778-1790. Publisher's bookstore.

Chancery Court

 * St. Clair County Circuit Court Chancery Case Files Index, 1815-1870 (courtesy: Illinois State Archives)

Circuit Court

 * Circuit Court Case Files 1819-1840 St. Clair County, Illinois (courtesy: St. Clair County Genealogical Society)

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

Local Histories
Biographical sketch indexes:  www.stclair-ilgs.org/stchome.htm


 * Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of St Clair County. Chicago: Munsell Pub. Co., 1907. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Portrait and Biographical Record of St. Clair County, Illinois: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Together with Biographies and Portraits of All the Presidents of the United States. Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1892. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Stevens, Thomas Wood. The Book of Words of St. Clair County Pageant. Belleville, Ill.: n.p., 1914. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

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 through online sources, the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for St. Clair County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

A list of dozens of St. Clair County Grants Claimed in 1798 is available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.

Abstracts


 * 1791–1801 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. St. Clair County, Illinois, book A, marriage certificates and licenses, Feb. 1807 - July 1810 : some additional records from Deed Book A &amp; 'Loose Papers', 1791-1801. Springfield, Illinois : Folkworks Research, 1993. Other libraries (WorldCat)


 * 1831–1857 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. St. Clair County, Illinois, from the office of the circuit court, records of brands and marks, Book II, 1831–1857. Morrisonville, Illinois: Genie-Logic Enterprises, 1997.Other libraries (WorldCat)


 * 1807–1831; 1796–1797; 1808–1814 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. St. Clair County, Illinois court records, marks and brands, 1807-1831 and 1796-1797, tavern licenses granted 1808-1814. Springfield, Illinois : Folk Works Research, 1993. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Copies of original records


 * 1863 and 1899 Land ownership maps
 * 1834–1842, 1848 School land record
 * 1799–1813 St. Clair land and property records
 * 1980 Rockford Map Publishers. St. Clair County, Illinois, land atlas and plat book: 1980. Rockford, Illinois: Rockford Map Publishers, 1969. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1786–1927 Deeds index; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1790–1875 Deed record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1798–1798 Land claims record; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1865–1883 Mortgage record; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1829–1874 Surveyor's record; IRAD (SIU)

Online Resources


 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * 1796–1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry.com ($)
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * St. Clair County Federal Township Plats

Military
Historical information about White County soldiers of the Black Hawk War, Civil War, Mexican War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 may be found in:


 * McLean County, White County, Will County Genealogical Records. Evanston, Ill.?: Illinois Society, D.A.R.?, 1945?. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Civil War
Civil War service men from St. Clair 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 St. Clair County.


 * - 22nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K
 * - 43rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, B, G and H.
 * - 59th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
 * - 70th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.

Naturalizations
Original naturalization records are held in the office of the County Clerk. See Illinois Naturalization Records for more information about using naturalization records.

The following copies of original records may be accessed online or through the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Franklin County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.


 * 1835–1904 Naturalization declarations of intent index;IRAD (SIU)
 * 1838–1903 Naturalization papers index; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1868–1903 Naturalization record; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1904–1950 East St. Louis Declarations of IntentIRAD (SIU)

East St. Louis City Court Naturalizations Papers (1874-1906), courtesy: Illinois State Archives.

Several St. Clair County courts issued declaration and naturalization papers. An index to the first 3 of 19 volumes (1906-1945) has been made available for free online:


 * Index to Declarations and Naturalizations, Circuit Court 1906 - c1945, St. Clair County, Illinois, courtesy: St. Clair County Genealogical Society.

"An important find in this particular record collection is that all the Volume 3 document sets were filed in St Clair County Circuit Court convened in East St Louis, not the county seat at Belleville, presumably because of the sheer number of residents there and for their convenience."

Pre-1906 naturalizations have suffered heavy record loss, see Record Loss.

Newspapers and Obituaries
Vital Records

Newspaper columns provide more than just vital statistics on area residents. Obituaries include kinship links, sometimes with out-of-state residency for surviving family. Online indexes to obituaries from The Belleville News Democrat 1994-2007, Freeburg Tribune 1904-1939, and Millstadt Enterprise 1897-1949 are available (courtesy: St. Clair County Genealogical Society). An every-name index during the war period 1917 - 1921 is also available for the Lebanon Advertiser.

Poor Houses

 * St. Clair County; County Farm Board Record Index, 1874-1879, courtesy: Illinois State Archives.

Private Papers
Bertille Brand Klein kept a diary or "news book" of her daily life in Hecker, Illinois from January 1930 (age 15 1/2) until December 1939 (age 25). She mentions many local family names with some birth and death dates. Her granddaughter Angie Kelly is digitizing this valuable resource. Visit Tillie's Tales to read this interesting journal (work in progress).

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 Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for St. Clair County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Abstracts


 * 1772–1964 St. Clair County Genealogical Society. Index to St. Clair County, Illinois probated and non-probated wills, 1772-1964. Belleville, IL : St. Clair County Genealogical Society, 1993.Other libraries (WorldCat)


 * 1797–1832 Friedli, Frederick J. and Virginia Merrills. Probate Court records, St. Clair County Courthouse, Belleville, Illinois, will record "A" &amp; "B". 


 * 1794–1811 Daughters of the American Revolution. Belleville Chapter (Illinois). St. Clair County, Illinois marriage register, 1807-1845 : courthouse at Belleville, Illinois; alphabetical by 1st letter of groom's surname, includes letters A-C only. (Includes wills 1794–1811.) Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.

Copies of original records


 * 1772–1800 Wills
 * 1772–1925 Index of wills
 * 1772–1920 Wills
 * 1796–1818 Court records related to probate and guardian records
 * 1870–1964 Probate appraisement record; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1817–1906 Probate case files; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1821–1901 Probate record; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1772–1970 Probate wills; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1827–1963 Probate wills, non-probated; IRAD (SIU)

Additional Resources

Additional resources for St. Clair probates may be found in the topic page 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. Also find Illinois Probate resources available at many libraries (WorldCat). Explore how to search the Family History Library Catalog and the Worldcat Online Catalog.

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

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * O'Fallon Illinois Family History Center

Societies
Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois has a page with details about its' activities.

Taxation

 * 1844–1869 Tax sale record IRAD (SIU) Search for St. Clair records How to use IRAD

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 St. Clair County Clerkwhile 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 Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for St. Clair County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

General
Vital Statistics Extracted From the Belleville (Ill.) Daily Advocate 1927 - 1954 More than 132,000 vital statistics derived from the Belleville (Ill.) Daily Advocate 1927 - 1954 constitute this database.

Births
Abstracts of Birth Records


 * Dickinson, H.B. and Elda Jones. Birth records, Dr. H.B. Dickinson, Coulterville, Illinois. Marissa, Illinois : Marissa Historical &amp; Genealogical Society, 2003. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Copies of Original Birth Records


 * 1901–1904 Birth Records
 * 1830–1900 Birth certificates
 * 1843–1856 Birth and death record; IRAD (SIU)

Marriages
Abstracts of Marriage Records


 * 1807–1810 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. St. Clair County, Illinois, book A, marriage certificates and licenses, Feb. 1807 - July 1810 : some additional records from Deed Book A &amp; 'Loose Papers', 1791-1801. Springfield, Illinois : Folkworks Research, 1993. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1807–1845 Daughters of the American Revolution. Belleville Chapter (Illinois). St. Clair County, Illinois marriage register, 1807-1845 : courthouse at Belleville, Illinois; alphabetical by 1st letter of groom's surname, includes letters A-C only. (Includes wills 1794–1811.) Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.
 * 1807–1850 Dodd, Jordan. Illinois Marriages, 1790-1806, available online, courtesy: Ancestry ($). Includes St. Clair County marriages 1807-1850.
 * 1897–1949 Buecher, Robert. Millstadt [IL] "Enterprise" marriage index, 1897-1949. St. Louis, Missouri : R. Buecher, 1992.Other libraries (WorldCat)

Copies of original Marriage Records


 * 1807–1950 Marriage licenses (there is one license in 1806)
 * 1807–1845 Marriage records, A–D
 * 1807–1946 Marriage record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1807–1976 Marriage licenses IRAD (SIU)

Online Resources


 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900
 * 1790–1860 Illinois Marriage indexfound at Ancestry.com ($)

Deaths
Copies of original Death Records


 * 1843–1856 Birth and death record; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1850–1880 Mortality Schedules, courtesy: Ancestry ($)
 * 1860 1860 Mortality Schedule, Northern Division, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.
 * 1878–1888 Belleville: Burial permit record; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1888–1923 Belleville: Death record; IRAD (SIU)
 * 1916–1950 St. Clair County Deaths 1916-1950, available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.

Additional Resources
Additional resources for St. Clair births, marriages and deaths may be found in the topic page 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.


 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
 * 1850–1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 found at Ancestry.com ($)

Places / Localities
The comprehensive list in St. Clair County Research and Resources: A Genealogist's Guide serves as a companion to other place names in the county shown in Adams' Illinois Place Names (Springfield, Ill: Illinois State Historical Society, 1989).

To see a list of places in St. Clair 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.

Web Sites

 * St. Clair County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * St. Clair County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)