Adams County, Illinois Genealogy

''This article is about a western Illinois county. For other uses, see Adams.''

United States Illinois Adams County

Historical Facts
Named for John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States of America.

Parent County
13 January 1825 -- Adams County was created 13 January 1825 from Pike County.

Record Loss
9 December 1835 - Courthouse burned and many records were damaged.  9 January 1875 - Courthouse burned again, and may records damaged.

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


 * Burned Counties Research

Places/Localities
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. To see a list of places in Adams County, click on [Show], above.

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

Archives and Libraries

 * Inventory of the county archives of Illinois, no. 1, Historical Records Survey, pub. 1939

Biography

 * The History of Adams County, Illinois: containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc.; a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late Rebellion ... portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest, history of Illinois ... etc., etc. Reprint 1977 (original 1879)
 * The History of Adams County, Illinois: containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc.; a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion; general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men...miscellaneous matters, etc., etc., pub. 1879
 * The History of Adams County, Illinois: containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc.; a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion; general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men...miscellaneous matters, etc., etc., apparent reprint with index
 * Memorials to those involved in the legal profession, filed by the clerk, with birth and death dates, ca. 1807-1961,
 * Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois : including the late Colonel John Tillson's History of Quincy, together with biographical sketches of many of its leading and prominent citizens and illustrious dead; pub. 1905
 * Portrait and biographical record of Adams County, Illinois: containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens; pub. 1892.

Indexes

 * Naturalization index and bar association index, Adams County, Illinois; pub. 1993

Cemeteries
Find A Grave, list of cemeteries. Additional information can be found at local level (city, township, etc.)


 * A report on Hunsaker burial grounds in Illinois, pub. 1959, Q. Maurice Hunsaker, President, Hunsaker Family Organization.

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

Court Records
http://www.judici.com/courts/cases/case_search.jsp?court=IL001025J

Adams County Courthouse 521 Vermont St Quincy, IL 62301

http://www.co.adams.il.us/legal.htm

Funeral Homes
Hansen-Spear Funeral Home

Walter Douglass and Helen Bruenger Hansen opened the Hansen Funeral Home in 1929 at 8th and Jefferson, Quincy, Illinois. It was the beginning of a fourth generation family owned funeral service. Charlotte Helene Hansen Spear and her husband George Harry Spear joined the firm in 1955. In 1962, the Hansen-Spear partnership was formed. George and Charlotte's third son Jeffrey and his wife Theresa Powers Spear joined the company in 1979. Jeff and Theresa's son, William A. Spear, made it four generations in 2007.

The Hansen-Spear Funeral Home is located 16th and State Street.

Land and Property
http://www.co.adams.il.us/history/index.htm

Maps

 * Interactive map of Adams County

Military History and Records

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


 * - 50th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, B, C, D, and K.
 * - 78th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, E, F, G, I, and K.
 * - 84th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies E and I.

Newspapers
The Quincy Public Library Newspaper Archive is a great resource for learning about everyday life in Adams County, Illinois from 1835 through 1919. In addition to mentions of births, marriages, and deaths, the newspapers also include details of family celebrations (and feuds), delinquent taxes, unclaimed letters at the Post Office, out of town guests, and the travels of local community members. Legal notices and mentions of crop failures or outbreaks of certain diseases were also published.

The archive is indexed and searchable, and linked to images of the actual pages. You can view either the article alone, or the entire page where it appears. To learn more about the area at the time your ancestors lived there, click on [Browse the Archive] and select a particular timeframe.

Newspapers included in the archive:


 * Quincy Daily Herald
 * Quincy Daily Journal
 * Quincy Daily Whig
 * Quincy Morning Whig
 * Quincy Herald
 * Quincy Whig Republican
 * Quincy Whig

Vital Records
Adams County Clerk Vital Records Georgia Volm 507 Vermont St Quincy, IL 62301 217-277-2150 http://www.co.adams.il.us/county_clerk/vitalrecords/index.htm

Websites

 * Adams County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)