Perry County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  Perry County

Perry County Organization
Perry 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 Perry County are kept, see the Perry County Courthouse page.

Historical Facts
Perry County is named for Oliver Hazard Perry who was a Commodore of the United States Navy and is known for his victory at the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.

Parent County

 * 1827--Perry County was created 29 January 1827 from Randolph and Jackson Counties. County seat:  Pinckneyville

Boundary Changes
See an interactive map of Perry County boundary changes.

Neighboring Counties

 * Franklin
 * Jackson
 * Jefferson
 * Randolph
 * Washington

Cemeteries
The Illinois Cemeteries page provides general explanations of the following online Perry County resources:

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, Perry County on page 188.]

Catholic
FamilySearch has made parish records from five Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Perry County available online. The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:


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

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


 * 1828–1835 County record, no. 1, book A
 * 1852–1924 Insanity proceedings
 * 1913–1937 Mother's petitions for relief

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

History

 * Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the Counties: Together with Biographies and Portraits of All the Presidents of the United States, and the Governors of the State of Illinois. Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1894. Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive. For additional access, see WeRelate.
 * Robertson, Robert Crawford. Pioneer Families of Randolph and Perry Counties, Illinois: Notes on the Campbell, Crozier, Flack, Milligan, Steele and Thompson Families: The Crawfords of Ballynease, Londonderry, Ireland, with Descendants in the U.S.A., and Their Descendants in the Elsey, Garven, Matthews and Robertson Families. Chattanooga, Tenn.: R.C. Robertson, 1960. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * Neville, J. Wesley. Student's History of Perry County. 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Online Resources

 * Land Patent Search
 * 1796–1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry.com ($)

The following abstracts are available:

 * 1920 Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois). Plat book and complete survey of Perry County, Illinois 1920. Chester, Illinois : Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois), 1991. Other libraries (WorldCat)

The following copies of original records are available:

 * 1814–1903Land patent record IRAD (SIU) Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1827–1863 Deed Index IRAD (SIU) Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1827–1890 Grantor and grantee index
 * 1827–1950 Deeds
 * 1850s-1894 Swamp land records IRAD (SIU) Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1987 Land atlas and plat book

Military Records

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


 * - 31st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
 * - 71st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
 * - 81st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, C and K.
 * - 89th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.

The following copies of original records are available:

 * 1828–1858 Probate record IRAD (SIU) Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1829–1843 Probate will record IRAD (SIU)Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1840–1953 Index to estates
 * 1843–1856 Probate administrator's bonds and letters IRAD (SIU) Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1858–1889 Probate record
 * 1860–1875 Administrators records
 * 1867–1884 Proceedings on petition to sell real estate
 * 1867–1909 Will record
 * 1875–1883 Estate record
 * 1897–1917 Wills and executors

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

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

Online Resources

 * 1790–1860 Illinois Marriage indexfound at Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1827–1850 Perry County, Illinois Marriage Records 1827–1850, available online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.
 * 1850–1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885found at Ancestry.com ($)
 * 1916–1950 Death Index 1916–1950, available online, courtesy: USGenWeb.
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916

Births:

 * 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)

Marriages:

 * 1827–1850 Cooke, Dorothy and Elizaeth Eiker. Marriage licenses issued in Perry County, Illinois beginning 1827 to 1850.[Pinckneyville, Ill., 1959]. Other libraries (WorldCat)


 * 1868–1896 Schick, Lee, Naomi Schick, and Mary Alyce Browne Kern. Perry County, Illinois marriage records, 1868-1896, a few through 1903. Carterville, Illinois : Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois, 1992. Other libraries (WorldCat)


 * 1827–1850 Spurgeon, Elizabeth Eiker and Dorothy Cooke. Perry County, Illinois, marriages 1827–1850 with genealogical notes. Thomson, Illinois : Heritage House, 1973. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Deaths:
Newspapers with vital record information:


 * 1869–1876 Randolph County Genealogical Society. The Valley clarion newspaper, Chester, Illinois, August 1869– April 1876. Chester, Illinois: Randolph County Genealogical Society, [1990?]Other libraries (WorldCat)

Births:

 * 1845–1914 Birth Certificates, Delayed IRAD (SIU)Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1845–1877 Miscellaneous births
 * 1871–1915 Delayed births
 * 1878–1916 Birth index IRAD (SIU)Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1878–1915 Births IRAD (SIU)Search for Perry records How to use IRAD

Marriages:

 * 1827–1916 Marriage record IRAD (SIU)Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1827–1974 Marriage record index IRAD (SIU) Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1827–1867 Marriage record
 * 1827–1868 Parent's permission to marriage IRAD (SIU) Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1868–1974 Marriage index
 * 1878–1916 Marriage register

Deaths:

 * 1870–1892 Coroner's inquest record IRAD (SIU)Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1878-1915 Death index IRAD (SIU) Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1878–1915 Registers of death IRAD (SIU) Search for Perry records How to use IRAD
 * 1911–1915 Coroner's death certificates IRAD (SIU)Search for Perry records How to use IRAD

Web Sites

 * Perry County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * USGenWeb Archives