Perry County, Illinois Genealogy

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United States
Illinois
Perry County

Guide to Perry County, Illinois ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

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Perry County, Illinois
Map
Boundary map of Perry County, Illinois
Map of the U.S. highlighting Illinois
Location of Illinois in the U.S.
Facts
Founded: January 29, 1827
County Seat Pinckneyville
Courthouse
Perry County Courthouse.gif
Photo courtesy Illinois Regional Archives Depository, Illinois State Archives
Address Perry County Courthouse
P.O. Box 438
Pinckneyville, Illinois 62274
(618) 357-5116
Perry County Website


Perry County Organization

Perry County's civil records start the following years:

                                     Beginning Dates for Perry County Records
Birth Marriage Death Census Land Probate
1845
 1827
 1878
 1830
 1817
 1828

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

Oliver Hazard Perry
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 [1]

Description

The county was named for Oliver Hazard Perry who defeated the British fleet at the decisive Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. The county seat is Pinckneyville and the county was organized on January 29, 1827. [2]The County is located in the Southwest area of the state.[3]

Boundary Changes

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.

Records Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Neighboring Counties

Records and Resources

Biography

  • All of the Perry County, Illinois family biographies from The Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois (1894) published by Biographical Publishing Co. are available free online at My Genealogy Hound.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Perry, Illinois online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
TombstoneTranscriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Illinois Cemeteries for more information

The following web sites have additional information on Perry county cemeteries.

  • Cemeteries in Perry by Epodunk.com gives the names of the cemeteries in the county with a link to more information such as address, phone number, and web site.

Census

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
190019,830
—
191022,08811.4%
192022,9013.7%
193022,767−0.6%
194023,4382.9%
195021,684−7.5%
196019,184−11.5%
197019,7573.0%
198021,7149.9%
199021,412−1.4%
200023,0947.9%
IL Counties 1900-1990
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. FHL 973 X2pc 1840; FHL 2321; digital version at Google Books. [See Illinois, Perry County on page 188.]

Church Records

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:

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Perry County church records may be found in the FamilySearch Catalog - church records. 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.

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

Ethnic Research

African American

The following have information concerning African American research.

Genealogy

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 ($); Internet Archive. FHL Film 825600 For additional access, see WeRelate.
  • Robertson, Robert Crawford. Pioneer Families of Randolph and Perry Counties, Illinois: Notes on the Campbell, Crozier, Flack, Milligan, Steele and Thompson Families: The Crawfords of Ballynease, Londonderry, Ireland, with Descendants in the U.S.A., and Their Descendants in the Elsey, Garven, Matthews and Robertson Families. Chattanooga, Tenn.: R.C. Robertson, 1960. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  • Neville, J. Wesley. Student's History of Perry County. 1990. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

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 Perry County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Resources

Abstracts

  • 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) FHL book 977.393 R2pb

Copies of original records

Maps

Ilperry.jpg

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.

- 6th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company I.
- 12th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
- 12th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (3 months, 1861), Company G.
- 18th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
- 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.
- 110th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
- 136th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Companies A and D.

Naturalization

Newspapers and Obituaries

Periodicals

Probate Records

Online 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 Perry County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Copies of Original Records

Repositories

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.

Family History Center

Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)

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. Southern Illinois University houses the records for Perry County.

Libraries

Cutler Public Library
409G S. Main
Cutler, IL 62238
(618) 497-2961

Du Quoin Public Library
28 South Washington Street
Du Quoin, IL 62832

(618)542-5045 Offers Heritage Quest remote access

Pinckneyville Public Library
312 South Walnut Street
Pinckneyville, IL 62274

(618) 357-2410 Has local newspapers on microfilm, and many historical publications

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
112 North Sixth Street
Springfield, IL 62701-1507

(217) 524-6358 or (217)558-8844  Has online indexes for obituaries in their newspaper collections, and surnames found in Illinois county histories, biographical directories and encyclopedias. Offers genealogical research for hire.

Social Groups Online

Societies

Perry County Historical Society
108 W. Jackson St.
Pinckneyville 62274

Brimfield Historical Society
Brimfield Public Library
111South Galena
Brimfield, IL 61517
Telephone Number: 309-446-3631
Telephone Number: 309-446-3670

Chillicothe Historical Society
(Old Rock Island Depot, Cedar and Third Street)
PO Box 181
Chillicohe, IL 61523-0181
Telephone Number: 309-274-2247
Telephone Number: 309-274-3440

Elmwood Historical Society
Lorado Taft Museum
302 North Magnolia
Elmwood, IL 61529
Telephone Number: 309-742-7791
Telephone Number: 309-742-2431

Historical Association of Princivelle
103 North Walnut
325 North Ostrom Avenue
Princeville, IL 61559-9538
Telephone Number: 309-385-2394

Peoria County Genealogical Society
PO Box 1489
Peoria, IL 61655-1489

Peoria Historical Society
c/o Bradley University
Special Collections Center/Cullum David Library
1501 West Bradley
Peoria, IL 61625


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

Taxation

Vital Records

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 and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Perry 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 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 Perry County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

General

  • 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)FHL book 977.39 D2v

Births

Abstracts

Copies of Original Records

Marriages:

Online Resources

Abstracts

Copies of Original Records

Deaths:

Online Resources

Copies of Original Records

Websites

References

  1. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
  2. ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Perry County, Illinois Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ill/perry/ accessed 04/19/2017.
  3. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Perry County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_County,_Illinois 04/19/2017.
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