Union County, Illinois Genealogy
Guide to Union County, Illinois ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Union County, Illinois | |
| Map | |
| |
 Location of Illinois in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded: | January 2, 1818 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Jonesboro |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | Union County Courthouse 309 W. Market Jonesboro, IL 62952 (618) 833-5711 Website |
Contents
- 1 Union County Organization
- 2 Historical Facts
- 3 Parent County
- 4 Boundary Changes
- 5 Record Loss
- 6 Records and Resources
- 6.1 Biography
- 6.2 Cemeteries
- 6.3 Census
- 6.4 Church Records
- 6.5 Court Records
- 6.6 Ethnic Research
- 6.7 Genealogy
- 6.8 History
- 6.9 Land and Property
- 6.10 Maps
- 6.11 Military
- 6.12 Naturalization
- 6.13 Newspapers and Obituaries
- 6.14 Probate Records
- 6.15 Repositories
- 6.16 Social Groups Online
- 6.17 Societies
- 6.18 Taxation
- 6.19 Vital Records
- 7 Places / Localities
- 8 Websites
- 9 References
Union County Organization[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1862 | 1818 | 1877 | 1817 | 1818 | 1818 | 1810 |
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Union County are kept, see the Union County Courthouse page.
Historical Facts[edit | edit source]
Union County is named for the union of the American states.
Many early residents of Union County came into the area from Rowan County, North Carolina.[2]
Parent County[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county seat is Jonesboro and the county was organized on January 2, 1818. The County is located in the Southwest area of the state.[4]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.
Records and Resources[edit | edit source]
Biography[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1820 | 2,362 | — |
| 1830 | 3,239 | 37.1% |
| 1840 | 5,524 | 70.5% |
| 1850 | 7,615 | 37.9% |
| 1860 | 11,181 | 46.8% |
| 1870 | 16,518 | 47.7% |
| 1880 | 18,102 | 9.6% |
| 1890 | 21,549 | 19.0% |
| 1900 | 22,610 | 4.9% |
| 1910 | 21,856 | −3.3% |
| 1920 | 20,249 | −7.4% |
| 1930 | 19,883 | −1.8% |
| 1940 | 21,528 | 8.3% |
| 1950 | 20,500 | −4.8% |
| 1960 | 17,645 | −13.9% |
| 1970 | 16,071 | −8.9% |
| 1980 | 17,765 | 10.5% |
| 1990 | 17,619 | −0.8% |
| 2000 | 18,293 | 3.8% |
| 2010 | 17,808 | −2.7% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.
1840 Pensioners[edit | edit source]
- 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, Union County on page 188.]
Church Records[edit | edit source]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Catholic[edit | edit source]
FamilySearch has made parish records from two Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Union County available online. The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:
- Church Records of St. Joseph Parish, Cobden, Union County, Illinois 1879-1956, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
- Church Records of St. Mary Parish, Anna, Union County, Illinois 1861-1957, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
Court Records[edit | edit source]
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 Union County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
- 1820-1824 Circuit Court Execution Dockets - IRAD-SIU
- 1818-1848 Circuit Court Record - IRAD-SIU
- 1818-1965 County Court and Probate Index - IRAD-SIU S
- 1861-1873 County Court Execution Dockets - IRAD-SIU
- 1827-1851 Justice and Constable Appointment Record - IRAD-SIU
- Order book, 1818-1848 FHL Film 963335 First of 2 films.
- Records of Justices of the Peace by the Clerk County Commissioner, 1827-1851 FHL Film 964133 item 8
- Darrell Dexter abstracted nineteenth-century guardianship records. His compilation is available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.
Ethnic Research[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
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
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
- Every Name Index to History of Union, Alexander, and Pulaski Counties, Illinois. Every Name Index compiled by Cathy L. O'Connor, 2010. Original text was written by William Henry Perrin, published by O. L. Baskin & Co., 1883, reproduction by Unigraphic, Inc., 1969. EveryNameIndex.com
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
The online Shawnee Community College Local History Project includes a dozen personal interviews that give you a taste of historic Union County. Was your relative one of the interviewed individuals?
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
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 Union County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
Online Resources
- Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
- Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
- 1796–1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry.com ($)
- Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)
- Federal Township Plats of Illinois
Abstracts
- Jeana Gallagher compiled a list of Original Settlers of Union County, Illinois - Preemption before 1817. The list is available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.
- Family Maps of Union County, Illinois (2005) plats the land of many Union County residents. The publisher's bookstore includes a free online surname index. FHL Book 977.3995 R22b
- Jeana Gallagher compiled a list of Original Settlers of Union County, Illinois - Preemption before 1817. The list is available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.
Copies of Original Records
- 1818-1887 Deeds FHL Film 963158 First of 21 films.
Maps[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
- Township Map of 1870 Union County, Illinois with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Military[edit | edit source]
- 1860s - 1960s Illinois, Military Discharge Records, ca.1862 - ca.1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Civil War service men from Union 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 Union County.
- - 6th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company M.
- - 11th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies H, I, and K.
- - 18th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, New Company H.
- - 30th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
- - 31st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies E and H.
- - 60th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, B, and F.
- - 81st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
- -109th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I.
Naturalization[edit | edit source]
Online Records
- 1800-1998 - Illinois, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1998 at FamilySearch — index and images
Newspapers and Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1772 - 1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1819 - 1988 Illinois Probate Records 1819-1988 at FamilySearch.org — images
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 Union County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
Abstracts
- 1818-1845, 1856-1868 Union County, Illinois Probate Records FHL Book 977.3995 P2da
Copies of Original Records
- 1850-1854 Probate Administrator's and Guardian's Accounts - IRAD-SIU
- 1818-1965 Probate and County Court Index - IRAD-SIU S
- 1845-1869 Probate Dockets - IRAD-SIU S
- 1818-1885 Probate Minutes - IRAD-SIU
- 1856-1891 Probate Will Record - IRAD-SIU
- 1822-1965 Index FHL Film 963326 item 1
- 1818-1892 Probate Records FHL Film 963327 item 2 first of 8 films.
Repositories[edit | edit source]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Union County are kept, see the Union County Courthouse page.
Family History Center[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)[edit | edit source]
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 Union County.
Public Libraries[edit | edit source]
Social Groups Online[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Union County Genealogical and Historical Society
101 East Spring Street
Anna 62906
Union County, Ilinois Historical and Genealogy Society and Museum
PO Box 93
Cobden, IL 62920
Telephone Number: 618-893-2865
E-mail:uchgsillinois@gmail.com
Website
Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois has a page with details about its' activities.
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
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 county 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 Union County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Copies of Original Records
- 1867-1939 Index - IRAD-SIU
- 1877-1916 - IRAD-SIU
- 1878-1907 Birth index FHL Film 963186
- 1851-1915 Birth record FHL Film 963186 First of 30 films.
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Abstracts
- 1819-1873 Marriage consents FHL Film 964134 First of 2 films.
Copies of Original Records
- 1818-1907 - IRAD-SIU
- 1818-1907 Marriages, 1818-1907 FHL Film 963179 First of 5 films.
Online Resources
- 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900
- 1805-1985 Illinois, Church Marriages, 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
- 1810-1934 Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1934 at FamilySearch — index
- 1833-1889 Illinois, Civil Marriages, 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index
- 1851-1900Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
- To-1850 Illinois Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
- 1790-1860 Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 at Ancestry–($);Index, INCOMPLETE
- Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
Death[edit | edit source]
Copies of Original Records
- 1877-1915 - IRAD-SIU
- 1877-1915 Death records FHL Film 963184 First of 2 films.
Online Resources
- 1749-1999 Illinois Deaths and Burials, 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — index, some images
- 1850-1880 Illinois Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
- Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
- 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950
- 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885found at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1916-1947 Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947
Places / Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]
| Cities | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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|
|
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Union County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Union County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Union County, Illinois Genealogy Trails
- Union County IL Genealogy
- EveryNameIndex.com Free online genealogy indexes for those big old county histories.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Union County, Illinois. Page 192-199 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 194-197.
- ↑ Don Patterson, "From old Rowan County, NC to Union County, IL," Rowan Roots, accessed 16 March 2021.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Union County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_County,_Illinois 04/20/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Union County, Illinois," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_County%2C_Illinois, accessed 11 March 2020.
