Monroe County, Illinois Genealogy

United States

Illinois

Monroe County

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

Illinois Online Genealogy Records

County Facts County seat: Waterloo Organized: June 6, 1816 Parent County(s): Randolph, St. Clair Neighboring Counties Jefferson (MO) • Randolph • Ste. Genevieve (MO) • St. Louis (MO) • St. Clair See County Maps Courthouse Location Map

James Monroe

County Information

Description

Monroe County was named for James Monroe, who had just served as United States Secretary of War and who was elected President later that same year. The county is located in the southwestern area of the state.

County Courthouse

Monroe County Courthouse
100 S Main St
Waterloo, IL 62298
Phone: 618-939-8681
Monroe County Courthouse

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

Monroe County, Illinois Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1878	1816	1878	1843	1816	1845	1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started 1916. General compliance by 1922.

Record Loss

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

Boundary Changes

Parent County(s): Created from Randolph and St. Clair Counties, on 01 June 1816. County Seat: Waterloo Illinois Individual County Chronologies - Newberry Library list of all boundary changes by county Illinois Historical Borders - Map at Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Also at: mapofus.org - animated maps illustrating Illinois county boundary changes

Resources

Biographies

• Combined History of Randolph, Monroe and Perry Counties, Illinois... : and biographical sketches. Philadelphia : J. L. McDonough, 1883, microfilm copy. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
• Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the Counties. Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1894. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library,Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). For additional access, see WeRelate. Monroe County, Illinois family biographies available online at My Genealogy Hound.
• 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. Digitized at Tillie's Tales.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Monroe County, Illinois online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	Find a Grave Monroe ILGenWeb BillionGraves USGW IL Tombstone Transcription Project Interment.net Illinois Gravestones
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	FamilySearch Catalog WorldCat.org
List of Cemeteries in the County	Find a Grave FamilySearch Places Graveyards of Illinois
See Illinois Cemeteries for more information

Census Records

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	1,537	—
1830	2,000	30.1%
1840	4,481	124.1%
1850	7,679	71.4%
1860	12,832	67.1%
1870	12,982	1.2%
1880	13,682	5.4%
1890	12,948	−5.4%
1900	13,847	6.9%
1910	13,508	−2.4%
1920	12,839	−5.0%
1930	12,369	−3.7%
1940	12,754	3.1%
1950	13,282	4.1%
1960	15,507	16.8%
1970	18,831	21.4%
1980	20,117	6.8%
1990	22,422	11.5%
2000	27,619	23.2%
2010	32,957	19.3%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

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 Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. FS Catalog 973 X2pc 1840; FS Catalog 2321. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Illinois, Monroe County on page 187.

Church Records

List of Churches and Church Parishes

• FamilySearch Places

Baptist

• 1806-1959 Bethel Baptist Church history and minutes FS Library film 984462 Item 1

Catholic
FamilySearch has made parish records from seven Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Monroe County available online (free registration is required). The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:

• Church Records of Immaculate Conception Parish, Columbia, Monroe County, Illinois 1857-1956, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
• 1729-1956 Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Catholic Parish Records, 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
• Church Records of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Renault, Monroe County, Illinois 1879-1958, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
• Church Records of St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish, Hecker, Monroe County, Illinois 1839-1931, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
• 1729-1956 Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Catholic Parish Records, 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
• Church Records of St. Patrick Parish, Tipton, Monroe County, Illinois 1878-1956, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
• Church Records of St. Peter and St. Paul Parish, Waterloo, Monroe County, Illinois 1839-1956,Baptism, Confirmations, First Communion, Marriages, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
• Church Records of St. Peter and St. Paul Parish, Waterloo, Monroe County, Illinois 1839-1956,Deaths, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.

Evangelical

• 1856-1896 St. Johannis Gemeine church- has baptisms marriages and deaths [in German] FS Library film 1006421 Item 1
• 1877-1948 Salem Evangelical Church FS Library film 1006422 Item 3
• Buecher, Robert. Salem Evangelical Church, Bluff Precinct, Monroe County, IL Marriage Index, 1877-1930, courtesy: ILGenWeb
• Buecher, Robert. Salem Evangelical Church, Bluff Precinct, Monroe County, Illinois: baptism index, 1877–1932; confirmation index, 1878–1926; marriage index, 1877–1930, death index, 1877–1948. St. Louis, Missouri: R. Buecher, [2005?]. Other libraries (WorldCat) FS Catalog book 977.391 V22b

Presbyterian

• 1875-1972 Yankeetown Presbyterian Church records of baptisms, marriages, and deaths. FS Library film 1006673

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

Online Court Indexes and Records

• 1877-1963 Vaseska, Pat. Common law book: 1877–1963. Columbia, Illinois: P. Vaseska, c2006. Other libraries (WorldCat) FS Catalog book 977.391 P2vpc v. 1–2
• 1816 Flynn, Janet M. Minutes of the organization of Monroe County, Illinois, January 6, 1816. Columbia, Illinois: Monroe County Geneal. Society, [1997]. Other libraries (WorldCat) FS Catalog book 977.391 P2f
• 1816-1863 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe County Illinois chancery: section A. Evansville, Illinois: P.K. Veath, [200-?] - 2005.Evansville, Illinois: P.K. Veath, [200-?] - 2005. Other libraries (WorldCat) FS Catalog book 977.391 P2vp
• 1817-1870 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe County, Illinois chancery records: section A. Evansville, Illinois: P.K. Veath, [200-?]. FS Catalog book 977.391 P2vpk 1817-1870
• 1835-1963 Flynn, Janet M. and Pat Vaseska. Monroe County chancery records. [S.l.]: J.M. Flynn, c2005-2006. Other libraries (WorldCat) FS Catalog book 977.391 P2fj v. 1–7
• Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Cases Surname Index (Book 1, 1835-1905), courtesy: ILGenWeb
• Veath, Phyllis. Chancery Index 1852-1859, Section A Box 70, courtesy: ILGenWeb
• Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records A73 & A75-A80 Book #2, courtesy: ILGenWeb
• Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records A81 - A89 Book #3, courtesy: ILGenWeb
• Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records A-90 to B3 Book #4, courtesy: ILGenWeb
• Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records Drawers B-4 thru B-15 Book #5, courtesy: ILGenWeb
• Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records Drawers B-16 thru B-31 Book #6, courtesy: ILGenWeb
• Flynn, Janet and Pat Vaseska. Chancery Court Records Drawers B-32 thru B-47 Book #7, courtesy: ILGenWeb
• Ritter, Vernon. Justice Court Records (Justice of the Peace) Monroe County, Illinois, courtesy: ILGenWeb

Directories

• 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African Americans

• African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records
• Illinois African-American Resource Guide by the Illinois State Archives describes records at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
• African-American Resources for Illinois
• http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17133.html
• Bloomington-Normal Black History Project

Funeral Homes

Braun Family Funeral Home in Columbia Greystone Crematory in Waterloo Leesman Funeral Homes in Columbia Quernheim Funeral Home in Waterloo

Land and Property Records

• Original land records are held in the office of the County Recorder. 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 FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Monroe County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Land Indexes and Records

• 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records at Ancestry ($)
• 1807-1838 Supreme Court docket and minutes FS Library films 973444 Items 1–2
• 1816-1840 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe Co., Illinois deed index: books A,B,C,D 1816–1840. Evansville, Illinois : P.K. Veath, 2001. Other libraries (WorldCat), FS Catalog book 977.391 R22v
• 1816-1900 Grantor and Grantee index FS Library films 1317834-6
• 1816-1900 Deeds FS Library films 1317836–58
• 1816-1963 Deed Records and Index at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
• 1820-Onward Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
• 1848-1872 Miles, Stephen W., Pat Vseska, Elma Baumann, and Janet M. Flynn. S.W. Miles journal and land lease records. FS Catalog book 977.391 U3m v. 1–2
• 1854-1870 Swamp Land Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
• 1854-1870 Swamp Land Records FS Library film 1689008, IRAD (SIU)
• 1986 Rockford Map Publishers. Land atlas and plat book, Monroe County, Illinois, 1986. Rockford, Illinois: Rockford Map Publishers, c1986. Other libraries (WorldCat) FS Catalog book 977.391 E7m
• Illinois Federal Township Plats at Illinois Digital Archives - images; by County
• Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales at the Illinois State Archives - index; by purchaser's name and by legal description; Also at Ancestry ($).*
• Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

Local Histories

• Combined History of Randolph, Monroe and Perry Counties, Illinois... : and biographical sketches. Philadelphia : J. L. McDonough, 1883, microfilm copy. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive.
• Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the Counties. Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1894. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
• Township Map of 1870 Monroe County, Illinois with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
  
• FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

• Veterans of Monroe County, Illinois. Evansville, Indiana : M.T. Pub. Co., c2008 FS Library 977.391 M2m

Civil War
Regiments. Civil War service men from Monroe County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment)that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Monroe County.

- 22nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F

- 130th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A

- 155th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

• 1800-1998 Illinois, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1854-1906 Naturalization Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
• 1856-1991 Illinois, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991 at Ancestry - index & images ($)

Newspapers

• 1800s-Current Illinois, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and EventsIndex, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
• 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Obituaries

• 1831-Onward Illinois Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)

Other Records

Almshouse Records

• 1933-1944 Blind and Mother's Pension Orders at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available

Public Records

• 1870-1984 Public Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available

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

Online Probate Indexes and Records

• 1772-1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry ($) — index & images
• 1816-1851 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe County, Illinois will books. Evansville, Illinois : P.K. Veath, [1999?]. Other libraries (WorldCat), FS Catalog book 977.391 P2v v. 1,2
• 1819-1894 Probate Records and Index at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
• 1819-1988 Illinois Probate Records, 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
• 1820-1885 Estate files FS Library films 100364 (first of 63 films)
• 1845-1885 Index to estates FS Library film 1006385
• 1852-1857 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe Co., Illinois: administrators, bonds and guardianships, 1852-1857. Evansville, Illinois : P.K. Veath, 2002. Other libraries (WorldCat) FS Catalog book 977.391 P2vpa
• Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search

School Records

• 1836-1980 School Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available

Social Security Records

• 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
• 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Vital Records

Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Monroe 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 vital records may be accessed through online databases, the FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Monroe County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

• 1868-1915 Birth Records FS Library first film 1005682 (first of 36 films)
• 1868-1915 Birth Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available

Marriage

• 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast, index ($)
• 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
• 1790-1860 Illinois Marriage index at Ancestry ($)
• 1805-1985 Illinois, Church Marriages, 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
• 1810-1940 Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1816-1820 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe County, Illinois 1820 census and 1816–1820 marriages. Evansville, Illinois: P.K. Veath, 1999. Other libraries (WorldCat), FS Catalog book 977.391 X2v 1820
• 1816-1830 Veath, Phyllis K. Monroe Co., Illinois marriages 1816-1830. Evansville, Illinois: P.K. Veath, 1999. Other libraries (WorldCat), FS Catalog book 977.391 V2vp
• 1816-1877 Hotz, Roberta Sparwasser. Monroe County, Illinois, marriage records, 1816–1977. Thomson, Illinois: Heritage House, c1976. Other libraries (WorldCat), FS Catalog book 977.391 V25h
• 1816-1877, 1817–1866 Index FS Library film 1006356
• 1816-1915 Marriage records FS Library films 1006355–60
• 1816-1916 Marriage Records and Index at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
• 1877-1930 Marriage index for Salem Evangelical Church at ILGenWeb
• 1878-1920 Vaseska, Pat. Monroe County, Illinois marriage index:1878–1920. Columbia, Illinois: P. Vaseska, c2001. Other libraries (WorldCat), FS Catalog book 977.391 V22vm

Death

• 1749-1999 Illinois Deaths and Burials, 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1806-1879 Vaseka, Pat. Monroe County, Illinois, death index, 1806 to 1879. Columbia, Illinois P. Vaseska, 1999. Other libraries (WorldCat) FS Catalog book 977.391 V2v
• 1850-1880 Illinois Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
• 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 at Ancestry ($)
• 1877-1915 Death Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
• 1877-1948 Death Index for Salem Evangelical Church at ILGenWeb
• 1878-1915 Death records FS Library film 1006354
• 1884-1953 Death Index for Zoar United Church of Christ at ILGenWeb
• Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)
• 1916–1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
• 1916-1972 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1972 - index

Research Facilities

Archives

Listed below are archives in Monroe County. For state-wide facilities, see Illinois Archives and Libraries.

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 Monroe County.

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

• FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.
  

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

• O'Fallon Illinois FamilySearch Center
• St Louis Missouri FamilySearch Center
• St Louis Missouri North FamilySearch Center
• O'Fallon Public Library - an affiliate library
• St. Louis County Library - multiple locations - an affiliate library
• St. Louis Public Library - multiple locations - an affiliate library

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Monroe County. For state-wide library facilities, see Illinois Archives and Libraries.

Columbia Public Library
106 North Metter Avenue
Columbia, IL 62236
Phone: 618-281-4237
Website

Hecker Public Library
151 West Monroe
Hecker, IL 62248
Phone: 618-473-3022

Morrison-Talbott Library
215 Park Street
Waterloo, IL 62298
Phone: 618-939-6232
Website

Valmeyer Public Library District
300 S. Cedar Bluff Drive
Valmeyer, IL 62295
Phone: 618-935-2626

Societies

Listed below are societies in Monroe County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Illinois Societies.

Monroe County Genealogical Society
PO Box 381
Columbia, IL 62236
Website

Websites

• Monroe ILGenWeb
• Monroe County IL Genealogy
• Monroe County, IL Linkpendium
• FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.