Stark County, Illinois Genealogy
Guide to Stark County, Illinois ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information
Description
Stark County was named for General Colonel John Stark, who served in the American Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He became widely known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his exemplary service at the Battle of Bennington in 1777. The county seat is Toulon and the county was organized on 1839. The county is located in the northwest-central area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse
Stark County Courthouse
130 W Main St
Toulon, IL 61483
Phone: 309-286-5941
Stark County Courthouse
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Stark County are kept, see the Stark County Courthouse page.
Stark 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.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1855 | 1839 | 1878 | 1839 | 1817 | 1839 | 1810 |
Record Loss
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There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes
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Populated Places
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:[4]
| Cities | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Townships | ||
History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 3,710 | — |
| 1860 | 9,004 | 142.7% |
| 1870 | 10,751 | 19.4% |
| 1880 | 11,207 | 4.2% |
| 1890 | 9,982 | −10.9% |
| 1900 | 10,186 | 2.0% |
| 1910 | 10,098 | −0.9% |
| 1920 | 9,693 | −4.0% |
| 1930 | 9,184 | −5.3% |
| 1940 | 8,881 | −3.3% |
| 1950 | 8,721 | −1.8% |
| 1960 | 8,152 | −6.5% |
| 1970 | 7,510 | −7.9% |
| 1980 | 7,389 | −1.6% |
| 1990 | 6,534 | −11.6% |
| 2000 | 6,332 | −3.1% |
| 2010 | 5,994 | −5.3% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
- 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 at Ancestry ($)
1840 Pensioners
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. FS Catalog 973 X2pc 1840; FS Catalog 2321. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Illinois, Tazewell County on page 188.
Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records
- 1849-1934 Collector's Books at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Directories
- 1970-2024 United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index, coverage may vary
Emigration and Immigration
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 what records are at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
- African-American Resources for Illinois
Funeral Homes
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Genealogies
Guardianship
Land and Property Records
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 FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Stark County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the Wiki article IRAD (WIU).
- 1776-2015 U.S. General Land Office Records, 1776-2015 at Ancestry ($). Includes images of the land patents which contain the information necessary for ordering the complete case files from the National Archives. This appears to be the same information that is online at the Federal Land Office site Bureau of Land Management.
- 1817-1851 Fuller book FS Library film 1401977
- 1820-1907 Deed records FS Library first film 140197(first of 18 films)
- 1820-1984 Grantor index FS Library film 1401977
- 1820-Onward Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
- 1874-1902 Grantee index FS Library film 1401977
- 1882-1891 Deed Records at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- Illinois Federal Township Plats, by County
- Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales at the Illinois State Archives. Online index to the records of Public land sales held by the State Archives. The indexes are by purchaser's name and by legal description. This is a statewide collection with nearly 550,000 land sales from 54740 square miles. Also at Ancestry ($).
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories
- Documents and biography pertaining to the settlement and progress of Stark County, Illinois. By M. A. Leeson. Chicago: M.A. Leeson & Co., 1887. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($).
- Stark County and its Pioneers. By E. H. Shallenberger. Cambridge, Ill.: B.W. Seaton, Prairie Chief Office, book and job printer, 1989. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($).
- Stark County, Illinois and its people : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement. Chicago: Pioneer Pub. Co., 1916. 2 volumes. Online at: Vol. 1 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Vol. 2 - FamilySearch Digital Library; Ancestry ($).
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- 1788-1940 Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
Civil War
Regiments. Civil War service men from Stark County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Stark County.
- - 7th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
- - 19th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
- - 37th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
- - 65th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (Scotch Regiment), Companies A and I.
- - 112th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, E and F.
- - 139th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H.
- - 151st Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Company I.
Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
- 1800-1998 Illinois, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1856-1991 Illinois, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1892-1913 Illinois, Stark County, Circuit Court Naturalization Records, 1892-1913 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and 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 ($)
Other Records
Almshouse Records
- 1868-1941 Almshouse Registers at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1868-1941 Stark County Almshouse Registers Index, 1868-1941 at Illinois State Archives
Criminal and Punishments
- 1946-1951 School Warrants at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Public Records
- 1948-1950 Township Treasurer's Publication Certificates at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Periodicals
Probate Records
Original estates and wills are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Probate Records for more information about using probate records.
The following copies of original records may be accessed through, the FamilySearch Library.
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1772-1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1819-1988 Illinois Probate Records, 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
- 1840-1911 Probate records (and index) FS Library film 1401887 and 1401888 Items 1-3
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records
- 1923-1958 School Treasurer's Account Books at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1946-1951 School Warrants at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1948-1950 School Treasurer's Semi-Annual Reports at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1948-1958 School Trustees' and Treasurer's Annual Reports at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1949-1949 School Officers' Directories at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1951-1951 School Board Directors' Annual Records at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1951-1951 School Election Papers at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1954-1968 School Treasurer's Cash Books at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1961-1971 School District Annual Audit Reports at IRAD-WIU - 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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Stark County Clerk while those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health. with a copy to the County Clerk. Original marriage records are usually kept by the County Clerk from the establishment of the county to the present. Original divorce records are generally in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk.
The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online databases, the FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Western Illinois University (WIU) - search for Stark County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the Wiki article IRAD (WIU).
Birth
- 1865-1904 Birth Certificates FS Library film 1403415 Item 4 thru 1403417 Items 1-3
- 1877-1904 Birth Certificates at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Marriage
- 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
- 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
- 1839-1931 Marriage register FS Library film 1403417 Items 4-6 and 1403418
- 1839-1982 Marriage Records and Index at IRAD-WIU - images and index; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1839-1982 Marriage register index FS Library film 1403417 Item 7
Death
- Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 1749-1999 Illinois Deaths and Burials, 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1850-1880 Illinois Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- 1877-1901 Death Records at IRAD-WIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index
- 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
- 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Stark 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. Western Illinois University houses the records for Stark 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
- Peoria Illinois FamilySearch Center
- Bureau County Genealogy Society - an affiliate library
- El Paso District Library - an affiliate library
- Eureka Public Library District - an affiliate library
- Geneseo Public Library - an affiliate library
- McLean County Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Stark County. For state-wide library facilities, see Illinois Archives and Libraries.
Ira C. Reed Public Library
302 Commercial Street
Lafayette, IL 61449
Phone: 309-995-3042
Emai: irclibrary@winco.net
Toulon Public Library District
306 W. Jefferson Street
Toulon, IL 61483
Phone: 309-286-5791
Fax: 309-286-4481
Email: toulon.library@gmail.com
Website
Wyoming Public Library District
119 N. Seventh St.
Wyoming, IL 61491
Phone: 309-695-2241
Fax: 309-695-2241
Website
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Stark County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Illinois Societies.
Stark County Genealogical Society
PO Box 83
207 W. Main Street
Toulon, IL 61483-0083
Email: starkcogene@yahoo.com
Website
Stark County Historical Society
PO Box 524
318 West Jefferson Street
Toulon, IL 61483
Phone: 309-286-7079
Email: starkcountyilhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Websites
- Stark County ILGenWeb
- Stark County IL Genealogy
- Stark County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (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.
Research Guides
References
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Stark County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stark_County,_Illinois 04/20/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Stark County, Illinois. Page 192-199 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library 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.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Stark County, Illinois," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stark_County,_Illinois, accessed 12 March 2020.