Union County, Illinois Genealogy
Guide to Union 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
Union County was named for a joint revival meeting of the Baptists and Dunkards. The county is located in the southwestern area of the state.[1]
County Courthouse
Union County Courthouse
309 W Market St
Jonesboro, IL 62952
Phone: 618-833-8114
Union County Courthouse
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.
Union 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 |
| 1862 | 1818 | 1877 | 1817 | 1818 | 1818 | 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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History Timeline
Resources
Bible Records
Biographies
Business, Commerce, and Occupations
Cemeteries
Census Records
| 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
- 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, Union County on page 188.
Church Records
Catholic
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:
- 1729-1956 Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Catholic Parish Records, 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
List of Churches and Church Parishes
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 FamilySearch 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.
- 1818-1848 Order book, 1818-1848 FS Library Film 963335 First of 2 films.
- 1818-1848 Circuit Court Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1818-1965 County Court and Probate Index at IRAD-SIU - index; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1820-1824 Circuit Court Execution Dockets at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1827-1851 Records of Justices of the Peace by the Clerk County Commissioner, 1827-1851 FS Library Film 964133 item 8
- 1861-1873 County Court Execution Dockets at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1895-1912 Justice of the Peace Dockets (Dongola) at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1905-1963 Police Magistrate Dockets (Jonesboro) at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1912-1931 Police Magistrate Dockets (Dongola) at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1920-1963 Justice of the Peace Dockets at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1952-1963 Police Magistrate Dockets (Cobden) at IRAD-SIU - 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
- Darrell Dexter abstracted nineteenth-century guardianship records. His compilation is available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.
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 Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Union County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
- 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records at Ancestry ($)
- Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
- Before 1817 Original Settlers of Union County, Illinois - Preemption before 1817 at Genealogy Trails.
- 1818-1887 Deeds FS Library Film 963158 First of 21 films.
- 1818-1968 Deed Records and Index at IRAD-SIU - images and index; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1831-1841 School Land Sale Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1839-1870 Assessor's Books at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1871-1880 Plat Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available*Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
- 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 Ancestry ($)
- Federal Township Plats of Illinois
- Family Maps of Union County, Illinois (2005) at Arphax Publishing - provides online surname list for plats of land of many Union County residents. FS Library Book 977.3995 R22b
Local Histories
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?
Maps and Gazetteers
for more resources
- 1788-1940 Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)
- Township Map of 1870 Union County, Illinois with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration
Military Records
- 1862-1965 Illinois, Military Discharge Records, ca.1862 - ca.1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
- Darrel Dexter, comp. Union County, Illinois soldiers : of the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Creek Indian War, the Seminole Indian War, the Illinois State Militia, the Black Hawk Indian War, the Mexican War, the Civil War Carterville, Illinois : Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois, c1997 FS Library 977.3995 M2d
Civil War
- 1867-1867 Birth Affidavit Records, Children of Civil War Casualties at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1865-1865 Military Discharge Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1862-1862 Militia Roll Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Regiments. 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 and Citizenship
- 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 ($)
- 1860-1903 Naturalization Records, Circuit and County Courts at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1904-1904 Naturalization Records, Final, County Court at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
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 ($)
Other Records
Almshouse Records
- 1937-1951 Poor Relief Order Registers at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1835-1844 Servitude Records, Emancipation From at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Public Records
- 1850-1850 Collector's Books at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1827-1838 Election Papers at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1816-1898 Entry Books at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1831-1901 Estray Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1835-1844 Servitude Records, Emancipation From at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1900-1991 Village Trustees' Minutes (Dongola) at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
Periodicals
Probate Records
Original estates and wills are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Probate Records for more information about using probate records.
The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through at FamilySearch or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Union County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
- 1772-1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1818-1868 Union County, Illinois Probate Records FS Library Book 977.3995 P2da
- 1818-1885 Probate Minutes at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1818-1892 Probate Records FS Library Film 963327 item 2 first of 8 films.
- 1818-1965 Probate and County Court Index at IRAD-SIU - index; 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
- 1822-1965 Index FS Library Film 963326 item 1
- 1845-1869 Probate Dockets at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1850-1854 Probate Administrator's and Guardian's Accounts at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1856-1885 Probate Will Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
School Records
- 1859-1940 School District Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1831-1941 School Land Sale Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1901-1935 School Student Permanent Records, High School at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1883-1966 School Teachers' Daily Registers 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 ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
Tax Records
Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the county while those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health with a copy to the County Clerk. Original marriage records are usually kept by the County Clerk from the establishment of the county to the present. Original divorce records are generally in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk.
The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online databases, the FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Union County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
Birth
- 1851-1915 Birth record FS Library Film 963186 First of 30 films.
- 1866-1915 Birth Certificates at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1867-1867 Birth Affidavit Records, Children of Civil War Casualties at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1867-1939 Birth Records and Index at IRAD-SIU - images and index; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1878-1907 Birth index FS Library Film 963186
Marriage
- Before 1850 Illinois Marriages to 1850 at Ancestry ($);Index, INCOMPLETE
- 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($)
- 1790-1860 Illinois Marriages, 1790-1860 at Ancestry ($);Index, INCOMPLETE
- 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
- 1818-1907 Marriages, 1818-1907 FS Library Film 963179 First of 5 films.
- 1818-1907 Marriage Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1819-1873 Marriage consents FS Library Film 964134 First of 2 films.
- 1819-1873 Marriage Consent Files at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1851-1900 Illinois Marriages, 1851-1900 at Ancestry ($);Index, INCOMPLETE
Death
- Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
- 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
- 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 at Ancestry ($)
- 1877-1915 Death records FS Library Film 963184 First of 2 films.
- 1877-1915 Death Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1908-1948 Coroner's Inquest Records at IRAD-SIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available
- 1916-1947 Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index
- 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
- 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index
Divorce
Research Facilities
Archives
Listed below are archives in Union 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 Union 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
- Cape Girardeau Missouri FamilySearch Center
- Carbondale Illinois FamilySearch Center
- Foxcroft Illinois FamilySearch Center
- Herrin City Library - an affiliate library
- Perry County Genealogical Family Research Library and Archive Center - an affiliate library
- The State Historical Society of Missouri - Cape Girardeau - an affiliate library
Libraries
Listed below are libraries in Union County. For state-wide library facilities, see Illinois Archives and Libraries.
Museums
Societies
Listed below are societies in Union County. For state-wide genealogical and historical societies, see Illinois Societies.
- Union County Genealogical and Historical Society
PO Box 93
117 S. Appleknocker Dr
Cobden, IL 62920
Phone: 618-893-2865
Website
Websites
- Union County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Union County, Illinois Genealogy Trails
- Union County IL Genealogy
- Union ILGenWeb
- 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, "Union County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_County,_Illinois 04/20/2017.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Union 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, "Union County, Illinois," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_County%2C_Illinois, accessed 11 March 2020.