FamilySearch Wiki

Will County, Illinois Genealogy

(Redirected from Will County, Illinois)


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

County Facts
County seat: Joliet
Organized: January 12, 1836
Parent County(s): Cook, Iroquois
Neighboring Counties
Cook • DuPage • Grundy • Kane • Kankakee • Kendall • Lake (IN)
See County Maps
Courthouse
Illinois, Will County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Will County Illinois.png

County Information

Description

Will County is located in the northeastern area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Will County Courthouse
100 W. Jefferson St
Joliet, IL 60432
Phone: 815-727-8540
Will County Courthouse

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

Will 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[2]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1877 1836 1877 1836 1835 1837 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

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:[3]

Cities
Villages
Census-designated places
Townships


History Timeline

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

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

In 1946, the Aaron Miner Chapter D.A.R. (Chicago) prepared Illinois Lake-Will counties. List of cemeteries where veterans of all U. S. wars are buried listed alphabetically:

Census Records

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1840 10,167 —
1850 16,703 64.3%
1860 29,321 75.5%
1870 43,013 46.7%
1880 53,422 24.2%
1890 62,007 16.1%
1900 74,764 20.6%
1910 84,371 12.8%
1920 92,911 10.1%
1930 110,732 19.2%
1940 114,210 3.1%
1950 134,336 17.6%
1960 191,617 42.6%
1970 249,498 30.2%
1980 324,460 30.0%
1990 357,313 10.1%
2000 502,266 40.6%
2010 677,560 34.9%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records

Church records may give birth, death and marriage information. It is usually best to locate church records with a search at a local level such as the city, town, or village.



Catholic


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


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 Northern Illinois University. For information on how to use IRAD see the NIU IRAD Wiki page. 1–3}}

Directories

1918 Prairie Farmer's Directory of Will and Southern Cook Counties, Illinois

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

African Americans

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Naperville Area Farm Families History. Naperville Farmers' Riverwalk Committee., 1983. Online at: Internet Archive.

The Robert and Sarah Henry Clow Family by Agnes G. Boughton. 1963. Online at: Internet Archive.

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 or copies of original records may be accessed online or through the FamilySearch Library.

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

  • History of Will County, Illinois. By George Woodruff, et al. Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr., & Co., 1878. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

Maps and Gazetteers

Kane CountyDuPage CountyCook CountyKankakee CountyGrundy CountyLake CountyKendall CountyIL WILL.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

Military Records

Civil War
Regiments. Civil War service men from Will 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 Will County.

- 4th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company D (Also known as Quinby's Escort).
- 8th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies F and K.
- 9th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company D.
- 13th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies C and F.
- 20th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, New Company A and Companies B, F, and K.
- 39th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, E, and G.
- 64th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (Yates’ Sharpshooters), Companies E, F, G, and I.
- 90th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies C and D.
- 100th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, all Companies.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers

Obituaries

  • 1831-Onward Illinois Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)
  • 1965-2021 Bolingbrook area obituaries collected by the Bolingbrook Historic Preservation Commission. Some 1964 listings included. Listings include the name of the deceased, the name of the newspaper, date of publication, and the page number. Obituaries were scrapbooked and grouped alphabetically by the first letter of each surname. If an obituary was unavailable, probate notices were substituted. A full index of the collection can be found online at Fountaindale Public Library District.

Other Records

  • American Aerial County History Series: Will County, Illinois. By John Drury. Chicago : Loree Co., 1954. Online at: Internet Archive. Aerial photos of some rural properties in Will County; includes town and owner names.

Public Records

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, the FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Northern Illinois University (NIU) - search for Will County records. For information on how to use IRAD see theNIU IRAD Wiki page.

School Records

DuPage Township
One room school house records are available at the Bolingbrook Historic Preservation Commission and the Romeoville Area Historical Society. A historical account of the township's early schools can be found in From One-Room Schools to District 365U DuPage Township, Will County, Illinois by Dorothy Hassert and Candace Hrpcha. Additional school information can be found in Romeoville, Illinois by Mabel Hrpcha.

Barbers Corners School
Early records from the 1850s are available at the Romeoville Area Historical Society (appointment required). An incomplete collection of teacher registers, student ledgers, attendance books, account books, and enrollment cards is held in the archives of the Bolingbrook Historic Preservation Commission. The originals have been digitized by the Fountaindale Public Library District and are available on Internet Archive.


Old Hickory / Hillside School
Also referenced as school district 105. School attendance began sometime in the early 1840s. Early records from the 1840s and 1850s are available at the Romeoville Area Historical Society (appointment required). An incomplete collection of teacher registers, student ledgers, attendance books, account books, and enrollment cards is held in the archives of the Bolingbrook Historic Preservation Commission. The originals have been digitized by the Fountaindale Public Library District and are available on Internet Archive.


Spangler School
An incomplete collection of school and teacher registers is in the archives of the Bolingbrook Historic Preservation Commission. The originals have been digitized by the Fountaindale Public Library District and are available on Internet Archive.


Taylor School
Early records from the 1840s and 1850s are available at the Romeoville Area Historical Society (appointment required). An incomplete collection of district account books is held by the archives of the Bolingbrook Historic Preservation Commission. The originals have been digitized by the Fountaindale Public Library District and are available on Internet Archive.

Social Security Records

Tax Records

  • 1966-1876 Tax Judgment, Sale, Redemption and Forfeiture Records at IRAD-NIU - images; physical holdings not online, copies can be requested, List of records available

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 Will 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. Information on obtaining Vital Records can also be obtained from the County Clerk's Office.

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 Northern Illinois University (NIU) - search for Will County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Birth

Marriage

Death

Divorce

Voting Records

Research Facilities

Archives

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

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
The Illinois Regional Archives Depositories, managed by the Illinois State Archives, houses 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. See Wiki article IRAD to learn more about finding and using their records.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository
c/o Regional History Center
Founders Memorial Library, Room 400
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115
Phone: 815-753-1807

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

Libraries

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

Joliet Public Library
150 N. Ottawa St.
Joliet, IL 60432
Phone: 815-740-2660
Website

The Main Branch holds microfilm of local Joliet newspapers from the 1840s through current.
The Joliet Public Library Main Branch also houses a local history section containing information about the history of Joliet and Will County, including Joliet city directories dating back to the 1870s.

Joliet Junior College Library
1215 Houbolt Rd.
Joliet, IL 60431-8938
Phone: 815-280-2665
Website

The Joliet Junior College Library holds several searchable databases, including Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970, listed under “Magazine and Journal Search” heading.

Coal City Public Library
85 N. Garfield St.
Coal City, IL 60416
Phone: 815-634-4552
Genealogy Collection
Website

Museums

Societies

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

Fox Valley Genealogical Society
PO Box 5435
Naperville, IL, 60567-5435
Email:info@ilfvgs.org
Website

Covers portions of DuPage, Kane, Kendall, & Will counties

Lockport Area Genealogical and Historical Society
222 E. 9th Street
Lockport, IL 60441
Email:Info@lockporthistory.org
Website

Park Forest Historical Society
227 Monee Road
Park Forest, IL 60466
Phone: 708-481-4252
Website

Romeoville Area Historical Society
14 Belmont Drive
Romeoville, Illinois 60446
Phone: 815-552-9080
Email:historicalromoeville@yahoo.com
Website

South Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society
3000 West 170th Place
Hazel Crest, IL 60429-1174
Phone: 708-335-3340
Email:info@ssghs.org
Website

Library is located (in Cook County) in the same building as the Hazel Crest Police Department.
The society concentrates its collection on south Cook County, as well as these townships in Will County:
Crete, Frankfort, Green Garden, Homer, Manhattan, Monee, New Lenox, Peotone, Washington, Will, and Wilton.

Will County Historical Museum and Research Center
803 S State Street L
Lockport, IL 60441
Phone: 815-838-5080
Email:info@willhistory.org
Website

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Will County, Illinois Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ill/will/ accessed 04/21/2017.
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Will 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.
  3. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Will County, Illinois," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_County,_Illinois, accessed 9 March 2020.
  4. ↑ Illinois Miscellaneous Genealogical Records: From Counties, Bond, Boone, Calhoun, Cook, Crawford, Du Page, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Will, Pope: Kentucky county, Mercer: Missouri county, Ralls. Evanston, Ill.: Illinois Society, D.A.R., 1946. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
v • d• e
Links to Illinois-related articles
Topics
Counties
Adams · Alexander · Bond · Boone · Brown · Bureau · Calhoun · Carroll · Cass · Champaign · Christian · Clark · Clay · Clinton · Coles · Cook · Crawford · Cumberland · DeKalb · DeWitt · Douglas · DuPage · Edgar · Edwards · Effingham · Fayette · Ford · Franklin · Fulton · Gallatin · Greene · Grundy · Hamilton · Hancock · Hardin · Henderson · Henry · Iroquois · Jackson · Jasper · Jefferson · Jersey · Jo Daviess · Johnson · Kane · Kankakee · Kendall · Knox · Lake · LaSalle · Lawrence · Lee · Livingston · Logan · Macon · Macoupin · Madison · Marion · Marshall · Mason · Massac · McDonough · McHenry · McLean · Menard · Mercer · Monroe · Montgomery · Morgan · Moultrie · Ogle · Peoria · Perry · Piatt · Pike · Pope · Pulaski · Putnam · Randolph · Richland · Rock Island · Saline · Sangamon · Schuyler · Scott · Shelby · St. Clair · Stark · Stephenson · Tazewell · Union · Vermilion · Wabash · Warren · Washington · Wayne · White · Whiteside · Will · Williamson · Winnebago · Woodford
Extinct Co.
Dane • Illinois Country • Knox (1790-1809)
Major
 Repositories
Migration
 Routes
Retrieved from "https://integration-ru.familysearch.org/en/wiki/index.php?title=Will_County,_Illinois_Genealogy&oldid=6330832"