Records that survive
These are the record series from Bureau County held by the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) system, with the earliest and latest years. A span can include gaps. They include county, township and city records. This county's are held at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
Deeds and land
- Deed Index, Sectional1816–1900
- School Trustees' Minutes1846–1954
- Swamp Land Record1856–1878
- Chattel Mortgage Index1923–1935
- Chattel Mortgage Record1931–1956
- Chattel Mortgage Entry Books1949–1959
- School Trustees' and Treasurer's Annual Reports1955–1961
Wills and estates
- Probate Record1837–1900
- Probate Fee Books1857–1880
- Probate Appraisement Record1871–1875
- Probate Heirship Record1906–1955
Naturalization
- Naturalization Papers, Circuit Court1837–1923
Military and pensions
- Militia Roll Record1861–1865
Tax records
- Telephone and Telegraph Tax Books1900–1952
- Assessor's Books1944–1969
Court records
- Civil War Committee Minutes1862
- Circuit Court Record, Criminal1870–1915
- County Court Record1872–1950
- Probate Guardian's and Conservator's Record1873–1893
- County Court Dockets1894–1915
- County Court Record, Criminal1904–1952
- Coroner's Inquest Files1909–1910
- City Court Record, Common Law (Spring Valley)1912–1948
- School Board Minutes, Non-high School1917–1955
- County Court Information Record1930–1956
- County Court Miscellaneous Record1938–1946
Schools
- School Superintendent's Miscellaneous Files1836–1880
- School Treasurer's Notes and Bonds Record1851–1912
- School Treasurer's Account Books1854–1969
- School Teachers' Institute Record1856–1873
- School Superintendent's Daybooks1857–1923
- School District Record1860–1954
- School Superintendent's Annual Reports1860–1961
- School Teachers' Certificate Examination Record1861–1911
- School Superintendent's Visitation Record1872–1885
- School Treasurer's Cash Books1879–1955
- School Fund Examination Record1880
- School Teachers' Institute Fund Record1886–1915
- School Teachers' Registers1889–1911
- School Fund Distributive Record1898–1960
- and 12 more series in the full listing
Town and city records
- Town Lot Index1837–1900
County government
- Village Annual Audit Reports (Dalzell)1955–1972
Other records
- Civil War Bounty Committee Files1861–1868
- Civil War Relief Committee Files1861–1869
- Civil War Bounty Committee Treasurer's Record1864–1866
- Mine Inspector's Record1873–1892
- Stallion Registration Record1910–1913
- Stallion Renewal Record1916–1918
Search the IRAD database for this county
Source: Illinois State Archives, Local Government Records Database (choose the county to see every series and its accession number). Contact the depository before you visit. Illinois began statewide registration of births and deaths in 1916.
Where to find the records
- Bureau County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the county clerk, the recorder of deeds and the clerk of the circuit court, and any online record search the county offers.
- The county clerk
Births, deaths and marriages registered in the county.
- The recorder of deeds
Deeds, mortgages and other land records (in some counties the county clerk is also the recorder).
- The clerk of the circuit court
Probate (wills and estates), divorces and civil and criminal cases.
- The Illinois State Archives
In Springfield, with older county records at its regional depositories (IRAD) on university campuses.
- Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) systemfree
The State Archives' regional depositories, which hold older county, township and city records; search its Local Government Records Database by county.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Illinois, Bureau" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Putnam County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Putnam County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1837, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Illinois began statewide registration of births and deaths in 1916; counties kept registers earlier, often from 1877 or 1878. The Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, from the State Archives, covers many marriages from 1763 to 1900.