Clay County, Illinois Genealogy Records

Which records survive from Clay County, the years each set covers, and where to find them.

Formed
1824
County seat
Louisville
Bond CountyChristian CountyClark CountyClinton CountyColes CountyCumberland CountyEdgar CountyEdwards CountyEffingham CountyFranklin CountyHamilton CountyJasper CountyJefferson CountyMacoupin CountyMadison CountyMarion CountyMontgomery CountyMoultrie CountyPerry CountyRandolph CountyRichland CountyShelby CountySt. Clair CountyWabash CountyWashington CountyWhite CountyCrawford CountyFayette CountyLawrence CountyWayne CountyClay CountyBondClintonCumberlandEffinghamHamiltonJasperJeffersonMacoupinMadisonMarionMontgomeryPerryRandolphRichlandShelbySt. ClairWabashWashingtonWhiteCrawfordFayetteLawrenceWayneClay
Clay CountyParent counties (search here for earlier records)Today's boundaries · U.S. Census Bureau

Records that survive

These are the record series from Clay 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 Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

Marriages, births and deaths

  • Marriage Record, Transcription1825–1845
  • Birth Record, Delayed1844–1944
  • Marriage Record1858–1919
  • Birth Record1877–1918
  • Birth Record Index1877–1904
  • Death Record1877–1918
  • Death Record Index1877–1904
  • Death and Burial Permit Record (Stanford Twp.)1902–1918

Deeds and land

  • Deed Index1825–1892
  • Deed Record1825–1911
  • Village Trustees' Minutes (Louisville)1952–1976

Wills and estates

  • Probate Record1837–1885
  • Probate Administrator's Record1863–1877
  • Probate Executor's Record1863–1919
  • Probate Guardian's Record1863–1894
  • Probate Will Record1865–1925
  • Probate Appraisement Record1872–1885
  • Probate Inventory Record, Guardians1874–1902
  • Probate Widow's Relinquishment and Selection Record1874–1896
  • Probate Inventory Record1884–1897

Naturalization

  • Naturalization Record, County Court1868–1910
  • Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1904
  • Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1907–1927
  • Naturalization Petition Record, Circuit Court1912–1926

Court records

  • Board of Supervisors' Minutes1825–1986
  • Probate Guardian's and Conservator's Account Record1879–1885
  • School Board Minutes1958–1970

Schools

  • School District Record1855–1957
  • School Teachers' Daily Registers1898–1971

Elections and voters

  • Election Papers (Stanford Twp.)1965

Town and city records

  • Township Record (Stanford Twp.)1862–1995
  • Estray Record (Stanford Twp.)1863–1915
  • Township Supervisor's Cash Books (Stanford Twp.)1879–1915
  • Township Supervisor's Account Books (Stanford Twp.)1911–1973
  • Road and Bridge Fund Record (Stanford Twp.)1947–1959
  • Township Supervisor's Fiscal Reports (Louisville Twp.)1969–1971

County government

  • Highway Commissioners' Record (Stanford Twp.)1888–1943
  • Highway Commissioners' Annual Reports (Louisville Twp.)1951–1953

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

  • Clay 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, Clay" 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: Crawford County, Fayette County, Lawrence County, Wayne County

Check the parent counties for earlier records: Crawford County, Fayette County, Lawrence County, Wayne County

Later formed partly from Clay County: Jasper County, Richland County

EdwardsMarionJeffersonWayneLawrenceCrawfordFayetteClayClayWayneLawrenceCrawfordFayetteEdwardsMarion
Clay as created in 1824Where its land was the day beforeToday's boundaryBoundaries: Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1824, 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.