Records that survive
These are the record series from Clinton 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 Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Record1825–1937
- Birth Record Index, Delayed1867–1941
- Birth Record, Delayed1867–1941
- Marriage Record Index1874–1937
- Birth Record1877–1915
- Birth Record Index1877–1915
- Death Record1877–1915
- Death Record Index1877–1915
- Death Record, Stillbirths1878–1916
- Marriage License Applications1886–1914
- Birth Certificates1897–1898
Deeds and land
- Entry Books1816–1890
- Deed Index1818–1920
- Deed Record1825–1915
- School Trustees' Minutes1856–1954
- Plat Record, Roads1857–1873
- Tax Deed Affidavits1874–1908
Wills and estates
- Probate Case Files Index1825–1968
- Probate Record1825–1898
- Probate Case Files1855–1873
- Probate Will Record1857–1928
- Probate Will Record Index1857–1914
- Probate Appraisement Record1864–1869
Naturalization
- Naturalization Record, County Court1854–1906
- Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1857–1902
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1858–1880
- Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1861–1900
- Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1899–1903
Military and pensions
- Military Discharge Record1865–1948
Tax records
- Tax Judgment, Sale, Redemption and Forfeiture Record1886–1891
- Assessor's Books1894
- Assessor's Bond Record1899–1941
Court records
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1842–1922
- Board of Review Minutes1898–1908
- School Board Minutes1961–1996
- Township Meeting Minutes (Wheatfield Twp.)1969–1976
Schools
- School Teachers' Institute Fund Record1883–1954
- School Teachers' Directories1889–1949
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1895–1959
- School District Record1901–1943
- School Teachers' Permanent Record1914–1928
- School Teachers' Certificate Registers1929–1967
- School Election Papers1948–1975
- School District Annual Audit and Financial Reports1961–1975
- School District Annual Financial Reports1961–1969
Town and city records
- Township Record (Wheatfield Twp.)1874–1981
- Road Record (Santa Fe Twp.)1875–1939
- Township Record (Santa Fe Twp.)1876–1964
- Township Auditors' Record (Santa Fe Twp.)1880–1975
- Township Auditors' Record (Sugar Creek Twp.)1881–1976
- Township Record (Sugar Creek Twp.)1896–1943
- Poor Relief Fund Record (Sugar Creek Twp.)1931–1960
- Township Supervisor's Cash Books (Sugar Creek Twp.)1933–1951
- Township Auditors' Record, Relief (Sugar Creek Twp.)1936–1981
- Poor Relief Account Books (Santa Fe Twp.)1941–1976
- Township Supervisor's Cash Books (Santa Fe Twp.)1958–1981
County government
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Wheatfield Twp.)1874–1926
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Santa Fe Twp.)1876–1980
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Sugar Creek Twp.)1887–1964
Other records
- Almshouse Registers1870–1926
- Physician Certificate Record1877–1980
- Physician and Accoucheur Registers1877–1918
- County Clerk's Fee Registers1895–1918
- Blind Relief Application Record1916–1920
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
- Clinton 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, Clinton" 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: Bond County, Fayette County, Washington County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Bond County, Fayette County, Washington County
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.