Records that survive
These are the record series from Crawford 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 Record1817–1934
- Marriage Record Index1817–1958
- Birth Record1877–1915
- Birth Record Index1877–1957
- Death Record1877–1915
- Death Record Index1877–1958
Deeds and land
- Deed Index1817–1958
- Deed Record1817–1958
- Taxable Lands Lists1817–1855
- School Land Sale Record1834–1852
- Surveyor's Record1850–1933
- Swamp Land Record1852–1867
- Plat Record1882–1957
- Village Trustees' Minutes (Oblong)1883–1945
Wills and estates
- Probate Will Record1818–1956
- Probate Dockets1844–1894
- Probate Appraisement Record1845–1849
- Probate Minutes1849–1958
- Probate Inventory Record1911–1958
Military and pensions
- Military Discharge Record1919–1958
- Military Discharge Record Index1919–1958
Court records
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1817–1875
- Circuit Court Index1817–1958
- Circuit Court Record1817–1958
- Circuit Court Record, Common Law1912–1958
- Jail Registers1922–1960
- Local Improvements Board Minutes (Oblong)1925
- Circuit Court Record, Criminal1931–1957
Schools
- School District Record1834–1854
- School District Annual Audit Reports1970–1971
Town and city records
- City Ordinance Record (Robinson)1887–1913
- Village Ordinance Record (Oblong)1923
- Town Treasurer's Statements (Palestine)1957–1958
County government
- County Annual Audit Reports1961–1972
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
- Find Crawford County's official website
We haven't checked this county's website yet, so this opens a web search. Look for an address ending in .gov, then find the county clerk, the recorder of deeds and the clerk of the circuit court.
- 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, Crawford" 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: Edwards County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Edwards County
Later formed partly from Crawford County: Clark County, Clay County, Effingham County, Fayette County, Jasper County, Lawrence County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1816, 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.