Records that survive
These are the record series from Effingham 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 Record1839–1920
- Birth Record1877–1916
- Birth Record Index1877–1915
- Death Record1878–1915
- Death Record Index1878–1915
- Death Record, Stillbirths1878–1901
- Poor Farm Cemetery Record1895–1896
Deeds and land
- Taxable Lands Lists1829–1895
- Deed Index1833–1889
- Deed Record1833–1936
- Mortgage Record1854–1905
- Swamp Land Record1859–1867
- Village Trustees' Minutes (Teutopolis)1864–1979
- Plats, Schools1867–1913
- Probate Sale Record, Real Estate, Guardians1874–1895
- Mortgage Index1875–1895
- Village Trustees' Minutes (Dieterich)1893–1984
- Chattel Mortgage Index1945–1962
- Chattel Mortgage Record1945–1962
Wills and estates
- Probate Will Record1834–1920
- Probate Record1835–1893
- Probate Record Index1838–1964
- Probate Claim Dockets1848–1926
- Probate Accounts Current Record1851–1932
- Probate Administrator's and Executor's Bonds and Letters1853
- Probate Administrator's Record1854–1939
- Probate Sale Record, Personal Property1854–1935
- Probate Appraisement Record1855–1939
- Probate Settlements Due Dockets1858–1896
- Probate Judgment Dockets1862–1927
- Probate Guardian's Record1871–1894
- Probate Inventory Record, Guardians1873–1914
- Probate Record, Insolvent Estates1876–1886
- and 4 more series in the full listing
Naturalization
- Naturalization Papers, County Court1840–1905
- Naturalization Record, County Court1857–1906
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1859–1892
- Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1859–1892
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers and Minors, Circuit Court1870–1888
Military and pensions
- Mother's Pension Order Stub Books1913–1935
- Mother's and Blind Pension Accounts1913–1941
Tax records
- Collector's Books1851–1853
- Assessor's Books1853–1965
- Tax Sale and Redemption Record1853–1886
- Collector's Receipt Record for Tax Books1854–1861
- Tax Ledgers1867–1902
- Motor Fuel Tax Audit Reports1935–1972
Court records
- Circuit Court Execution Dockets1833–1882
- Circuit Court Index1833–1925
- Circuit Court Record1833–1874
- Justice of the Peace Dockets1836–1880
- County Order Registers1839–1868
- Justice Appointment Record1839–1849
- Justice and Constable Appointment Record1851–1863
- County Order Record1852–1941
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes Index1853–1862
- County Court Execution Dockets1858–1870
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1859–1866
- County Court Fee Books1859–1870
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Teutopolis Twp.)1860–1883
- Circuit Court Record, Chancery1864–1910
- and 24 more series in the full listing
Elections and voters
- Voter Registers (Liberty Twp.)1873–1874
- Election Papers1880
- Election Papers (St. Francis Twp.)1880–1881
Town and city records
- Township Clerk's Record (Douglas Twp.)1861–1879
- Township Organization Record1861
- Township Record (Liberty Twp.)1861–1964
- Marks, Brands and Estray Record (Liberty Twp.)1862–1883
- Township Supervisor's Cash Books (Liberty Twp.)1862–1932
- Fire Department Record (Teutopolis)1883–1901
- Village Ordinance Record (Dieterich)1898–1938
- Village Ordinance Record (Teutopolis)1937–1975
County government
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Liberty Twp.)1862–1926
- Highway Commissioners' Account Books (Watson Twp.)1892–1914
Other records
- Estray Record1839–1887
- Marks and Brands Record1840–1868
- Treasurer's Accounts1844–1851
- Marks, Brands and Estray Record1862–1892
- Physician Certificate Record1877–1973
- State's Attorney Fee, Fine and Forfeiture Reports1890–1897
- Optometrist Registers1916–1917
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
- Effingham 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, Effingham" 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
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Crawford County, Fayette County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1831, 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.