Records that survive
These are the record series from Franklin 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 Record1835–1915
- Birth Certificates, Delayed1861–1915
- Birth Record1877–1916
- Birth Record Index1877–1916
- Death Record1877–1915
- Death Record Index1877–1915
- Marriage Record Index1877–1924
Deeds and land
- School Trustees' Minutes1855–1954
- School Trustees' and Treasurer's Annual Reports1919–1961
Wills and estates
- Recorder's Will Record1835–1922
- Probate Case Files Index1837–1970
- Probate Record1837–1938
- Probate Will Record1845–1964
- Probate Inventory, Appraisement and Sale Record1856–1871
- Probate Executor's Record1859–1940
- Probate Appraisement Record1871–1898
- Probate Administrator's and Executor's Final Reports1875–1884
- Probate Widow's Relinquishment and Selection Record1878–1934
- Probate Inventory and Appraisement Record, Copartnership1889–1913
- Probate Administrator's Bonds and Letters1893–1957
Naturalization
- Naturalization Record, County Court1887–1904
- Naturalization Petition Record, Circuit Court1908–1957
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1911–1952
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, City Court (West Frankfort)1924–1949
- Naturalization Petition Record, City Court (West Frankfort)1924–1952
- Naturalization Order Books, Circuit Court1929–1957
- Naturalization Order Books, City Court (West Frankfort)1929–1952
Military and pensions
- Mother's Pension Accounts1914–1941
- Mother's Pension Record1914–1941
- Mother's Pension Order Record1930–1937
Tax records
- City Court Special Assessment Record (West Frankfort)1926–1930
Court records
- Circuit Court Record1837–1870
- Circuit Court Case Files1843–1900
- Circuit Court Issue Dockets1851–1893
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1854–1872
- Circuit Court Record, Chancery1870–1924
- Circuit Court Record, Common Law1870–1964
- Circuit Court Record, Criminal1871–1946
- County Court Case Files1872–1900
- County Court Record, Common Law1872–1964
- County Court Record, Criminal1872–1964
- Circuit Court Indictment Record1873–1927
- Jail Registers1874–1955
- Insanity and Conservator's Record1879–1931
- Coroner's Inquest Files Index1893–1969
- and 19 more series in the full listing
Schools
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1906–1980
- School District Record1916–1941
- School District Record, Non-high School1917–1928
- School Classification Reports, Preliminary1928–1956
- School Superintendent's Annual Reports1928–1961
- School Teachers' Certificate Registers1955–1960
Town and city records
- Township Record (Goode Twp.)1872–1983
- Township Record (Frankfort Twp.)1885–1983
County government
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Frankfort Twp.)1890–1914
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Six Mile Twp.)1963–1975
Other records
- Blind Relief Application Record1916–1944
- Dependent and Delinquent Children Record1923–1940
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
- Franklin 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, Franklin" 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: Gallatin County, Johnson County, White County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Gallatin County, Johnson County, White County
Later formed partly from Franklin County: Williamson County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1818, 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.