Records that survive
These are the record series from Gallatin 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 Licenses1813–1896
- Marriage Record Index1830–1926
- Birth Record Index1878–1972
- Death Record Index1878–1916
Deeds and land
- Deed Index1813–1900
- Deed Record1813–1911
Wills and estates
- Probate Case Files1813–1928
- Probate Will Record1814–1931
- Probate Case Files Index1815–1900
- Probate Dockets1847–1849
- Probate Record1860–1887
Naturalization
- Naturalization Papers, Circuit Court1839–1906
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1859–1893
- Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1859–1888
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers, Circuit Court1881–1886
Records of free Black and enslaved people
- Servitude Registers, Slaves1815–1839
Court records
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes, Wpa Transcription1813–1876
- Circuit Court Order Books1813–1839
- Circuit Court Case Files1814–1920
- Recorder's Unclaimed Instruments1820–1914
- Regional Planning Commission Minutes1971–2004
- Township Meeting Minutes (Eagle Creek Twp.)1972–1980
Schools
- School Treasurer's Cash Books1838–1873
- School District Record1881–1889
Census
- Census Record1830
Town and city records
- City Council Minutes (Shawneetown)1901–1936
Other records
- County Clerk's Miscellaneous Files1813–1932
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
- Gallatin 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, Gallatin" 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: Randolph County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Randolph County
Later formed partly from Gallatin County: Edwards County, Franklin County, Pope County, Saline County, White County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1812, 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.