Jackson County, Illinois Genealogy Records

Which records survive from Jackson County, the years each set covers, and where to find them.

Formed
1816
County seat
Murphysboro
Alexander CountyClay CountyClinton CountyFranklin CountyHamilton CountyJefferson CountyMarion CountyMassac CountyMonroe CountyPerry CountyPope CountyPulaski CountySaline CountySt. Clair CountyUnion CountyWashington CountyWayne CountyWilliamson CountyJohnson CountyRandolph CountyJackson CountyFranklinHamiltonMonroePerryPopeSalineSt. ClairUnionWashingtonWilliamsonJohnsonRandolphJackson
Jackson CountyParent counties (search here for earlier records)Today's boundaries · U.S. Census Bureau

Records that survive

These are the record series from Jackson 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 Record1842–1915
  • Marriage Record Index1843–1895
  • Birth Certificate Index1852–1943
  • Birth Certificates1852–1916
  • Cemetery Record (Murphysboro)1872–1974
  • Birth Record1877–1937
  • Birth Record Index1877–1916
  • Birth and Death Record Index1877–1916
  • Death Record1877–1915
  • Death Record Index1877–1901
  • Death Certificates, Coroner's1913–1917
  • Death Certificates1914–1922

Deeds and land

  • School Land Sale Petitions1836–1853
  • School Land Sale Record1836–1861
  • Deed Index1838–1889
  • Deed Record1843–1936
  • Plat Record, Schools1855–1962
  • Tax Sale Record Index, Lands1858–1881
  • Chattel Mortgage Record1870–1962
  • Chattel Mortgage Index1886–1963
  • Plat Record, Roads1887–1906
  • Chattel Mortgage Extensions1888–1940
  • Mortgage Index, Marginal Releases1905–1948
  • Village Trustees' Minutes (Desoto)1909–1972
  • Lien Record, Federal Taxes1924–1964
  • Lien Record Index, Real Estate, Old Age Assistance1962–1974
  • and 1 more series in the full listing

Wills and estates

  • Probate Case Files Index1840–1960
  • Probate Will Record1842–1964
  • Probate Administrator's Accounts1843–1857
  • Probate Case Files1843–1925
  • Probate Case Files, Guardians1843–1913
  • Probate Record1843–1888
  • Probate Record, Board of Investigation1843–1844
  • Probate Guardian's Record1859–1902

Naturalization

  • Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1860–1892
  • Naturalization Papers, County Court1864–1906
  • Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1868–1898
  • Naturalization Record, County Court1873–1906
  • Naturalization Record of Minors, County Court1904–1906
  • Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1904–1906

Military and pensions

  • Military Discharge Record1919–1936
  • Military Discharge Record Index1919–2000

Tax records

  • Tax Sale Record1827–1880
  • Tax Sale and Redemption Record1833–1846
  • Collector's Books1851–1915
  • Assessor's Books1861–1970
  • Tax Judgment Record1868–1880
  • Tax Judgment, Sale, Redemption and Forfeiture Record1883–1901
  • Tax Abatement Record, Personal Property1936–1962
  • Tax Lists, Delinquent1941–1946

Court records

  • Board of Supervisors' Minutes, Wpa Transcription1823–1936
  • Board of Supervisors' Minutes1843–1970
  • Circuit Court Record1844–1856
  • Police Magistrate Dockets (Murphysboro)1869–1963
  • Jail Registers1873–1937
  • Board of Supervisors' Minutes Index1880–1888
  • Police Magistrate Dockets (Ava)1880–1885
  • Justice of the Peace Dockets (Murphysboro)1889–1963
  • Coroner's Inquest Record1902–1918
  • Local Improvements Board Minutes (Murphysboro)1904–1929
  • Drainage District Minutes1912–1924
  • Justice of the Peace Dockets (Desoto)1930–1937

Schools

  • School Treasurer's Semi-annual Reports1887

Elections and voters

  • Election Papers1856–1873
  • Voter Registers1865–1874
  • Voter Registers (Makanda Twp.)1930
  • Election Papers (Makanda Twp.)1932

Town and city records

  • City Council Minutes (Murphysboro)1867–1948
  • City Ordinance Record (Murphysboro)1867–1947
  • City Council Minutes Index (Murphysboro)1888–1907
  • Village Ordinance Record (Desoto)1895–1935
  • City Council Roll Call Vote Record (Murphysboro)1913–1925
  • Highway Commission Treasurer's Accounts (Makanda Twp.)1914–1971
  • Road and Bridge Account Books (Makanda Twp.)1914–1968
  • Township Auditors' Record (Makanda Twp.)1924–1977
  • Township Record (Makanda Twp.)1926–1999
  • Township Officials' Registers1941–1964
  • Road and Bridge Fund Record (Makanda Twp.)1969–1993
  • Township Supervisor's Account Books (Makanda Twp.)1971–2002

County government

  • Board of Investigation Record1843–1844
  • Board of Supervisors' Proceedings Files1849–1954
  • County Officials' Registers1899–1967
  • Highway Commissioners' Record (Makanda Twp.)1912–1977
  • County Annual Audit Reports1958–1970

Other records

  • County Clerk's Miscellaneous Files1820–1933
  • Physician and Accoucheur Registers1877–1894
  • Professional Certificate Record1877–1912
  • Agricultural Society Record1879–1880

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

  • Jackson 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, Jackson" 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: Johnson County, Randolph County

Check the parent counties for earlier records: Johnson County, Randolph County

Later formed partly from Jackson County: Perry County

GallatinWhiteJohnsonRandolphJacksonJacksonJohnsonRandolph
Jackson as created in 1816Where its land was the day beforeToday's boundaryBoundaries: Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

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.