Jefferson County, Illinois Genealogy Records

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

Formed
1819
County seat
Mount Vernon
Bond CountyClay CountyClinton CountyFayette CountyFranklin CountyGallatin CountyHamilton CountyJackson CountyMadison CountyMarion CountyPerry CountyRandolph CountyRichland CountySaline CountySt. Clair CountyWashington CountyWayne CountyWilliamson CountyEdwards CountyWhite CountyJefferson CountyClintonFranklinHamiltonMarionPerryRandolphWashingtonWayneEdwardsWhiteJefferson
Jefferson CountyParent counties (search here for earlier records)Today's boundaries · U.S. Census Bureau

Records that survive

These are the record series from Jefferson 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 Record1819–1916
  • Birth Certificates1867–1915
  • Birth Certificate Index, Delayed1870–1920
  • Birth Certificates, Delayed1870–1920
  • Birth Record1877–1915
  • Birth Record Index1877–1902
  • Death Record1877–1915
  • Death Record Index1877–1902
  • Marriage Record Index1891–1916

Deeds and land

  • Deed Index1822–1927
  • Deed Record1822–1922
  • Mortgage Record1857–1861
  • Mortgage Index1874–1905

Wills and estates

  • Treasurer's Settlement Record1918–1967

Tax records

  • Railroad Tax Books1938–1965
  • Telephone and Telegraph Tax Books1946–1962

Court records

  • Board of Supervisors' Minutes, Wpa Transcription1819–1849

Schools

  • School Teachers' Daily Registers1909–1955
  • School Election Papers1972–1979

Elections and voters

  • Election Papers1974

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

  • Jefferson 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, Jefferson" 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, White County

Check the parent counties for earlier records: Edwards County, White County

Later formed partly from Jefferson County: Fayette County, Marion County

JacksonRandolphUnionJohnsonGallatinPopeFranklinMadisonBondWashingtonST. ClairCrawfordClarkEdwardsWhiteJeffersonJeffersonEdwardsWhiteJacksonRandolphUnionGallatinFranklinST. ClairCrawford
Jefferson as created in 1819Where 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 1819, 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.