Records that survive
These are the record series from Knox 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 Western Illinois University in Macomb.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Licenses1830–1922
- Marriage Record1830–1925
- Birth Certificates, Delayed1858–1900
- Birth Record Index1858–1971
- Birth Certificate Index, Delayed1863–1972
- Birth Certificates1877–1900
- Death Certificates1877–1900
- Death Record Index1877–1935
- Marriage Record Index1905–1943
Deeds and land
- Deed Record1818–1863
- School Trustees' Minutes1846–1954
- School Trustees' and Treasurer's Annual Reports1883–1960
- Chattel Mortgages1956–1962
Wills and estates
- Probate Case Files Index1832–1959
- Probate Wills1832–1922
- Probate Wills, Non-probated1832–1922
Naturalization
- Naturalization Papers, Circuit Court1848–1906
- Naturalization Index Card File, Circuit Court1856–1954
- Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1856–1876
- Naturalization Index Card File, County Court1859–1906
- Naturalization Record, County Court1860–1890
- Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1861–1899
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers and Minors, Circuit Court1865–1876
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers, County Court1866–1892
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1876–1952
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, County Court1876–1909
- Naturalization Dockets, County Court1876–1906
- Naturalization Record of Minors, Circuit Court1876–1898
- Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1890–1906
- Naturalization Record of Minors, County Court1891–1906
- and 3 more series in the full listing
Tax records
- Assessor's Books (Maquon Twp.)1859–1874
- Tax Levy, Sale and Redemption Certificates1902–1959
- Assessor's Books1951–1962
- Tax Assessment Abstracts1958–1962
Court records
- Justice of the Peace Dockets1857–1956
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Maquon Twp.)1859–1861
- Police Magistrate Dockets (Maquon)1864–1931
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1871–1955
- Village Treasurer's Order Books (Maquon)1912–1954
- Probate Guardian's and Conservator's Case Files Index1960–1972
Schools
- School Fund Loan Record1846–1915
- School Treasurer's Account Books1846–1954
- School District Record1861–1949
- School District Record (Maquon Twp.)1861–1897
- School Superintendent's Annual Reports1882–1970
- School Teachers' Registers1883–1889
- School District Organization Record1889–1942
- School Teachers' Directories1904–1946
- School District Financial Record, High Schools1927–1928
- School District Record (Maquon)1933–1936
Elections and voters
- Voter Registers (Maquon Twp.)1897–1934
- Election Papers (Maquon Twp.)1900–1977
- Township Officials' Nomination Certificates (Maquon Twp.)1953
Town and city records
- City Council Minutes (Galesburg)1841–1984
- City Council Minutes (Knoxville)1845–1968
- City Clerk's Miscellaneous Files (Galesburg)1849–1939
- Township Record (Maquon Twp.)1869–1920
- City Ordinance Record (Knoxville)1886–1906
- Automobile License Record (Maquon)1917–1918
- Township Auditors' Annual Reports (Maquon Twp.)1933–1951
- Township Supervisor's Fiscal Reports (Maquon Twp.)1949–1951
- Township Treasurer's Annual Reports (Maquon Twp.)1951
- Township Supervisor's Fiscal Reports (Galesburg Twp.)1954–1969
County government
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Maquon Twp.)1900–1905
- Highway Commissioners' Annual Reports (Maquon Twp.)1942–1968
Other records
- Estray Record1864–1944
- Poor Relief Emergency Committee Files1932–1936
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
- Knox 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, Knox" 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: Fulton County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Fulton County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1825, 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.