LaSalle County, Illinois Genealogy Records

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

Formed
1831
County seat
Ottawa
Bureau CountyCook CountyDeKalb CountyDuPage CountyFord CountyFulton CountyGrundy CountyHenry CountyKane CountyKankakee CountyKendall CountyLee CountyLivingston CountyMarshall CountyMcLean CountyPeoria CountyStark CountyTazewell CountyWhiteside CountyWill CountyWoodford CountyPutnam CountyLaSalle CountyBureauGrundyLeeMarshallPeoriaStarkWhitesideWillWoodfordPutnamLaSalle
LaSalle CountyParent county (search here for earlier records)Today's boundaries · U.S. Census Bureau

Records that survive

These are the record series from LaSalle 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 Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

Marriages, births and deaths

  • Marriage Licenses1831–1916
  • Marriage Record1831–1916
  • Marriage Record Index1831–1915
  • Birth Certificate Index, Delayed1843–1890
  • Birth Certificates, Delayed1843–1890
  • Birth Certificates1877–1890
  • Birth Record1877–1891
  • Birth Record Index1877–1890
  • Death Certificates1877–1916
  • Death Record1877–1915
  • Death Record Index1877–1940
  • Burial Permit Registers (Grand Rapids Twp.)1902–1903
  • Death Certificate Registers (Grand Rapids Twp.)1902–1903
  • Death Record, Coroner's1910–1915
  • and 2 more series in the full listing

Deeds and land

  • Surveyor's Record1842–1870
  • School Trustees' Minutes1844–1890
  • Chattel Mortgage Record1936–1945
  • School Trustees' and Treasurer's Annual Reports1937–1961
  • Chattel Mortgage Index1941–1962
  • Chattel Mortgage Entry Books1952–1968

Wills and estates

  • Probate Record1831–1874
  • Probate Administrator's Record1847–1878
  • Probate Guardian's Record1847–1884
  • Probate Will Record1847–1900
  • Probate Appraisement Record1860–1880
  • Probate Inventory Record1860–1884
  • Probate Widow's Relinquishment and Selection Record1872–1890

Naturalization

  • Naturalization Papers, Circuit Court1838–1900
  • Naturalization Declarations of Intent Index, Circuit Court1840–1906
  • Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1840–1980
  • Naturalization Index Card File, Circuit Court1840–1999
  • Naturalization Record Index, Circuit Court1840–1908
  • Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1840–1882
  • Naturalization Record Index, County Court1851–1906
  • Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1852–1906
  • Naturalization Declarations of Intent Index Card File, County Court1854–1906
  • Naturalization Declarations of Intent Index, County Court1854–1906
  • Naturalization Declarations of Intent, County Court1854–1906
  • Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1854–1900
  • Naturalization Record, Recorder's Court (Lasalle)1859–1865
  • Naturalization Record of Soldiers, County Court1865–1898
  • and 12 more series in the full listing

Tax records

  • Assessor's Books (South Ottawa Twp.)1850–1877
  • Collector's Books1951–1953
  • Assessor's Books1953–1968

Court records

  • Circuit Court Case Files1831–1880
  • Circuit Court Case Files Index1831–1900
  • Circuit Court Record1831–1870
  • County Court Case Files1836–1962
  • Circuit Court Record, Chancery1843–1875
  • County Court Record1854–1963
  • Justice of the Peace Dockets (Earl Twp.)1858–1878
  • County Court Record, Chancery1859–1871
  • Justice of the Peace Dockets (Grand Rapids Twp.)1862–1880
  • Police Magistrate Dockets (Earl Twp.)1882–1885
  • County Court Judgment Dockets1890–1926
  • Justice of the Peace Dockets1912–1963
  • School Board Minutes1916–1945
  • Board of Health Minutes (South Ottawa Twp.)1931–1945
  • and 7 more series in the full listing

Schools

  • School Fund Loan Record1844–1874
  • School District Record1867–1947
  • School Treasurer's Cash and Loan Record1867–1899
  • School Treasurer's Cash Books1871–1890
  • School Superintendent's Annual Reports1878–1939
  • School Board Directors' Annual Reports1955–1956
  • School District Annual Financial Reports1961–1971
  • School District Annual Audit Reports1962–1971
  • School Election Papers1976

Elections and voters

  • Voter Registers (South Ottawa Twp.)1865–1936
  • Election Papers (South Ottawa Twp.)1924–1937

Town and city records

  • Township Record (Grand Rapids Twp.)1850–1975
  • Township Record (South Ottawa Twp.)1850–1912
  • Township Auditors' Record (South Ottawa Twp.)1877–1879
  • Township Auditors' Record (Grand Rapids Twp.)1885–1948
  • Township Supervisor's Fiscal Reports (Grand Rapids Twp.)1885–1968
  • Township Auditors' Record (Earl Twp.)1894–1935
  • Township Auditors' Record (Farm Ridge Twp.)1894–1961
  • Township Record (Earl Twp.)1899–1993
  • Drainage District Record (Farm Ridge Twp.)1903–1982
  • Township Auditors' Record (Bruce Twp.)1916–1942
  • Township Record (Farm Ridge Twp.)1919–1974
  • Budget and Appropriation Ordinances1963–1972
  • Township Supervisor's Fiscal Reports (Mendota Twp.)1963–1970
  • Highway Commission Treasurer's Annual Reports (Mendota Twp.)1964–1970
  • and 2 more series in the full listing

County government

  • Highway Commissioners' Record (South Ottawa Twp.)1880–1972
  • Highway Commissioners' Record (Earl Twp.)1887–1938
  • Highway Commissioners' Annual Reports (Mendota Twp.)1963–1970
  • County Annual Audit Reports1964–1968
  • Highway Commissioners' Annual Reports (Grand Rapids Twp.)1976

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

  • LaSalle 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, LaSalle" 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: Putnam County

Check the parent county for earlier records: Putnam County

MorganSangamonHancockPikeKnoxAdamsPeoriaFultonWarrenSchuylerNon-County Area 5McDONOUGHVermilionMercerJO DaviessHenryShelbyMaconEdgarColesTazewellMcLEANNon-County Area 4PutnamNon-County Area 6LA SalleLA SalleNon-County Area 4PutnamMorganSangamonKnoxAdamsFultonWarrenMercerJO DaviessHenryMaconTazewellMcLEAN
LA Salle as created in 1831Where 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 1831, 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.