Records that survive
These are the record series from Lawrence 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 Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Record1821–1937
- Marriage Record Index1821–1970
- Birth Record1877–1923
- Birth Record Index1877–1911
- Death Record1878–1972
- Death Record Index1878–1927
- Birth Record, Delayed1882–1972
- Marriage Record (Bond Twp.)1883–1887
- Death Certificates, Stillbirths1888–1960
- Birth Certificates1889–1970
- Death Certificates1889–1907
- Birth Record Index, Delayed1890–1921
- Birth Record, Corrected1896–1952
- Death Reports1902–1909
- and 3 more series in the full listing
Deeds and land
- Deed Index1821–1950
- Deed Record1821–1960
- Tax Deed Affidavits1872–1900
- Chattel Mortgage Dockets1925–1926
- School Trustees' and Treasurer's Annual Reports1926–1956
- School Trustees' Annual Reports1928–1936
Tax records
- Collector's Books1895–1898
Court records
- Justice of the Peace Dockets1835–1948
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Lukin Twp.)1864–1879
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Russell Twp.)1867–1883
- Coroner's Inquest Record1870–1972
Schools
- School Fund Loan Record1856–1888
- School Notes and Bonds Record1856–1924
- School Treasurer's Account Books1856–1957
- School Treasurer's Cash and Loan Record1872–1892
- School District Miscellaneous Files1880–1938
- School Treasurer's Ledger1881–1891
- School Treasurer's Expenditures Record1882–1886
- School Bond Registers1883–1893
- School Schedules1891–1937
- School Election Papers1912–1936
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1914–1944
- School Treasurer's Cash Books1914–1927
- School District Record1918–1939
- School Teachers' Annual Reports1927–1935
- and 1 more series in the full listing
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
- Lawrence 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, Lawrence" 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: Crawford County, Edwards County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Crawford County, Edwards County
Later formed partly from Lawrence County: Clay County, Richland County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1821, 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.