Records that survive
These are the record series from Lee 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.
Deeds and land
- Chattel Mortgage Record1856–1881
- Road Survey Record (South Dixon Twp.)1917
Military and pensions
- School Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund Files1920–1951
Tax records
- Road Tax Lists (South Dixon Twp.)1866–1892
- Collector's Appointment Record (South Dixon Twp.)1868–1871
- School Tax Levy Certificates1925–1951
Court records
- Circuit Court Case Files1840–1940
- Circuit Court Case Files Index, Common Law1840–1934
- Coroner's Inquest Files1840–1941
- Township Treasurer's Order Record (South Dixon Twp.)1923–1950
Schools
- School District Record1911–1928
- School Teachers' Annual Reports1913–1914
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1914–1943
- School Treasurer's Semi-annual Reports1918–1952
- School Schedules1924–1953
- School District Budgets1926–1940
- School Receipts1926–1954
- School State Aid Claim Reports1928–1934
- School Teachers' Contracts1930–1952
- School District Miscellaneous Files1931–1944
- School Board Directors' Annual Reports1932–1942
- School Census Reports1932–1940
- School District General Correspondence1932–1940
- School Fire Safety Reports1932
- and 2 more series in the full listing
Elections and voters
- Election Papers (South Dixon Twp.)1867–1940
- Voter Registers (South Dixon Twp.)1867–1939
- Township Officials' Nomination Petitions (South Dixon Twp.)1892–1949
Town and city records
- Highway Overseer's Annual Reports (South Dixon Twp.)1861–1892
- Township Fund Apportionment Files (South Dixon Twp.)1867
- Township Officials' Oath Record (South Dixon Twp.)1867–1949
- Township Auditors' Reports (South Dixon Twp.)1868–1905
- Township Voucher Stubs (South Dixon Twp.)1868–1902
- Township Meeting Proceedings Files (South Dixon Twp.)1870–1936
- Township Record (South Dixon Twp.)1870–1940
- Township Supervisor's Fiscal Reports (South Dixon Twp.)1876–1953
- Township Meeting Proposition Petitions (South Dixon Twp.)1884–1949
- Highway Commission Miscellaneous Files (South Dixon Twp.)1886–1945
- Highway Commission Proceedings Files (South Dixon Twp.)1892–1949
- Township Miscellaneous Files (South Dixon Twp.)1915–1945
- Highway Commission Treasurer's Reports (South Dixon Twp.)1927–1953
- Road and Bridge Fund Record (South Dixon Twp.)1935–1951
County government
- Highway Commissioners' Audit Reports (South Dixon Twp.)1867–1903
- Highway Commissioners' Record (South Dixon Twp.)1891–1949
- Highway Commissioners' Annual Reports (South Dixon Twp.)1903–1926
- Water Department Audit Reports (Dixon)1961–1976
- Tuberculosis Association Annual Audit Reports1965–1970
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
- Lee 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, Lee" 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: Ogle County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Ogle County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1839, 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.