Records that survive
These are the record series from Macon 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 the University of Illinois Springfield.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Record1829–1918
- Marriage Record Index1829–1930
- Burial Record, Soldiers and Sailors1844–1987
- Birth Record Index1850–1890
- Birth Record1877–1917
- Death Record1877–1918
- Death Record Index1877–1922
- Death Record, Stillbirths1878–1902
- Marriage License Applications1883–1889
Deeds and land
- Entry Books1827–1890
- Deed Index1829–1893
- Deed Record1829–1901
- Mortgage Record1857–1893
- Chattel Mortgages1871–1948
Wills and estates
- Probate Case Files1830–1890
- Probate Case Files Index1830–1872
- Probate Will Record1847–1916
- Probate Inventory Record1860–1960
- Probate Administrator's Record1873–1939
- Probate Widow's Relinquishment and Selection Record1883–1904
- Probate Appraisement Record1887–1962
- Probate Heirship Record1904–1957
- Probate Wills1943–1962
Naturalization
- Naturalization Papers, County Court1853–1906
- Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1858–1883
- Naturalization Record, County Court1860–1906
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1861–1955
- Naturalization Record of Minors, Circuit Court1862–1883
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers, County Court1867–1896
- Naturalization Dockets, County Court1883–1906
- Naturalization Record of Minors, County Court1896–1903
- Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1904–1906
- Naturalization Petition Record, Circuit Court1907–1955
- Naturalization Certificate Stubs, Circuit Court1919–1926
- Naturalization Index Card File, Circuit Court1926–1955
- Naturalization Order Books, Circuit Court1929–1956
Military and pensions
- Militia Roll Record1861–1862
- Military Discharge Record1864–1865
- Mother's Pension Order Record1919–1923
- Mother's Pension Record1919–1942
- Mother's Pension Accounts1931–1936
Tax records
- Assessor's Books1848–1891
- Road Tax Lists (Long Creek Twp.)1863–1893
Court records
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1829–1963
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes, Wpa Transcription1829–1840
- Circuit Court Case Files1829–1904
- Circuit Court Case Files, Criminal1829–1904
- Circuit Court Record1830–1848
- Circuit Court Execution Files1831–1866
- Justice of the Peace Dockets1857–1871
- School Board Minutes (Decatur)1858–1912
- Township Meeting Minutes (Decatur Twp.)1860–1876
- Circuit Court Dockets, Common Law1869
- County Court Record1872–1934
- Highway Commissioners' Minutes (Long Creek Twp.)1876–1915
- Circuit Court Dockets1878–1881
- County Court Dockets1883–1892
- and 10 more series in the full listing
Schools
- School Teachers' Daily Registers (Decatur)1861–1883
- School Treasurer's Expenditures Record (Decatur)1861–1874
- Inmates of Asylums and Schools Record1863–1922
- School Pupils' Scholarship Record (Decatur)1874–1879
- School Pupil Truant Registers (Decatur)1883–1907
Elections and voters
- Election Papers (Long Creek Twp.)1871–1973
- Voter Registers (Long Creek Twp.)1894–1934
Town and city records
- Road Record (Long Creek Twp.)1860–1922
- Township Clerk's Charge Account Record (Long Creek Twp.)1860–1895
- Estray Record (Long Creek Twp.)1861–1893
- Township Supervisor's Account Books (Long Creek Twp.)1861–1896
- Road Record (Mt. Zion Twp.)1875–1898
- Highway Commission Treasurer's Accounts (Long Creek Twp.)1877–1927
- Animal Bounty Certificates, English Sparrows (Long Creek Twp.)1891–1898
County government
- County Officials' Registers1860–1887
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Decatur Twp.)1860–1892
- Highway Commissioners' Charge Accounts (Long Creek Twp.)1866–1879
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Mt. Zion Twp.)1897–1905
- Board of Supervisors' Proceedings Files1939–1956
Other records
- Estray Record1849–1862
- Agricultural Statistic Schedules1878–1883
- Drainage District Record1905–1915
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
- Macon 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, Macon" 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: Land not yet in any county
Later formed partly from Macon County: DeWitt County, Moultrie County, Piatt County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1829, 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.