Records that survive
These are the record series from McDonough 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 Licenses1830–1923
- Marriage Record1830–1923
- Cemetery Lots and Blocks Index, Oakwood Cemetery (Macomb)1854–1980
- Cemetery Lots and Blocks Record, Oakwood Cemetery (Macomb)1854–1980
- Death Record1877–1915
- Marriage License Applications1881–1923
- Cemetery Record, Oakwood Cemetery (Macomb)1897–1920
- Birth and Death Reporting Accounts1902–1941
- Death Record, Coroner's1910–1915
Deeds and land
- Deed Record1817–1962
- Deed Index1831–1986
- Entry Books1831–1986
- School Land Sale Record1831–1847
- Plat Record1834–1975
- Land Abstracts1835–1939
- Mortgage Record1836–1854
- Road Survey Record1846–1889
- Plat Record, Schools1864–1947
- Road Record (Scotland Twp.)1865–1924
- Chattel Mortgage Record1867–1917
- Plat Record, Roads1881–1903
- Probate Sale Record, Real Estate1885–1939
- Road and Bridge Account Books (Scotland Twp.)1914–1965
Wills and estates
- Probate Case Files1833–1925
- Probate Record1833–1922
- Probate Record Index1833–1940
- Probate Will Record1834–1940
- Probate Case Files, Guardians1838–1933
- Probate Administrator's and Guardian's Letters1850–1859
- Probate Inventory, Appraisement and Sale Record1854–1865
- Probate Administrator's Record1858–1921
- Probate Executor's Record1858–1926
- Probate Guardian's Record1858–1940
- Probate Appraisement Record1859–1924
- Probate Inventory Record1859–1923
- Probate Sale Record, Personal Property1859–1929
- School District Settlement Record1868–1888
- and 7 more series in the full listing
Naturalization
- Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1854–1884
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1856–1937
- Naturalization Papers, County Court1859–1913
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers and Minors, Circuit Court1866–1877
- Naturalization Record, County Court1872–1892
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, County Court1889–1906
- Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1890–1904
- Naturalization Record of Minors, County Court1891–1904
- Naturalization Certificate Stubs, Circuit Court1907–1927
- Naturalization Petition Record, Circuit Court1907–1938
Military and pensions
- Militia Roll Record1843–1846
- Mother's Pension Accounts1914–1941
- Mother's Pension Record1914–1941
Tax records
- Assessor's Books1850–1971
- Road Tax Books1853–1870
- Collector's Accounts1857–1902
- Collector's Bond Record1857–1894
- Collector's Books1859–1913
- Railroad Tax Books1859–1954
- Collector's and Treasurer's Accounts1872–1938
- Railroad, Telephone and Telegraph Tax Books1873–1908
- Assessor's Books (Sciota Twp.)1876–1888
- Collector's Books Abstracts1886–1919
Court records
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1830–1969
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes, Wpa Transcription1830–1837
- Circuit Court Case Files1830–1908
- Circuit Court Record, Common Law1830–1937
- Circuit Court Judgment Dockets1831–1908
- Circuit Court Dockets1837–1851
- Circuit Court Record, Chancery1838–1937
- County Order Registers1840–1972
- Justice of the Peace Dockets1840–1963
- Circuit Court Complete Record, Common Law1841–1844
- Coroner's Inquest Files1844–1903
- Circuit Court Execution Dockets1849–1914
- County Order Record1850–1859
- Coroner's Inquest Record1860–1923
- and 27 more series in the full listing
Schools
- School Schedules1826–1903
- School Election Papers1855–1863
- School District Record1860–1945
- School Petitions (Emmet Twp.)1878
- School Pupil Examination Record1878–1943
- School Superintendent's Visitation Record1895–1916
- School Superintendent's Account Record1898–1929
- School District Record (Emmet Twp.)1904–1945
- School District Organization Record, High Schools1918–1947
- School Pupil Truant Registers1925–1932
- School Bond Registers1928–1957
- School Schedules (Emmet Twp.)1935–1946
- School District Annual Reports (Emmet Twp.)1936–1947
- School District Annual Reports, High Schools1936–1940
- and 5 more series in the full listing
Elections and voters
- Election Papers (Emmet Twp.)1898–1902
- Election Papers1924
Census
- Census Record (Macomb)1852
Town and city records
- Road Record (Emmet Twp.)1879–1894
- Road and Bridge Account Books (Emmet Twp.)1914–1947
- Poor Relief Fund Record (Emmet Twp.)1947–1985
County government
- County Officials' Registers1830–1940
- Board of Supervisors' Proceedings Files1831–1832
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Macomb Twp.)1858–1883
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Emmet Twp.)1918–1985
Other records
- Animal Bounty Certificate Registers, Wolves1850–1867
- Estray Record1850–1905
- Almshouse Registers1863–1914
- Patent Record, Invention1867–1875
- Physician Certificate Registers1877–1940
- Physician and Accoucheur Registers1877–1945
- Dentist Registers1884–1923
- Animal Bounty Registers1891–1901
- Nurse Certificate Record1910–1932
- Blind Relief Application Record1915–1944
- Optometrist Registers1915–1917
- Planning Commission Proceedings Files1969–1971
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
- McDonough 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, McDonough" 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
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1826, 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.