Records that survive
These are the record series from Menard 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 Record1839–1932
- Marriage Record Index1839–1907
- Birth Record1877–1903
- Death Record1877–1910
- Burial Record, Soldiers and Sailors1921–1931
Deeds and land
- Taxable Lands Lists1824–1866
- School Land Sale Record1840–1851
- Tax Assessment Abstracts, Lands and Town Lots1850–1857
- Swamp Land Account Record1861–1867
- Swamp Land Record1861–1870
- Plat Record, Schools and Roads1874–1928
- Chattel Mortgage Dockets1921–1931
Wills and estates
- Probate Record1839–1924
- Probate Administrator's and Executor's Reports1849–1864
- Probate Will Record1849–1884
- Probate Dockets1859–1881
- Probate Judgment Dockets1859–1875
- Probate Ledgers1859–1866
- Probate Administrator's Record1868–1937
- Probate Executor's and Will Record1868–1923
- Probate Fee Books1876–1877
Naturalization
- Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1854–1864
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1859–1944
- Naturalization Record of Minors, County Court1860–1906
- Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1860–1894
- Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1860–1906
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, County Court1861–1906
- Naturalization Dockets, Circuit Court1871–1894
- Naturalization Dockets, County Court1882–1906
- Naturalization Petition Record, Circuit Court1906–1943
- Naturalization Certificate Stubs, Circuit Court1907–1920
- Naturalization Order Books, Circuit Court1930–1943
Military and pensions
- Militia Roll Record1861–1863
- Military Discharge Record1919–1959
Tax records
- Assessor's Books1841–1898
- Collector's Books1846–1900
- School Tax Papers1847–1872
- Delinquent Tax Lists1850–1874
- Tax Sale Record1865–1867
- Tax Collection Memoranda1878–1890
- Drainage District Collector's Books1903–1916
Court records
- Circuit Court Dockets1839–1853
- Circuit Court Execution Dockets1839–1860
- Circuit Court Judgment Dockets1839–1860
- Recorder's Fee Books1839–1848
- County Order Record1848–1873
- Sheriff's Execution Dockets1852
- Justice of the Peace Dockets1856–1963
- Sheriff's Cash Books1859–1861
- Recorder's Unclaimed Instruments1862–1878
- Jail Registers1871–1958
- Justice and Constable Bond Record1873–1961
- Sheriff's and Collector's Tax Collection Record1884–1890
- Board of Review Minutes1931–1969
Schools
- School Treasurer's Account Books1861–1870
- School Census Reports1866
- School District Record1876–1953
- School Election Papers1878–1951
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1915–1933
Elections and voters
- Election Papers1839–1938
Census
- Census Record1840
Town and city records
- City Council Minutes (Petersburg)1873–1983
- License Record (Petersburg)1891–1972
- City Ordinance Record (Petersburg)1901–1969
County government
- County Officials' Registers1839–1864
- County Commissioners' Proceedings Files1845–1937
- Highway Commissioners' Record1872–1873
Other records
- Tract Books1824–1848
- County Clerk's Miscellaneous Files Index1839–1938
- Estray Record1839–1893
- Treasurer's Accounts1845–1926
- Agricultural Statistic Schedules1877–1893
- Physician Certificate Record1877–1956
- Physician and Accoucheur Registers1877–1938
- Almshouse Registers1879–1945
- Dentist Registers1885–1962
- Stallion Registration Record1910–1919
- Stallion Renewal Record1911–1917
- Nurse Certificate Record1914
- Farm Name Registers1915–1977
- Optometrist Registers1916–1923
- 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
- Menard 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, Menard" 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: Sangamon County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Sangamon County
Later formed partly from Menard County: Mason 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.