Records that survive
These are the record series from Montgomery 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 Record1821–1905
- Marriage Record Index1821–1968
- Birth Certificates1862–1957
- Birth Record Index1877–1918
- Burial Permit Record (Litchfield)1902–1904
- Death Record (Litchfield)1902–1928
- Birth Record (Litchfield)1918–1928
- Death Record1941–1956
Deeds and land
- Deed Index1821–1958
- Deed Record1821–1958
- Taxable Lands Lists1821–1848
- Plat Index1823–1958
- Surveyor's Record1836–1839
- Entry Books1837–1852
- School Land Sale Accounts1837–1847
- School Land Sale Record1837–1868
- Plats, Schools1840
- School Land Sale Petitions1847–1867
- Swamp Land Sale Certificate Record1865–1874
- Plat Record, Schools1869–1876
- Plat Record1871–1958
- Lien Dockets1888–1916
Wills and estates
- Probate Record1821–1849
- Probate Administrator's Settlement Record1849–1863
- Probate Claim Dockets1855–1861
- Probate Will Record1858–1958
- Probate Settlement Record1861–1864
Naturalization
- Naturalization Papers, County Court1862–1906
- Naturalization Record, County Court1862–1906
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers, County Court1865–1884
- Naturalization Dockets, Circuit Court1869–1910
- Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1869–1875
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1871–1954
- Naturalization Correspondence Files, Circuit Court1878–1926
- Naturalization Dockets, County Court1883–1906
- Naturalization Record of Minors, County Court1888–1902
- Naturalization Petition Record, Circuit Court1907–1953
- Naturalization Petition Record, City Court (Litchfield)1907–1908
- Naturalization Record Index, Circuit Court1907–1954
- Naturalization Certificate Stubs, Circuit Court1908–1926
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, City Court (Litchfield)1908
- and 4 more series in the full listing
Military and pensions
- Military Discharge Certificates1862–1865
- Mother's Pension Applications1924–1931
Tax records
- Assessor's Books1849–1872
- Collector's Books1851–1872
- Tax Sale Record1855–1913
- School District Assessment Abstracts1856–1864
- Tax Assessment Abstracts1885–1921
- Assessor's Bond Record1899–1918
Court records
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1821–1965
- Circuit Court Case Files1821–1902
- Circuit Court Judgment Dockets and Claim Registers1821–1846
- Circuit Court Record1821–1863
- Circuit Court Judgment Dockets1822–1862
- Circuit Court Judgment and Execution Files1822–1870
- Justice and Constable Appointment Record1827–1860
- Circuit Court Dockets1837–1856
- Circuit Court Fee Books1838–1873
- Sheriff's and Collector's Tax Collection Files1839–1848
- County Order Receipt Record1847–1852
- School Board Minutes (Litchfield)1859–1886
- Circuit Court Record, Chancery1862–1955
- Sheriff's Execution Dockets1867–1869
- and 5 more series in the full listing
Schools
- School Schedules1841
- School Election Papers1846–1848
- School Teachers' Certificate Examination Record1861–1877
- School District Record1862–1938
- School Superintendent's Account Record1862–1877
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1895–1922
- School Student Permanent Record1898–1906
Elections and voters
- Election Papers1862–1893
Town and city records
- City Ordinance Record (Litchfield)1859–1968
- City Council Minutes (Litchfield)1871–1965
- Township Record (East Fork Twp.)1873–1961
- Township Officials' Registers1914–1949
County government
- Board of Supervisors' Proceedings Files1821–1830
- County Officials' Bonds1821–1946
- County Officials' Registers1857–1897
- Highway Commissioners' Record (East Fork Twp.)1872–1985
- County Officials' Bond Record1874–1894
- Constable's Bond Record1888–1961
- Board of Supervisors' Claim Petitions Record1901–1941
Other records
- Marks and Brands Record1821–1846
- Treasurer's Statements1831–1858
- Patent Record, Invention1869–1873
- Agricultural Statistic Schedules1877–1893
- Physician Certificate Record1877–1945
- Physician and Accoucheur Registers1877–1929
- Dentist Registers1882–1933
- Architect Registers1897–1908
- Veterinarian Registers1899–1975
- Nurse Certificate Record1914–1922
- Blind Relief Application Record1915–1943
- Optometrist Registers1915–1917
- Professional Certificate Record1918–1971
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
- Montgomery 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, Montgomery" 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: Bond County, Madison County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Bond County, Madison County
Later formed partly from Montgomery County: Christian 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.