Records that survive
These are the record series from Morgan 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 Record1827–1944
- Marriage Record Index1827–1939
- Birth Certificate Index, Delayed1858–1878
- Birth Certificates1858–1900
- Birth Record Index1878–1975
- Death Record1878–1904
- Death Record Index1878–1939
- Death Record, Stillbirths1878–1922
Deeds and land
- Entry Books1823–1840
- Land Patent Record1825–1833
- Taxable Lands Lists1836–1861
- School Trustees' Minutes1859–1959
- Plat Record, Schools1878–1938
Wills and estates
- Probate Administrator's Fee Books1837–1852
Tax records
- Assessor's Books1839–1855
- Tax Sale and Redemption Record1839–1845
- Collector's Accounts1845–1846
Court records
- County Order Record1833–1849
Schools
- School Superintendent's Miscellaneous Files1825–1860
- School District Record (Waverly)1855–1946
- School District Record1862–1957
- School Teachers' Certificate Examination Record1863–1940
- School Superintendent's Annual Reports1869–1961
- School Pupil Examination Record (Waverly)1892–1917
- School Teachers' Daily Registers (Waverly)1893–1983
- School Pupil Examination Record1895–1953
- School Final Standings Record, High School (Waverly)1912–1930
- School District Record, Non-high School1917–1937
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1921–1929
- School Final Standings Record, High School1924–1943
- School Teachers' Permanent Record1929–1948
- School Classification and Attendance Reports1935–1936
- and 2 more series in the full listing
Elections and voters
- Election Papers1828–1859
County government
- County Commissioners' Proceedings Files1828–1870
Other records
- Estray Record1827–1837
- Poor Farm Ledgers1848–1868
- Almshouse Registers1850–1919
- Poor Farm Medical Examination Record1912–1932
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
- Find Morgan County's official website
We haven't checked this county's website yet, so this opens a web search. Look for an address ending in .gov, then find the county clerk, the recorder of deeds and the clerk of the circuit court.
- 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, Morgan" 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 Morgan County: Cass County, Scott County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1823, 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.