Records that survive
These are the record series from Richland 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 Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Record1841–1950
- Marriage Record Index1841–1950
- Birth Record, Delayed1859–1904
- Birth Record1877–1905
- Birth Record Index1877–1916
- Death Record1877–1950
- Death Record Index1877–2003
- Death Record, Stillbirths1884–1904
Deeds and land
- Deed Index1829–1974
- Deed Record1841–1975
- Entry Books1846–1852
- Swamp Land Record1852–1865
- Village Trustees' Minutes (Noble)1917–2007
- Chattel Mortgage Dockets1929–1936
Wills and estates
- Probate Case Files1841–1900
- Probate Case Files Index1841–1928
Naturalization
- Naturalization Papers, County Court1850–1893
- Naturalization Record, County Court1866–1905
- Naturalization Record of Minors, County Court1886–1898
- Naturalization Petition Record, Circuit Court1917–1928
Court records
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes, Wpa Transcription1841–1859
- Circuit Court Case Files1842–1905
- Circuit Court Case Files Index1842–1905
- Sheriff's Execution Dockets1845–1854
- Circuit Court Dockets1846–1874
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Claremont Twp.)1855–1921
- Township Meeting Minutes (Claremont Twp.)1859–1996
- Police Magistrate Dockets (Claremont)1875–1919
- Justice of the Peace Dockets1896–1963
- Local Improvements Board Minutes (Noble)1909–1912
- Jail Registers1938–1973
- Police Magistrate Dockets1957–1963
Town and city records
- Village Ordinance Record (Noble)1862–2008
- Township Supervisor's Account Books (Claremont Twp.)1932–1965
County government
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Claremont Twp.)1884–1907
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
- Richland 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, Richland" 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: Clay County, Lawrence County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Clay County, Lawrence County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1841, 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.