Records that survive
These are the record series from Scott 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 Record1839–1914
- Marriage Record Index1839–1945
- Birth Affidavit Record, Children of Civil War Casualties1861–1875
- Marriage Licenses1867–1927
- Marriage License Applications1876–1900
- Birth Record1877–1903
- Birth Record Index1877–1903
- Death Record1877–1913
- Death Record Index1877–1913
- Birth Certificates1880–1900
Deeds and land
- Deed Record1839–1874
- School Trustees' Minutes1866–1953
Naturalization
- Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1859–1904
- Naturalization Record, County Court1864–1906
Military and pensions
- Military Discharge Record, Civil War1865–1935
Tax records
- Collector's Books1842–1954
- Assessor's Books1843–1953
- Tax Sale Record1843–1880
- Tax Sale Abstracts1852–1883
- Tax Judgment Record1876–1880
- Motor Fuel Tax Claim Registers1931–1949
- Motor Fuel Tax Allotment Record1935–1970
- Motor Fuel Tax Warrant Registers1939–1942
Court records
- County Commissioners' Minutes1839–1980
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Winchester)1891–1895
- Public Library Board Minutes (Winchester)1907–1982
- School Board Minutes1916–1929
- Park Board Minutes (Winchester)1924–1957
Schools
- School Schedules1845–1888
- School District Record1846–1947
- School Pupils' Scholarship Record1873–1913
- School Superintendent's Record1874–1894
- School Superintendent's Visitation Record1886–1899
- School Teachers' Institute Fund Record1886–1949
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1887–1957
- School Teachers' Institute Record1897–1914
Town and city records
- City Council Minutes (Winchester)1904–1972
- Public Library Accessions Record (Winchester)1942–1957
- Public Library Fund Record (Winchester)1959–1972
County government
- County Annual Audit Reports1943–1956
Other records
- Highway Fund Receipt Record1939–1954
- Highway Fund Claims Record1946–1966
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
- Scott 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, Scott" 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: Morgan County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Morgan 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.