Records that survive
These are the record series from Stephenson 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 Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Licenses1837–1926
- Burial and Removal Permits1849–1910
- Birth Certificates1855–1903
- Death Certificates1878–1954
- Death Certificates, Stillbirths1878–1915
- Birth Certificates, Delayed1940–1976
Deeds and land
- Deed Index1837–1938
- Deed Record1837–1962
- School Trustees' Minutes1842–1954
Wills and estates
- Probate Claim Dockets1848–1859
- Probate Dockets1864–1865
- Probate Appraisement Record1868–1879
Military and pensions
- Military Discharge Record1920–1971
Tax records
- Tax Judgment, Sale, Redemption and Forfeiture Record1848–1861
- Assessor's Books1870
- Tax Forfeiture Record1872–1879
Court records
- County Order Record1845–1856
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes, Building Committee1870–1876
- School Superintendent's Petition and Order Record1890–1949
- Insanity Dockets1893–1907
Schools
- School Superintendent's Account Record1843–1945
- School District Record1864–1943
- School Teachers' Certificate Examination Record1877–1915
- School Teachers' Institute Fund Record1883–1937
- School Pupil Diploma Record1887–1956
- School Pupil Examination Record1887–1954
- School Pupil Examination Work Books1887–1888
- School Teachers' Institute Record1887–1939
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1888–1941
- School Library Loan Record1899–1908
- School Teachers' Registers1902–1947
- School Superintendent's Inspection Record1912
- School Teachers' Permanent Record1914–1931
- School Fund Distributive Record1925–1934
- and 3 more series in the full listing
Elections and voters
- Election Papers (Freeport)1946–1967
Town and city records
- Township Auditors' Record (Freeport Twp.)1884–1888
- City Treasurer's Annual Reports (Freeport)1970–1974
County government
- Board of Supervisors' Proceedings Files1905–1970
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
- Stephenson 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, Stephenson" 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: Jo Daviess County, Winnebago County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Jo Daviess County, Winnebago County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1837, 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.