Records that survive
These are the record series from Tazewell 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 Illinois State University in Normal.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Record1827–1922
- Marriage Record Index1827–1922
- Birth Record Index1858–1916
- Birth Record1877–1916
- Death Record1877–1914
- Death Record Index1877–1954
- Death Record, Coroner's1915–1934
- Cemetery Record (Morton Twp.)1959–1988
Deeds and land
- Entry Books1829–1871
- Village Trustees' Minutes (Tremont)1841–1879
- Highway Commissioners' Minutes (Groveland Twp.)1850–1918
- Swamp Land Record1850–1863
- Township Record (Groveland Twp.)1850–1939
- Township Supervisor's Account Books (Groveland Twp.)1850–1977
- School Trustees' Minutes1856–1954
- Road Record (Groveland Twp.)1875–1916
- Highway Commission Treasurer's Accounts (Groveland Twp.)1879–1914
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Groveland Twp.)1879–1893
- Township Commissioners' Cash Books (Groveland Twp.)1895–1903
- School Trustees' and Treasurer's Annual Reports1955–1961
- Township Trustees' Minutes (Delavan Twp.)1986–1993
Naturalization
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1839–1892
- Naturalization Papers, County Court1856–1906
- Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1858–1886
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, County Court1866–1903
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers and Minors, Circuit Court1867–1888
- Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1876–1903
- Naturalization Record, County Court1903–1906
Military and pensions
- Militia Roll Record1861–1864
- Military Discharge Record1864–1949
Tax records
- Collector's Books1890–1932
- Assessor's Books1959–1967
Court records
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1827–1905
- Circuit Court Dockets1837–1859
- Highway Commissioners' Minutes (Hopedale Twp.)1850–1931
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Tremont Twp.)1853–1854
- County Court Case Files1858–1906
- Coroner's Inquest Record1869–1964
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Groveland Twp.)1870–1895
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Morton Twp.)1877–1885
- Public Library Board Minutes (Tremont)1918–1980
Schools
- School District Record1862–1948
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1875–1960
- School Superintendent's Permanent Record1908–1919
- School Schedules1936–1946
- School Election Papers1960–1976
- School District Annual Audit Reports1962–1967
- School District Annual Financial Reports1962–1969
- School District Financial Record, High Schools1963–1969
Town and city records
- Township Record (Cincinnati Twp.)1850–1954
- Township Record (Elm Grove Twp.)1850–1883
- Township Record (Hittle Twp.)1850–1946
- Township Record (Little Mackinaw Twp.)1850–1984
- Township Record (Morton Twp.)1850–1995
- Township Record (Spring Lake Twp.)1850–1931
- Township Supervisor's Record (Cincinnati Twp.)1850–1949
- Township Auditors' Record (Little Mackinaw Twp.)1851–1966
- Township Supervisor's Account Books (Washington Twp.)1851–1928
- Road Record (Little Mackinaw Twp.)1852–1887
- Estray Record (Tremont Twp.)1854–1864
- Township Record (Malone Twp.)1855–1960
- Road Record (Boynton Twp.)1857–1881
- Road Record (Mackinaw Twp.)1873–1916
- and 12 more series in the full listing
County government
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Cincinnati Twp.)1850–1965
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Delavan Twp.)1850–1895
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Elm Grove Twp.)1850–1929
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Morton Twp.)1850–1988
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Washington Twp.)1851–1936
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Mackinaw Twp.)1873–1898
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Stanford Twp.)1873–1919
- Highway Commissioners' Account Books (Cincinnati Twp.)1875–1906
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Spring Lake Twp.)1876–1915
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Hopedale Twp.)1889–1958
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Little Mackinaw Twp.)1899–1955
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Boynton Twp.)1909–1926
Other records
- County Clerk's Miscellaneous Files1832–1915
- Almshouse Registers1871–1918
- Probation Record1912–1924
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
- Tazewell 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, Tazewell" 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: Land not yet in any county
Later formed partly from Tazewell County: Mason County, McLean County, Woodford County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1827, 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.