Records that survive
These are the record series from Union 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 Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Record1818–1907
- Marriage Consent Files1819–1873
- Birth Certificates1866–1915
- Birth Affidavit Record, Children of Civil War Casualties1867
- Birth Record Index1867–1939
- Birth Record1877–1916
- Death Record1877–1915
Deeds and land
- Entry Books1816–1898
- Deed Index1818–1968
- Deed Record1818–1968
- School Land Sale Record1831–1841
- Plat Record1871–1880
- Village Trustees' Minutes (Dongola)1900–1991
Wills and estates
- County Court and Probate Index1818–1965
- Probate Minutes1818–1885
- Probate and County Court Index1818–1965
- Probate Dockets1845–1869
- Probate Administrator's and Guardian's Accounts1850–1854
- Probate Will Record1856–1891
Naturalization
- Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1860–1891
- Naturalization Record, County Court1887–1903
- Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1904
Military and pensions
- Militia Roll Record1862
- Military Discharge Record1865
Tax records
- Assessor's Books1839–1870
- Collector's Books1850
Court records
- Circuit Court Record1818–1848
- Circuit Court Execution Dockets1820–1824
- Justice and Constable Appointment Record1827–1851
- County Court Execution Dockets1861–1873
- Justice of the Peace Dockets (Dongola)1895–1912
- Police Magistrate Dockets (Jonesboro)1905–1963
- Coroner's Inquest Record1908–1948
- Police Magistrate Dockets (Dongola)1912–1931
- Justice of the Peace Dockets1920–1963
- Poor Relief Order Registers1937–1951
- Police Magistrate Dockets (Cobden)1952–1963
Schools
- School District Record1859–1940
- School Teachers' Daily Registers1883–1966
- School Student Permanent Record, High School1901–1935
Elections and voters
- Election Papers1827–1838
Other records
- Estray Record1831–1901
- Servitude Record, Emancipation From1835–1844
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
- Union 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, Union" 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: Johnson County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Johnson County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1818, 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.