Records that survive
These are the record series from Whiteside 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.
Deeds and land
- Land Patent Record1832–1870
- Taxable Lands Lists1849
- Swamp Land Record1855–1871
Wills and estates
- Probate Will Record1842–1922
Naturalization
- Naturalization Index Card File, Circuit Court1842–1955
- Naturalization Record Index, Circuit Court1842–1955
- Naturalization Record, Final, Circuit Court1842–1883
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, Circuit Court1843–1953
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers and Minors, Circuit Court1866–1883
- Naturalization Declarations of Intent, County Court1872–1906
- Naturalization Index Card File, County Court1872–1906
- Naturalization Record of Soldiers and Minors, County Court1872–1896
- Naturalization Record, Final, County Court1872–1906
- Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1882–1906
- Naturalization Record of Minors, County Court1897–1906
- Naturalization Certificate Stubs, Circuit Court1907–1926
- Naturalization Petition Record, Circuit Court1907–1955
- Naturalization Certificate Stubs, City Court (Sterling)1910–1927
- and 4 more series in the full listing
Military and pensions
- Militia Roll Record1861–1866
Tax records
- Collector's Books1848–1960
- Assessor's Books1850–1966
- Tax Judgment Record1850–1880
- Tax Sale and Redemption Record1850–1890
- Tax Lists, Delinquent1852–1931
- Road Tax Lists (Prophetstown Twp.)1855–1905
- Road Tax Lists (Newton Twp.)1857–1904
- Tax Judgment Petition Record1862–1880
- Tax Forfeiture Record1863–1882
- Highway Labor Assessment Lists (Prophetstown Twp.)1864–1891
- Civil War Bounty Tax Delinquent Lists1865
- Civil War Bounty Tax Judgment Petitions1865
- Highway Labor Assessment Lists (Newton Twp.)1865–1912
- Railroad Tax Books1873–1912
- and 4 more series in the full listing
Court records
- Township Meeting Minutes (Albany Twp.)1852–1950
- Civil War Bounty Order Registers1865–1866
- Coroner's Inquest Record1871–1918
- Jail Registers1872–1886
- Drainage District Minutes (Albany Twp.)1887–1928
- Board of Health Minutes (Albany Twp.)1915–1944
- Repatriation Record, Circuit Court1940–1943
- Board of Supervisors' Minutes1950–1976
Schools
- School Election Papers1945–1965
Elections and voters
- Election Papers (Newton Twp.)1870–1880
- Township Meeting Poll Lists (Newton Twp.)1870–1977
- Election Papers1910–1966
Town and city records
- Highway Overseer's Annual Reports (Prophetstown Twp.)1861–1878
- Township Supervisor's Account Books (Albany Twp.)1862–1958
- Highway Overseer's Annual Reports (Newton Twp.)1870–1878
- Township Clerk's Miscellaneous Files (Newton Twp.)1874–1918
- Township Supervisor's Fiscal Reports (Newton Twp.)1880–1912
- Township Treasurer's Annual Reports (Newton Twp.)1918–1949
County government
- Highway Commissioners' Annual Reports (Newton Twp.)1874–1915
- Highway Commissioners' Record (Albany Twp.)1916–1966
- County Annual Audit Reports1969–1972
Other records
- Drainage District Ditches Record1878–1883
- County Yearbooks1967–1977
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
- Whiteside 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, Whiteside" 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: Henry County, Jo Daviess County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Henry County, Jo Daviess County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1836, 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.