St. Clair County, Illinois Genealogy

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United States Gotoarrow.png IllinoisGotoarrow.png St. Clair County

Guide to St. Clair County, Illinois ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

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St. Clair County, Illinois
Map
Map of Illinois highlighting St. Clair County
Location in the state of Illinois, United States Genealogy
Map of the U.S. highlighting Illinois
Location of Illinois in the U.S.
Facts
Founded: April 27, 1790
County Seat Belleville
Courthouse
StClair County Courthouse.gif
Photo courtesy Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD), Illinois State Archives
Address St. Clair County Courthouse
10 Public Square
Belleville, Illinois 62220
(618) 277-6600
St. Clair Website


St.Clair County Organization[edit | edit source]

St. Clair County's civil records start the following years:

                                     Beginning Dates for St. Clair County Records
Birth Marriage Death Census Land Probate
1830
 1763
 1832
 1820
 1786
 1772

County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for St. Clair County are kept, see the St. Clair County Courthouse page.

Historical Facts[edit | edit source]

ArthurStClairOfficialPortrait.jpg

St. Clair County is named for Arthur St. Clair who was appointed governor of the Northwest Territory.

Parent County[edit | edit source]

1790--St. Clair County was created 27 April 1790 from the Northwest Territory.  County seat:  Belleville [1]

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

For animated maps illustrating Illinois county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Illinois County Boundary Maps" (1790-1869) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.


Record Loss[edit | edit source]

For a list of record loss in Illinois counties see: Illinois Counties with Burned Courthouses

Declaration and Naturalization papers issued by the Circuit Court before 1906 were destroyed, with one exception. About 60 original naturalization papers for men whose surname began with "G" survived. This court's record also survived and consists of a sequence number, the name, and the court term the declaration or naturalization took place.[2]

Records and Resources[edit | edit source]

Biography[edit | edit source]

  • The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a St. Clair County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of St. Clair County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]


One of the best places to start St. Clair County cemetery searches is:

The Illinois Cemeteries page provides general explanations of the following online St. Clair County cemetery resources:

Bibliography Online Gravestone Transcriptions Cemetery Gazetteers
FamilySearch Catalog national search | county list ePodunk
WorldCat USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project ILGenWeb
  Illinois Cemeteries  
  USGenWeb Archives Illinois  

Census[edit | edit source]

For tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.

1840 Pensioners[edit | edit source]

  • A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. FHL 973 X2pc 1840; FHL 2321; digital version at Google Books. [See Illinois, St. Clair County on page 188.]

1870 Agricultural Census www.stclair-ilgs.org/1870ag1.htm 

1930 Federal Census by surname www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilstclai/1930a-z.htm

Church Records[edit | edit source]

The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a St. Clair County edition. This includes a chapter on St. Clair County churches (Chapter 30). See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.

Baptist, Lutheran, the former Evangelical and Reformed, United Church of Christ (many translated from German), and other published church registers www.stclair-ilgs.org

  • A Collection of Histories of Some Churches in St. Clair County, Illinois. Waterloo, Ill.: The Library, 2002-. WorldCat (Other Libraries)

Baptist[edit | edit source]

Catholic[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch has made parish records from 40 Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in St. Clair County available for free online (requires free registration). The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths. A Finding Aid to contents of each church register is online, courtesy St. Clair CGS 


  • "Belleville," Catholic Encyclopedia. Available online.
  • Beuckman, Frederick. History, Diocese of Belleville, 1700-1914. Section One: St. Clair County. Belleville, Ill.: Buechler Pub. Co., 1914. WorldCat (Other Libraries)
  • Church of the Holy Family drawings, photos, data, courtesy: The Library of Congress
  • Hass, Barbara A., Henry Goosens, Herbert Janson, and Julius Maurer. St. Francis, Sts. Peter Paul Catholic Church Deaths and Burials, 1842-1883. n.p.: B. Hass, 1987. WorldCat (Other Libraries)
  • Parish Directory, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Freeburg, Illinois. WorldCat (Other Libraries)
  • "St. Liborius Church Records," translation online, courtesy St Clair CGS and the compiler.
  • "St. Peter's Deaths 1859-1909," translation online at the member site, St. Clair CGS
  • Smythe, Jeffrey M. and Frank X. Heiligenstein. History of St. Joseph's Church, Freeburg, Illinois. Freeburg, Ill.: Freeburg Print. and Pub., 2003. WorldCat (Other Libraries)
  • Walthall, John A. and Elizabeth D. Benchley. The River L'Abbe Mission: A French Colonial Church for the Cahokia Illini on Monks Mound. 1987. Digital version at Internet Archive.

Church of Christ[edit | edit source]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[edit | edit source]

  • LDS Ward and Branch Records: Belleville, East St. Louis

Evangelical[edit | edit source]

Lutheran[edit | edit source]

  • 1868–1970 Zion Lutheran Church parish register FHL film 1479675 Items 1-2
  • Zion Lutheran Church Records 1861 - 1961, Belleville, Illinois . The first 100 years of baptisms, marriages, confirmations, and burials were translated from German into English and extracted by St Clair County Genealogical Society volunteers over a six-year period. 4200 baptisms with parents named, 2700 confirmation entries, 1268 marriages and 1360 burials; 386 pp.
  • 1915–1919 Davis, Cindy. Trinity Lutheran Church East St. Louis, Illinois Burial Register, available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.
  • Buecher, Robert. 150th Anniversary History of Trinity Lutheran Church: 503 East Washington, Millstadt, IL, October 21, 1849-October 24, 1999. St. Louis, Mo.: R. Buecher, 1999. WorldCat (Other Libraries)

Methodist Episcopal[edit | edit source]

Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[edit | edit source]

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Original court records are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Court Records for more information about using court records.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for St. Clair County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Abstracts

  • 1791–1801; 1807–1810 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. St. Clair County, Illinois, book A, marriage certificates and licenses, Feb. 1807 - July 1810 : some additional records from Deed Book A & 'Loose Papers', 1791-1801. Springfield, Illinois : Folkworks Research, 1993.Other libraries (WorldCat) FHL book 977.389 V2sp

Copies of original records


Declaration and Naturalization Papers filed in various St Clair courts: explained, indexes availability, record locations www.stclair-ilgs.org/natl.htm 

Cahokia[edit | edit source]

Early records of courts that met at Cahokia in the late 1700s have been published:

  • Alvord, Clarence Walworth. Cahokia Records, Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library, Volume II, 1778-1790. Publisher's bookstore.

Chancery Court[edit | edit source]

Circuit Court[edit | edit source]

Ethnic Research[edit | edit source]

African American[edit | edit source]

The following have information concerning African American research.

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

History[edit | edit source]

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

Biographical sketch indexes:   www.stclair-ilgs.org/stchome.htm

  • Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of St Clair County. Chicago: Munsell Pub. Co., 1907. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  • Portrait and Biographical Record of St. Clair County, Illinois: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Together with Biographies and Portraits of All the Presidents of the United States. Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1892. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
  • Stevens, Thomas Wood. The Book of Words of St. Clair County Pageant. Belleville, Ill.: n.p., 1914. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Land and Property[edit | edit source]

Original land records are held in the office of the County Clerk . See Illinois Land and Property for more information about using land records.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online sources, the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for St. Clair County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

A list of dozens of St. Clair County Grants Claimed in 1798 is available online, courtesy: Genealogy Trails.

Abstracts

  • 1791–1801 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. St. Clair County, Illinois, book A, marriage certificates and licenses, Feb. 1807 - July 1810 : some additional records from Deed Book A & 'Loose Papers', 1791-1801. Springfield, Illinois : Folkworks Research, 1993. Other libraries (WorldCat) FHL book 977.389 V2sp
  • 1831–1857 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. St. Clair County, Illinois, from the office of the circuit court, records of brands and marks, Book II, 1831–1857. Morrisonville, Illinois: Genie-Logic Enterprises, 1997.Other libraries (WorldCat) FHL book 977.389 R2s
  • 1807–1831; 1796–1797; 1808–1814 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. St. Clair County, Illinois court records, marks and brands, 1807-1831 and 1796-1797, tavern licenses granted 1808-1814. Springfield, Illinois : Folk Works Research, 1993. Other libraries (WorldCat) FHL book 977.389 R2s

Copies of original records

Online Resources

Maps[edit | edit source]

Ilstclair.jpg

Military[edit | edit source]

Historical information about White County soldiers of the Black Hawk War, Civil War, Mexican War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 may be found in:

  • McLean County, White County, Will County Genealogical Records. Evanston, Ill.?: Illinois Society, D.A.R.?, 1945?. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Civil War[edit | edit source]

Civil War service men from St. Clair County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of St. Clair County.

- 2nd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company E.
- 5th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company H.
- 9th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (3 months, 1861), Companies A, B, C, D, and E.
- 9th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, C, D, E, and F.
- 10th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company E.
- 16th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies F and G.
- 22nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
- 43rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A, B, G and H.
- 59th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E.
- 70th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.
- 115th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
- 117th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies C, H, I and K.
- 142nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H.
- 149th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Companies B, C, D, H, I, and K.
- 155th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.

Naturalizations[edit | edit source]

Original naturalization records are held in the office of the County Clerk. See Illinois Naturalization Records for more information about using naturalization records.

The following copies of original records may be accessed online or through the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Franklin County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

  • 1835–1904 Naturalization declarations of intent index;IRAD (SIU)
  • 1838–1903 Naturalization papers index; IRAD (SIU)
  • 1868–1903 Naturalization record; IRAD (SIU)
  • 1904–1950 East St. Louis Declarations of IntentIRAD (SIU)

East St. Louis City Court Naturalizations Papers (1874-1906), courtesy: Illinois State Archives.

County Court Declarations and Naturalization Record (1864-1906) in the member area of the St. Clair County Genealogical Society site.

Several St. Clair County courts issued declaration and naturalization papers. An index to the first 3 of 19 volumes (1906-1945) has been made available for free online:

"An important find in this particular record collection is that all the Volume 3 document sets were filed in St Clair County Circuit Court convened in East St Louis, not the county seat at Belleville, presumably because of the sheer number of residents there and for their convenience."[3]

Pre-1906 naturalizations have suffered heavy record loss, see Record Loss.

Newspapers and Obituaries[edit | edit source]

Gotoarrow.png Vital Records

Newspaper columns provide more than just vital statistics on area residents. Obituaries include kinship links, sometimes with out-of-state residency for surviving family. Online indexes to obituaries from The Belleville News Democrat 1994-2007, Freeburg Tribune 1904-1939, and Millstadt Enterprise 1897-1949 are available (courtesy: St. Clair County Genealogical Society). An every-name index during the war period 1917 - 1921 is also available for the Lebanon Advertiser.

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

Poor Houses[edit | edit source]

Private Papers[edit | edit source]

Bertille Brand Klein kept a diary or "news book" of her daily life in Hecker, Illinois from January 1930 (age 15 1/2) until December 1939 (age 25). She mentions many local family names with some birth and death dates. Her granddaughter Angie Kelly is digitizing this valuable resource. Visit Tillie's Tales to read this interesting journal (work in progress).

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Online Probate Records


Original estates and wills are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Probate Records for more information about using probate records.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through, the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for St. Clair County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Abstracts

  • 1772–1964 St. Clair County Genealogical Society. Index to St. Clair County, Illinois probated and non-probated wills, 1772-1964. Belleville, IL : St. Clair County Genealogical Society, 1993.Other libraries (WorldCat) FHL book 977.389 P22i
  • 1797–1832 Friedli, Frederick J. and Virginia Merrills. Probate Court records, St. Clair County Courthouse, Belleville, Illinois, will record "A" & "B". FHL film 165997
  • 1794–1811 Daughters of the American Revolution. Belleville Chapter (Illinois). St. Clair County, Illinois marriage register, 1807-1845 : courthouse at Belleville, Illinois; alphabetical by 1st letter of groom's surname, includes letters A-C only. (Includes wills 1794–1811.) Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.FHL film 848654 Item 2

Copies of original records

Additional Resources

Additional resources for St. Clair probates may be found in the Illinois, St. Clair – Probate topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Introduction to Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Also find Illinois Probate resources available at many libraries (WorldCat) . Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the WorldCat Online Catalog.

Repositories[edit | edit source]

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for St. Clair County are kept, see the St. Clair County Courthouse page.

Family History Centers[edit | edit source]

Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)[edit | edit source]

IRAD is a system of Illinois Regional Archives Depositories managed by the Illinois State Archives, housing the archival records of local Illinois counties, townships, municipalities and school districts. The seven Regional Depositories are housed on state university campuses scattered throughout Illinois. Southern Illinois University houses the records for St. Clair County.

Public Libraries[edit | edit source]

Archives and Genealogy Department of the Belleville Public Library
121 E. Washington St.
Belleville, IL 62220
(618) 234-0441
Hours: Mon-Thu 9am-8pm, Fri-Sat 9am-5pm 		Major holdings include the microfilmed St Clair County probate case files and record books filed in the various courts from the late 1700s to circa 1964 (wills, guardianships, estates); marriage registers 1807-1919, deaths registers 1878-1943 and proofs of death back to 1843; and grantor-grantee indexes to circa 1905, all of which are part of the acquisitions and collections of the St Clair County Genealogical Society.

Virtually all extant newspapers published in the county and on microfilm (1840s - present) are on location in the Archives. Obituary indexes from nearly all issues have been compiled, including those from the East St. Louis Journal 1863-1979, and editions of various Belleville papers beginning 1840, the Freeburg Tribune 1904-1999, and Marissa Messenger 1887-1985.

A wide variety of news articles are abstracted from East St Louis and Belleville newspapers through 1940 including civil and religious events, pioneers, the everyday to prominent citizen, village and city growth and business, disease, catastrophies, social events, and so forth.
O'Fallon Public Library
120 Civil Plaza
O'Fallon, IL 62269
618-632-3783
Open Mon-Thu: 9am-8pm, Fri: 9am-5pm, Sat: 9am-4pm, Sun: 1pm-5pm

Social Groups Online[edit | edit source]

Societies[edit | edit source]

St Clair County Illinois Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 431, Belleville, IL  62222-0431 		The society celebrates its 35th year in 2012. Each Quarterly issue averages 56-60 pages covering death register extracts, bride and groom indexes, military discharges 1860s - 1960s, poor farm inmate registers, and numerous church record extracts: Surname and Topical Indexes.
St. Clair County Historical Society
701 East Washington
Belleville, IL 62220
Phone: 618-234-0600
Email: stcchs@att.net
Belleville Historical Society
P.O. Box 23682
Belleville, IL 62223
Facebook page 		Belleville Heritage Society

PO Box 8072 Belleville, Illinois 62222 Phone: 618. 235.6471

Marissa Historical and Genealogical Society
PO Box 47
Marissa, IL 62257-0047 		Library includes St. Clair County local history and genealogical holdings.
O'Fallon Historical Society
PO Box 344
O'Fallon, IL 62269.

Website includes O'Fallon Progress: Obituary and Marriage Index Feb 1898 - Dec 2007.

Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois has a page with details about its' activities.

Taxation[edit | edit source]

 Vital Records[edit | edit source]

See Illinois Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Illinois. See also How to order Illinois Vital Records or order electronically online.


Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the St. Clair County Clerkwhile those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health with a copy to the County Clerk. Original marriage records are usually kept by the County Clerk from the establishment of the county to the present. Original divorce records are generally in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online databases, the Family History Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for St. Clair County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

General[edit | edit source]

Vital Statistics Extracted From the Belleville (Ill.) Daily Advocate 1927 - 1954 More than 132,000 vital statistics derived from the Belleville (Ill.) Daily Advocate 1927 - 1954 constitute this database.

Births[edit | edit source]

Abstracts of Birth Records

Copies of Original Birth Records

Marriages[edit | edit source]

Abstracts of Marriage Records

  • 1807–1810 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. St. Clair County, Illinois, book A, marriage certificates and licenses, Feb. 1807 - July 1810 : some additional records from Deed Book A & 'Loose Papers', 1791-1801. Springfield, Illinois : Folkworks Research, 1993. Other libraries (WorldCat) FHL book 977.389 V2sp
  • 1807–1845 Daughters of the American Revolution. Belleville Chapter (Illinois). St. Clair County, Illinois marriage register, 1807-1845 : courthouse at Belleville, Illinois; alphabetical by 1st letter of groom's surname, includes letters A-C only. (Includes wills 1794–1811.) Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970. FHL film 848654 Item 2
  • 1807–1850 Dodd, Jordan. Illinois Marriages, 1790-1806, available online, courtesy: Ancestry ($). Includes St. Clair County marriages 1807-1850.
  • 1897–1949 Buecher, Robert. Millstadt [IL] "Enterprise" marriage index, 1897-1949. St. Louis, Missouri : R. Buecher, 1992.Other libraries (WorldCat) FHL book 977.389 V22b
  • 1906–1921 (and continuing) in the St Clair CGS Quarterly series beginning volume 30:2 (2007) through volume 34: 4 (2011). Bride and groom indexes with date and license number.

Copies of original Marriage Records

Online Resources


Deaths[edit | edit source]

Copies of original Death Records

Additional Resources[edit | edit source]

Additional resources for St. Clair births, marriages and deaths may be found in the Illinois, St. Clair – Vital Records topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at Introduction to Family History Centers. Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the WorldCat Online Catalog.

Places / Localities[edit | edit source]

The comprehensive list in St. Clair County Research and Resources: A Genealogist's Guide serves as a companion to other place names in the county shown in Adams' Illinois Place Names (Springfield, Ill: Illinois State Historical Society, 1989).


To see a list of places in St. Clair County, click on [Show], in the bar above. The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.

Web Sites[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
  2. ↑ Walsh, "Naturalizations," St. Clair County, Illinois, Research and Resources: A Genealogist's Guide (Belleville, Ill: St. Clair County Genealogical Society, 1998).
  3. ↑ "Index to Declarations and Naturalizations in the Circuit Court 1906 - c1945, St. Clair County, Illinois," St. Clair County Genealogical Society, accessed 9 June 2011.

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