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United States Illinois Hamilton County

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

Hamilton County, Illinois
Map

Location of Illinois in the U.S.
Facts
Founded: February 8, 1821
County Seat McLeansboro
Courthouse
Photo courtesy Illinois Regional Archives Depository, Illinois State Archives
Address Hamilton County Courthouse
100 S. Jackson Street
McLeansboro, Illinois 62859-1489
618-643-2721

Contents

County Organization

Hamilton County's civil records start the following years:

Beginning Dates for Hamilton County Records

Birth Marriage Death Census Land Probate
1878
1821
1878
1830
1823
1821

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

Historical Facts



Hamilton County is named for Alexander Hamilton who was the first Secretary of Treasury (1789–1795), and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army in 1799.

Parent County

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.

  • 1821--Hamilton County was created 8 February 1821 from White County. County seat: McLeansboro.


Record Loss

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

  • Lost census: 1890

Records and Resources

Biographies

Cemeteries

The Illinois Cemeteries page provides general explanations of the following online Hamilton County resources:

Bibliography Online Gravestone Transcriptions Cemetery Gazetteers
FamilySearch Catalog Find A Grave | national search | county list ePodunk
WorldCat USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project Cemetery Location Project
Illinois Cemeteries
Interment.net
Cemeteries of Hamilton County
Illinois Ancestors Tombstone Project
The Yesterdays of Hamilton County, Illinois
Confederate Soldiers buried in Hamilton Co.

The surname index to Harriet Vaught's Hamilton County, Illinois Cemetery Inscriptions (Vol. 1) is available for free online, courtesy: USGenWeb Archives.

A volunteer through Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness is willing to provide names and dates from tombstones at three Catholic churches in Hamilton County: St. John the Baptist, Pinopolis; St. John Nepomucene, Dahlgren; and St. Clement's, McLeansboro. Click here to learn more.

Local Cemeteries

Census

Historical populations
Census Pop.
190020,197
191018,227−9.8%
192015,920−12.7%
193012,995−18.4%
194013,4543.5%
195012,256−8.9%
196010,010−18.3%
19708,665−13.4%
19809,1725.9%
19908,499−7.3%
20008,6211.4%
IL Counties 1900-1990
For tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.

Church Records

Copies of Original records

A chapter on early Hamilton County, Illinois church history appears in an 1887 local history, available for free online, beginning on page 322.

Catholic

FamilySearch has made parish records from three Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Hamilton County available online (requires free registration). The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:

A volunteer is available to do cemetery look-ups at these Catholic church cemeteries, see Cemeteries.

Additional Resources

Additional resources for Hamilton County church records may be found in the FamilySearch Catalog - church records. Histories of area churches may be found in the FamilySearch Catalog - church histories section. Copies of records on FHL microfilm and microfiche can be ordered for viewing at 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.

Court Records

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 copies of records may be accessed through the Family History Library

Ethnic Research

African American

The following have information concerning African American research.

Genealogy

History

Land and Property

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

The following abstracts or copies of records may be accessed through the Family History Library:

  • 1818–1954 Davis, Patricia S. Index to Harriet Vaught's Early land grants of White County, Illinois, 1814-1854 and probate index, 1818-1976. Marion, Illinois: Patricia S. Davis, c1995. WorldCat 33039320 FHL film 1598393 Item 12; book 977.396 R2
  • 1818–1954 Vaught, Harriet B. Early land grants of White County, Illinois, 1814-1854, probate index, 1818-1976. Carmi, Ill.: Vaught, 1980? WorldCat 9472590 FHL book 977.396 R2v
  • Rockford Map Publishers (Rockford, Illinois). Land atlas and plat book, Hamilton County, Illinois, 1986. Rockford, Illinois: Rockford Map Publishers, c1986. WorldCat 14271381 FHL book 977.395 E7h
  • Boyd, Gregory A. Family maps of Hamilton County, Illinois.Norman, Oklahoma: Arphax Pub. Co., c2007. WorldCat 180941793 FHL book 977.395 E7b This book plats the land of many nineteenth-century Hamilton County residents. The publisher's bookstore includes a free online surname listing.

Online Resources

Maps

Military Records

Civil War

Civil War service men from Hamilton 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 Hamilton County.

- 6th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Companies D, H, and K.
- 40th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and G.
- 56th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies C, F and G.
- 60th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies D and G.
- 71st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
- 87th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and E.
- 110th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company K.
- 131st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B, I and K.
- 155th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
- 17th Regiment, Missouri Infantry (Union), Company I

Naturalization

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

The following 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 Hamilton County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.

Newspapers and Obituaries

Probate Records

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 Hamilton County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Resources

  • 1823–1933 The probate journals and will records for Hamilton County probate records are also available in Illinois, Probate Records, 1819-1970. Click on the browse through images link, select Hamilton County, and select the record type you are interested in.

Abstracts

Copies of Original Records

Repositories

County Courthouse

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

Family History Centers

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.

Introduction to LDS Family History Centers 

Illinois Regional Archives Depostitories

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 Hamilton County.

Public Libraries

Carterville Public Library
117 South Division Street
Carterville, IL 62918
(618)985-3298

Dahlgren Public Library
Third And Dale Streets
Dahlgren, IL 62828
(618)736-2652

Mccoy Memorial Library
118 South Washington Street
Mcleansboro, IL 62859
(618)643-2125

Social Groups Online

Societies

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

Taxation

Vital Records

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 Hamilton County Clerk while those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health. 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 and the Family History Library.

Online Resources

Marriage

  • 1810–1934 Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1934 at FamilySearch — index and images
  • 1821–1870 Harrelson, Ralph S. Marriages, information taken from original marriage documents old marriage record books relative to marriages celebrated in Hamilton County, Illinois, 1821-1870 also a record of marriages celebrated in White County, Illinois, 1816 through 1821. Carterville, Illinois: Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois, c1986.WorldCat 16882912 FHL book 977.39 V28h
  • 1821–1854 Felty, Harold G. Marriage records and related notes, Hamilton County, Illinois 1821-1854.Owensboro, Kentucky: Cook McDowell Publications, 1981. WorldCat 7564747 FHL book 977.395 V2f
  • 1858-1992 Legacy of kin, Hamilton County, Illinois: relationships, vital statistics, marriages, abstracted from obituaries and notices in Hamilton County newspapers, 1858-1992 FHL book 977.395 V48f volume 1 and 2
  • 1899-1929 (with additional notices for 1930-1931) Grandma Deem's marriage notices: Hamilton County, Illinois Other Libraries (WorldCat) and FHL book 977.395 B38g

Death

  • 1852–1930 Hatton, Charles E and Ralph S. Harrelson.A history of Mary's Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, 1852-1967 and school, 1882-1950 in Hamilton County, Illinois including a section giving Mary's Chapel cemetery headstone inscriptions and burial records. Danville, Illinois: Hatton House, 1973. WorldCat 10834674 FHL film 988626 item 5; book 977.3 A1 no. 132
  • 1871–1920 Harrelson, Dessie Hunt. Record of deaths. Vol 1 and 2, Carterville, Illinois: Genealogy Society of Southern Illinois, c1983, c1985. WorldCat 52362479 FHL book 977.395 V48

Places/Localities


To see a list of places in Hamilton 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

References


 

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