Christian County, Illinois Genealogy

From FamilySearch Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

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

Christian County, Illinois
Map
Map of Illinois highlighting Christian 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: February 15, 1839
County Seat Taylorville
Courthouse
Christian County Courthouse.gif
Photo courtesy Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD), Illinois State Archives
Address Christian County Courthouse
101 South Main Street
Taylorville, Illinois 62568
(217) 824-4969
Christian County Website


Christian County Organization[edit | edit source]

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records[1]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1878 1840 1878 1875 1828 1875 1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths started 1916. General compliance by 1922.

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

Historical Facts[edit | edit source]

Large numbers of Kentuckians settled in frontier Christian County, Illinois. The name of the county (Christian) is reminiscent of Christian County, Kentucky Genealogy - the previous residence of many pioneer settlers.[2]

Description[edit | edit source]

The county was named for Christian County, Kentucky. The County Seat is Taylorville and was founded 1839. It is located in the Central area of the state.[3]

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

  • 15 February 1839: -- Christian County was created fromSangamon and Shelby Counties. It was formerly Dane County, until the name was changed to Christian County 1 February 1840. [4]

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]

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Records and Resources[edit | edit source]

Biography[edit | edit source]

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

Business and Commerce[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries of Christian, Illinois online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
TombstoneTranscriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Illinois Cemeteries for more information

Census[edit | edit source]

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1840 1,878 —
1850 3,203 70.6%
1860 10,492 227.6%
1870 20,363 94.1%
1880 28,227 38.6%
1890 30,531 8.2%
1900 32,790 7.4%
1910 34,594 5.5%
1920 38,458 11.2%
1930 37,538 −2.4%
1940 38,564 2.7%
1950 38,816 0.7%
1960 37,207 −4.1%
1970 35,948 −3.4%
1980 36,446 1.4%
1990 34,418 −5.6%
2000 35,372 2.8%
2010 34,800 −1.6%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Federal[edit | edit source]

State[edit | edit source]

Church History and Records[edit | edit source]

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Illinois' GenWeb for Christian County has a list of churches in the county as they appear in the telephone directory. They are listed by denomination with addresses and telephone numbers.

The Family History Library has very few church records, and they represent different denomination. The Library's church records are found on the town, not the county, level.

Timeline of major denominations in Christian County:[5]

  • 1842 Christian Church. The first preacher may have been W.P. Bowles who was invited to preach by a Baptist minister.
  • 1846 Roman Catholic Church organized in Taylorsville, the first town organized in the County
  • 1848 Baptist Church
  • 1852 United Presbyterian Church began with meetings of the Associate Reform Church
  • 1855 Methodist Episcopal Church
  • 1856 Presbyterian Church first organized in Pana
  • 1856 Congregational Church

Methodist[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 copies of original records may be accessed through the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the University of Illinois at Springfield - search for Christian County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the UIS IRAD Wiki page.

Directories[edit | edit source]

Ethnic Research[edit | edit source]

African American[edit | edit source]

The following have information concerning African American research.

Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

Mailing Lists[edit | edit source]

Message Boards[edit | edit source]

History[edit | edit source]

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 online, through the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the University of Illinois at Springfield - search for Christian County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the UIS IRAD Wiki page.

Online Resources

  • BLM GLO Records. Search original land patents for Christian County from the Government Land Office (GLO) or Eastern States Office. Some searches include images of the original warrants. All search results include the patent details needed for requesting copies of the land entry files at the National Archives. The GLOis the custodian of millions of land title documents. The General Land Office Automated Records Project is responsible for making these important documents available to the public.
  • Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales. The Illinois State Archives has an online index to the records of Public land sales held by the State Archives. The indexes are by purchasers name and by legal description. This is a statewide collection with nearly 550,000 land sales fro 54740 square miles.
  • "Illinois Public Land Purchase Records" This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at ancestry.com ($)
  • "U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796 to 1907" Available at ancestry.com ($) Records of Illinois are among the 13 states included in this set. It includes images of the land patents which contain the information necessary for ordering the complete case files from the National Archives. This appears to be the same information that is online at the Federal Land Office site http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/.
  • Sheldon, Theodore. Land registration in Illinois. Chicago: Callaghan Co., 1901. Digital book. Explains the laws regarding land and the land systems used in Illinois. Includes court cases involving land issues. In addition to being on Ancestry, this book is available online at no cost at Internet Archives and Google Books.


Copies of original records


Additional Resources

Additional resources for Christian County land and property may be found online in the FamilySearch Catalog and FamilySearch Catalog–maps. Online microfilm are indicated by the camera icon in the catalog entry. 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.

Maps[edit | edit source]

Sangamon CountyMacon CountyShelby CountyMontgomery CountyIL CHRISTIAN.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources


Military History and Records[edit | edit source]

Civil War[edit | edit source]

Civil War service men from Christian 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 Christian County.

- 3rd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company M.
- 10th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company L.
- 14th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
- 33rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
- 35th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
- 41st Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies G and I.
- 54th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company A.
- 115th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies A and E.
- 116th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies G and H.
- 130th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
- 143rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company C.
- 145th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Online Records

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Online Probate Records

Original probate records are held by the circuit court clerk. Probate records include wills, inventories, settlements, and guardianship records. For more information see the wiki page Illinois Probate Records. No probate records are held at IRAD for Christian County. Explore how to search IRAD–UIS. The following copies are available in the Introduction to the FamilySearch 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 Christian County are kept, see the Christian County Courthouse page.

Family History Center[edit | edit source]

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.

Local Centers and Libraries
There are no family history centers in Christian County. It appears that the nearest centers are:

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

The Archives hold many records for Greene County. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page

Illinois Regional Archives Depository
LIB144
University of Illinois at Springfield Region
One University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield, Illinois 62703-5407
217-206-6520

Public Libraries[edit | edit source]

Assumption Public Library District
205 North Oak Street
Assumption, IL 62510
Phone: (217) 226-3915
Website

Kitchell Memorial Library
300 Se 5th Street
Morrisonville, IL 62546
Phone: (217) 526-4553

Carnegie-Schuyler Library
303 East Second Street
Pana, IL 62557
Phone: (217) 562-2326

Taylorville Public Library
121 West Vine Street
Taylorville, IL 62568
Phone: (217) 824-4736
Website
Taylorsville Library has a small genealogy room with materials that are not cataloged.

Social Groups Online[edit | edit source]

Societies[edit | edit source]

Christian County Genealogy Society
Near IL Routes 29 and 48 on Morrison Drive
PO Box 28
Taylorville, Illinois 62568-0028
Telephone Number: 217-824-6922
E-mail:ccgs28@gmail.com
Facebook

Christian County Historical Society and Museum
PO Box 254
Taylorville, IL 62568-0028
Telephone Number: 217-824-6922
E-mail:cchs254@gmail.com
Website

Christian County Genealogical Society
PO Box 174
Taylorville 62568

The Christian County Historical Society and Museum is dedicated to preserving the ancestry and the history of Christian County Illinois. They have extensive genealogical resources as well as an impressive collection of material culture.

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 since 1877 are kept by the Christian County Clerk while those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health. with a copy to the County Clerk. Original marriage records are kept by the County Clerk from 1877 to the present. Original divorce records are generally in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk.

Copies of original records may be accessed through the Family History Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Universtiy of Illinois–Springfield(UIS). Search Christian County records in the Local Governmental Records Holdings Database . For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD–UIS Wiki page.

Explore Christian County vital records found in the FamilySearch Catalog. Other libraries(at WorldCat) also hold copies of abstracted Christian County vital records. (How to explore WorldCat).

Births[edit | edit source]

Marriages[edit | edit source]

Deaths[edit | edit source]

Place/Localities[edit | edit source]

Populated Places[edit | edit source]

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[7]

Cities
Villages
Unincorporated communities
Census-designated places
Townships

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Websites[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Christian County, Illinois. Page 192-199 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 194-197.
  2. ↑ Hardin County Fact Sheet, Illinois State Archives, accessed May 28, 2011.
  3. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Christian County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_County,_Illinois 4/11/2017.
  4. ↑ WorldCat 50140092, FHL Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.] (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002)
  5. ↑ Illinois Sesquicentennial Edition of Christian County History; ed. Dorthy D. Drennan et.al. Jacksonville, Illinois: Production Press, 1968 FHL book 977.381 H2i
  6. ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/1/10/Igiillinoisac.pdf.
  7. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Christian County, Illinois," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_County,_Illinois, Last accessed 20 November 2019.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access.

Retrieved from "https://paas-loadb-dhtaff8ujtdt-1826058300.us-east-1.elb.amazonaws.com/wiki/en/index.php?title=Christian_County,_Illinois_Genealogy&oldid=4196420"