St Clair County, Illinois
St Clair County was created on April 27, 1790 (Territorial Records of the Northwest Territory, St. Clair Papers, Vol. 2, p. 165) and was formed from the Northwest Territory. Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in: St. Clair County was the first county established in Illinois, at the time a part of the Northwest Territory.
The County was named for Arthur St. Clair, a soldier of the French and Indian wars, a Major General during the Revolution, Commander-in-Chief of the Army after the Revolution, and Governor of the Territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio River. The County Seat is Belleville . Prior County Seats was Cahokia* (1790–1814) , Kaskaskia* (1790–1795) , Prairie du Rocher* (1790–1795) and Belleville (1814-Present) .
County Courthouse Court, Probate and Tax Records
The Official County website is located at http://www.co.st-clair.il.us/. All departments below at located at the St Clair County Courthouse, 10 Public Square, Belleville, IL 62220 , unless a different address is listed below.
NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.
St Clair County Circuit Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1772 and Court Records from 1778 and is located at the address above. Phone Number: (618) 277-6600, ext. 2323
St Clair County Recorder has Land Records from 1786 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (618) 277-6600, ext. 2478
St Clair County Clerk has Birth / Death Records from 1877 and Marriage Records from 1763 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (618) 277-6600, ext. 2380
County Treasurer’s responsibilities include the statutory duties required as County Treasurer and as Ex-Officio County Collector of Real Estate Property Taxes and Drainage District Taxes for the entire county.
Below is a list of online resources for St Clair County Court Records. Email us with websites containing St Clair County Court Records by clicking the link below:
County Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records
Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.
Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records, 605 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, IL 62702-5097. It can take up to 6 weeks to get a vital record from Illinois.
A number of resources are available for individuals doing genealogical research using vital records filed in the state of Illinois. Births and deaths before January 1, 1916 and marriages before January 1, 1962 are recorded only in the office of the county clerk where the event occurred. Most county clerks have indexes to the records that are prior to 1916 that are available for the purpose of genealogical research. These indexes generally provide the name, date and place of occurrence and are located in county courthouses located throughout the state. Although self-service access to the indexes is generally permitted, the law limits physical access to the individual records to the clerk's staff. When you locate a record from the index, it will be necessary for the clerk to pull the record for you once you have paid the appropriate search fee. Please check with the county clerk for fees and policies on reviewing indexes.
- Birth, Death Certificates: The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains birth, death and marriage records that occur in Illinois from 1916 to the present.
- Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $17.00 (long) or $10.00 (uncertified) per certificate by mail [application for birth records, application for death records].
Make your check or money order payable to "Illinois Department of Public Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. The cost of each record includes a ten-year search if the exact date or place of event is not known. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
- In Person: In-person orders can be dropped off for mail out within two business days at the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records office, 605 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, on Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding holidays. (Large volume orders may take longer.) PLEASE NOTE: the person requesting the record will be asked to show a valid picture identification card.
- Marriage & Divorce Certificates:The Division of Vital Records also maintains an index of marriages & divorces from 1962 to the present. Copies of the marriage & divorce records are available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the marriage license was obtained or divorce was granted. Fees vary.
- Cost: $5.00 by MAIL. Make your check or money order payable to "Illinois Department of Public Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. The cost of each record includes a ten-year search if the exact date or place of event is not known. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $5.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
- Ordering Vital Records - You can also order Order Electronically Online or You can download an application for Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Certificates to mail.
Below is a list of online resources for St Clair County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing St Clair County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
County Census Records
Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable
Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for St Clair County, Illinois are 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1910, 1920 and 1940.Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in St Clair County, Illinois are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.
The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.
Below is a list of online resources for St Clair County Census Records. Email us with websites containing St Clair County Census Records by clicking the link below:
County Maps & Atlases
Below is a list of online resources for St Clair County Maps. Email us with websites containing St Clair County Maps by clicking the link below:
County Military Records
Below is a list of online resources for St Clair County Military Records. Email us with websites containing St Clair County Military Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for St Clair Co. Family Records
- National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
- Illinois Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
- National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
- Southern Claims - Barred and Disallowed from the State of Illinois (The National Archives) : View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
- Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Illinois (The National Archives) : View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
- Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783
(The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
- Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War
(The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
- Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files
(The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
- Database of Illinois War of 1812 Veterans
- Database of Illinois Black Hawk War Veterans
- Illinois Mexican War Veterans
- Illinois Civil War Database
- Illinois Civil War Rosters
- Illinois Spanish-American War Veterans Database
- Rock Island County, Illinois - Confederate Dead at Rock Island Prison (now called Arsenal Island)
- Illinois: 1929 Roll of Honor Database contains the burial locations of 72,000 Illinois veterans, some from WWI
- St Clair County, Illinois Military Books at Amazon.com
County County Cemeteries & Graveyards
There are many churches and cemeteries in St Clair County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the St Clair County Tombstone Transcription Project.
Below is a list of online resources for St Clair County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing St Clair County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
- Submit a website for St Clair Co. Cemetery & Church Records
- Cemetery Records at Archives.com
- Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Illinois obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Illinois newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers fromIllinois .
- Obituary Records at Archives.com
- America's Obituaries (1977 to current) at Genealogybank.com
- Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries - includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!
- Walnut Hill Cemetery, Belleville, Illinois
- St Clair County, Illinois Cemetery Books at Amazon.com

- Gravestone, Tombstone, and Memorial Photo Collection from findagrave.com

- St Clair County, Illinois Church Books at Amazon.com
County Church & Bible Records
Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits
Below is a list of online resources for St Clair County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing St Clair County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below: