Jersey County Genealogy Records

Jersey County genealogy records are maintained at the county clerk office in Jerseyville, a community of about 21,000 people sitting along the Illinois River bluffs in western Illinois. The clerk keeps birth, death, and marriage records from the late 1800s, plus land and property files that go back to the county's early days. Jersey County is close to the Missouri border, so families in this area sometimes moved between states. The IRAD depository for Jersey County is at the University of Illinois Springfield, where older county government documents are stored for research. Genealogy work here is done by walk-in visits, mail, or phone requests to the Jerseyville courthouse.

Jersey County Clerk Vital Records

The Jersey County Clerk is at 200 N. Lafayette, Jerseyville, IL 62052. The phone number is (618) 498-5571 option 6. This office handles all birth, death, and marriage records for Jersey County. Birth and death records start around 1877. Marriage files may go back a bit earlier. The clerk also manages land records and other county documents.

Genealogy searches cost $10 per request. Provide the full name, date range, and the kind of record you want. The staff will check the indexes and report back. In-person visits let you sit at the courthouse and go through the books yourself, which is the best way to cover a lot of ground in one trip. For mail requests, send a letter with the search details, a $10 check payable to the Jersey County Clerk, and a copy of your ID. Jersey County sits along the Illinois River bluffs near the Missouri state line. Families in this area often had connections across the river, so check Missouri records too if you hit a dead end. The Counties Code (55 ILCS 5) designates the county clerk as the custodian of local vital records.

Jersey County Land and Property Records

Jersey County land records are a strong genealogy source. Deeds, mortgages, and property transfers all sit in the recorder volumes at the Jerseyville courthouse. These files often go back to the 1830s when this part of Illinois was first being settled. For farming families that lived along the Illinois River bluffs, a deed can show exactly when they arrived and what land they worked.

Property records are public. The Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) makes land records available without a waiting period. That means you can access deed books from any year, even the 1830s, without the time restrictions that apply to birth and death files. For many early Jersey County families, a land deed is the oldest surviving document with their name on it. The recorder office can pull copies for you, or you can visit and review the volumes yourself.

The Local Records Act shown above established the framework for preserving county government documents across Illinois, including those in Jersey County.

Jersey County Genealogy at IRAD

The IRAD depository for Jersey County is at the University of Illinois Springfield. Call (217) 206-6520 to check hours and ask about Jersey County holdings. IRAD stores older government records that the county has sent from the Jerseyville courthouse. These can include historical vital records, court files, probate records, and naturalization papers. Research at IRAD is free. You can photograph documents at no charge during your visit.

Use the IRAD holdings database on the Illinois State Archives website to see what Jersey County records are stored in Springfield. The Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205) created the IRAD system specifically to protect county records from loss or damage. Older Jersey County files are preserved at the university archive thanks to this law. Check the online inventory before making the trip so you know what is available.

Searching Jersey County Genealogy

Begin at the Jersey County Clerk in Jerseyville for local records. The $10 search fee covers staff time in the indexes. For statewide records from 1916 onward, the Illinois Department of Public Health holds birth and death files. IDPH genealogy requests go by mail. Expect about 12 weeks for a response. The state fee is $10 per genealogy copy.

The Illinois State Archives has free online databases that include Jersey County entries. The statewide marriage index covers 1763 to 1900. Death indexes cover the pre-1916 era and the years 1916 to 1950. These databases are a great place to start before you make a trip to the courthouse. The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) sets the genealogy release thresholds: birth records open after 75 years, death after 20 years, marriage after 50 years.

• Jersey County Clerk: vital records from 1877, land records from the 1830s
• Genealogy search fee: $10 per search
• IRAD at University of Illinois Springfield: older county files
• Illinois State Archives: free marriage and death indexes online
• IDPH: statewide birth and death from 1916, $10 by mail

Since Jersey County borders Missouri, consider checking St. Louis area records as well. Many families crossed the river regularly in the 1800s and 1900s.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Jersey County in western Illinois. Families often crossed county lines, so search these neighbors if your Jersey County research stalls.