Massac County Genealogy Lookup
Massac County genealogy records are maintained at the county clerk office in Metropolis, a small city at the southern tip of Illinois with a county population around 14,000. The clerk holds birth, death, and marriage records from the late 1800s, along with land and property files that reach back to the early days of the county. Massac County sits right on the Ohio River at the Kentucky border, so many families here had roots in Kentucky and other southern states. The IRAD depository for Massac County is at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Researchers can visit the Metropolis courthouse, send mail requests, or work with the IRAD facility for older county documents.
Massac County Genealogy Quick Facts
Massac County Clerk Vital Records
The Massac County Clerk is at 1 Superman Sq, Metropolis, IL 62960. Call (618) 524-5213 for hours and information. Yes, the address really is Superman Square. Metropolis is the official hometown of Superman, and the county has embraced this connection. But the courthouse is a real working government building, and the clerk office is the place to go for birth, death, and marriage records in Massac County.
Birth and death records start around 1877. Marriage records may go back a bit earlier. Genealogy searches cost $10. Provide the full name, approximate dates, and the kind of record you want. Staff will search the indexes and let you know what they find. Walk-in visits are the best approach when you have multiple names to search. The courthouse is easy to find in downtown Metropolis. Mail requests are accepted too. Include the search details, a $10 check payable to the Massac County Clerk, and a copy of your photo ID.
Massac County is one of the southernmost counties in Illinois. It was settled early, with families crossing the Ohio River from Kentucky. If you are researching families from this area, keep in mind that many of them also appear in McCracken County, Kentucky, and other border counties. The Counties Code (55 ILCS 5) names the county clerk as the official keeper of vital records.
| Office | Massac County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 1 Superman Sq Metropolis, IL 62960 |
| Phone | (618) 524-5213 |
Massac County Land and Property Records
Massac County land records are a strong genealogy source for tracing early settlers. Deeds, mortgages, and property transfers are held at the recorder office in the Metropolis courthouse. Many of these files go back to the early 1800s. Massac County was formed in 1843, but the land in this area was settled well before that under earlier county jurisdictions.
Property records are public under the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). There is no waiting period. You can access deed books from any year without the restrictions that apply to vital records. For families that farmed along the Ohio River bottoms, a land deed might be the oldest surviving document with their name. A single deed can show you when a family arrived, how much land they claimed, and who their neighbors were.
The Illinois Adoption Act page shown above covers sealed adoption records, which can be relevant for genealogy researchers looking into family connections that cross into Massac County from neighboring states.
Massac County Genealogy at IRAD
The IRAD depository for Massac County is at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Call (618) 453-3040 to check hours and ask about Massac County holdings. IRAD stores older government records that the county has transferred from the Metropolis courthouse. These can include historical vital records, court files, probate records, naturalization papers, and other county documents. Research at IRAD is free and you can photograph documents at no cost.
The IRAD holdings database on the Illinois State Archives website lets you search what Massac County records are stored in Carbondale. Check the online inventory before making the trip. The Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205) created the IRAD system to protect county records from loss. Massac County's oldest files are preserved at the SIU archive because of this law.
Searching Massac County Genealogy
Start at the Massac County Clerk in Metropolis for local vital 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 and take about 12 weeks. The state fee is $10 per copy.
The Illinois State Archives has free online databases with Massac County entries. The statewide marriage index covers 1763 to 1900. Death indexes cover the pre-1916 era and 1916 to 1950. These are free tools you can search from home. The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) sets genealogy release thresholds: birth records open after 75 years, death after 20 years, marriage after 50 years.
- Massac County Clerk: vital records from 1877, land from the early 1800s
- Genealogy search fee: $10 per search
- IRAD at SIU Carbondale: older county government records
- Illinois State Archives: free marriage and death indexes
- IDPH: statewide birth and death from 1916, $10 by mail
Since Massac County sits on the Kentucky border, always check Kentucky vital records too. Many families in Metropolis and surrounding areas came from McCracken and Livingston counties in Kentucky.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Massac County at the southern tip of Illinois. If your ancestor lived near a county line, search these neighbors when Massac County records come up short.