Search Morgan County Genealogy Records
Morgan County genealogy records go back to 1824, when the first land files were filed at the county seat of Jacksonville. The county clerk holds birth, death, marriage, and land records that span close to two hundred years of local history. You can search Morgan County genealogy records in person at the State Street courthouse, by phone, or through mail requests. A fire on December 6, 1827 wiped out the earliest files from 1823 to 1827, so there is a gap in the oldest records. Still, marriage records from 1827 and birth records from 1878 give researchers a deep starting point.
Morgan County Genealogy Quick Facts
Morgan County Clerk Vital Records
The Morgan County Clerk and Recorder at 300 W. State St, 3rd Floor, Jacksonville, IL 62650 is where you go for vital records. Call (217) 243-8581 to ask about a file or to start a request. Marriage records date to 1827. Birth records begin in 1878. Death records also start around 1878. The office keeps the original books and indexes for all of these.
Jacksonville is the county seat and the only place to get Morgan County genealogy records in person. Staff at the third floor office can help you look up names in the old index books. Bring as much detail as you can: full name, rough date, and any family connections you know. If you plan to mail a request, send a check payable to the Morgan County Clerk along with a copy of your photo ID and a note explaining what record you need. The clerk will search their files and send back copies if a match turns up.
Morgan County is in the west-central part of Illinois. The county was created in 1823, but a courthouse fire on December 6, 1827 destroyed records from the first four years. That means the earliest surviving records date to late 1827. Researchers looking for documents from 1823 to 1827 will not find originals in Morgan County. You may have some luck with secondary sources like the Illinois State Archives free databases, which can sometimes fill in gaps left by county-level losses.
| Office | Morgan County Clerk & Recorder |
|---|---|
| Address | 300 W. State St, 3rd Floor Jacksonville, IL 62650 |
| Phone | (217) 243-8581 |
Note: The December 6, 1827 fire destroyed Morgan County records from 1823 to 1827.
Morgan County Land Records
Land records in Morgan County go back to 1824. These are some of the oldest files in the county. Deeds, mortgages, and plat records show who owned property, when they bought or sold it, and where it sat. For genealogy research, land records can place your ancestor in Morgan County at a specific time and location, which is useful when vital records are missing or incomplete.
The recorder's office in Jacksonville maintains all land files. You can visit the third floor of the courthouse to search deed books in person. The Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205) protects these documents from disposal. That law is the reason Morgan County land records from the 1820s still exist today. It requires counties to keep records that have long-term value for research. Without that law, old deed books might have been thrown out decades ago.
If your ancestor farmed in Morgan County before 1878, land records may be the best evidence you have of their presence. Birth and death records did not start until that year. Marriage records begin in 1827 but the fire wiped out the first four years. Land files survived from 1824 forward, making them the oldest continuous genealogy source in the county.
Morgan County Genealogy Resources Online
The Morgan County Clerk website provides basic information about services and office hours. You can visit the Morgan County Clerk and Recorder page to check contact details before making a trip to Jacksonville.
The site lists the office address, phone number, and a summary of the services available. It does not have a searchable online database for genealogy records. You will need to contact the office by phone or mail for record searches. Some neighboring counties have put genealogy indexes online, but Morgan County still handles most requests through the in-person or mail process.
Morgan County Records at IRAD
The IRAD depository for Morgan County is at the University of Illinois Springfield. IRAD holds historical Morgan County government records including older vital records, court files, probate cases, and other county documents. Research there is free. Call (217) 206-6520 to check what Morgan County files they have and to ask about hours.
IRAD staff take mail and phone requests, but they limit each one to two names per request. If you have a long list of Morgan County ancestors to look up, a visit to Springfield makes more sense. You can take photos of documents at no charge. The IRAD holdings database lets you search what records are stored at each depository. Check it before making the trip to see if your Morgan County records are there.
The Illinois State Archives, also in Springfield, has free online databases useful for Morgan County research. The statewide marriage index covers 1763 to 1900. Death indexes cover the pre-1916 period and a second set runs from 1916 to 1950. These can help you find Morgan County records from home without a visit to Jacksonville or Springfield.
Morgan County Genealogy Fees
Morgan County charges $18 for a first copy of a birth or marriage record. Each additional copy costs $9. Death records cost $24 for the first copy and $13 for each extra copy. These are the certified copy fees. Genealogy copies, which are stamped "For Genealogical Purposes Only," may cost less depending on the type of record you need.
Under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), birth records become available for genealogy when the date of birth is 75 or more years ago. Death records open after 20 years. Marriage records become available after 50 years. These rules apply to Morgan County genealogy records just like every other county in Illinois. If a record falls inside those time windows, only people with a direct legal interest can get a copy.
The IDPH genealogy page handles state-level requests for records from 1916 forward. Those requests must go by mail and take about 12 weeks. For pre-1916 Morgan County records, the Jacksonville office is faster because they have the originals on site. The Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) covers public records access in general, but vital records follow their own rules under the Vital Records Act.
- Birth or marriage record: $18 first copy, $9 each additional
- Death record: $24 first copy, $13 each additional
- IDPH genealogy copy (birth): $10 by mail only
- IDPH death research copy: $10 by mail only
- Illinois State Archives in-person research: free
Nearby Counties
These counties border Morgan County in central Illinois. If your ancestor lived near a county line, their records may have been filed in one of these neighboring counties instead. Checking nearby counties is a good step when a Morgan County search comes up empty.