Union County Genealogy Records
Union County genealogy records are held at the county clerk's office in Jonesboro, located in the southern tip of Illinois near the Shawnee National Forest. The clerk manages birth, death, marriage, and land records going back to 1818 when Union County was one of the original counties formed at statehood. With about 16,000 people, Union County holds some of the oldest records in the state. The IRAD depository at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale preserves the historical government files. Researchers tracing deep southern Illinois roots will find Union County's early records are among the most valuable in the region.
Union County Genealogy Quick Facts
Union County Clerk Office
The Union County Clerk is at 309 W. Market St, Rm 116, Jonesboro, IL 62952. Call (618) 833-5711 to ask about records. This office is the primary source for vital records and land files in Union County. Birth and death records start in the late 1870s. Marriage records and land deeds go back much further, all the way to statehood in 1818. The Counties Code (55 ILCS 5) names the county clerk as the official custodian of these files.
Union County is one of the original Illinois counties. It was created the same year Illinois became a state. That makes its records some of the oldest in all of Illinois. The early land records show settlers claiming land along the Cache River and the Mississippi bottomlands. Marriage records from the 1820s capture the first generation of families in the region. Many came up from Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Carolinas. Their records in Union County are the starting point for tracing southern Illinois genealogy.
The Jonesboro courthouse is worth a visit. Staff can help search indexes and pull old records from the vault. For mail requests, send the full name, record type, date range, payment, and a photo ID copy if requesting vital records. The clerk's office handles a steady stream of genealogy requests because Union County's age makes it a popular research target.
| Office | Union County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 309 W. Market St, Rm 116 Jonesboro, IL 62952 |
| Phone | (618) 833-5711 |
Note: Union County was formed in 1818 at statehood, making its records among the oldest in Illinois.
Union County Vital Records Access
Illinois vital records follow the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535). Birth records stay closed for 75 years. Death records open after 20 years. Marriage records become public after 50 years. For Union County genealogy, the oldest records are wide open. Marriage files from the 1820s and 1830s are fully available. These are the records most genealogy researchers come here for.
Union County marriage records from the early 1800s are exceptional. They name both parties, give ages, and sometimes list parents. A few early entries note where the couple came from before arriving in Illinois. These details are gold for genealogy. They help you trace a family's path from the upper South into the Illinois frontier. Land patents from the same era show exactly where each family settled.
For records from 1916 forward, the Illinois Department of Public Health holds statewide birth and death files. IDPH handles genealogy requests by mail at $10 per copy, with processing around 12 weeks. Union County births and deaths before 1916 are only at the Jonesboro clerk's office.
The IDPH vital records page shown above is the starting point for statewide birth and death requests. For Union County records before 1916, you must go through the county clerk in Jonesboro instead.
Union County Records at IRAD
The IRAD depository for Union County is at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Call (618) 453-3040 to check what Union County records they hold. IRAD preserves older government records transferred from the Jonesboro courthouse. Given Union County's age, these holdings can include some of the oldest county records in the state. Court files, probate records, naturalization papers, and tax rolls are all possible finds. Research is free, and you can photograph anything at no charge.
Staff accept mail and phone requests but limit each to two names. For a deep dive into Union County genealogy, visiting the Carbondale campus is the way to go. The IRAD holdings database lets you search what Union County files are at SIU before you visit. The Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205) requires these records to be preserved. For a county as old as Union, IRAD holdings can be extensive.
State Resources for Union County
The Illinois State Archives maintains free online databases that include Union County entries. The statewide marriage index covers 1763 to 1900. Death indexes cover both the pre-1916 era and 1916 to 1950. Union County entries in these databases go back to the earliest years of Illinois statehood.
- Union County Clerk in Jonesboro: vital records and land files from 1818
- IRAD at SIU Carbondale: historical government records, free research
- Illinois State Archives: free marriage and death indexes online
- IDPH: statewide birth and death from 1916, $10 per copy
- Shawnee National Forest area: many early families settled near these lands
The Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) covers public records access broadly. Vital records follow their own rules, but FOIA applies to other government files in Union County. If you are looking for court records, tax files, or other non-vital documents, FOIA is the tool that gives you access.
Nearby Counties
Union County is in the southern tip of Illinois. Families in this area moved between counties regularly. If your Union County search comes up short, check these neighbors.