Wabash County, Illinois Genealogy
Guide to Wabash County, Illinois ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
| Wabash County, Illinois | |
| Map | |
| |
 Location of Illinois in the U.S. | |
| Facts | |
| Founded: | December 27, 1824 |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Mt. Carmel |
| Courthouse | |
 | |
| Address | Wabash County Courthouse 401 Market Street P.O. Box 277 Mt. Carmel, IL 62863 (618) 262-4561 |
Contents
- 1 Wabash County Organization
- 2 Historical Facts
- 3 Parent County
- 4 Boundary Changes
- 5 Record Loss
- 6 Resources
- 6.1 Biography
- 6.2 Cemeteries
- 6.3 Census
- 6.4 Church Records
- 6.5 Court Records
- 6.6 Ethnic Research
- 6.7 Genealogy
- 6.8 History
- 6.9 Land and Property
- 6.10 Maps
- 6.11 Military
- 6.12 Naturalization
- 6.13 Newspapers and Obituaries
- 6.14 Periodicals
- 6.15 Probate Records
- 6.16 Repositories
- 6.17 Social Groups Online
- 6.18 Societies
- 6.19 Taxation
- 6.20 Vital Records
- 7 Places / Localities
- 8 Websites
- 9 References
Wabash County Organization[edit | edit source]
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1877 | 1857 | 1877 | 1857 | 1857 | 1857 | 1810 |
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Wabash County are kept, see the Wabash County Courthouse page.
Historical Facts[edit | edit source]
Wabash County is named for the Wabash River which is the English spelling of the French name "Ouabache." French traders named the river waapaahsiiki, a Miami Indian name for the river.[2]
Parent County[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for Wabash River.[4] The county seat is Mount Carmel and the county was organized on May, 1826. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.[5]
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Illinois county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Illinois County Boundary Maps" (1790-1869) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1857 A fire burned the courthouse on 5 April, destroying most of the records.
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
- Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle.
- When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog.
- Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.
Resources[edit | edit source]
Biography[edit | edit source]
- The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Wabash County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Wabash County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1830 | 2,710 | — |
| 1840 | 4,240 | 56.5% |
| 1850 | 4,690 | 10.6% |
| 1860 | 7,313 | 55.9% |
| 1870 | 8,841 | 20.9% |
| 1880 | 9,945 | 12.5% |
| 1890 | 11,866 | 19.3% |
| 1900 | 12,583 | 6.0% |
| 1910 | 14,913 | 18.5% |
| 1920 | 14,034 | −5.9% |
| 1930 | 13,197 | −6.0% |
| 1940 | 13,724 | 4.0% |
| 1950 | 14,651 | 6.8% |
| 1960 | 14,047 | −4.1% |
| 1970 | 12,841 | −8.6% |
| 1980 | 13,713 | 6.8% |
| 1990 | 13,111 | −4.4% |
| 2000 | 12,937 | −1.3% |
| 2010 | 11,947 | −7.7% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
1840 Pensioners[edit | edit source]
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington, D.C., 1841. FHL 973 X2pc 1840; FHL 2321; digital version at Google Books. [See Illinois, Wabash County on page 188.]
Church Records[edit | edit source]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- 1819–1860 Barney's Prairie Christia Church records FHL film 7694
Catholic[edit | edit source]
FamilySearch has made parish records from two Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Wabash County available online. The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:
- Church Records of St. Mary Parish, Mount Carmel, Wabash County, Illinois 1840-1956, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
- Church Records of St. Sebastian Parish, Mount Carmel, Wabash County, Illinois 1878-1956, browsable online (no index); courtesy: FamilySearch.
Lutheran[edit | edit source]
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- [No court record holdings noted in IRAD-EIU Wabash County Listing.] Search for Wabash County records. Information about how to use IRAD
- [No court record holdings noted in IRAD-EIU Wabash County Listing.] Search for Wabash County records. Information about how to use IRAD
Ethnic Research[edit | edit source]
African American[edit | edit source]
The following have information concerning African American research.
- African American Genealogy (US) has more information about the kinds of records
- Illinois State Archives pamphlet on African American Research describes what records are at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
- African American Resources for Illinois
Genealogy[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
- The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Wabash County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Wabash County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
Original land records are held in the office of the County Clerk . See Illinois Land and Property for more information about using land records.
- [No land and property record holdings noted in IRAD-EIU Wabash County Listing.] Search for Wabash County records. Information about how to use IRAD
- [No land and property record holdings noted in IRAD-EIU Wabash County Listing.] Search for Wabash County records. Information about how to use IRAD
The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online sources and the Family History Library.
Copies of original records
- 1865–1907 Deed records FHL film 1398810(first of 7 films)
Abstracts
- 1970 Land atlas and plat book, Edwards–Wabash County At other Libraries(WorldCat) FHL book 977.37 E7e
Online Resources
- Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database. Also available at Ancestry ($)
- 1796–1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry.com ($)
- Wabash County Federal Township Plats
- 1800s – Present - Use the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land Patent Index to obtain original federal land transfer records, including homestead, military warrants, and cash entry patents. These records help a researcher establish location and lead to National Archives’ records which may include genealogical information. Earlier land transfer records are at the National Archives.
Additional Resources
Additional resources for Wabash County land and property may be found online in the FamilySearch Catalog. Online microfilm are indicated by the camera icon in the catalog entry. Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the WorldCat Online Catalog.
Maps[edit | edit source]
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Military[edit | edit source]
- The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois has a Shelby County edition. This includes a state history section along with a county history and biographies of Shelby County residents. See the wiki article for links to available copies and indexes.
Civil War[edit | edit source]
Civil War service men from Wabash County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Wabash County.
- - 40th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
- - 66th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
- - 115th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company C.
- - 130th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
Naturalization[edit | edit source]
Online Records
- 1800-1998 - Illinois, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1998 at FamilySearch — index and images
Newspapers and Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Records
- 1772 - 1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1819 - 1988 Illinois Probate Records 1819-1988 at FamilySearch.org — images
Original estates and wills are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Probate Records for more information about using probate records.
The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through, the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Eastern Illinois University (EIU) - search for Wabash County records. For information on how to use IRAD see theEIU IRAD Wiki page.
- [No probate record holdings noted in IRAD-EIU Wabash County Listing.] Search for Wabash County records. Information about how to use IRAD
- [No probate record holdings noted in IRAD-EIU Wabash County Listing.] Search for Wabash County records. Information about how to use IRAD
Copies of original records
- 1853–1937 Will records FHL first film 1416808 Item 2 (first of 2 films)
- 1855–1913 Estate records FHL film 1416809 Item 3 (first of 2 films)
- 1857–1935 Index to probate FHL film 1409335 Item 1
- 1857–1925 Probate records FHL first film 1409335 Item 2–3 (first of 6 films)
Additional Resources
Additional resources for Wabash County probates may be found in the Illinois, Wabash – Probate, and on the Illinois, Wabash – Probate newspapers topic pages of the FamilySearch Catalog . Online microfilm are indicated by the camera icon in the catalog entry. Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the WorldCat Online Catalog.
Repositories[edit | edit source]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Wabash County are kept, see the Wabash County Courthouse page.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Libraries
There are over 4500 Introduction to Family History Centers worldwide which serve as branch facilities of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Volunteers provide research assistance to help patrons identify their ancestors. Some microfilm and microfiche may be available at local family history centers. Locate your nearest Family History Center at the FamilySearch website. Call ahead to verify operating hours. All are welcome.
The following centers are accessible to residents of Wabash County, Illinois:
Evansville Indiana Family History Center
8020 E Covert Ave
Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana
Phone: 812-471-0191
Hours: First Wednesday of every month 10:00 - 12:00, Tues & Wed evening 6:00 - 8:00; other times by appointment
Closed: Closed Major Holidays
Vincennes Indiana Family History Center
1940 N Old Hwy 41
Vincennes, Knox, Indiana
Phone: 812-882-4022
Hours: T, Thu 9am-12:30pm, 5pm-8:30pm
Closed: Closed 1 1/2 weeks for Christmas
Please note: Addresses posted are not mailing addresses. Due to limited staff, Family History Centers are unable to respond to mail inquiries.
Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)[edit | edit source]
The Illinois State Archives administers a system of Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD) to manage the archival records of local governments. Local governments which have transferred records to the regional depositories include counties, townships, municipalities, and school districts. The records of Wabash County come under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Illinois University (EIU) regional depository.
Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
Booth Library
Eastern Illinois University (EIU)
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
Telephone: (217) 581-6093
Hours: Monday – Friday, except state holidays
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Note: The depository is staffed by graduate student interns. Because of class scheduling conflicts, hours may vary somewhat from the published schedule. Researchers are urged to call before planning a visit.
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Mt. Carmel Public Library
727 Mulberry St.
Mt. Carmel, IL 62863
618-263-3531
HOURS
Mon-Thu: 11am-7pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-5:30pm
Sun: 1pm-5:30pm
Museums[edit | edit source]
Wabash County Museum (Burkett House)
Physical Address:
119 W. 3rd St (in the Burket House)
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 512
Mt. Carmel, IL 62863
Social Groups Online[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Wabash County Historical Society
PO Box 911
Mt. Carmel, IL 62863
Wabash Genealogical Society
Nancy Rayborn
102 Park Lane
Allendale, IL 62410
Taxation[edit | edit source]
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
See Illinois Vital Records for more information about Vital records in Illinois. See also How to order Illinois Vital Records or order electronically online.
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Wabash County Clerk while those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health with a copy to the County Clerk. Original marriage records are usually kept by the County Clerk from the establishment of the county to the present. Original divorce records are generally in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk.
The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online databases, the Family History Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Eastern Illinois University (EIU) - search for Wabash County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the IRAD Wiki page.
Births[edit | edit source]
Copies of Original Records
- 1857–1905 Birth Record, Delayed IRAD–EIU
- 1870–1905 Delayed birth record books FHL film 1416918 Items 4 (first of 2 films)
- 1877–1905 Birth Records FHL film 1416918 Items 1–3
- 1877–1905 Stillbirths FHL film 1416918 Items 3
- 1877–1916 Birth Record IRAD–EIU
- 1877–1984 Birth Record Index IRAD–EIU
Marriages[edit | edit source]
Copies of Original Records
- 1857–1930 Marriage records and index FHL film 1416802 Item 3 (first of 2 films)
- 1857–1971 Marriage Record IRAD–EIU
- 1857–1978 Marriage Record Index IRAD–EIU
Online Resources
- 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900
- 1790–1860 Illinois Marriage index found at Ancestry.com ($)
- 1805-1985 Illinois, Church Marriages, 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
- 1810-1934 Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1934 at FamilySearch — index
- 1833-1889 Illinois, Civil Marriages, 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index
Deaths[edit | edit source]
Copies of Original Records
Online Resources
- 1749-1999 Illinois Deaths and Burials, 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — index, some images
- 1850-1880 Illinois Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
- Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916
- 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950
- 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 found at Ancestry.com ($)
Additional Resources[edit | edit source]
Additional resources for Wabash County births, marriages and deaths may be found in the Illinois, Wabash – Vital Records, topic page of the FamilySearch Catalog . Online microfilm are indicated by the camera icon in the catalog entry. Copies of books found in the FamilySearch Catalog may be found in WorldCat catalog and ordered from your local library through interlibrary loan. Explore how to search the FamilySearch Catalog and the WorldCat Online Catalog.
Places / Localities[edit | edit source]
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
Neighboring Counties[edit | edit source]
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Wabash County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
- Wabash County IL Genealogy
- Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
Databases pertinent to Wabash County
- Local Governmental Records Database IRAD
- Name Index to Illinois Local Governments IRAD
- USGenWeb, Wabash County, Illinois (ILGenWeb)
- FamilySearch Catalog
- Wabash County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Wabash County, Illinois. Page 192-199 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 194-197.
- ↑ Wabash River www.wikipedia.org
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Wabash County," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabash_County,_Illinois 04/20/2017.
- ↑ Genealogy Trails History Group, “Wabash County, Illinois Genealogy and History”, http://genealogytrails.com/ill/wabash/ accessed 04/20/2017.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Wabash County, Illinois," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabash_County,_Illinois#Communities, accessed 11 March 2020.
