Hancock County, Illinois Records

Hancock County, Illinois (Map It) was created on January 13, 1825 from Pike County. Hancock County was named for John Hancock (1737–1793), first governor of the Massachusetts colony and president of the Second Continental Congress.

Hancock County is bordered by  Henderson County (northeast), McDonough County (east), Schuyler County (southeast), Adams County (south), Lewis County, Missouri (southwest), Clark County, Missouri (west), Lee County, Iowa (northwest)

Hancock County Cities, Towns & Villages include  Augusta, Basco, Bentley, Bowen, Carthage, Dallas City (partly in Henderson County), Elvaston, Ferris, Fountain Green, Hamilton, La Harpe, Nauvoo, Plymouth, Pontoosuc, Warsaw, West Point.

Hancock County Townships include  La Harpe, Hancock, Harmony, Fountain Green, Appanoose, Augusta, Bear Creek, Chili, Carthage, Dallas City, Durham, Pontoosuc, Prairie, Pilot Grove, Montebello, Nauvoo, St. Mary's, St. Albans, Sonora, Rocky Run, Rock Creek, Walker, Warsaw, Wilcox, Wythe. View the Hancock Federal Township Plats of Illinois from 1804-1891.

A Hancock County, Illinois General Highway Maps includes County, City and Township maps which contains detailed information about roads and boundaries, these maps may include rural communities, churches, and cemeteries.

Hancock County, Illinois Courthouse Records

The Hancock County Courthouse is located in Carthage, Illinois. Learn More About State of Illinois Court, Tax, Land and Probate Records.

The Clerk's Office DOES NOT DO RESEARCH. Most staff will assist people in finding the materials, but it is up to the individual to do the research.

The following dates indicates what vital, land, probate, and court records are in Hancock county. The date listed for each record is usually the earliest registration filed. The date does not indicate that there are alot records for that year and does not mean that all such events were actually filed with the clerk.

• Hancock County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds has Marriage Records from 1829, Birth & Death Records from 1844 / 1878 and Land Records from 1817. The County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds maintains records and issues certificates of vital statistics (birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates) for the entire County. The Recorder's duties are receiving, filing and maintaining all records related to real property in our county. These documents range from all types of conveyance deeds, mortgages, releases and assignments, property liens, as well as, assorted federal, state and local liens. The Recorder’s office is responsible for the recordation and storage of plats of subdivision, land surveys and monument records. Many other types of miscellaneous documents are recorded, such as; foreign birth certificates, foreign marriage licenses, and military discharge paperwork to name a few.
• Hancock County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1830 and Court Records from 1829. The County Clerk of the Circuit Court, commonly known as the Circuit Clerk, is the keeper of the files and records of the Circuit Court. The Circuit Clerk's Office retains documents some of which include criminal law, chancery, support, probate, adoption, ect....
• Hancock County Treasurer's Office is responsible for the statutory duties required as County Treasurer and as Ex-Officio County Collector of Real Estate Property Taxes and Drainage District Taxes for the entire county.
• Local Government Records Database provides a listing of the local governmental records held by the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) system

Hancock County, Illinois Census Records

• Learn More: State of Illinois Census Records
• U.S. Federal Population Schedules: 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragmented), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940
• U.S. Census Reconstructed Records: Substitutes Index, 1810-1890
• State Population Schedules: 1825-1865
• U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Agriculture Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Selected U.S. Federal Census Industry Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880
• Union Veterans Schedules: 1890

Hancock County, Illinois Vital Records

• Learn More: State of Illinois Vital Records
• Birth and Death Records: from  January 1916 to present
• Marriage and Divorce Records: from January 1962 to present.
• Locations: Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records, 925 East Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702-2737; (217) 782-6553
• Vital Records Online: USAVital or Social Security Death Index
• Vital Records by Mail:  Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications.

Hancock County, Illinois Resources

• State of Illinois Archives and Societies
• RAOGK Volunteers for Illinois
• Hancock County Genealogical & Historical Society
• Nauvoo Historical Society
• Weld House Museum
• The Rheinberger House Museum
• LaHarpe Historical & Genealogical Society
• Western Illinois University Region (WIU), Illinois Regional Archives Depository
• Hancock County, Illinois Message Boards

Hancock County, Illinois External Links

• Illinois Historical Newspapers - Newspapers.com
• Map of Hancock County and its civil and congressional townships
• Hancock County, Illinois Books - Amazon
• Hancock Co., Illinois - FindaGrave
• Illinois Indexed Historical Records - Familysearch
• Fact Sheet for Hancock County - Illinois State Archives
• Hancock County, Illinois Links - Cyndi's List
• Historical Newspapers from Illinois (1808 - 1922)
• Hancock Co. ILGenweb
• Hancock County, Illinois Ancestry Database Collections
• Hancock County, Illinois Military Records