Hardin County was created on March 2, 1839 (Laws, 1839, p. 234) and was formed from Gallatin and Pope Counties. Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in: Gallatin County (1812–1839), Pope County (1816–1839), Randolph County (1801–1812) and Knox, Northwest Territory (1790–1809).
The County was named for Hardin County in Kentucky through the influence of emigrants from that county. Hardin County, Kentucky, which was named for John Hardin, an officer in the Revolutionary War and Northwest Indian War. John Hardin was killed by Shawnee Indians in 1792 in what is now Shelby County, Ohio.
The County Seat is Elizabethtown (1840-Present). See also County History for more historical details.
Hardin County has never adopted township form of government. The county has been divided into precincts. Hardin County Precincts include Battery Rock, Cave In
Rock, East Monroe, East
Rosiclare, McFarlan, Peters
Creek, Rock Creek, Stone
Church, West Monroe, West
Rosiclare Precinct
Cities, Towns and Communities include Cave-In-Rock, Elizabethtown, Rosiclare
PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. Most records lost (1839–1884) due to a fire on May 19, 1884
The Official County website is located at N/A . All departments below at located at the Hardin County Courthouse, P.O. Box 187, Elizabethtown, IL 62931 , unless a different address is listed below. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.
Hardin County Circuit Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1884 and Court Records from 1841 and is located at the address above. Phone Number: (618)
287-2735 The 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 works at the direction of Circuit Court, Appellate Court and Supreme Court of Illinois and is mandated to follow and enforce the laws of the State of Illinois. The Circuit Clerk's Office processes all documents in criminal law, chancery, support, probate, adoption, juvenile, drainage, local improvement, mental, small claims, traffic, ordinance violations, prepares appeals to the higher court, issues passports, summons jurors, tax deeds and handles approximately ten million dollars in costs, fines, restitution, investments and support each year. The Office also issues summonses, writs, attachments, subpoenas and all other tasks as mandated by the courts.
Hardin County Recorder has Land Records from 1814 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (618)
287-2251 The County Recorder of Deeds serves the people of County by 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.
Hardin County Clerk has Birth / Death Records from 1877 and Marriage Records from 1841 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (618)
287-2251 The County Clerk maintains records and issues certificates of vital statistics (birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates) for the entire County.
Below is a list of online resources for Hardin County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Hardin County Court Records by clicking the link below:
Illinois Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
Click Here to Search Illinois Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.
Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records, 605 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, IL 62702-5097. It can take up to 6 weeks to get a vital record from Illinois.
A number of resources are available for individuals doing genealogical research using vital records filed in the state of Illinois. Births and deaths before January 1, 1916 and marriages before January 1, 1962 are recorded only in the office of the county clerk where the event occurred. Most county clerks have indexes to the records that are prior to 1916 that are available for the purpose of genealogical research. These indexes generally provide the name, date and place of occurrence and are located in county courthouses located throughout the state. Although self-service access to the indexes is generally permitted, the law limits physical access to the individual records to the clerk's staff. When you locate a record from the index, it will be necessary for the clerk to pull the record for you once you have paid the appropriate search fee. Please check with the county clerk for fees and policies on reviewing indexes.
Birth, Death Certificates:
The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains birth, death and marriage records that occur in Illinois from 1916 to the present.
Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $17.00 (long) or
$10.00 (uncertified) per certificate by mail.
Make your check or money order payable to "Illinois Department of Public Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. The cost of each record includes a ten-year search if the exact date or place of event is not known. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
In Person:
In-person orders can be dropped off for mail out within two business days at the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records office, 605 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, on Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding holidays. (Large volume orders may take longer.) PLEASE NOTE: the person requesting the record will be asked to show a valid picture identification card.
Marriage & Divorce Certificates: The Division of Vital Records also maintains an index of marriages & divorces from 1962 to the present. Copies of the marriage & divorce records are available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county where the marriage license was obtained or divorce was granted. Fees vary.
Cost: $5.00. Make your check or money order payable to "Illinois Department of Public Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. The cost of each record includes a ten-year search if the exact date or place of event is not known. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $5.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
Processing Time: 6 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
Below is a list of online resources for Hardin County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Hardin County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Illinois newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
Click Here to Search Illinois Voter Lists & Census Records! - Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable.
Below is a list of online resources for Hardin County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Hardin County Census Records by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.
You can view rotating animated maps for Illinois showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps
You can view rotating animated maps for Illinois showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries.
Below is a list of online resources for Hardin County Maps. Email us with websites containing Hardin County Maps by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search Illinois Military Records! - Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.
The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.
Below is a list of online resources for Hardin County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Hardin County Military Records by clicking the link below:
Southern Claims Commission from the State of Illinois (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
The first known tax authorization in Illinois fell under the jurisdiction of the Territory of the United States North West of the River Ohio. The tax was based on every hundred acres of unimproved uncleared prairie or wood land, divided into three classes based on quality of earth surface and soil. The rates were thirty, twenty, and ten cents, to be paid annually. Property with delinquent taxes was sold at public auction. There do not appear to be any surviving tax records from this territorial period.
Beginning with statehood, tax records form a large part of county archival material. The 1819 laws provided the first taxation process, imposing taxes on land, bank stock owned, slaves and indentured negroes or mulattoes, plus a poor tax. The tax was collected by the county with income divided between the county and state. Taxpayers lists were eliminated in 1824, and in 1825 a county road tax and school taxes were enacted.
Original and microfilmed tax records at Illinois Regional Archives Depositories include taxable land lists, assessors books, railroad tax books, road tax records, and collectors books, the earliest record dated 1817. Other county tax records are located in county seats.
Below is a list of online resources for Hardin County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Hardin County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
The Repositories
in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical
and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical
Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly,
quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies
should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are
usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived
materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be
more generalized and over look the smaller details that local
societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to
look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy
section and may have some resources that are not located at
archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums
in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years
gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All
these places are vitally important to the family genealogist
and must not be passed over.
Below is a list of online resources for Hardin County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Hardin County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Hardin County Historical & Genealogical Society, PO Box 72, Elizabethtown, IL 62931
Illinois Regional Archives Depository, c/o Special Collections, Morris Library – 6632 Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-6632; Telephone: (618) 453-3040. Map and Directions. Covers the following counties: Alexander, Clinton, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, St. Clair, Saline, Union, Washington, White and Williamson.
Hours: Monday – Friday, except state holidays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mail requests should be sent to the address above. However, the depository is located on McLafferty Road one-third mile south of its intersection with Chautauqua Street — not in Morris Library. Visitors unfamiliar with Carbondale may wish to call the depository for directions.
Illinois State Library, 300 South 2nd Street, Springfield, IL 62701-1796; Phone: (217) 785-5600
Illinois
State Historical Library, Old State Capitol, Springfield, IL 62701 County histories, plat books, census indexes, cemetery indexes, city material,
family and association files, microfilmed newspapers, manuscripts, and photographs
are located beneath the restored old state capitol between 5th and 6th streets
and Washington and Adams streets.
Illinois Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Click Here to Search Illinois Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.
Despite the early Catholic missionaries in Illinois, their church had almost totally disappeared from the state by the time of the American Revolution. Later migration of English-speaking Catholics reestablished the church in the state. In 1850 the largest religious denomination in Illinois was the Methodists. Baptists, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Congregationalists followed. Episcopalians had organized in the state in 1835, the Disciples of Christ were in Illinois prior to 1830, and the Lutherans grew in numbers with the German and Scandinavian emigration of the 1840s.
Below is a list of online resources for Hardin County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Hardin County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Illinois obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Illinois newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Illinois.
Click Here to Search Illinois Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.
When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Hardin County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Hardin County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
Illinois Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
Hardin County is nestled in the scenic Shawnee Hills of southeast Illinois. With the Ohio River serving as a main artery of transportation, the county served as a gateway to Illinois during the late 1700s and 1800s. Pioneers passed through these lands on their way west. Many stayed to settle in beautiful Southern Illinois.
Hardin County was established by legislative act on March 2, 1839. The county was named for John Hardin, an officer in the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. An interesting and thorough history of the county was written by Judge Arthur A. Miles in 1921.
The county seat was located at McFarlan’s Ferry (Elizabethtown) in 1840. Legend holds that Elizabethtown was named for Elizabeth McFarlan, who arrived here with her husband, James B. McFarlan around 1804-1812. The land was formerly a part of Pope and Gallatin Counties.
The McFarlan’s built a brick home overlooking the Ohio River in 1812. It was known as McFarland’s Tavern and later The Rose Hotel. The State of Illinois purchased the building and completed renovation in 1998. The Rose Hotel is the oldest hotel in Illinois. It majestically overlooks the Ohio River, serves many guests and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Elizabethtown court house burned on two occasions (1884 and 1921) and many facts about the early history of Elizabethtown was lost.
Just up the Ohio River from Elizabethtown is Cave-In-Rock. Named for a cave visible from the Ohio, the village was settled approximately in 1816 but was not incorporated until 1901. The area is rich in colorful history mainly connected to the “Cave” and what went on there. Inhabited by Native Americans prior to European settlement and then becoming a haven for river pirates and counterfeiters, it is today a part of the Cave-In-Rock State Park. The natural beauty is spectacular and is a recreational area well worth seeing.
The Ohio River was the hub of Cave-In-Rock and the surrounding communities. Mail and commodities were transported on the river as well as passengers. Larger boats, known as “packets”, traveled to Evansville, Indiana and Paducah, Kentucky. Drummers, or salesmen, used the boats as their means of transportation. Farming and fluorspar mining were the early industries in the area. Cave-In-Rock boasts the last operating ferry between Illinois and Kentucky and still offers free passage.
Just downriver from Elizabethtown is Rosiclare. According to legend, Rosiclare got its unusual name from two young girls, Rose and Clare. They were the daughters of an early settler of French descent. By the 1890’s the name of the town on maps had been changed to one word, Rosiclare. Settled around 1807 and originally known as Ford’s Ferry, the discovery of lead and fluorspar in 1843 marked the beginning of significant growth of the village. Eventually it was the site of the largest, and last, fluorspar mining operation in the United States. The mine closed in 1996.
Rosiclare was incorporated into a village in 1874 and became a city in 1932. During World War II, when the demand for fluorspar, lead and zinc was at its greatest, the city’s population grew to about 2000. The U.S. Government built a housing project in 1942-43 known as “Spardale”. It provided homes for 150 families. After the war boom was over the project was sold and eventually torn down
Today, with 1400 residents, Rosiclare is the largest incorporated community in Hardin County and is the home of the American Fluorite Museum.
Two other communities important to Hardin County history are Karbers Ridge and Shetlerville.
Karbers Ridge was named for an early settler, Frank C. Karber, circa 1879. Frank’s father, Louis Adam Karber and his family came from Germany and settled in this area. The community grew around Frank’s blacksmith shop and was known as Crossroads.
As the community grew, Frank helped establish a post office. It was then that the people of the community decided on a name change. The area was on a high ridge and the founder was a Karber. So, the name Crossroads was changed to Karbers Ridge.
Karbers Ridge has become well known by the many people touring the Shawnee National Forest because it is in the center of all its beauty. The Garden of the Gods and Rim Rock/Pounds Hollow Recreational area are the main attractions in this area.
Shetlerville was settled by Joseph Shetler. Joseph migrated to America from Bavarian Germany at the age of 21. He came down the Ohio River and settled in a small community known as Parkinson’s Landing. It is located four miles down the river from Rosiclare. It became Hardin County’s largest shipping port exporting potatoes, wheat, corn and beans.
During the 1800’s Shetlerville was a thriving community with more population and businesses than Cave-In-Rock, Elizabethtown or Rosiclare (the other river towns in Hardin County)
Some of the early settlers were Parkinsons, Shetlers, Herrmanns, Humms, Sieners, Rotes, Zimmers, Kochs, Foes, Smocks and Andersons. Many of them from Germany. While the thriving business community of Shetlerville is gone, many of their descendents are residents in Hardin County today.
