The Illinois State Archives and State Genealogical Society came together on a project to compile pre-1901 marriage records of the state. Thanks to the project, Illinois marriage records from 1763 - 1900 are now available to the public. Anyone can access and view marriage records from the period and volunteers can also send data directly to it for inclusion over the internet.
One of the main objectives is to avail them to the public in an easy and convenient way and there's no better way than online. Online Illinois Marriage Records are not restricted to only pre-1901 marriages. They are available for marriages right up through the current index date. People now don't have to travel to a particular government office for information as they can conduct a search on Free Illinois Marriage Records online. All that's needed is a computer with internet access.
The main source of information is the offices of the respective County Clerks. It is derived from the original public marriage records which comprise of marriage registers, licenses, certificates and other documents and information. Information is also contributed by the county Genealogical societies and private citizens and can be uploaded directly by volunteers through the internet.
The basic information found in Illinois marriage records comprise of particulars of the couple, names of parents, witnesses and conducting official of the ceremony, date and county of marriage and issuance of license. If there were multiple marriages on the part of either the groom, bride or both, those that occurred in the state of Illinois will be produced. Getting married in a county other than the one of residence is allowed so if a search fails in a particular county, it's a good idea to try statewide search instead.
All Illinois Marriage Records from Day 1 are supposedly captured. It's believed that Cook County was the first to start record keeping and the Great Fire of Chicago in1871 destroyed quite some original documents which were listed on the Sam Fink Index. Nevertheless, the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) today still has under its holdings marriage records of more than 70 of the 102 counties in Illinois. Individual County records are the most complete but they are decentralized. Their offices are also the only authorized agencies to issue certified copies.
Another increasingly popular option for marriage record search is the commercial State Of Illinois Marriage Records providers. These private enterprises operate record databases on a professional basis. On top of public sources such as the Illinois State Archives, universities and Genealogical societies, they also tap into private and proprietary networks. By and large, they are hassle-free and their coverage is nationwide. This is particularly handy when time is a factor and multiple states are concerned.

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