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St. Clair County Circuit Court
Chancery Case Files Index, 1815–1870

• Search the St. Clair County Circuit Court Chancery Case Files Index now.
• About the St. Clair County Circuit Court Chancery Case Files Index.
• Content of St. Clair County Circuit Court Chancery Case Files.
• How to obtain copies of St. Clair County Circuit Court Chancery Case Files.

The St. Clair County Circuit Court Chancery Case Files Index was compiled by Angela Reynolds and Laura Wheaton, interns for the Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) System at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. The 2,508 records in the database were extracted from the St. Clair County Circuit Court Chancery Case Files (IRAD Accession 6/0142/02).

Each entry found in the index contains the following categories of information: the names of the plaintiff and defendant; the year the case was heard; the box and case numbers; and the type of case. Names of plaintiffs and defendants were transcribed directly from the case files. Every attempt was made to obtain accurate spellings of names. If the spelling of a name could not be determined from the case jacket, a search of the various case documents was conducted. However, names were often spelled a variety of ways throughout the case documents. It was also sometimes difficult to decipher handwriting in some case files. Therefore, when searching this index, we suggest that researchers check alternative spellings of names if they do not find an entry for the name for which they are searching.
 

The St. Clair County Circuit Court Chancery Case Files generally show the names of the plaintiff, defendant, judge and clerk of the court; the court dates; and usually the charge or cause of action. Documents contained in these case files include: summonses, affidavits of witnesses, subpoenas, bonds, receipts, depositions, declarations, decrees and orders of the court, and jury and witness lists.

A chancery court is court of equitable jurisdiction. Chancery cases concern divorce, injury, wills, assignment of dower, real and personal property foreclosures, and partitions of real estate.
 

Copies of the case files found in this index may be obtained by mail or telephone. Inquiries should be made directly to the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. IRAD cannot accept requests by e-mail at this time. Call or write:

Illinois Regional Archives Depository c/o Special Collections Morris Library–6632 Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 69901

Telephone: (618) 453-3040