Research teams visited 88 Illinois county courthouses (or records repositories) to locate and photocopy pertinent documents. The type, or depth, of the search depended on the extent of Lincoln’s practice or travel to a county. The chart below lists all present Illinois counties, and identifies which of those our researchers searched, and the type of the search. County courthouses outside of Illinois that were searched follow the Illinois counties. (See County and Court Abbreviations for the symbols utilized in the data to represent these institutions.)
Search Type Description:
♦Limited search: researchers examined all available county records that may have included information regarding specific cases which were deemed a part of Lincoln's practice, 1836-1861. Researchers used indexes (where available) to locate the specific cases. Typically these searches were conducted to locate trials that Lincoln handled on appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court, so his contact with that county was limited.
| County | County Seat | Search Type | Comments |
| Adams | Quincy | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Adams County Circuit Court. |
| Alexander | Cairo | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Alexander County Circuit Court. |
| Bond | Greenville | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Alexander County Circuit Court. |
| Boone | Belvidere | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Boone County Circuit Court. |
| Brown | Mt. Sterling | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Brown County Circuit Court. |
| Bureau | Princeton | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Bureau County Circuit Court. |
| Calhoun | Hardin | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Calhoun County Circuit Court. |
| Carroll | Mt. Carroll | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Carroll County Circuit Court. |
| Cass | Virginia | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Virginia. All court record books and execution dockets were available. All Judge's dockets except for the periods 1837-41 and 1852-57 were available. Chancery record books were available after 1846. All judgment dockets except for the period 1854-56 were available. There were no clerk's dockets. |
| Champaign | Urbana | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Urbana and at the Champaign County Historical Archives at the Urbana Free Library. Case files for the period were available. Judge's dockets, judgment dockets, execution dockets, and fee books were available after 1856. No clerk's dockets were available. |
| Christian | Taylorville | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Taylorville. All court record books, judge's dockets, and execution dockets were available. Clerk's dockets after 1858 were available. Judgment dockets after 1859 were available. All fee books after 1840 were available. |
| Clark | Marshall | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Marshall. All court record books and judgment dockets were available. Judge's dockets after 1840 were available. All execution dockets except for the period 1846-48 were available. |
| Clay | Louisville | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Clay County Circuit Court. |
| Clinton | Carlyle | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate specific cases and change of venue cases in Clinton County Circuit Court. |
| Coles | Charleston | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era records at the courthouse in Charleston. Case files for the period were available (they are currently stored at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston). All court record books were available except for the year 1859. All judge's dockets after 1841 were available. All judgment dockets after 1856 were available. All fee books were available. |
| Cook | Chicago | No | No Lincoln era records were available because they were destroyed by the October 9, 1871, fire. |
| Crawford | Robinson | No | Researchers did not visit Crawford County. |
| Cumberland | Toledo | No | No Lincoln era records were available because they were destroyed by a fire in 1885. |
| DeKalb | Sycamore | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from DeKalb County Circuit Court. |
| DeWitt | Clinton | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era records at the courthouse in Clinton. Case files for the period were available. Court record books were available for the period 1854-58 and after 1860. Chancery record books were available for the period 1839-54 and after 1856. Judge's dockets were available after 1856. Execution and judgment dockets were available after 1853. Fee books were available for the period 1844-53 and after 1857. |
| Douglas | Tuscola | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Tuscola. The county was established in 1859. Period chancer and criminal case files were available, but no period common law case files were available. All court record books and execution dockets were available. No judge's dockets, judgment dockets, fee books, or clerk's dockets were available. |
| DuPage | Wheaton | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate a change of venue case in DuPage County Circuit Court. |
| Edgar | Paris | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Paris. Period case files were available. All of the court record books were available. Judge's dockets were available for the period 1849-58. Execution dockets were available after 1840. No judgment dockets, clerk's dockets, or fee books were available. |
| Edwards | Albion | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Edwards County Circuit Court. |
| Effingham | Effingham | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Effingham County Circuit Court. |
| Fayette | Vandalia | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Fayette County Circuit Court. |
| Ford | Paxton | Focused | Researched examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Ford County Circuit Court. |
| Franklin | Benton | No | Researchers did not visit Franklin County. |
| Fulton | Lewistown | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at two locations. At the courthouse in Lewistown researchers located all of the court record books, chancery record books, and judgment dockets. Judge's dockets were available except for the periods 1840-42, 1847-48, 1851-52, and 1855-56. Clerk's dockets were available for the periods 1840-41and 1852. Case files were located at the Illinois Regional Archives Depository at Western Illinois University in Macomb. |
| Gallatin | Shawneetown | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Gallatin County Circuit Court. |
| Greene | Carrollton | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Carrollton. All court record books, chancery record books, judgment dockets, execution dockets, and fee books were available. Judge's dockets after 1840 were available. Clerk's dockets after 1839 were available. |
| Grundy | Morris | No | Researchers did not visit Grundy County. |
| Hamilton | McLeansboro | No | Researchers did not visit Hamilton County. |
| Hancock | Carthage | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Hancock County Circuit Court. |
| Hardin | Elizabethtown | No | Researchers did not visit Hardin County. |
| Henderson | Oquawka | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Henderson County Circuit Court. |
| Henry | Cambridge | No | Researchers did not visit Henry County. |
| Iroquois | Watseka | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate several change of venue cases in Iroquois County Circuit Court. |
| Jackson | Murphysboro | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate a change of venue case in Jackson County Circuit Court. |
| Jasper | Newton | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Jasper County Circuit Court. |
| Jefferson | Mt. Vernon | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Jefferson County Circuit Court. |
| Jersey | Jerseyville | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Jersey County Circuit Court. |
| JoDaviess | Galena | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from JoDaviess County Circuit Court. |
| Johnson | Vienna | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate a change of venue case in Johnson County Circuit Court. |
| Kane | Geneva | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Kane County Circuit Court. |
| Kankakee | Kankakee | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate a change of venue case in Kankakee County Circuit Court. |
| Kendall | Yorkville | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Kendall County Circuit Court. |
| Knox | Galesburg | No | Researchers did not visit Knox County. |
| Lake | Waukegan | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Lake County Circuit Court. |
| LaSalle | LaSalle | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from LaSalle County Circuit Court. |
| Lawrence | Lawrenceville | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate several change of venue cases in Lawrence County Circuit Court. |
| Lee | Dixon | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Lee County Circuit Court. |
| Livingston | Pontiac | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Ponitac. Case files for the period were available. All court record books and judgment dockets were available. Judge's dockets were available after 1858. |
| Logan | Lincoln | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at two locations. Due to an April 15, 1857 courthouse fire, all county records prior to that date were destroyed. Researchers located all post-fire court record books, judge's dockets, judgment dockets, execution dockets, and fee books at the courthouse in Lincoln. Researchers located the case files at the Illinois Regional Archives Depository at Illinois State University in Bloomington. |
| Macon | Decatur | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at several county facilities in Decatur. Case files for the period were available (they are currently stored at the Illinois Regional Archive Depository at the University of Illinois at Springfield). All of the court record books were available (the book covering the period 1839-48 was located on microfilm at the Illinois Regional Archives Depository at the University of Illinois at Springfield). Judge's dockets were available for the periods 1841-53 and 1857-63. Judgment dockets were available after 1857. Execution dockets were available after 1854. Fee Books were available during the period 1857-58. Clerk's dockets were available after 1858. |
| Macoupin | Carlinville | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Carlinville and at the Macoupin County Historical Society. Case files for the period were available. All court record books and judgment dockets were available. Judge's dockets for the periods 1839-43, 1848-49, and after 1851 were available. Execution dockets and fee books were available after 1844. Clerk's dockets were available after 1856. |
| Madison | Edwardsville | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Edwardsville and at the Lovejoy Library at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Case files for the period were available. All court record books were available. Judgment dockets for the periods 1840-45 and after 1851 were available. |
| Marion | Salem | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Marion County Circuit Court. |
| Marshall | Lacon | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Marshall County Circuit Court. |
| Mason | Havana | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Havana. All of the period records were available. |
| Massac | Metropolis | No | Researchers did not visit Massac County. |
| McDonough | Macomb | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from McDonough County Circuit Court. |
| McHenry | Woodstock | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from McHenry County Circuit Court. |
| McLean | Bloomington | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Bloomington. All case files, judge's dockets, fee books, and clerk's dockets were destroyed by a fire in 1900. All court record books were available except for the period 1852-53. Judgment and execution dockets were available after 1844. |
| Menard | Petersburg | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Petersburg. All of the period records were available. |
| Mercer | Aledo | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate a change of venue case in Mercer County Circuit Court. |
| Monroe | Waterloo | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Monroe County Circuit Court. |
| Montgomery | Hillsboro | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Montgomery County Circuit Court. |
| Morgan | Jacksonville | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Jacksonville. Period case files were available. All court record books, chancery record books, judge's dockets, judgment and execution dockets, and fee books were available. Clerk's dockets were available except for the periods 1846-52 and 1857-59. |
| Moultrie | Sullivan | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Sullivan. Only two court record books covering the periods 1849-55 and 1857-59 were available due to a courthouse fire in 1865, all other records were destroyed. |
| Ogle | Oregon | No | Researchers did not visit Ogle County. |
| Peoria | Peoria | Focused | Researchers examined records during specific time periods based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Peoria County Circuit Court. Researchers also examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Peoria County Circuit Court. |
| Perry | Pinckneyville | No | Researchers did not visit Perry County. |
| Piatt | Monticello | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse and a county facility in Monticello. Period case files were available. All court record books were available. Judge's dockets were available after 1849. Judgment dockets were available 1849-52 and 1857-62. Execution dockets were available after 1852. Fee books were available after 1851. Clerk's dockets were available for 1854 and after 1857. |
| Pike | Pittsfield | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Pittsfield. All court record books were available except for the period 1843. All chancery record books and judgment dockets were available. Judge's dockets were available after 1838 except for the period 1853. Execution dockets were available except for the period 1856. Fee books after 1851 were available. Clerk's dockets were available for the periods 1839, 1841-43, 1846-49, 1851-53, and 1859-62. |
| Pope | Golconda | No | Researchers did not visit Pope County. |
| Pulaski | Mound City | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Pulaski County. |
| Putnam | Hennepin | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate change of venue cases and the trial of an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Putnam County Circuit Court. |
| Randolph | Chester | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Randolph County Circuit Court. |
| Richland | Olney | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Richland County Circuit Court. |
| Rock Island | Rock Island | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Rock Island County Circuit Court. |
| Saline | Harrisburg | No | Researchers did not visit Saline County. |
| Sangamon | Springfield | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the Illinois Regional Archives Depository at the University of Illinois at Springfield. No period common law or criminal case files were available. Period chancery case files were available. All court record books, judgment dockets, execution dockets, and fee books were available. Judge's dockets were available except for the period 1859-60. Researchers located clerk's dockets for the periods 1821-32, 1840-43, 1846-47, 1849-50, 1852-53, and 1856 at the Illinois State Historical Library. |
| Schuyler | Rushville | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Rushville. Period case files were available. All court record books and execution dockets were available. Judge's dockets after 1838 were available. Judgment dockets were available for the periods 1836-38 and 1858. Fee books were available except for the period 1857-58. Clerk's dockets were available for the periods 1837-40, 1842-43, and 1856-69. |
| Scott | Winchester | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Winchester. Period case files were available. All court record books, judge's dockets, and clerk's dockets were available. Judgment dockets and execution dockets were available for the period 1839-59. Fee books were available for the periods 1841-43 and 1857-69. |
| Shelby | Shelbyville | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at two locations. Researchers located period common law and criminal case files at the Illinois Regional Archives Depository at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. The remaining county records were located at the courthouse in Shelbyville. Period chancery case files were available. Court record books after 1844 were available. Judge's dockets for the periods 1847 and 1852-55 were available. No judgment dockets were available. Execution dockets after 1852 were available. Fee books for the period 1842-54 were available. Clerk's dockets after 1854 were available. |
| Stark | Toulon | No | Researchers did not visit Stark County. |
| St. Clair | Belleville | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate several change of venue cases and the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from St. Clair County Circuit Court. Researchers also examined records during specific time periods based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in St. Clair County Circuit Court. |
| Stephenson | Freeport | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Stephenson County Circuit Court. |
| Tazewell | Pekin | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Pekin. Period case files were available. All court record books, judge's dockets, and fee books were available. Chancery record books were available for the periods 1839-44 and 1854-64. Judgment dockets before 1860 were available. Execution dockets were available for the periods 1828-39 and 1857-60. Clerk's dockets were available for the period 1859-60. |
| Union | Jonesboro | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Union County Circuit Court. |
| Vermilion | Danville | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Danville. Period case files were available. All court record books and execution dockets were available. Judge's dockets after 1844 were available. Judgment dockets for the periods 1839-52 and 1857-65 were available. Fee books for the periods 1828-44 and 1849-68 were available. No clerk's dockets were available. |
| Wabash | Mt. Carmel | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Wabash County Circuit Court. |
| Warren | Monmouth | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Warren County Circuit Court. |
| Washington | Nashville | Focused | Researchers examined records during specific time periods based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Washington County Circuit Court. |
| Wayne | Fairfield | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from Wayne County Circuit Court. |
| White | Carmi | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several Illinois Supreme Court cases appealed from White County Circuit Court. |
| Whiteside | Morrison | No | Researchers did not visit Whiteside County. |
| Will | Joliet | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate a change of venue case in Will County Circuit Court. |
| Williamson | Marion | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate an Illinois Supreme Court case appealed from Williamson County Circuit Court. |
| Winnebago | Rockford | No | Researchers did not visit Winnebago County. |
| Woodford | Eureka | Full | Researchers located Lincoln era county records at the courthouse in Eureka. Period case files were available. All court record books, chancery record books, judge's dockets (the judge's docket 1841-50 was located at Metamora Courthouse State Historic Site and the judge's docket 1851-55 was located at The Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana), execution dockets, and fee books were available. Judgment dockets were available after 1850. Clerk's dockets for the periods 1841-55, 1858, and 1860-61 were available. |
Out of State Counties |
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| Indiana County | County Seat | Search Type | Comments |
| Daviess | Washington | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Daviess County. |
| Fountain | Covington | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Fountain County Circuit Court. |
| Montgomery | Crawfordsville | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Montgomery County Circuit Court. |
| Vigo | Terre Haute | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Vigo County Circuit Court. |
| Vermillion | Newport | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Vermillion County Circuit Court. |
| Warren | Williamsport | Focused | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in Warren County Circuit Court. |
| Kentucky County | County Seat | Search Type | Comments |
| Fayette | Lexington | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trials of several cases in which Lincoln appeared as a litigant. |
| Missouri County | County Seat | Search Type | Comments |
| St. Louis | St. Louis | Limited | Researchers examined records during a specific time period based on evidence that Lincoln practiced in the St. Louis Court of Common Pleas. |
| Wisconsin County | County Seat | Search Type | Comments |
| Rock | Janesville | Limited | Researchers examined records to locate the trial of a Wisconsin Supreme Court case appealed from Rock County Circuit Court. |