ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

Record Description – Sheriff

Jail Register Index

Index shows the inmate's name and entry in the corresponding Jail Register, and may also include personal information on the inmate.

Jail Registers

Record shows the prisoner's name, sex, age, height, eye and hair color, race, country or state of birth, and any distinguishing marks or scars; the date and by whom the prisoner was committed; the offense; and the date and reason for the prisoner's release from jail. Records frequently give more detailed personal information about the prisoner, such as habits (temperate or intemperate), literacy, occupation, marital status, nationality of parents, and an itemized list of personal effects.

Jail Reports

Reports show the names of prisoners, the number of jailers and deputies, and the daily and monthly totals of prisoners.

Jail Visitors' Register

Register shows the name and address of each jail visitor, the name of the prisoner visited, the relationship of the prisoner to the visitor, and the date of the visit.

Sheriff's Execution Dockets

Dockets show the case number; the names of the plaintiff, defendant, and plaintiff's lawyer; the dates of judgment, writ, and return; the date and time received; the amount of damages, the costs, and the amount of sheriff's fees; the date execution was returned; whether execution was satisfied; and the name of the sheriff.

Sheriff's Fee Books

Fee books usually show the date, court, and case number, the names of the plaintiff and defendant, the date of service, the date returned, by whom served, and the kind and amount of service.

Sheriff's Process Dockets

Dockets show the case number; the names of the plaintiff, defendant, and plaintiff's lawyer; the type of process; the court; the sheriff's fee; the name of the person executing the process; and the dates received, served, and returned.