Regarding Land Records, Contact Chicago Title and Trust Co.-ask where they now have the will county plat books(not in joliet anymore). You will need to know what township your ancestors where in and if you have it,legal description of land. IF you are basing land ownership on the 1878 listing of land owners-they may NOT have owned ANY land but only leased or worked it for someone else. The 1878 listing of will county land owners is very inaccurate. I suggest that you check elsewhere to verify land ownership-for instance-the illinois state land purchase index up on the net available through will county website under resources. You can order copies of these land records from the illinois state archives. Check for probate records-clerk of the circuit court,will county courthouse,14 west jefferson st.,joliet. There is a paper index to probates which starts in about 1836 to current. They are not easy to access but MUCH easier than land records in the will county recorders 0ffice. And if you find one has a great deal of genealogy info you can't find anywhere else. Such as death date and everyone's name in the family,etc. Also check illinois state database of civil war vets & 1929 honor roll of vets.(can get copies of these also. Can request a search of illinois state death records 1916-1945 IF you know location and approximate date(year only works). then you can request a search of appropriate library for an obit. COURT RECORDS GIVEN AWAY WHERE NOT LAND RECORDS,OR MARRIAGES,DEATHS,BIRTHS OR ADOPTIONS OR ANY OTHER VITAL RECORDS. They included only court records for civil court such as selling liquor on sunday,spitting on thew ground in a public place,bad debts,not cleaning up you property,making too much noise,etc. Hope this helps Kathy