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UIS Archives/Special Collections Local Government Records: Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) County and municipal records dating from 1817 to the present, collected from 14 central Illinois counties: Bond, Cass, Christian, Fayette, Greene, Jersey, Macon, Macoupin, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Sangamon and Scott.  Circuit and Chancery Court record books, dockets, and case files Wills, estate inventory and probate case files Poll books and election returns Deed records Tax records Birth, death, marriage, and divorce records County commissioners' minutes Naturalization papers Cemetery records School records

Illinois State Archives: IRAD home page IRAD holdings in PDF format (requires Adobe Acrobat) Search the Illinois State Archives' Local Governmental Records Holdings Database   Map of IRAD Regions   Illinois State Archives Databases (federal land sales, Illinois war veterans, etc.)

RESEARCH POLICY

Visiting a Depository
Researchers may visit an IRAD depository and examine the records that are available. The seven IRAD depositories are open Monday through Friday. Depositories are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, state holidays, and any weekdays the university libraries are closed. Hours are reduced in June and July. Researchers are urged to call before planning a visit to a depository.

Requesting a Search
IRAD welcomes mail and telephone requests from researchers interested in genealogy and local history. In order for depository staff to conduct a search of the IRAD holdings, researchers should provide the following information:

• The full names of the persons they are researching
• The approximate year when these persons are expected to appear in the records
• The county which created the records
• Record titles/types to search

Include any additional information that may assist in locating the person or information requested (such as township or precinct for searches of tax and election records).

Researchers also are asked to limit requests to two (2) names at a time and to wait for a response to one request before submitting additional requests. Inquiries should be sent directly to:

Illinois Regional Archives Depository
University of Illinois at Springfield
One University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield IL 62703-5407

Fees
The research services of the IRAD system are provided at no charge. Therefore, when requesting information by mail, a self-addressed, stamped envelope is not necessary. However, there may be a photocopy fee, for which you will be billed. Unless an expenditure limit is set in advance by the researcher, authorization to produce photocopies will be requested for billings that exceed $5.

Family History Resources in the IRAD System
Many of the local government records collected by IRAD offer a rich source of information on our ancestors. The following list suggests some of the ways in which various types of IRAD records may be used by family historians. Note: The types of records held by IRAD vary from county to county.

Births To find date and place of birth and names of parents, consult: Birth Certificates (beginning 1877) Birth Registers (beginning 1877) Birth Certificates, Delayed

Deaths To find date, place, and cause of death, or place of burial, consult: Death Certificates (beginning 1877) Death Registers (beginning 1877) Probate Records Almshouse/Poor Farm Record Cemetery Record Coroner's Inquest Record

Marriages To find date and place of marriage, age, and residence of bride and groom, or consent of parent in case of minors, consult: Marriage Certificates Marriage Applications (beginning 1877) Marriage Record Marriage Licenses

Divorces To find date of dissolution of marriage and divorce proceedings and agreements, consult: Circuit Court Case Files, Chancery Circuit Court Record, Chancery

Residences To find place and duration of or changes in residence, consult: Assessor's Books Collector's Books Voters' Registration Records Deed Record Naturalization Petition Record

Real Property To find amount, location, and value of real estate owned; to find sale or mortgaging of property or division among heirs, consult: Assessor's Books Collector's Books Deed Record Tax Sale Record Probate Records Mortgage Record

Personal Property To find types of personal property owned, assessed valuations, mortgages, inventories and sales of estates, consult: Assessor's Books Probate Appraisement Record Probate Sale Record Probate Inventory Record Probate Inventory and Appraisement Record Chattel Mortgage Record

Naturalizations To find date of naturalization, age, nationality, date of emigration, place of residence in this country, consult: Naturalization Papers Naturalization Declarations of Intention Naturalization Record Naturalization Record of Soldiers and Minors

Estates To find date of death, details of will, names and relationship of heirs, guardians appointed for children, widow's portion of estate, settlement of estate, and results of contested estates, consult: Probate Wills Probate Record Probate Guardianship Record Probate Widow's Relinquishment and Selection Record Probate Case Files Circuit Court Records, Chancery (for contested estates)

School Attendance To find age, grade, and residence of children, consult: School Schedules School Pupil Registers

Court Actions To find involvement in civil, criminal, or chancery cases, consult: Circuit Court Record County Court Record Circuit Court Case Files County Court Case Files Circuit Court Index County Court Index

Paupers To find name, age, residence, occupation, birthplace, and occasionally death date and place of burial of paupers, consult: Almshouse Registers County Hospital Record Cemetery Record Board of Supervisors' Minutes Board of Supervisors' Proceedings Files

Professions   Records usually include names, residences, and dates of certification. Teachers' records often give age, residence, and education. Miners' records give age and years worked in mines. School Teachers' Records Miners' Examining Board Records (1908-) County Officials' Oaths and Bonds Election Records Physicians, Midwives, Nurses, Dentists, Optometrists, Veterinarians, Architects, and combined Professional Registers (most beginning 1877)