Sources checked October 28, 2026. Holdings checked against official catalogs and repository descriptions. Staff-confirmed details are identified below; other holdings are based on published sources. No name-level search; dates do not guarantee complete coverage or online images.
STOP 01 / WIU IRAD
Burton Township: follow a road and its neighbors
A township record can place a person in local affairs between federal census years. Pair the meeting record with the highway series for the same place and period.
Burton Twp: Township Record 1850–2009 · Accession 2/0221/01
Burton Twp: Highway Commissioners’ Record 1900–1935 · Accession 2/0221/03
A focused question to ask
Which volumes cover my road or section in the target years, and do they have an internal name or subject index?
Evidence limit: Township meetings do not list every resident. A highway decision does not by itself prove ownership or kinship.
STOP 02 / WIU IRAD
Clayton Township: compare the road record with the decision
Use the road record to frame a location question, then ask whether the commissioners’ record provides the accompanying discussion.
Clayton Twp: Road Record 1878–1903 · Accession 2/0120/02
Clayton Twp: Highway Commissioners’ Record 1861–1900 · Accession 2/0120/03
A focused question to ask
Can you identify the volume for this road and year, and whether related entries occur in both series?
Evidence limit: These are two cataloged series, not a verified matching case. A road name may have changed.
STOP 03 / WIU IRAD
Quincy: street assessments and township meetings
Separate the city’s assessment work from Quincy Township’s meetings. The two governments created different records.
Quincy: Street Assessment Record 1853–1866 · Accession 2/0087/10
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: Western Illinois University, Macomb. Direct IRAD research requests to the regional depository, not the university’s separate archives or special collections.
Request research by telephone or mail to IRAD-WIU, University Libraries, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455. WIU does not accept IRAD research requests by email. Call before visiting; university closures and seasonal hours affect access. Ask about copying charges before ordering.
Start with no more than two names, approximate dates, the county and the record type. Include the township or school where known and the accession number above. Ask whether an index exists, which volumes survive and what copying will cost. For an unindexed series, agree on a manageable search before requesting a long period. The statewide policy directs research requests to telephone or mail rather than email; wait for a response before sending another request. See the statewide research policy ↗.
Request template: I am researching [person or place] in [locality] around [years]. Your catalog lists [title], accession [number]. Which volume covers that period, is it indexed, and how can I consult or obtain the relevant pages? Please let me know any gaps, restrictions and copying charges.
Collection dates at a glance
The table lists IRAD series with verified date spans. Community collections above may have different or unspecified coverage and separate access rules. Catalog spans are starting points, not guarantees of every year, locality or individual. Use the Research Planner to compare your years with these cataloged series.
Selected cataloged series for Adams County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
Burton Twp: Township Record
1850–2009
2/0221/01
Burton Twp: Highway Commissioners’ Record
1900–1935
2/0221/03
Clayton Twp: Road Record
1878–1903
2/0120/02
Clayton Twp: Highway Commissioners’ Record
1861–1900
2/0120/03
Quincy: Street Assessment Record
1853–1866
2/0087/10
Quincy Twp: Township Meeting Minutes
1875–1938
2/0087/03
Keep the record and your interpretation separate.
Save the depository, collection, accession number, volume, page, dates and any copy correspondence. Record uncertain names as uncertain. A shared road, school or signature can suggest an association; it does not establish a family relationship.
Suggest a correction, an overlooked collection or an updated access detail. An official link or source helps us check it before making a change. Please leave out private family documents and sensitive personal information.