Sources checked October 29, 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 / COMMUNITY COLLECTION
Cass County society: a class photograph with identification clues
The society displays Arenzville High School’s 1930 class and a Virginia High School photograph labeled 1936. The latter has a partial identification list with unresolved names.
A focused question to ask
Can staff clarify the photograph’s date, caption and source, or help identify a person without overwriting the uncertainties?
Evidence limit: The gallery is a work in progress. A caption is evidence to assess, not an independently verified identity or complete class roster.
STOP 02 / COMMUNITY COLLECTION
Society library: follow a town through newspapers and directories
The library lists local newspaper microfilm, Beardstown city directories for 1962 and 1968, and Cass County telephone directories beginning in 1969. Select the town and period first.
A focused question to ask
Which newspaper issues or directory volumes cover my event, and can I arrange a focused lookup or microfilm visit?
Evidence limit: Listed spans do not establish every issue. A directory entry needs comparison with other evidence before identifying a person.
STOP 03 / UIS IRAD
Pupil examinations and school trustees’ decisions
A pupil examination record and school trustees’ minutes answer different questions about schooling and administration.
School Pupil Examination Record 1899–1916 · Accession 4/0226/03
School Trustees’ Minutes 1854–1954 · Accession 4/0226/15
A focused question to ask
Which districts and pupils are represented, and can the trustees’ minutes identify the relevant school or district?
Evidence limit: The county-level catalog does not identify every district covered. Trustees’ minutes should not be treated as an attendance register.
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: University of Illinois Springfield. Direct IRAD research requests to the regional depository, not the university’s separate archives or special collections.
Call first. UIS official pages differ about appointment availability and whether email research requests are accepted. Mail is a listed request route; confirm current staffing, the mailing address, appointments and copying arrangements directly before visiting.
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 Cass County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
School Pupil Examination Record
1899–1916
4/0226/03
School Trustees’ Minutes
1854–1954
4/0226/15
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.