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 / EIU IRAD
Teachers: examine the route into a school career
Teacher-candidate examinations and school directories can support a focused occupational search before or between census entries.
School Teacher Candidates Examination Record 1864–1893 · Accession 5/0113/06
School Officers' and Teachers' Directories 1903–1911 · Accession 5/0113/08
A focused question to ask
Which examination volumes or directories cover this person and year, and do they identify a school or district?
Evidence limit: Taking an examination does not establish employment. These two cataloged series cover different periods and are not a verified career history.
STOP 02 / EIU IRAD
Paradise Township: roads and releases
Pair the road record with the separately cataloged release record to investigate how a route affected a particular place.
Paradise Twp: Road Record 1862–1939 · Accession 5/0134/02
Paradise Twp: Road Release Record 1876–1897 · Accession 5/0134/03
A focused question to ask
How are the road releases arranged, and can a road, section or landowner name locate the related road entry?
Evidence limit: A release is not a complete land-title history. Confirm the exact location and parties before connecting it to an ancestor.
STOP 03 / EIU IRAD
Charleston: a waterworks change preserved on paper
The catalog identifies a 1923 electrification study, a distinctive starting point for researching municipal infrastructure and the setting of local work.
Charleston: Waterworks Electrification Study Report 1923–1923 · Accession 5/0020/02
A focused question to ask
What does the study contain, and are maps, illustrations or supporting technical details available for consultation or copying?
Evidence limit: This is a cataloged technical report, not a verified list of employees or customers. Its contents must be checked before making a person-level claim.
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: Eastern Illinois University, Charleston. 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, Booth Library, Eastern Illinois University, 600 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston, IL 61920. The depository is on Booth Library’s first level near the south entrance. Call before visiting to confirm access, university closures, seasonal hours, copying charges and accessible arrival arrangements. Follow the statewide telephone/mail research policy.
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 Coles County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
School Teacher Candidates Examination Record
1864–1893
5/0113/06
School Officers' and Teachers' Directories
1903–1911
5/0113/08
Paradise Twp: Road Record
1862–1939
5/0134/02
Paradise Twp: Road Release Record
1876–1897
5/0134/03
Charleston: Waterworks Electrification Study Report
1923–1923
5/0020/02
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.