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
School agreements: trace the school as a place
Start with the school district or parcel, especially when a family story identifies a school but not an address.
School Contracts and Agreements 1844–1963 · Accession 5/0095/02
School District Deeds 1840–1972 · Accession 5/0095/01
A focused question to ask
Which district and school names are represented, and how are the contracts arranged?
Evidence limit: These are administrative and property records, not a confirmed pupil roster.
STOP 02 / EIU IRAD
Albion council minutes: follow a local decision
A council date can help frame a search for streets, businesses or municipal work.
City Council Minutes (Albion) 1881–1974 · Accession 5/0071/02
A focused question to ask
Is there an index for the business, street or individual, and are supporting papers retained?
Evidence limit: The series covers Albion, not every Edwards County community.
STOP 03 / COMMUNITY COLLECTION
Edwards County Historical Society Museum: research inside a historic house
The Albion Area Chamber describes the museum’s research library and the society’s historical and genealogical books published in 1980 and 1993.
A focused question to ask
Do the library or society books index my surname, school or settlement?
Evidence limit: The published description does not give a complete manuscript inventory or guarantee a family file.
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 Edwards County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
School Contracts and Agreements
1844–1963
5/0095/02
School District Deeds
1840–1972
5/0095/01
City Council Minutes (Albion)
1881–1974
5/0071/02
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.