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 / WIU IRAD
School trustees and treasury: follow the district
Trustees’ minutes and treasurer’s cash books provide different views of school administration and expenditure.
School Trustees’ Minutes 1857–1901 · Accession 2/0094/01
School Treasurer’s Cash Books 1838–1859 · Accession 2/0094/02
A focused question to ask
Which township or district kept these books, and can I locate a named teacher, school site or payment?
Evidence limit: Administrative accounts are not a complete pupil roster. The cash-book range begins before Henderson County’s formation; ask the archivist how the early volumes are described.
STOP 02 / WIU IRAD
Poor farm inventory and accounts
The county poor farm’s account and inventory record offers a narrow way to research institutional operations.
Poor Farm Inventory and Account Record 1860–1869 · Accession 2/0226/01
A focused question to ask
Does the volume name suppliers, employees or residents, and is there an index or related register?
Evidence limit: The catalog title does not promise admissions or resident histories. A payment or inventory entry should not be treated as proof of residence.
STOP 03 / COMMUNITY COLLECTION
One-room schools and full yearbook PDFs
The library’s school project presents historical photos and documents drawn from Russell Liston’s collected school files. Its yearbook page offers individual PDF links, including Biggsville’s Echo beginning in 1931 and selected Oquawka Township Riverside Echoes volumes.
A focused question to ask
Can I identify the old school by name and compare a dated photograph or yearbook entry with its district records?
Evidence limit: Available years vary by school and contain gaps. Captions and compiled school histories need checking against originals; appearance in a class photo does not establish kinship.
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 Henderson County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
School Trustees’ Minutes
1857–1901
2/0094/01
School Treasurer’s Cash Books
1838–1859
2/0094/02
Poor Farm Inventory and Account Record
1860–1869
2/0226/01
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.