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 / UIS IRAD
Survey plats and entry books
Compare the original-survey plat record with entry books to frame a land-location question.
Plat Record, Original Survey 1856–1856 · Accession 4/0193/01
Entry Books 1821–1875 · Accession 4/0193/02
A focused question to ask
Which township and section cover the property, and what do the entry-book columns record?
Evidence limit: A survey or entry is not a complete chain of title. The catalog’s early entry-book dates predate Jersey County’s formation; ask how the predecessor material is arranged.
STOP 02 / UIS IRAD
Guardians’ inventories: document the property
A guardians’ inventory can provide a different route from a will when a research question involves a minor or estate property.
Probate Inventory and Appraisement Record 1882–1914 · Accession 4/0188/02
A focused question to ask
Is the person indexed as ward, guardian or decedent, and can staff identify the related probate file or order?
Evidence limit: Appointment of a guardian does not alone identify a biological parent. Preserve the stated role and distinguish an inventory from a court finding.
STOP 03 / COMMUNITY COLLECTION
Surname files that cross county lines
The research center describes thousands of surname files with family trees, photographs and newspaper clippings. It also holds Jersey, Greene and Calhoun census and marriage material, plus Jersey mortality, death and funeral records.
A focused question to ask
Which surname file, funeral record or photograph covers this family, and what source or donor is recorded?
Evidence limit: Surname files contain contributed research and may mix generations. An undocumented family tree is a lead, not proof.
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 Jersey County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
Plat Record, Original Survey
1856–1856
4/0193/01
Entry Books
1821–1875
4/0193/02
Probate Inventory Record, Guardians
1879–1922
4/0188/03
Probate Inventory and Appraisement Record
1882–1914
4/0188/02
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.