Sources checked October 28, 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
Virden’s 1897 school census
This single-year holding is a focused lead for a family associated with Virden. Ask what information the report records before assuming it names each child.
Virden: School Census Reports 1897 · Accession 4/0270/03
A focused question to ask
Does the 1897 report list individuals or totals, and what districts or parts of Virden does it cover?
Evidence limit: The catalog confirms a report for 1897, not its fields or a particular child. It does not establish coverage for other years.
STOP 02 / UIS IRAD
Virden council minutes: the local decision trail
A dated municipal question can lead to council minutes and ordinances. Search for a business, street or public project associated with the family.
Virden: City Council Minutes 1861–1966 · Accession 4/0270/06
Virden: City Ordinance Record 1911–1936 · Accession 4/0270/07
A focused question to ask
Is there an index or a dated entry for this business or street, and can I request the surrounding pages?
Evidence limit: An ordinance describes a rule. It does not prove that a named person complied with it or lived at a particular address.
STOP 03 / UIS IRAD
Bird Township: roads and stray animals
Road tax lists and an estray register offer different ways to investigate local activity. Treat a possible name as a lead to compare with land and census evidence.
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 Macoupin County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
Virden: School Census Reports
1897
4/0270/03
Virden: City Council Minutes
1861–1966
4/0270/06
Virden: City Ordinance Record
1911–1936
4/0270/07
Bird Twp: Road Tax Lists
1896–1900
4/0343/07
Bird Twp: Estray Record
1871–1898
4/0343/05
Bird Twp: Highway Commissioners’ Record
1871–1965
4/0343/02
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.