Moultrie County: Water-survey questionnaires, township roads and a society newspaper collection
Start with a Sullivan public-service question, a Jonathan Creek road, or a local newspaper title. Each route has a specific custodian and different access requirements.
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
Sullivan: a 1935 water-improvement survey
A one-year questionnaire series offers an unusual local-government lead. Ask what questions were asked and who responded before drawing conclusions.
Sullivan: Water Improvement Survey Questionnaires 1935 · Accession 5/0020/04
Sullivan: City Council Proceedings Files 1936–1951 · Accession 5/0039/08
A focused question to ask
Do the questionnaires identify addresses or respondents, and is there a surviving inventory?
Evidence limit: No individual questionnaire was inspected. Do not assume household coverage, names or a direct connection between the survey and later council files.
STOP 02 / EIU IRAD
Jonathan Creek Township: roads and local administration
The road record and township book provide separate entry points for a place-based question.
Jonathan Creek Twp: Road Record 1891–1916 · Accession 5/0150/04
Jonathan Creek Twp: Township Record 1867–1965 · Accession 5/0150/01
A focused question to ask
Which volume covers the road, section or meeting date, and does it reference separate papers?
Evidence limit: Catalog spans do not guarantee uninterrupted coverage. A proposed road or recorded action needs context and does not alone establish an ancestor’s residence.
STOP 03 / COMMUNITY COLLECTION
The History Center: identify the right local newspaper
The Illinois Newspaper Project lists the society as a holding location for titles including Bethany Echo, Lovington Reporter and Sullivan Progress. Its museum and library preserve county history in several formats.
A focused question to ask
Which exact issues and formats survive for this title and date, and can I consult or order a copy?
Evidence limit: The directory’s publication dates are not the society’s issue-level holdings. Confirm gaps and format directly; no continuous run is promised.
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 Moultrie County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
Sullivan: Water Improvement Survey Questionnaires
1935
5/0020/04
Sullivan: City Council Proceedings Files
1936–1951
5/0039/08
Jonathan Creek Twp: Road Record
1891–1916
5/0150/04
Jonathan Creek Twp: Township Record
1867–1965
5/0150/01
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.