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 officers and elections: name the people in charge
A single-year officers’ directory and election papers provide targeted leads into school governance.
School Officers’ Directories 1949–1949 · Accession 2/0017/11
School Election Papers 1951–1951 · Accession 2/0017/08
A focused question to ask
Which districts are covered, and do the election papers include candidates, results or petitions?
Evidence limit: The directory and election papers refer to different years. Holding school office is not evidence that a person’s children attended a particular school.
STOP 02 / WIU IRAD
School treasury: follow a payment
The treasurer’s account books and warrants can support a focused inquiry into a teacher, supplier or school expense.
School Treasurer’s Account Books 1923–1958 · Accession 2/0017/12
School Warrants 1946–1951 · Accession 2/0017/07
A focused question to ask
Which township or district issued the account or warrant, and can staff locate a payee and explain the entry?
Evidence limit: A warrant is not necessarily proof that a payment cleared. The catalog does not promise records for every district.
STOP 03 / COMMUNITY COLLECTION
Bradford newspapers: search a smaller community
The library’s digital archive lists the Bradford Independent (1885–1891), Stark County Republican (1892–1896), Bradford Stark County Republican (1897–1969) and Bradford Republican (1907–1984).
A focused question to ask
Does a school report, local notice or business item connect the person to a specific place and date?
Evidence limit: Title-level date spans do not guarantee every issue. OCR can miss names; newspaper statements require comparison with other evidence.
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 Stark County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
School Officers’ Directories
1949–1949
2/0017/11
School Election Papers
1951–1951
2/0017/08
School Treasurer’s Account Books
1923–1958
2/0017/12
School Warrants
1946–1951
2/0017/07
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.