Records that survive
These are the record series from Edwards County held by the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) system, with the earliest and latest years. A span can include gaps. They include county, township and city records. This county's are held at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriage Record1815–1968
- Marriage Record Index1815–1968
- Birth Record1877–1933
- Birth Record Index1877–1933
- Death Record1877–1950
- Death Record Index1877–1933
- Birth Certificates, Delayed1901–1905
Deeds and land
- Deed Record1815–1978
- Surveyor's Record1831–1925
- School District Deeds1840–1972
- School Land Commissioners' Account Record1842–1851
- Swamp Land Record1855–1874
- Plat Record, Original Survey1874
- Deed Index1888–1899
- Village Trustees' Minutes (West Salem)1914–1981
Wills and estates
- Probate Case Files1815–1871
- Probate Will Record1815–1916
- Probate Record1831–1885
Naturalization
- Alien Registers1817–1822
- Naturalization Papers, Circuit Court1819–1917
- Naturalization Record, Circuit Court1865–1888
- Naturalization Record, County Court1878–1902
Military and pensions
- Military Discharge Record1866–1967
Court records
- County Commissioners' Minutes1815–1832
- County Commissioners' Minutes, Wpa Transcription1815–1864
- Justice of the Peace Dockets1914–1935
Schools
- School Contracts and Agreements1844–1963
- School District Miscellaneous Files1897–1983
Elections and voters
- Election Papers1816–1891
Census
- Census Record1825
Town and city records
- City Council Minutes (Albion)1881–1974
- City Ordinance Record (Albion)1882–1934
Other records
- Servitude Record1815–1860
- Road District Record1888–1963
- Road District Treasurer's Account Books1900–1915
Search the IRAD database for this county
Source: Illinois State Archives, Local Government Records Database (choose the county to see every series and its accession number). Contact the depository before you visit. Illinois began statewide registration of births and deaths in 1916.
Where to find the records
- Find Edwards County's official website
We haven't checked this county's website yet, so this opens a web search. Look for an address ending in .gov, then find the county clerk, the recorder of deeds and the clerk of the circuit court.
- The county clerk
Births, deaths and marriages registered in the county.
- The recorder of deeds
Deeds, mortgages and other land records (in some counties the county clerk is also the recorder).
- The clerk of the circuit court
Probate (wills and estates), divorces and civil and criminal cases.
- The Illinois State Archives
In Springfield, with older county records at its regional depositories (IRAD) on university campuses.
- Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) systemfree
The State Archives' regional depositories, which hold older county, township and city records; search its Local Government Records Database by county.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Illinois, Edwards" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Gallatin County, Madison County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Gallatin County, Madison County
Later formed partly from Edwards County: Crawford County, Jefferson County, Lawrence County, Wabash County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1814, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Illinois began statewide registration of births and deaths in 1916; counties kept registers earlier, often from 1877 or 1878. The Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, from the State Archives, covers many marriages from 1763 to 1900.