Edwards County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  Edwards County

County Organization
Edwards County's civil records start the following years:

County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Edwards County are kept, see the Edwards County Courthouse page.

Historical Facts
Edwards County is named for Ninian Edwards who was the Governor of the Illinois Territory (1809-1818) and third Governor of the State of Illinois (1826-1830).

Boundary Changes

 * 28 November 1814: -- Edwards County was created 28 November 1814 from Madison and Gallatin Counties.


 * Interactive map of Edwards County boundary changes.

Places/Localities
To see a list of places in Edwards County, click on [Show], in the bar above. The preceding list of places includes incorporated cities and towns, unincorporated towns and communities, and place names that may have been used in family histories. Some have well-organized records and even have web sites. Some are simply social communities with no official records, but which may be referenced in small-town newspapers. The list is provided to help researchers identify localities within the county. As records or histories of these localities are identified, a page will be added for each of these place names.

Cemeteries
Illinois Cemeteries for more information. Find A Grave, list of cemeteries. Additional information can be found at local level (city, township, etc.)


 * Edwards Co. IL USGenWeb Tombstone Project usually gives the names of the deceased in alphabetical order by last name with birth and death dates plus any remarks.
 * Illinois Cemeteries by county.
 * 1842–1929 Burial records for St. John Episcopal Church

Federal
For tips on accessing census records online, see Illinois Census.

African American
The following have information concerning African American research.


 * 1815–1860 Database of Servitude and Emancipation Records. Also available at Ancestry ($).
 * African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records


 * Illinois State Archives pamphlet on African American Research describes what records are at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
 * African-American Resources for Illinois

Land and Property
Illinois Land and Property for more information.

Unlike most Illinois counties, Edwards is divided into Road Districts, as opposed to Townships found in other counties.

1815-present The original land and property records for Edwards County are held by the County Clerk. See the info box above for contact information. The following copies are available:


 * 1815–1888 Deed Indexes, Deed Record 1815-1890 first of 16 films
 * 1815-1978 Deed Record IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD
 * 1816–1865 Deed Grantee Index
 * 1888-1899 Deed Index IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD
 * 1888–1900 Grantee and Grantor Index
 * 1890-1902 Land and Deed Records
 * 1855–1874 Land Records, 1855-1874 Record of swamp and overflow lands
 * 1874 Plat Record, Original Survey IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records.Information about how to use IRAD
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database. Also available at Ancestry ($)
 * 1804-1891 Edwards County Federal Township Plats (Called Road Districts in Edwards)
 * 1814 Edwards County Historical Society. Original Land Sales, Edwards County, Illinois, beginning 1814. Albion, Illinois : Edwards County Historical Society (IL), 1983.
 * Family Maps. Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Edwards County, Illinois. Norman, Oklahoma : Arphax Pub. Co., 2007.
 * 1800s – Present - Use the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land Patent Index to obtain original federal land transfer records, including homestead, military warrants, and cash entry patents. These records help a researcher establish location and lead to National Archives’ records which may include genealogical information. Earlier land transfer records are at the National Archives.

Maps

 * Edwards County Federal Township Plats

Civil War
Civil War service men from Edwards County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies or regiments that were formed from men of Edwards County.


 * - 38th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 40th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 56th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company H.
 * - 63rd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company B.
 * - 87th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies B and H.

Probate Records
Illinois Probate Records for more information.

1817–present — The original Edwards county probate records are housed at Circuit Court Clerk'soffice.


 * 1815–1916 Probate Will Record IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD
 * 1815–1922 Will Records
 * 1815–1871 Probate Case Files IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD
 * 1815-1869 Probate Court Files Index to administrations
 * 1815-1869 Probate Court Files Index
 * 1831–1885 Probate Record IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD

Guardianships

 * 1815-1869 Probate Court Files Guardian Index

County Courthouse
County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Edwards County are kept, see the Edwards County Courthouse page.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
The Illinois State Archives administers a system of Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD) to manage the archival records of local governments. Local governments which have transferred records to the regional depositories include counties, townships, municipalities, and school districts. The records of Edwards County come under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Illinois University (EIU) regional depository.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) Booth Library Eastern Illinois University (EIU) 600 Lincoln Avenue Charleston, IL 61920 Telephone: (217) 581-6093 Hours: Monday – Friday, except state holidays 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Note: The depository is staffed by graduate student interns. Because of class scheduling conflicts, hours may vary somewhat from the published schedule. Researchers are urged to call before planning a visit.

Societies
Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois has a page with details about its' activities.

Vital Records
Illinois Vital Records for more information.

Births
1877–present - The original Edwards County birth records 1877-present are housed at the County Clerk's office. The following copies are available:


 * 1877-1933 - IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD
 * 1877-1933 Index - IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD
 * 1877-1933 Birth index –
 * 1877-1900 Births –
 * 1877-1900 Delayed births –
 * 1886-1900 Delayed births –
 * 1901-1905 Delayed birth cerificates – IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD

Marriages
1815–present — The original Edwards County marriage records 1815-present are housed at the County Clerk's office. The following copies are available:


 * 1815–1968 –IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. How to use IRAD
 * 1815–1968 Index –IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. How to use IRAD


 * 1815–1900 Edwards County Marriages Index A–G H–Z
 * 1815–1820 Oldest county marriage records
 * 1815–1936 First of 4 films
 * 1815–1850 At Ancestry ($) Indexed
 * 1832–1910 Index – First of 4 films
 * 1815–1926 At Ancestry ($) Indexed

The following abstracts are available:


 * 1815–1900 Illiniois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 (1815-1900 for Edwards County)
 * 1815–1844 Early marriages, includes index to 1831, and bride's index to 1844
 * 1845–1855 Goodson, Lois Jean. Marriage Book B, Edwards County Illinois, 1845–1855: Complete Alphabetical Listing of Males and Females. Albion, Illinois: Edwards County Historical Society, 1992.

Deaths
1877–present - The original Edwards County death records 1877-present are housed at the County Clerk's office. The following copies are available:


 * 1877–1950 IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD
 * 1877–1933 Death index IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records.
 * 1877–1933 Death index
 * 1916–1947 
 * 1877–1901 Register of deaths
 * 1880 Mortality Schedule Index listed by Road District

The following abstracts are available:


 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 (No data for Edwards County as of Aug 2011. Check back again as records are being added.)
 * 1916–1950 Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916-1950 (1916-1950 for Edwards County)

Websites
Databases pertinent to Edwards County


 * Local Governmental Records Database IRAD
 * Name Index to Illinois Local Governments IRAD
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Edwards County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)