Edwards County, Illinois Genealogy

United States Illinois  Edwards County

Parent County

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

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.

African American
The following have information concerning African American research.


 * 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

Cemeteries
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.

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

Land and Propety
Illinois Land and Property for more information. 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:


 * 1814 Edwards County Historical Society. Original Land Sales, Edwards County, Illinois, beginning 1814. Albion, Illinois : Edwards County Historical Society (IL), 1983.
 * 1815-1978 Deed Record IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD
 * 1888-1899 Deed Index IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD
 * 1815–1888 Deed Indexes, Deed Record 1815-1890 first of 16 films
 * 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
 * 1888–1900 Grantee and Grantor Index
 * 1890-1902 Land and Deed Records
 * Family Maps. Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Edwards County, Illinois. Norman, Oklahoma : Arphax Pub. Co., 2007.

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.


 * - 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
 * 1815–1871 Probate Case Files IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records.
 * 1831–1835 Probate Record IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records.

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, with 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.

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, with index –IRAD-EIU Search for Edwards records. Information about how to use IRAD
 * 1815-1936, index 1832-1910 – First of 4 films
 * 1815–1820 Oldest county marriage records
 * 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
 * 1877–1901 Register of deaths

Societies, Libraries and Museums

 * Genealogical Society of Southern Illinois John A. Logan College Library 700 Logan College Road Carterville, Illinois 62918 Telephone: 618-985-2828, Ext. 8338 Hours: vary by season, see website

The Society focuses on Alexander, Clay, Clinton, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saline, St. Clair, Union, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, and Williamson counties. The Society's book and microfilm collection is housed at the John A. Logan College Library. The Society publishes a newsletter (click here for recent issues) and a quarterly journal The Saga of Southern Illinois (click here for a topical index for a breakdown of what has been published for each county).

Websites

 * 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)