Edwards County, Illinois Genealogy

Guide to Edwards County, Illinois ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records. 

County Organization
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 who was the Governor of the Illinois Territory (1809-1818) and third Governor of the State of Illinois (1826-1830). His son Ninian Edwards Jr., is married to Elizabeth Todd, sister of, wife of Abraham Lincoln.

Description
The county was named for Ninian Edwards, the Territorial Governor of Illinois. The county seat is Albion and the county was organized on 1814. The County is located in the south-eastern part of the state.

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Illinois county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Illinois County Boundary Maps" (1790-1869) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.


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

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Biography

 * Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois: with illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers; pub. 1883, reprint 2001, ,
 * USGenWeb Archives

Cemeteries

 * GenealogyTrails 1842–1929 Burial records for St. John Episcopal Church

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

Federal
1830


 * Edwards County, Illinois 1830 Federal census (heads of family only); pub. 1968, Decatur Genealogical Society

1880


 * 1880 census by the United States of America of Edwards County Illinois, pub. 1981

State
1825


 * 1825 state census of Edwards County, Illinois, Illinois State Archives
 * Edwards County, Illinois 1825 census record; pub. 196?, Bond, Corene
 * Edwards County, Illinois: 1825 state census, early history, marriages, and patron list from 1813 to 1880; pub. 1973; Eberhart, Elsie Swartz

Centennial Celebrations, etc
Edwards County sesquicentennial 1814-1964; pub. 1964?; Edwards County Historical Society

Church History
Churches of Edwards County; pub. 19??;, ,

Court Records

 * Guardian index to files, Albion, Illinois : includes insolvents, adoption and insane persons from circuit clerk's office, Edwards County, Illinois, pub. 19??, ECHS
 * USGenWeb Archives

Emigration and Immigration

 * Report of aliens, 1818-1822; filmed 1981, IRAD-EIU,
 * Encyclopedia of American immigration, pub. 2001, Edwards County is mentioned in this series.

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

Funeral Homes
Ingram Funeral Home records, 1939-1971, Albion, Illinois; filmed 2005 note: the records were filmed in Wayne County, Illinois courthouse.

Genealogy
A History of Edwards County, Illinois; pub. 1980, 1993

Periodicals

 * Edwards County Historical Society journal
 * Edwards County Historical Society newsletter
 * Edwards County Historical Society quarterly

History

 * Edwards County (Ill.)--History - pamphlet
 * Pictures from the past-- Edwards County, Illinois. Volume 1; pub. 2003
 * Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois: with illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, pub. 1883, reprint 2001 WorldCat, Internet Archive, HathiTrust Digital Library, ,
 * Edwards County sesquicentennial 1814-1964, WorldCat,
 * Edwards County, Illinois, 1825 census with additions, early history beginnings of pioneers, marriages and patrons lists from 1813 to 1880; pub. 1973; WorldCat,
 * A History of Edwards County, Illinois, pub. 1980, 1983 ,
 * History of the English settlement in Edwards County, Illinois, founded in 1817 and 1818; pub. 1882, Birkbeck and Flower; (alternative title: Prairie Albion: an English settlement in pioneer Illinois), Ebookee, Questia,, ,
 * Real estate &amp; personal property assessment of Edwards County, Il., 1899 from the Albion Journal, Edwards County justices of the peace, 1814-1849, historical articles on early Edwards County justice &amp; West Salem, Il. from Richland County newspapers; pub. 1996, ,
 * Yester years in Edwards County, Illinois: a simple tale for simple people; pub. 1948-1950; WorldCat
 * Barns of Edwards County, pub. 2008
 * A history of southern Illinois: a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests; Internet Archive, WorldCat Volume 1 FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Digitized Books, Volume 2 FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Digitized Books, Volume 3 FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Digitized Books.
 * USGenWeb Archives

Land and Property
Original land records are held in the office of the County Clerk. See Illinois Land and Property for more information about using land records.

The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed online, through the Family History Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at Eastern Illinois University - search for Edwards County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the EIU IRAD Wiki page.

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

Copies of Original Records


 * 1815–1888 Deed Indexes, Deed Record 1815-1890 Grantees Grantors Deed records Warranty deeds
 * 1815-1978 Deed Record IRAD-EIU
 * 1888–1900 Grantee and Grantor Index
 * 1888-1899 Deed Index IRAD-EIU
 * 1890-1902 Land and Deed Records Grantees Grantors Deed records
 * 1855–1874 Land Records, 1855-1874 Record of swamp and overflow lands
 * 1874 Plat Record, Original Survey IRAD-EIU

Abstracts


 * 1814 Edwards County Historical Society. Original Land Sales, Edwards County, Illinois, beginning 1814. Albion, Illinois: Edwards County Historical Society (IL), 1983. ,

Online Resources


 * 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)


 * 1816–1865 Deed Grantee Index Genealogy Trails
 * 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

 * Maps of Illinois (1788-1940)


 * Edwards County Federal Township Plats
 * Federal township plats of Illinois (1804-1891). Edwards County
 * Edwards County (Ill.)--Maps - pamphlet


 * Boyd, Gregory A. Family Maps of Edwards County, Illinois. Norman, Oklahoma: Arphax Pub. Co., 2007. ,
 * W. W. Hixson Map, 1919, showing schools, churches and cemeteries
 * W. W. Hixson Map, 1926
 * Land atlas and plat book, Edwards - Wabash County, Illinois, 1970,

War of 1812
Some Military Land Grants USGenWeb Archives

Blackhawk War
Detachment of Capt. Hunter's Company, Detachment of Capt. Champion S. Mading's Company, Captain Solomon Hunter's Detachment USGenWeb Archives

Indian Wars
Some Military Land Grants USGenWeb Archives

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.


 * - 6th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company E.
 * - 7th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company E.
 * - 26th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 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.
 * - 136th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Company H.
 * - 152nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (1 year, 1865), Company F.

World War II
Army Enlistment Records USGenWeb Archives

Pensions
1883 Pension Roll USGenWeb Archives

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Records
 * 1800-1998 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * Index to the newspapers, Albion Journal and Albion Pioneer, 1869-1906, filmed 1975
 * Gleanings of old newspapers, pub. 2009 Newspaper clippings from various newspapers in Clay, Richland, Edwards, Lawrence, Wabash and Wayne Counties in Illinois. Include obituaries, birth announcements, weddings, court news and articles of general interest on those counties.
 * USGenWeb Archives

Obituaries

 * Edwards County, Il obituaries; DAR, pub 1994; from the Albion journal-register, Albion, Illinois, 1941; More libraries
 * Edwards Co., Illinois, obituaries, filmed 1975, manuscript
 * Obituaries from Richland &amp; Edwards Counties; pub. 2001
 * USGenWeb Archives

Photographs and Post Cards

 * Photographs USGenWeb Archives
 * Post Cards USGenWeb Archives

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Probate Records
Online Probate Records
 * 1772 - 1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1819 - 1988 at FamilySearch.org — images


 * See Illinois Probate Records for more information.

For information and tips about records, see IRAD-EIU

1817–present — The original Edwards county probate records are housed at the County Courthouse.


 * 1815–1916 Probate Will Record; IRAD-EIU
 * 1815–1871 Probate Case Files; IRAD-EIU
 * 1831–1885 Probate Record; IRAD-EIU


 * 1815–1922 Will Records
 * 1815-1869 Probate Court Files Index to administrations
 * 1815-1869 Probate Court Files Index
 * USGenWeb Archives

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.

Family History Centers
There are over 4500 Family History Centers worldwide which serve as branch facilities of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Volunteers provide research assistance to help patrons identify their ancestors. Some microfilms may be available to view at various family history centers. Locate your nearest Family History Center at the FamilySearch website. Call ahead to verify operating hours. All are welcome. The following centers are accessible to residents of Edwards County, Illinois:

Centralia Illinois Family History Center Leafland &amp; 3rd Street Centralia, Marion, Illinois Phone: 618-532-3482 Hours: Wednesday 2-6pm Attention: We have temporarily moved to this new location while our building is being remodeled.

Eldorado Illinois Family History Center 103 Grayson Rd Eldorado, Saline, Illinois Phone: 618-273-8172 Hours: By appointment. Please call 618-276-4283

Evansville Indiana Family History Center 8020 E Covert Ave Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana Phone: 812-471-0191 Hours: First Wednesday of every month 10:00 - 12:00, Tues &amp; Wed evening 6:00 - 8:00; other times by appointment Closed: Closed Major Holidays

Vincennes Indiana Family History Center 1940 N Old Hwy 41 Vincennes, Knox, Indiana Phone: 812-882-4022 Hours: T, Thu 9am-12:30pm, 5pm-8:30pm Closed: Closed 1 1/2 weeks for Christmas Please note: Addresses posted are not mailing addresses. Due to limited staff, Family History Centers are unable to respond to mail inquiries.

Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
The Eastern Illinois Regional Archives Depository is located at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. See the IRAD–EIU wiki page for more about this depository and its holdings.

Public Libraries
Albion Public Library 6 North 4th Street Albion, IL 62806 Phone: (618) 445-3314 Facebook

West Salem Public Library 112 West South Street West Salem, IL 62476 Phone: (618) 456-8970

SILNET (Southern Illinois Library Network)

The following libraries are outside of Edwards County, containing genealogical collections pertaining to the county.


 * Allen County Public Library
 * C. E. Brehm Memorial Library District
 * Marion Carnegie Library
 * Mount Carmel Public Library
 * Steeleville Area Public Library
 * John A. Logan Library
 * Mascoutah Public Library
 * Fairfield Public Library
 * Metropolis Public Library
 * Olney Public Library

Societies

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


 * Edwards County Historical Society quarterly periodical (different libraries)

Vital Records
Illinois Vital Records for more information. See also How to order Illinois Vital Records or order electronically online.

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
For information and tips about records, see IRAD-EIU

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 Marriage Record; IRAD-EIU
 * 1815–1968 Index; IRAD-EIU


 * 1587-1959 - Illinois, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — index
 * 1810–1934 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1815–1900 Edwards County Marriages Index A–G, H–Z (Genealogy Trails)
 * 1815–1820 Oldest county marriage records
 * 1815–1936
 * 1815–1926 Ancestry ($) Indexed
 * 1832–1910 Index –
 * 1833-1889 at FamilySearch — index

The following abstracts are available:


 * 1815–1900 Illiniois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 (1815-1900 for Edwards County); IRAD


 * 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.
 * USGenWeb Archives

Deaths
For information and tips about records, see IRAD-EIU

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 Death Record; IRAD-EIU
 * 1877-1933 Death index; IRAD-EIU,
 * 1877-1901 Register of deaths May be included in 1877-1950 Death Record, too.


 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1916-1947 (Historical Records Collection)
 * 1880 Mortality Schedule Index listed by Road District (Genealogy Trails)
 * USGenWeb Archives

The following abstracts are available at state IRAD site:


 * 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

 * Edwards County, IL History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Edwards County IL Genealogy
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Illinois Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * Edwards County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)