Randolph County, Illinois Genealogy

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



Description
The county was named for Edmund Randolph, Governor of Virginia. The county seat is Chester and the county was organized on 1795. The County is located in the Southwest area of the state.

County Courthouse
Randolph County Courthouse 1 Taylor St Chester, IL 62233 Phone: 618-826-5000 Randolph County Courthouse County records are most often kept at the County Courthouse or another local repository. For further information about where the records for Randolph County are kept, see the Randolph County Courthouse page.

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:

History Timeline
Randolph County was named for Edmund Jennings Randolph who was the first United States Attorney General and served under George Washington. He was also a Governor of Virginia and the second Secretary of State. The first European settlement in the area that is now called Randolph County, Illinois, was Kaskaskia in 1703. The town was originally settled by the French and Native Americans. The French also settled Prairie du Rocher and Cahokia (the latter in nearby St. Clair). Kaskaskia was the largest of these settlements throughout its early existence. Randolph County (and all of Illinois) was part of Quebec until 1717, when it was officially annexed into Louisiana. As a result of the French and Indian War, France lost its North American holdings east of the Mississippi River, including Kaskaskia. Although the British had the rights to Kaskaskia on paper, they did not arrive until 1766. The British ruled the area until it was conquered by the American colonies during the American Revolution. The Americans took Kaskaskia on July 4, 1778, but the Northwest Territory was not clearly in American hands until the conclusion of the Battle of Knox (IN) on 23 February 1779. Americans started arriving in Randolph County in the late 1770's, many of them Virginians who had been part of the army that took Kaskaskia. Within 20 years, Americans outnumbered the French and the Mississippi River area of Randolph County and the surrounding area was called the American Bottom (a name it still retains today). Most French settlers migrated across the river to Missouri, which at the time was controlled by Spain and later France.  Kaskaskia was made the capital of Illinois Territory in 1809.When Illinois became a state in 1818, Kaskaskia was the state capital.The capital was moved, however, in Fayette, in 1820, which ended Randolph County's prominence in Illinois history. The county seat was also moved from Kaskaskia to Chester in 1844.

Biographies

 * All of the Randolph County, Illinois family biographies from The Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois (1894) published by Biographical Publishing Co. are available free online at My Genealogy Hound.

Census Records
Censuses during the colonial period were irregular, but several exist.Like early American censuses, these only give the names of the head of household and the number of people in the household, but the information they contain is still of great use. For tips on accessing U.S. federal and state census records online, see Illinois Census.
 * 1850-1885 U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 found at Ancestry ($)
 * 1726-1732 French census: The Census Tables for the French Colony of Louisiana from 1699 Through 1732. . Online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1752 French census: Kaskaskia Under the French Regime, by Natalia Maree Belting. Polyanthos: New Orleans, 1948, p. 86-98. Belting includes a genealogical commentary on each entry in the census.
 * 1787 American census: Kaskaskia Records, 1778-1790, by Clarence Walworth Alvord. Illinois State Historical Library: Springfield, IL, 1909, p. 414-419. Alvord also includes a commentary that contains some genealogical information, although not all of it is accurate. This census only has French names on it. A (perhaps non-comprehensive) list of American men in Illinois (not just Kaskaskia) can be found at Alvord, p. 421-423, 443-445. Digital version at Ancestry ($).
 * 1825 Randolph County Illinois Census: Contains names of the heads of household in Randolph County. Transcription at Randolph County Illinois GenWeb.

Church Records

 * 1743-1765 Catholic Church. Ste. Anne-du-Fort-de-Chartres - parish registers
 * 1821-1971 First Presbyterian Church
 * 1838-1947 Records of St. Marcus Church, Round Prairie, [in German]

 Catholic The Church of the Immaculate Conception was a Catholic parish established originally as a Jesuit mission among the Indians in 1695 that had moved to the current site of Kaskaskia in 1703. It became a full parish in 1719. The parish register is the best available record for genealogical information before the early 1790's and the arrival of a large influx of Americans. The Catholic parish register for Kaskaskia survives in fragments only. Christenings/Baptisms are lost from mid-1721 to 1759. No marriage records before 1724 or from mid-1729 to 1740 are extant, nor are burial records before 1721 or from late 1727 to mid-1764. The parish register is available (in French only) in the following sources: FamilySearch has made parish records from 12 Belleville Diocese Catholic churches in Randolph County available online (free registration is required). The records include first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths:
 * 1695-1799 Catholic Church. Illinois register, 1695-1799. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1967.
 * 1) La population des forts français d'Amérique (XVIIIe siècle) by Marthe F. Beauregard.Kaskaskia's parish record is in volume 2.(Note: Beauregard only compiled records through 1799, even though the parish register goes well into the 19th century.)
 * 2) FamilySearch Library . This record has been digitized, see below.
 * 3) The Drouin Collection at ancestry.com.
 * 1729-1956 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Original court records are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Court Records for more information about using court records. The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through the FamilySearch Library or the Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Randolph County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
 * 1737-1885 Randolph County, Illinois court records, justice of the peace records, early notarial records, etc., 1737-1885 [Springfield, Illinois]: Ill. State Library, Records Management Div., Central Microfilm Unit, Secretary of State's Office, 1961.
 * 1800-1850 Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois). Randolph County, Illinois information, 1800-1850. [Chester, IL.]: Randolph County Genealogical Society, [2009]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1802-1807 Peggy Lathrop Sapp. Randolph County, Illinois commissioners' court records, 1802-1807. Springfield, Illinois: Wanda Warkins Allers and Eileen Lynch Gochanour, 1986. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * starting 1804 Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois). Early court records of Randolph County, Illinois beginning in 1804 - census, court cases, marriages, probates &amp; wills, relocation of county seat, roads and bridges. [Chester, Ill.]: Randolph County Genealogical Society, 2009. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1804-1809 Peggy Lathrop Sapp. Randolph County, Illinois orphans' court records, 1804-1809. Springfield, Illinois : Wanda Warkins Allers and Eileen Lynch Gochanour, 1986. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1815-1878 Crowder, Lola Frazer. Randolph County, Illinois court cases. [Illinois] : L.F. Crowder, 1992. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Kaskaskia Records, 1778-1790, by Clarence Walworth Alvord, 1909. This is a compilation of civil records during the beginning of American rule in Kaskaskia.Includes a mix of court records, petitions to the American government, military records, and censuses. Digital version at Internet Archive; Ancestry ($).

Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1708-1816 Territorial Kaskaskin Manuscripts IRAD (SIU)
 * 1722-1784 Territorial French court papers IRAD (SIU)
 * 1768-1773 Territorial court of judicatory record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1801-1814 Territorial court of common pleas record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1802-1809 Territorial court of general quarter sessions record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1808-1810 Territorial court of Oyer and Terminer record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1810-1813 Territorial general court record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1810-1813 Territorial general court record, Indiana IRAD (SIU)
 * 1815-1851 Circuit court record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1818-1819 Territorial Justice court minutes IRAD (SIU)
 * 1824-1836 Record

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
 African Americans
 * 1809-1863 Registry of negroes
 * African American Research (US) has more information about the kinds of records.
 * The Illinois State Archives has an online database of Servitude and Emancipation Records which includes the following records for Randolph County.
 * Record Book 1, 1736–1782
 * Deed Record J-M, 1797–1815
 * Servitude and Emancipation Registers, 1809–1863
 * Kaskaskia Manuscripts, 1714–1816


 * Illinois African-American Resource Guide by the Illinois State Archives describes what records are at the State Archives with an online method for ordering records.
 * African-American Resources for Illinois

Genealogies
Campbell, Crozier, Flack, Milligan, Steele, Thompson, Crawford Robertson, Robert Crawford,. Pioneer families of Randolph and Perry Counties, Illinois notes on the Campbell, Crozier, Flack, Milligan, Steele and Thompson families the Crawfords of Ballynease, Londonderry, Ireland, with descendants in the U.S.A., and their descendants in the Elsey, Garven, Matthews and Robertson families. Chattanooga, Tenn.: R.C. Robertson, 1960. Ancestry ($)

Land and Property Records
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 through the FamilySearch Library or the located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Randolph County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * 1800-1850 Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois). Randolph County, Illinois information, 1800-1850. [Chester, IL.]: Randolph County Genealogical Society, [2009]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1814-1874 Crowder, Lola Frazer. Original patent land record, Randolph County, Illinois 1814-1874. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1820 Wiechens, Lucille Wittenborn. Residents of early Randolph County, Illinois. [Illinois: L.W. Wiechens], 1989. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1847-1852 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. Kaskaskia land warrants, military certificates, Randolph County, Illinois. Springfield, Illinois: Allers and Gochanour, 1986. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1875 Marissa Historical and Genealogical Society (Marissa, Illinois). Illustrated historical atlas of Randolph Co., Illinois.Dallas, Texas: Taylor Pub. Co., 1990.Online Copy Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Boyd, Gregory Alan. Family maps of Randolph County, Illinois: with homesteads, roads, waterways, towns, cemeteries, railroads, and more. Norman, Oklahoma Arphax Pub. Co., 2008. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1768-1851 Deed record IRAD (SIU)
 * Beginning 1820 Land Patent Search See Illinois Land and Property for more information about this database.
 * Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
 * Randolph County Federal Township Plats
 * 1796-1907 U.S. General Land Office Records found at Ancestry ($)
 * Illinois Public Land Purchase Records This record extract includes over 538,000 land sales from the 19th Century. Each entry includes the purchaser's name, purchase date, number of acres, price per acre, and in some cases the purchaser's sex and residence. Available at www.ancestry.com ($)

Local Histories

 * A Directory, Business Mirror, and Historical Sketches of Randolph County by E. J. Montague - the first history of Randolph County, Illinois, published in 1859. It includes biographical sketches of early settlers of Randolph County (mostly Americans) and a directory listing the head of household and occupation of every 1859 resident of Randolph County.Digital version at Google Books.
 * Kaskaskia Records, 1778-1790, by Clarence Walworth Alvord, 1909. This is a compilation of civil records during the beginning of American rule in Kaskaskia. Includes a mix of court records, petitions to the American government, military records, and censuses. Digital version at Internet Archive; Ancestry ($).
 * Kaskaskia Under the French Regime by Natalia Maree Belting, published in the 1940's and still one of the authoritative sources on French colonial life in Randolph County (especially Kaskaskia). Internet Archive. . Other libraries (WorldCat).
 * The History of Kaskaskia, Illinois, in a Family History Context
 * Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the Counties: Together with Biographies and Portraits of All the Presidents of the United States, and the Governors of the State of Illinois. Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1894. Digital versions at Internet Archive; Ancestry ($).
 * Robertson, Robert Crawford. Pioneer Families of Randolph and Perry Counties, Illinois: Notes on the Campbell, Crozier, Flack, Milligan, Steele and Thompson Families: The Crawfords of Ballynease, Londonderry, Ireland, with Descendants in the U.S.A., and Their Descendants in the Elsey, Garven, Matthews and Robertson Families. Chattanooga, Tenn.: R.C. Robertson, 1960. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Township Map of 1870 Randolph County, Illinois with numerous small settlements. (My Genealogy Hound)
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
 Civil War Regiments. Civil War service men from Randolph 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 Randolph County.
 * - 5th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company K.
 * - 7th Regiment, Illinois Cavalry, Company M.
 * - 9th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company D.
 * - 10th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company I.
 * - 22nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies H and I.
 * - 30th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Companies C and E.
 * - 34th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company G.
 * - 142nd Regiment, Illinois Infantry (100 days, 1864), Companies H and K.
 * - 154th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company F.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1800-1998 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1856-1991 Illinois, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991 at Ancestry - index and images ($)

Newspapers

 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)
 * Early Kaskaskia, Illinois Newspapers, 1814-1832, by Lola Frazer Crowder: Frontier Press, 1994.

Probate Records
Original estates and wills are held in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. See Illinois Probate Records for more information about using probate records. The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through the FamilySearch Library or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Randolph County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.

Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1772-1999 Illinois Wills and Probate Records 1772-1999 at Ancestry — index and images ($)
 * 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * 1796-1963 Index to estates
 * 1800-1915 Unprobated wills box
 * 1809-1886 Probate records
 * 1816-1874 Index to unprobated wills
 * 1826-1916 Wills
 * 1829-1833 Probate inventory record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1844-1849 Administrator's records
 * 1869-1878 Probate estate docket
 * 1819-1988 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Images only
 * 1796-1973 Geerling, Carrol, Lucille Wittenborn Wiechens, and Randolph County Genealogical Society. Randolph County, Illinois probate records : county court house [sic], Chester, Illinois. Chester, Illinois : Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois), [19--]Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1800-1850 Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois). Randolph County, Illinois information, 1800-1850. [Chester, IL.]: Randolph County Genealogical Society, [2009]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * starting 1804 Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois). Early court records of Randolph County, Illinois beginning in 1804 - census, court cases, marriages, probates &amp; wills, relocation of county seat, roads and bridges. [Chester, Ill.] Randolph County Genealogical Society, 2009. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1827-1869 Torrens, Mrs. Frank S. Death records (data filed at office of city clerk at person's death from Jan. 1918 to Aug. 1953), hospital records of births (1878-93, 1940-49, Sparta, Randolph County, Illinois), wills and administration, guardianship papers, etc. (1827-1869, Randolph County, Illinois). [S.l. : s.n., 19--?].
 * 1832-1835 Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. Randolph County, Illinois, probate court estate inventories &amp; sales, Nov . 5, 1832 - Aug. 7, 1835. Springfield, Illinois : Allers and Gochanour, 1986. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Taylor, Mrs. Harlin B. Records of Randolph County, Illinois. Decater, Illinois: Vio-Lin Enterprises: Distributed by Heritage House, Thomson, Illinois, 1973. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Crowder, Lola Frazer. Randolph County, Illinois probate records, 24 Apr. 1832-20 Sep. 1834. [S.l.] L.F. Crowder, 1999.
 * Sapp, Peggy Lathrop. Randolph County, Illinois probate records, bonds, executors, administrators, April 2, 1829-Aug. 5, 1835 and abstracts of administrations, 1844-1849 and abstracts of guardianships, April 2, 1833-Nov. 6, 1849. Springfield, Illinois: Wanda Warkins Allers and Eileen Lynch Gochanour, 1986. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Vital Records
Vital records consist of birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Original birth and death certificates recorded until the year 1916 are kept by the Randolph County Clerk while those recorded after 1916 are kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health. with a copy to the County Clerk. Original marriage records are usually kept by the County Clerk from the establishment of the county to the present. Original divorce records are generally in the office of the Circuit Court Clerk. The following abstracts and copies of original records may be accessed through online databases, the FamilySearch Library and the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) located at the Southern Illinois University (SIU) - search for Randolph County records. For information on how to use IRAD see the SIU IRAD Wiki page.
 * 1800-1850 Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois). Randolph County, Illinois information, 1800-1850. [Chester, IL.]: Randolph County Genealogical Society, [2009]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Taylor, Mrs. Harlin B. Records of Randolph County, Illinois. Decater, Illinois: Vio-Lin Enterprises: Distributed by Heritage House, Thomson, Illinois, 1973. Other libraries (WorldCat)

Birth

 * 1792-1910 Crowder, Lola Frazer. Randolph County, Illinois births. [Illinois?: L.F. Crowder], 1992. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1809-1870 Myer, Lois C. Vital records of Randolph and Washington counties, Illinois, 1809–1870. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1969.
 * 1861-1890 James, June A. Randolph County, IL birth certificate abstracts. Chester, Illinois : Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois), [200–?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Dickinson, H.B. and Elda Jones. Birth records, Dr. H.B. Dickinson, Coulterville, Illinois. Marissa, Illinois Marissa Historical &amp; Genealogical Society, 2003. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1860-1953 Birth certificates, delayed IRAD (SIU)
 * 1870-1915 Delayed births
 * 1877-1915 Birth index
 * 1877-1915 Birth record IRAD (SIU) ;
 * 1877-1930 Birth record index IRAD (SIU)

Marriage

 * 1587-1959 Illinois, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1763-1900 Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1790-1860 Illinois Marriage index found at Ancestry ($)
 * 1805-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1809-1870 Myer, Lois C. Vital records of Randolph and Washington counties, Illinois, 1809–1870. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1969.
 * 1810-1940 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1800-1850 Myer, Lois C. Randolph Co., Illinois, women marriages, 1800–1850. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1968.
 * starting 1804 Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois). Early court records of Randolph County, Illinois: beginning in 1804 - census, court cases, marriages, probates and wills, relocation of county seat, roads and bridges. [Chester, Ill.] Randolph County Genealogical Society, 2009. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1807-1875 Crowder, Lola Frazer. Randolph County, Illinois marriages. [S.l. : s.n., 1995?]-1997. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1809-1870 Torrens, Frank S. and Louise M. Torrens. Marriage records, Randolph County, Illinois, 1809 to 1870. Sparta, Illinois: Torrens, [19--?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1809-1870 Paulus, Bernadine. Women's index to marriage records of Randolph Co., Illinois, 1809-1870. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974.
 * 1876-1940 Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois).Randolph County marriages. Chester, Illinois : Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois), [200-?]. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1768-1934 Land records (early deed books contain some marriages)
 * 1807-1925 Index
 * 1807-1925 Marriage records
 * 1809-1840 Marriage licenses IRAD (SIU)
 * 1809-1910 Marriage record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1809-1925 Marriage record index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1809-1859 Marriage record, transcription IRAD (SIU)
 * 1905-1919 Marriage license applications IRAD (SIU)

Death

 * 1749-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1809-1870 Myer, Lois C. Vital records of Randolph and Washington counties, Illinois, 1809–1870. Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1969.
 * 1839-1955 Coulter, Frances. Kay Jetton, Elda Jones, and Burns/Lentz Funeral Home. Randolph County, Illinois death records: 1839–1955. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; Index and images
 * 1877-1915 Crowder, Lola Frazer. Randolph County, Illinois deaths. [S.l.] L.F. Crowder, 1995-1997. Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1877-1915 Death record IRAD (SIU)
 * 1877-1915 Death record index IRAD (SIU)
 * 1877-1917 Index to deaths
 * 1877-1917 Register of deaths
 * Pre-1916 Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre-1916 at Illinois State Archives - index; Also at: MyHeritage($)
 * 1916-1950 Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * 1916-1950 Illinois Deaths, 1916-1950 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1920-2005 Moore, Velda Wittenbrink. Welge/Pechacek Funeral Home death dates 1920-2005 85 years of information. Chester, Illinois: Randolph County Genealogical Society, 2006.Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * 1951-1971 Illinois Death Certificates, 1951–1971 at Illinois State Archives - index
 * Smith, Faye Saxenmeyer. Funeral card collection, by Faye Saxenmeyer Smith. Chester, Illinois Randolph County Genealogical Society (Illinois), 1992. .Other libraries (WorldCat)
 * Torrens, Mrs. Frank S. Death records (data filed at office of city clerk at person's death from Jan. 1918 to Aug. 1953), hospital records of births (1878-93, 1940-49, Sparta, Randolph County, Illinois), wills and administration, guardianship papers, etc. (1827-1869, Randolph County, Illinois). [S.l. s.n., 19--?].

Archives
 Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) IRAD is a system of Illinois Regional Archives Depositories managed by the Illinois State Archives, housing the archival records of local Illinois counties, townships, municipalities and school districts. The seven Regional Depositories are housed on state university campuses scattered throughout Illinois. Southern Illinois University houses the records for Randolph County.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Carbondale Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Farmington Missouri FamilySearch Center
 * Foxcroft Illinois FamilySearch Center
 * Herrin City Library - an affiliate library
 * Perry County Genealogical Family Research Library and Archive Center - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Central Public Library District 701 Oak St#A Evansville, IL 62242 (618)853-4081
 * Chester Public Library 733 State Street Chester, IL Phone: 618-826-3711 Website
 * The Chester Library in Chester, (Randolph County) Illinois has a digitized copy of William Morrison's Ledger Book on their website. The William Morrison Ledger is a handwritten ledger listing the transactions conducted at his Kaskaskia Store between 1805 and 1831. The ledger includes the customer's name, items purchased, and amount owed. The 655-page ledger offers glimpses of early merchandising methods. It lists over 1200 early settlers who pioneered or traveled through Kaskaskia (now Randolph County, Illinois). In a separate book, presumably one of Morrison’s clerks compiled a handwritten index of the ledger. The ledger was also digitized as part of the project. However, it is in very fragile condition and several pages have sections missing. Morrison’s descendant, another William Morrison, gave the ledger and many other Kaskaskia Store account books to the Chester Public Library. The FS Library has a copy of the index, which is included in the ledger. The ledger can be accessed at: http://digsrvr.shawls.lib.il.us/cht/ Website]


 * Coulterville Public Library 103 S 4th Street Coulterville,IL 62237 (618)758-3013Website
 * Evansville Public Library 602 Public St Evansville, IL 62242 (618)853-4067
 * Red Bud Public Library 112 Bloom St. Red Bud, IL 62278 (618)282-2255
 * Sparta Public Library 211 West Broadway Sparta, IL 62286 (618)443-5014 Offers genealogical research for hire. Website
 * Steeleville Area Public Library  625 S. Sparta St. Steeleville, IL 62288 (618) 965-9732 Website

Societies

 * Coulterville Historical Society PO Box 708 107 Fourth Street Coulterville,IL62237 Phone 681-317-4933 Email:[mailto:cvillehistory@cvillecusd1.org cvillehistory@cvillecusd1.org] Website
 * Randolph County Genealogical Society 13 Westwood Drive Steeleville, IL 62288 Phone 618-965-3705 E-mail:[mailto:rcgs1990@frontier.com RCGS] Website
 * Randolph County Historical Society 7840 State Route 4 Sparta, IL 62286-3659 Phone 618-633-3705 E-mail:[mailto:rcgs1990@frontier.com rcgs1990@frontier.com] Website
 * Randolph County Historical Society 104 Hillcrest Drive Chester, IL 62233 Phone 618-284-7396 Email:[mailto:creole.colleen@gmail.com creole.colleen@gmail.com]Website
 * Randolph County Museum and Archives 1 Taylor St Chester, Illinois 62233 Phone 618-826-2667 Website
 * The museum has a collection of Kaskaskia Manuscripts, court records dating to the 1700s, French colonial era.
 * The website shows a short video describing their holdings.

Websites

 * Randolph County ILGenWeb
 * Randolph County Illinois (AHGP)
 * Randolph County IL Genealogy (Illinois Genealogy)
 * Randolph County, Illinois Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

 * Alvord, Clarence Walworth. The Old Kaskaskia Records: An Address. 1906. Digital versions at Internet Archive (Free); Ancestry ($).