Illinois research guide

Online resources

Illinois databases The Illinois Secretary of State is the state archivist and offers 15 statewide databases including land records, veterans, and vital records (most notably the state wide marriage index pre-1900). Also available are more than three dozen local searchable databases ranging from Chicago City Council proceedings 1833-1871 to Macoupin County Coroner's Inquest Files Index 1835–1928. This is a must-see for anyone with an Illinois connection. These are indices; in some cases the underlying records can be ordered. The underlying local records are deposited in seven repositories around the state, known collectively as IRAD or Illinois Research Archives Depositories. More on them here

Champaign County The Urbana Free Library has indexed online a large collection of genealogical records, including obituaries, containing over a million names, for this eastern Illinois county and home of the University of Illinois. Original copies available by mail for a fee.

Libraries

Morris The public library in Morris, Grundy County, Illinois, has a valuable index of names from the local newspaper, on card files stored in an old card catalog, from 1853 to 1930 -- an extraordinary resource. Next to the card catalog is the case of microfilms and two microfilm reader-printers. It's a small friendly place.

--Hh219 19:35, 13 April 2007 (MDT)