Illinois State Archives
Norton Building
Springfield, IL  62756
Phone: (217) 782-4682

Very helpful workers at the archives.
The IL State Capital Bldg. is on 2nd and Capitol Sts, faces 2nd St. The Norton Bldg. is just south of the Capital, easy walking distance.

Wow, the databases they have online!

IRAD (Illinois Regional Archives Depository)

(If you should be able to find copies of documents at IRAD, they will be cheaper than at the courthouse.
(Morgan County IL list of resources at IRAD)

Address:
Brookens Library, LIB 144
P. O. Box 19243,
University of Illinois at Springfield
Springfield, IL 62794
(217) 786-6520
Hours open: M-F: 9:00am-5:00pm, with exception of holidays when the University is closed.
 

IRAD is Illinois Regional Archives Depository and is located in Brookens Library, University of IL at Springfield.  One can get there by going South on Interstate 55 south of Springfield, exit Toronto Road, East and follow the signs to University. It is a few miles from downtown.

IRAD is a depository for County and City governments who do not have room and who wish to preserve their respective County records. IRAD is located in seven Universities throughout the State of Illinois. Morgan County records are located at Brookens Library, University of IL in Springfield, as well as the surrounding Counties of Menard; Cass; Sangamon; Macoupin, Christian, Montgomery, Macon and others.

Records that are housed in IRAD are Local governments records; county board proceedings; records of births, deaths, and marriages; land deeds, mortgages and tax sale records; assessors' and collectors' tax books; pollbooks and vote registers; naturalization records; probate records, including wills, case files, administrator's and exectors' records guardinaship records, and inventory and apprasiment records; court case files, chancery cases (including divorce), docket books and court proceedings and insanity proceedings files and records; coroners' inquest records and inquest files; miscellanous county records incuding alms house/county home records and jail records.

County holdings in IRAD differ per County, depending on what the respective County sends to IRAD. For instance, you could find marriages for one county but not for another.

Their is no research fee, but there is a copying fee - contact IRAD for fees.

Visiting a Depository
Researchers may visit an IRAD depository and examine the records that are available. The seven IRAD depositories are open Monday through Friday. Depositories are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, state holidays, and any weekdays the university libraries are closed. Hours are reduced in June and July. Researchers are urged to call before planning a visit to a depository.

Requesting a Search
IRAD welcomes mail and telephone requests from researchers interested in genealogy and local history. The regional depositories are unable to receive or send requests by e-mail. Please direct inquiries to the depository holding the records you wish to have searched. Click here for Depository Addresses and click here for a Map of the IRAD Regions.

In order for depository staff to conduct a search of the IRAD holdings, researchers should provide the following information:
The full names of the persons they are researching
The approximate year when these persons are expected to appear in the records
The county which created the records
Record titles/types to search

Include any additional information that may assist in locating the person or information requested (such as township or precinct for searches of tax and election records).

Researchers also are asked to limit requests to two (2) names at a time and to wait for a response to one request before submitting another one. Inquiries should be sent directly to the depository holding the records of the county to be searched.


IRAD means Illinois Regional Archives Depository. IRAD for Morgan County is the University of Illinois at Springfield IL.
If you can find records at IRAD, it is much cheaper than at the county courthouse.
Call IRAD or you can visit or write.
To request a search of the IRAD holdings, see the IRAD Research Policy.

County main page