Cleaning again...a pamphlet from Illinois State Archives states that the records for the Illinois School for the Deaf are open providing the record you seek is at least 75 years old. Mental health records are permanently closed. [You will need a court order to get them -- if you can get one.] It advises you might find information in prison and parole records and makes no comment so presumably those are open to all with no time restriction. I know someone who asked for records from Stateville [Joliet] from the prison and were told the records no longer exist. Perhaps if they had asked the State Archives the answer would have been different? The State Archives staff will search the federal census indexes for you. Be advised they will ONLY search the indexes and only limited information was indexed. For example, the 1930 census is not indexed. The 1900, 1910 and 1920 are indexed for head of household only. You are probably better searching through Ancestry or Heritage Quest, one or both of which may be available at your local library. The 1865 state census is partially indexed. To try that they need the name, county and township. Before requesting any state census search read this: http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/research_series/rseries5.html Cheryl Rothwell