Dear Sue et al., The Ilinois State Archives site: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/archives.html has searchable data bases for several counties. From that site you can get to IRAD's (Illinois Regional Archives Depository System) or go to: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/irad/iradhome.html and click on "IRAD Local Government Records Data Base" Once you are there, "click on: "Search the Local Government Records Data Base" When you get to the search page simply type in "Shelby" or whatever county you want and click "submit query" This will show you all of the records available for Shelby or whatever county. The IRAD site has directions on where and how to order records from them. I've even gotten records from them that the County Clerk told me they didn't have. They do not charge for the searches but only for the copies that they make. Sue, the searchable data bases on the Illinois State Archives site is where I got the marriage info for Henry and Susannah " Bains". It is in the "Illinois Statewide Marriage Index" Be sure to try a variety of different spellings when searching this. I actually found "Longwell, Plummer" as "Logenwell, Phimener"!!! Happy Searching in Illinois! Sue in Oklahoma

I did what you said, now is it better to call and request look-ups or to write to them? Sue from Idaho ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Tolbert" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2001 9:50 AM Subject: [ILSHELBY] Illinois Regional Archives Depository System (IRAD) > Dear Sue et al., > > The Ilinois State Archives site: > http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/archives.html > has searchable data bases for several counties. From that site you can get to IRAD's (Illinois Regional Archives Depository System) or go to: > http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/irad/iradhome.html > and click on "IRAD Local Government Records Data Base" > Once you are there, "click on: "Search the Local Government Records Data Base" > When you get to the search page simply type in "Shelby" or whatever county you want and click "submit query" > This will show you all of the records available for Shelby or whatever county. > The IRAD site has directions on where and how to order records from them. I've even gotten records from them that the County Clerk told me they didn't have. They do not charge for the searches but only for the copies that they make. > > Sue, the searchable data bases on the Illinois State Archives site is where I got the marriage info for Henry and Susannah " Bains". It is in the "Illinois Statewide Marriage Index" Be sure to try a variety of different spellings when searching this. I actually found "Longwell, Plummer" as "Logenwell, Phimener"!!! > > Happy Searching in Illinois! > Sue in Oklahoma > > > >