The Library will be closed 12/24, 12/25, 12/26, and 1/1/2025.
The Charleston Carnegie Public Library's Genealogy & Local History Department houses the materials from the Library collection & the Coles County, Illinois Genealogical Society collection. This collection concentrates on local history materials of Coles County and surrounding counties: Edgar, Clark, Cumberland, Shelby, Moultrie, and Douglas.
The Collection
Coles County
Microfilm & Microfiche
Microfilm & Microfiche
- City Directories:
- Charleston, 1898-99, 1902-03, 1900-09, 1912, 1916, 1918, 1924-1925, 1928, 1932, 1937, 1942, 1947, 1952, 1952 supplement, 1957, 1965, 1969-1997.
- Charleston and Mattoon, 1878-79, 1998-2006.
- Mattoon, 1904, 1939, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1966-1975, 1977-1997.
- Coles County cemetery records, Prairie Sleeps, four volumes, sepa
- City Directories:
- Charleston, 1898-99, 1902-03, 1900-09, 1912, 1916, 1918, 1924-1925, 1928, 1932, 1937, 1942, 1947, 1952, 1952 supplement, 1957, 1965, 1969-1997.
- Charleston and Mattoon, 1878-79, 1998-2006.
- Mattoon, 1904, 1939, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1966-1975, 1977-1997.
- Coles County cemetery records, Prairie Sleeps, four volumes, separate index.
- Coles County Civil War Military Records, indexed.
- County Directories, 1895-96, 1918.
- Coles County Federal Census, 1850, 1860, 1870.
- Coles County History Books:
- Coles County History Book, 1879, separate index.
- Portraits and Biographical Album of Coles, 1887, indexed.
- History of Coles County, 1905.
- Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and Coles County History, 1906.
- Coles County History , 1876-1976, separate index.
- Coles County marriage records, 1835 to 1900.
- Coles County Plat Book, maps showing original owners, 1869, 1893, 1913.
- Coles County Plat Books, misc. years to 2007.
- Family Histories. (Over 62 feet of family history books and 36 drawers of family files.)
- Illinois mortality schedules, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880.
- Illinois State Census, 1810, 1818, 1820.
Microfilm & Microfiche
Microfilm & Microfiche
Microfilm & Microfiche
- Coles County birth records from 1878 to 1915 and death records from 1898 to 1913, in addition to delayed birth records and coroner's records.
- Coles County marriage indexes, 1830-1929.
- Coles County naturalization records, 1830-1896.
- Coles County will records, 1830-1925.
- Federal Census, Coles County, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1
- Coles County birth records from 1878 to 1915 and death records from 1898 to 1913, in addition to delayed birth records and coroner's records.
- Coles County marriage indexes, 1830-1929.
- Coles County naturalization records, 1830-1896.
- Coles County will records, 1830-1925.
- Federal Census, Coles County, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930.
- Illinois State Census, all Counties, 1850, 1860 and 1870.
- Mattoon city directories, 1902-1927.
- Samuel Stephen Sargent's Coles County genealogical materials. 15 reels.
- International Genealogical Index, 1988 edition. (The I.G.I. lists mainly birth and marriage records for the United States.)
Newspapers
Microfilm & Microfiche
Newspapers
- Casey Commercial, 27 May 1910; 10-17 June 1910; 2 Dec. 1910.
- Charleston Courier, few dates, 10 Jul. 1841 to 6 Apr. 1893 ; 1 Jan. 1895 to 22 Oct. 1920 ; Sept. 1937- 31 Mar. 1938 ; 2 May 1960 to 31 Mar. 1969.
- Charleston Courier News, 2 May 1960 to 31 Mar. 1969.
- Charleston Daily Courier, 7 Oct. 1899 to 19 Apr. 1920; 14 Jan. 1944; 4 Apr. 194
- Casey Commercial, 27 May 1910; 10-17 June 1910; 2 Dec. 1910.
- Charleston Courier, few dates, 10 Jul. 1841 to 6 Apr. 1893 ; 1 Jan. 1895 to 22 Oct. 1920 ; Sept. 1937- 31 Mar. 1938 ; 2 May 1960 to 31 Mar. 1969.
- Charleston Courier News, 2 May 1960 to 31 Mar. 1969.
- Charleston Daily Courier, 7 Oct. 1899 to 19 Apr. 1920; 14 Jan. 1944; 4 Apr. 1949.
- Charleston News, 25 Apr. 1903; 20 Dec. 1904; 26, 28 Mar. 1908; 3, 8, 20, 25 Apr. 1908; 4, 5 Jan. 1909; 10, 11, 13 Mar. 1909; 3 May 1909.
- Charleston Plaindealer, few dates, 26 May 1864 to 26 Jul. 1889; 25 Mar. 1908; 6 Jul. 1909; 27 May 1910; 2-6, 9 June 1910; 14 ,16, 19, 27, 30 Jul. 1910; 4-6, 10, 11, 13-15 Aug. 1910; 2-7 Dec. 1910; 4,6,16,30 Jan. 1911.
- Charleston Plaindealer-Herald, 20 Jul. 1903; 11 Mar. 1904.
- Charleston Times-Courier, 1 Apr. 1969 to 24 September 2011.
- Charleston Tribune, 4 Mar. 1915 to 31 May 1915.
- Charleston Weeklv News, few dates 25 Nov. 1899 to 12 May 1900; 2 Sep. 1905 to 2 Jun. 1906; 9 Jun. 1906 to 26 Mar. 1910; 2 Apr. 1910 to 28 May 1915.
- Coles County Ledger, (Oakland, IL.), 23 May 1861; 15 May 1862; 14 May 1863; 12 Sep. 1916 to 20 Dec. 1946.
- Danville Enquirer, 4 Nov. 1837. (Charleston Post Office, list of unclaimed letters.)
- Democrat, (Toledo, IL.), 18 Feb. 1891 to 14 Sep. 1911.
- Illinois Globe, (Charleston), few dates, 5 Sep. 1846 to 26 Jul. 1851.
- Journal, (Kansas, IL.), 5 Jan. 1893 to 22 Dec. 1977. (1973 missing.)
- Lerna Eagle, 8 Mar. 1918 to 28 Jan. 1943.
- Marshall Herald, 25 May 1910; 8 June 1910; 3 Aug. 1910; 7 Dec. 1910.
- Marshall Messinger, 6 June 1888.
- Mattoon Commercial, 4 Jan. 1883 to 29 Nov. 1883.
- Mattoon Gazette, 31 May 1860 to 20 July 1964; 16 Jul. 1875 to 27 Dec. 1901.
- Mattoon Journal, 4 Jan. 1902 to 31 Dec. 1904.
- Mattoon Journal-Gazette, 4 Jan. 1905 to 30 June 1969; 1 May 2000 to 30 Jun. 2000; Jan. 2, 2009 to 28 February 2009;1 January 2012 to 30 April 2012.
- Mattoon Morning Star, 21 Oct. 1904 to 31 Dec. 1907. (July, Aug or Sept. 1907 missing.)
- Oakland Daily Messenger, 17 Sep. 1900 to 10 Nov. 1900.
- Oakland Herald, 6 Apr. 1877; 4 May 1877.
- Oakland Messenger, 1 May 1896 to 12 Jul. 1951.
- Reporter, Charleston), 4 Apr. 1845; 21 Mar. 1846.
- Republican, (Charleston), few dates 21 Feb. 1845 to 16 Sep. 1847.
- Toledo Democrat, 18 February 1891 to 29 December 1904.
- Westfield Review, 29 Dec. 1910; 4 June 1931; 25 Aug. 1932.
- Obituaries (local newspaper) 1973-1974, 1977 to present date, indexed.