Ledford is an unincorporated community in the Harrisburg Township, Saline County, Illinois, United States situated between Carrier Mills and Harrisburg, Illinois. It was named after a well known Ledford family in the area. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the peak of the coal boom in Saline County, it was a thriving mining center home to more than 1000 people. The town was known for its lavish gambling, partying, and night life. Notorious gangster Charlie Birger, who lived in Ledford, shot and murdered "Crip" Yates in Ledford on December 4, 1917.