ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

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Hancock County

Established
January 13, 1825 (Laws, 1825, p. 93)
County organization was completed on January 15, 1829.

Origin of the name of the county
Named for John Hancock, a prominent figure of the Revolutionary period, a Major General of the militia, President of the Continental Congress, first signer of the Declaration of Independence, and first Governor of the State of Massachusetts.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
1825–1829 — Attached to Adams (Laws, 1825, p. 95)
1821–1825 — Pike
1812–1821 — Madison
1795–1812 — St. Clair

County Seats
1833–  — Carthage

History of county governing board
1829–1850 — County Commissioners’ Court
1850–  — County Board of Supervisors

Township Government
Adopted — November 6, 1849

Township Names
Appanoose
Augusta
Bear Creek
Carthage
Chili
Dallas City — Formed from Pontoosuc in 1860.
Durham
Fountain Green
Hancock — Formed from Fountain Green and St. Marys on April 27, 1855.
Harmony — Formed from Carthage and Chili on September 12, 1854.
La Harpe
Montebello
Nauvoo
Pilot Grove
Pontoosuc
Prairie — Formed from Montebello and Carthage on September 12, 1854.
Rock Creek — Formed from Sonora and Pilot Grove on April 27, 1855.
Rocky Run
Sonora
St. Albans
St. Mary's
Walker
Warsaw — Included only city of Warsaw after November 15, 1855.
Wilcox — Formed from Warsaw on November 15, 1855.
Wythe

Township Map

Pertinent Databases
Federal Township Plats of Illinois
Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950
Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
Local Governmental Records Database
Name Index to Illinois Local Governments