ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

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Iroquois County

Established
February 26, 1833 (Laws, 1833, p. 19)

Origin of the name of the county
Name of a former confederacy of six Native North American peoples, the Mohawk, Oneida, Seneca, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Tuscarora who originally settled along the Hudson River Valley. The name of the tribe was given originally to a river stretching 120 miles between Jasper County, Indiana and the Kankakee River in Illinois and was later transferred to the county.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
1826–1833 — Vermilion
1823–1826 — Edgar
1819–1823 — Clark
1816–1819 — Crawford
1815–1816 — Edwards
1812–1815 — Madison
1801–1812 — St. Clair
1795–1801 — Knox, Northwest Territory

County Seats
1837–1839 — Montgomery
1839–1865 — Middleport
1865–   — Watseka

History of county governing board
1833–1849 — County Commissioners’ Court
1849–1856 — County Court
1856–   — County Board of Supervisors

Documented Record Losses
October 16, 1866 — Fire. Some records lost or damaged (18 years).

Township Government
Adopted — November 6, 1855

Township Names
Artesia — Formed from Ash Grove and Loda (date unknown, before 1921).
Ash Grove
Ashkum — Formed from Chebanse and Onarga in March, 1857.
Beaver
Beaverville — Formed from Papineau and Beaver in September, 1921.
Belmont
Chebanse
Concord
Crescent — Formed as Logan from Belmont on September 17, 1868; name changed to Grenard in September, 1869 and Crescent (date unknown).
Danforth — Formed from Douglas and Ashkum (date unknown, before 1921).
Douglas — Formed from Onarga in May, 1858.
Fountain Creek — Formed from Ash Grove on September 15, 1868.
Iroquois — Formed as Westfield from Middleport in May, 1858; name changed to Iroquois (date unknown).
Loda
Lovejoy — Formed form Milford on February 19, 1868.
Martinton — Formed as Buchanan from Wygant (Papineau) in September, 1857; named changed to Martinton (date unknown).
Middleport — Name changed to Watseka in September, 1863 and back to Middleport (date unknown).
Milford
Milks Grove — Formed from Chebanse (date unknown, before 1921).
Onarga
Papineau — Name changed from Wygant on September 16, 1862.
Pigeon Grove — Formed from Loda and Fountain Creek in September, 1875.
Prairie Green — Formed as Prairie from Crab Apple (Stockland) in March, 1857; name changed to Prairie Green in March, 1858.
Ridgeland — Formed as Ridge from Onarga on January 29, 1879; name changed to Ridgeland (date unknown).
Sheldon — Formed from Concord on February 19, 1868.
Stockland — Formed as Crab Apple in September, 1864.

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