ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

IRAD Home  |  Administrative Histories / Record Descriptions  |  Local Government Records Database  |  Quick Links  |  Regional Map and Contact Information  |  Research Policy

Kendall County

Established
February 19, 1841 (Laws, 1841, p. 75)

Origin of the name of the county
For Amos Kendall, a successful politician and journalist, Postmaster General under Jackson, and as partner of S.F.B. Morse, the inventor of the electric telegraph, he contributed largely to the commercial success of that invention.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
1836–1841 — Kane
1831–1841 — LaSalle
1825–1831 — Putnam
1823–1825 — Fulton
1821–1823 — Pike
1819–1821 — Clark
1816–1819 — Crawford
1815–1816 — Edwards
1812–1815 — Madison
1801–1812 — St. Clair
1790–1801 — Knox, Northwest Territory

County Seats
1841–1845 — Yorkville
1845–1864 — Oswego
1864–  — Yorkville

History of county governing board
1841–1850 — County Commissioners’ Court
1850–  — County Board of Supervisors

Township Government
Adopted — November 6, 1849

Township Names
Big Grove
Bristol
Fox
Kendall
Lisbon
Little Rock
Na-Au-Say
Oswego
Seward — Name changed from Franklin (date unknown).

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