ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

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Macon County

Established
January 19, 1829 (Laws, 1829, p. 28)

Origin of the name of the county
Named for Nathaniel Macon, a Colonel during the Revolution and later a Representative and United States Senator in Congress from North Carolina. He strenuously opposed the adoption of the United States Constitution as conferring powers on the Federal government, which should be reserved, to the states.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
1821–1829 — Shelby
1821–1827 — Fayette
1821–1829 — Sangamon
1819–1821 — Clark
1817–1821 — Bond
1816–1819 — Crawford
1812–1817 — Madison
1815–1816 — Edwards
1801–1812 — St. Clair
1790–1801 — Knox, Northwest Territory

County Seats
1829–1830 — Home of James Ward
1830–  — Decatur

History of county governing board
1829–1849 — County Commissioners’ Court
1849–1860 — County Court
1860–  — County Board of Supervisors

Township Government
Adopted — November 8, 1859

Township Names
Austin
Blue Mound
Decatur
Friends Creek
Harristown — Name changed from Harris in May, 1860.
Hickory Point — Name changed from Hickory in May, 1860.
Illini — Formed from Harristown in February, 1864.
Long Creek
Maroa
Milam — Formed from Mt. Zion (date unknown).
Mt. Zion
Niantic
Oakley
Pleasant View — Formed from Blue Mound and South Macon (date unknown).
South Macon
South Wheatland
Whitmore

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
Macon County Circuit Court Case Files Index (1829–1861)
Name Index to Illinois Local Governments