ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

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

Woodford County

Established
February 27, 1841 (Laws, 1841, p. 84)

Origin of the name of the county
Named after Woodford County in Kentucky through the influence of emigrants from that county.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
Eastern Part
1831–1841 — McLean
1827–1831 — Tazewell
1821–1827 — Fayette
1819–1821 — Clark
1816–1819 — Crawford
1815–1816 — Edwards
Western Part
1827–1841 — Tazewell
1825–1827 — Peoria
1821–1825 — Sangamon
1817–1821 — Bond
1812–1817 — Madison
1801–1812 — St. Clair
1790–1801 — Knox, Northwest Territory

County Seats
1841–1843 — Versailles – Temporary designation.
1843–1894 — Metamora—Named Hanover until February 21, 1845.
1894–   — Eureka

History of county governing board
1841–1849 — County Commissioners’ Court
1849–1855 — County Court
1855–   — County Board of Supervisors

Township Government
Adopted — November 7, 1854

Township Names
Cazenovia
Clayton
Clayton and Linn were originally attached and treated as one township (date of separation unknown).
Cruger — Formed from Olio on September 14, 1869
El Paso — Formed from Palestine in September, 1861.
Greene
Kansas — Formed from Palestine in September, 1859.
Linn
Linn and Clayton were originally attached and treated as one township (date of separation unknown).
Metamora
Minonk
Minonk and Panola were originally attached and treated as one township (date of separation unknown).
Montgomery
Olio
Palestine
Panola
Panola and Minonk were originally attached and treated as one township (date of separation unknown).
Partridge
Roanoke
Spring Bay
Worth

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
Woodford County Almshouse Registers Index (1868–1957)