Origins for names of Illinois counties

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Today there are 102 counties in the state of Illinois, but in 1795, Illinois, as defined by the Northwest Territory, had but two: St. Clair County, named for (and by) Arthur St. Clair, first governor of the U.S. Territory northwest of the Ohio River; and Knox County, named for Henry Knox, a soldier of the American Revolution and later Secretary of State to George Washington.

In 1818, the year Illinois became a state, there were 15 counties with three—Madison, Bond, and Crawford—extending from near present-day I-64 clear to the Wisconsin border. The last county added to the map was Ford; the year was 1859.

There are no counties named for women, Native Americans, Hispanics, or African Americans, but several are named for Europeans and Revolutionary War soldiers who never visited Illinois or the Northwest Territory. Two Illinois counties are named for the same person (DeWitt and Clinton); none is named for Lincoln.

To learn more about Illinois county histories, write for a free copy of "Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties," a monograph published by the Secretary of State's office (I-Pub. 15.9), from which the following brief histories were derived.

Six counties of Illinois Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Adams, and Jackson were named for Presidents of the United States. Adams County was named, not as commonly believed for the second president, John Adams, but for his son, the sixth president, John Quincy Adams.

Four counties Bond, Coles, Edwards, and Ford were named, respectively, for the first, second, third and seventh Governors of Illinois. Bond received its name the year before the election of the first Governor of Illinois.

Sixteen counties were named for other citizens of the state, prominent in different walks of life.

♦ Alexander, named for William M. Alexander, an early settler of the county and later a senator in the second and third Illinois General Assemblies.

♦Cook, named for Daniel P. Cook, a pioneer lawyer and first Attorney General of the state. He was also a representative to Congress from 1819 to 1827.

♦ Douglas, named for Stephen A. Douglas, an eminent lawyer, brilliant political orator, Secretary of State (1840), Representative to Congress (1843-'47), United States Senator (1858-'61), and candidate for President (1860).

♦Edgar, named for John Edgar, a pioneer merchant, politician, and land speculator.

♦Kane, for Elias Kent Kane, pioneer lawyer, Territorial judge, prominent member of the Constitutional Convention of 1818, first Secretary of State of Illinois, and later a United States Senator.

♦Logan, for Dr. John Logan, a pioneer physician and father of Civil War General John A. Logan.

♦McHenry, for William McHenry, pioneer of White County, soldier of the War of 1812 and the Black Hawk war. He was also a state representative in the first, fourth, fifth, and ninth General Assemblies, and state senator in the sixth.

♦McLean, for John McLean, pioneer lawyer and Territorial judge, first representative in Congress from Illinois (1818), and United States Senator (1824-1825).

♦Menard, for Pierre Menard, pioneer Indian trader, colonel of Territorial militia, and first Lieutenant Governor of the State.

♦ Ogle, for Joseph Ogle, pioneer politician and lieutenant of Territorial militia.

♦ Piatt, for James A. Piatt, Sr., who settled in that area in 1829, coming from Indiana.

♦ Pope, for Nathaniel Pope, first Territorial Secretary of State (1809-1816), and last Territorial Delegate to Congress from Illinois. Through Popes lobbying efforts, Illinois northern territorial boundary was raised forty-one miles, thus keeping Fort Dearborn (Chicago), Rockford, and Galena within the states boundaries.

Nathanial Pope

♦Stephenson, for Benjamin Stephenson, prominent pioneer, colonel of Territorial militia, member of the Constitutional Convention of 1818, State Senator in the second and third General Assemblies.

♦White, for Leonard White, pioneer of Gallatin County, major of Territorial militia, member of Constitutional Convention of 1818, State Senator in second and third General Assemblies.

♦ Whiteside, for Samuel Whiteside, colonel of Territorial militia, representative in the first General Assembly, and brigadier general of militia during Black Hawk war.

♦Will, for Conrad Will, pioneer politician, Territorial Recorder of Jackson County, member of the

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Constitutional Convention of 1818, and member of the General Assemblies of the State from the first to ninth inclusive.

Twenty-two counties were named in honor of military heroes, generally of the American Revolution, but some of later wars.

♦ Brown, for Jacob Brown, major general during the War of 1812, who won distinction at Sackett's Harbor, Chippewa, and Niagara.

George Rogers Clark

♦ Clark, for George Rogers Clark, soldier of the Revolution, who, as a colonel of the Virginia militia, established Colonial control in the Illinois country by the capture of Kaskaskia and Fort Vincennes.

♦ DeKalb, for Johann DeKalb, a German baron, who served in the Colonies during the Revolution, and was mortally wounded at Camden, South Carolina, in 1780.

♦Greene, for Nathaniel Greene, a major general in the Revolution, who distinguished himself as commander in the Southern Colonies.

♦ Jasper, for William Jasper, a sergeant of the Revolution who, during the action in Charleston harbor, replaced the flag shot away at Fort Moultrie, and later was killed at Savannah in 1779.

♦Jo Daviess, for Joseph Hamilton Daviess, prominent lawyer of Kentucky, United States District Attorney, and major of militia. He was killed at the battle of Tippecanoe, 1811.

♦Johnson, for Richard M. Johnson, a colonel of Kentucky militia, who served in Indian wars and the War of 1812, and was reputed to have killed the Indian chief Tecumseh, at the battle of the Thames. He was a representative in Congress and was a U.S. Senator from Kentucky, as well as Vice-President from 1837-1841.

♦ Knox, for Henry Knox, a soldier of the Revolution who commanded the storming party at Stony Point, later a major general and Washington's Secretary of War.

♦ Marion, for Francis Marion, a soldier of the Revolution who distinguished himself as a partisan commander in the Carolinas.

Hugh Mercer

♦Mercer, for Hugh Mercer, a general of the Revolution, killed at the battle of Princeton.

♦Montgomery, for Richard Montgomery, a Revolutionary general of Irish birth, who was killed before Quebec, December 31. 1775.

♦Morgan, for Daniel Morgan, a general of the Revolution who, as commander of the "Rifle Brigade," served with distinction at Quebec, Saratoga, the Cowpens, and other important engagements.

♦Moultrie, for William Moultrie, a general of the Revolution, who built Fort Moultrie and successfully defended it.

♦Pike, for Zebulon Pike, early explorer of the Louisiana Purchase, a general of the War of 1812 who was killed at York Canada.

♦Pulaski, for Count Casimir Pulaski, a Polish exile who espoused the cause of the Colonies during the Revolution and was killed at the attack on Savannah in 1779.

♦Putnam, for Israel Putnam, a major general of the Revolution.

♦Schuyler, for Philip Schuyler, soldier of the French and Indian wars, major general of the Revolution, member of the Continental Congress, and U.S. Senator from New York.

♦Stark, for John Stark, a soldier of the French and Indian wars and a major general of the Revolution, who served with distinction at Bunker Hill, Trenton, Princeton, and Bennington.

♦St. Clair, for Arthur St. Clair, a soldier of the French and Indian wars, a major general during the Revolution, Commander in Chief of the Army after the Revolution, and Governor of the Territory of the U.S. northwest of the Ohio.

♦Warren, for Joseph Warren, a physician and soldier who served at Lexington, a major general of Massachusetts militia, killed a the battle of Bunker Hill.

♦Wayne, for Anthony Wayne, a surveyor and politician of Pennsylvania. He was a major general during the Revolution, Commander in Chief of the Army after General St. Clair, and successful Indian Fighter in the Northwest Territory.

Anthony Wayne

Three counties were named in honor of naval commanders:

♦ Lawrence, for Captain James Lawrence, Commander of the Chesapeake, who was mortally wounded in an engagement between that vessel and the British vessel Shannon, during the War of 1812.

♦McDonough, for Thomas McDonough, a Commodore of the U.S. Navy, who commanded the fleet on Lake Champlain in a successful engagement with the British licet, near Plattsburg, in 1814.

♦Perry, for Oliver Hazard Perry, a Commodore of the U.S. Navy, who won distinction as Commander of the fleet in the battle of Lake Erie, in 1813.

Twenty-one counties were named for statemen and politicians, not citizens of Illinois, some of whom had distinguished themselves in military as well as civil life.

♦Calhoun, for John C. Calhoun, lawyer and statesman, U.S. Representative and Senator from South Carolina, Secretary of War under James Monroe. Vice-President and Secretary of State under John Tyler.

♦Carroll, for Charles Carroll of Carroll of Carrollton, a statesman of the Revolutionary period, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and U.S. Senator from Maryland.

♦Cass, for Lewis Cass, soldier and statesman, Territorial Governor of Michigan, Minister to France, U.S. Senator from Michigan, Secretary of War under Andrew Jackson, Secretary of State under James Buchanan, and one-time candidate for President.

♦Clay, for Henry Clay, statesman and political orator, U.S. Representative and Congressman from Kentucky, three times Speaker of the U.S. House, author

Charles Carroll

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of the Missouri Compromise, and a prominent candidate for President.

♦Clinton, for DeWitt Clinton, a distinguished lawyer, financier, statesman, mayor of New York City and governor of that state, U.S. Senator and promoter of the line Canal.

♦Crawford, for William H. Crawford of Georgia, U.S. Senator, Minister of France, Secretary of War, Secretary of the Treasury, and prominent candidate for Presidency in 1824.

♦DeWitt, for DeWitt Clinton.

♦Franklin, for Benjamin Franklin, philosopher, statesman, diplomat, author, printer, member of the Continental Congress, Ambassador to France, and (before the Revolution) Deputy Postmaster General of the British Colonies in America.

♦Gallatin, for Albert Gallatin, a statesmen and financier. Representative in Congress from Pennsylvania. Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, and Minister to France and England.

♦Grundy, for Felix Grundy, a lawyer and politician, U.S. Senator from Tennessee and Attorney General of the United States.

Albert Gallatin

♦ Hamilton, for Alexander Hamilton, soldier and statesman, author and financier, aid on the staff of Washington during the Revolution, a member of the Continental Congress, first Secretary of the Treasury (1789-1795), and Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Army in 1799.

♦ Hancock, for John Hancock, prominent figure in the Revolutionary period, major general of the militia, President of the Continental Congress, first signer of the Declaration of Independence, first governor of Massachusetts.

♦Henry, for Patrick Henry, lawyer, orator, and statesman of the Revolutionary period, a member of the Continental Congress, and governor of Virginia.

♦Kendall, for Amos Kendall, politician and journalist. Postmaster General under Jackson, and as partner of S.F.B. Morse, inventor of the telegraph, he contributed largely to the success of that invention.

♦Lee, for Richard Henry Lee, orator and statesman of the Revolutionary period, member of the Continental Congress, Representative to Congress and U.S. Senator from Virginia.

♦Livingston, for Edward Livingston, lawyer and statesman. Mayor of New York City, Representative to Congress from New York and later from Louisiana, U.S. Senator from the latter state. Secretary of State under Andrew Jackson, and U.S. Minister to France.

Edward Livingston

♦Macon, for Nathaniel Macon, colonel during the Revolution and later a Representative and U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He strenuously opposed the adoption of the U.S. Constitution as conferring powers on the Federal government that should be reserved to the states.

♦Marshall, for John Marshall, soldier of the Revolution, statesman, author, and jurist. Ambassador to France, Representative to Congress from Virginia, Secretary of State and Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

♦ Randolph, for Edmund Randolph, soldier of the Revolution, lawyer and statesman, member of the Continental Congress, Attorney General and Governor of Virginia, Secretary of State of the U.S. and Attorney General under Washington.

Edmund Randolph

♦Shelby, for Issac Shelby, soldier of the Revolution and Indian wars, Governor of Kentucky (1792-1796 and 1812-1816). Commanded the Kentucky troops in battle of the Thames in the War of 1812.

♦Tazewell, for Lyttleton Tazewell, eminent lawyer, Governor, U.S. Representative, and Senator from Virginia.

Counties named for counties in other states include: Champaign and Richland (Ohio); Christian, Hardin, Henderson, Macon, Scott, and Woodford (Kentucky); and Williamson (Tennessee). Seven counties have names derived from Native American words, typically for bodies of water; Iroquois, Kankakee, Macoupin, Peoria, Sangamon, Wabash, and Winnebago.

Fourteen counties have names from other sources.

♦ Boone, for Daniel Boone, early pioneer who explored the Cumberland Gap.

♦ Cumberland, from the Cumberland Road, named tor the town in Maryland and the mountain range.

♦ DuPage, for a small river of the same name said to have been that of French fur trapper who lived in the region.

♦ Effingham, for Lord Edward Effingham, who resigned his commission as general of the British army in 1775, refusing to serve in the war against the colonies.

♦ Fulton, for Robert Fulton, first successful builder of steamboats in American waters.

♦ Jersey, for the State of New Jersey, which is derived from the Isle of Jersey in Great Britain.

♦ Lake, for Lake Michigan.

♦ LaSalle, for Robert de LaSalle. French explorer who effected the first white settlements in Illinois and explored the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.

♦ Massac, from Fort Massac, a corruption of the French surname, Massiac.

♦ Rock Island, from the geographical landmark of that name in the Mississippi River.

♦ Saline, from Saline Creek, so called for numerous salt springs in that locality.

♦ Union, from the federal union of the American States.

♦ Vermilion, for the river of that name, the principal branches of which flow through the county.

Reprint permission granted by the Office of Secretary of State, Jesse White. For more information about Illinois County histories, visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com.

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