Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) System Illinois State Archives

Cass County

Contact Information
Cass County Courthouse
100 E. Springfield St.
Virginia, IL 62691
217-452-7217 – County Clerk
217-452-7225 – Circuit Clerk
217-452-7217 – Recorder

IRAD Depository
LIB 144
University of Illinois at Springfield
One University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield IL 62703-5407
217-206-6520

Established

• March 30, 1837 (Laws, 1837, p. 101)

Origin of the name of the county

• Named for Lewis Cass, a soldier as well as a statesman, Territorial Governor of Michigan, Minister to France, United States Senator from Michigan, Secretary of War under Jackson, Secretary of State under Buchanan, and at one time a prominent candidate for the Presidency.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in

• 1823–1837 – Morgan
• 1821–1823 – Greene
• 1812–1821 – Madison
• 1790–1812 – St. Clair

County Seats

• 1837–1839 – Beardstown
• 1839–1843 – Virginia
• 1843–1867 – Beardstown
• 1867–present – Virginia

History of county governing board

• 1837–1849 – County Commissioners’ Court
• 1849–1873 – County Court
• 1873–1924 – Board of County Commissioners
• 1924–present – County Board of Supervisors

Township Government

• Adopted – November 6, 1923

Township Names

• Arenzville
• Ashland
• Beardstown
• Bluff Springs
• Chandlerville
• Hagener
• Newmansville
• Panther Creek
• Philadelphia
• Sangamon Valley
• Virginia

Township Map

Pertinent Databases

• Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
• Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950
• Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre–1916
• Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
• Local Governmental Records Database
• Name Index to Illinois Local Governments