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Knox County

Knox County Courthouse
200 S. Cherry St.
Galesburg, IL 61401
309-345-3815 – County Clerk
309-345-3868 – Circuit Clerk
309-345-3818 – Recorder
IRAD Depository
University Library
Western Illinois University
1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455-1390
309-298-2716
Established
- January 13, 1825 (Laws, 1825, p. 94)
- County organization was completed on June 10, 1830.
Origin of the name of the county
- Named for Henry Knox, a soldier of the American Revolution who commanded the storming party at Stony Point, later a Major General and Washington’s Secretary of War.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
- 1823–1825 – Fulton
- 1821–1823 – Pike
- 1812–1821 – Madison
- 1801–1812 – St. Clair
County Seats
- 1830–1831 – Home of John B. Gum in Henderson
- 1831–1873 – Henderson – New location, name changed to Knoxville.
- 1873–present – Galesburg
History of county governing board
- 1830–1849 – County Commissioners’ Court
- 1849–1853 – County Court
- 1853–present – County Board of Supervisors
Township Government
- Adopted – (November 6, 1849)
- A Commissioners’ Report dated February 4, 1850 divided Knox County into 20 townships. With the exception of six townships noted below, the townships corresponded to those of the 1853 Commissioners’ Report. Township organization was not completed under this earlier election because a controversy arose concerning the type of majority necessary for adopting township form of government. November 2, 1852
Township Names
- Cedar – Name changed from Cherry Grove on June 8, 1853.
- Chestnut
- City of Galesburg – Formed as West Galesburg from Galesburg on January 9, 1866; name changed to City of Galesburg (date unknown, before 1921).
- Copley – Name changed from Richfield on June 8, 1853. Named Prince Albert in 1850 report.
- Elba – Name changed from Liberty on June 8, 1853.
- Galesburg
- Haw Creek – Name changed from Ohio on June 8, 1853.
- Henderson
- Indian Point
- Knox – Named Knoxville in 1850 report.
- Lynn – Named Frakers Grove in 1850 report.
- Maquon
- Ontario
- Orange
- Persifer
- Rio – Named North Prairie in 1850 report.
- Salem
- Sparta
- Truro – Named Chester in 1850 report.
- Victoria – Named Worchester in 1850 report.
- Walnut Grove
Township Map
Pertinent Databases