Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) System Illinois State Archives

Knox County

Contact Information
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

• 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