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Mason County
Contact InformationMason County Courthouse
125 N. Plum St.
Havana, IL 62644
309-543-6661 – County Clerk
309-543-6619 – Circuit Clerk
309-543-6661 – Recorder
IRAD Depository
LIB 144
University of Illinois at Springfield
One University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield IL 62703-5407
217-206-6520
Established
- January 20, 1841 (Laws, 1841, p. 69)
Origin of the name of the county
- Named after Mason County in Kentucky through the influence of emigrants from that county. Mason County, Kentucky, was named for George Mason (1725–1792), a statesman and delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention. Along with James Madison, he is called the "Father of the United States Bill of Rights."
Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
- 1827–1841 – Tazewell
- 1825–1827 – Peoria
- 1821–1839 – Sangamon
- 1839–1841 – Menard
- 1812–1821 – Madison
- 1790–1812 – St. Clair
County Seats
- 1841–1843 – Havana
- 1843–1851 – Bath
- 1851–present – Havana
History of county governing board
- 1841–1849 – County Commissioners’ Court
- 1849–1862 – County Court
- 1862–present – County Board of Supervisors
Township Government
- Adopted – November 5, 1861
Township Names
- Allens Grove
- Bath
- Crane Creek
- Forest City – Name changed from Mason Plains (date unknown, before 1921).
- Havana
- Kilbourne – Formed from Bath (date unknown, before 1921).
- Lynchburg
- Manito
- Mason City
- Pennsylvania
- Quiver
- Salt Creek
- Sherman – Formed from Havana, Pennsylvania and Mason Plains (Forest City) on January 27, 1867.
Township Map
Pertinent Databases