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Stephenson County
Contact InformationStephenson County Clerk and Recorder
Stewart Centre
50 W. Douglas St., Ste. 500
Freeport, IL 61032
815-235-8289
Circuit Clerk
Stephenson County Courthouse
15 N. Galena Ave.
Freeport, IL 61032
815-235-8266
IRAD Depository
Founders Memorial Library
Rm. 245B
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-1807
Established
- March 4, 1837 (Laws, 1837, p. 96)
Origin of the name of the county
- Named for Benjamin Stephenson, prominent pioneer, a Colonel of the Territorial militia, and Adjutant General of the Territory (1813–1814).
Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
- 1826–1837 – JoDaviess
- 1836–1837 – Winnebago
- 1825–1826 – Putnam
- 1823–1825 – Fulton
- 1821–1823 – Pike
- 1817–1821 – Bond
- 1812–1821 – Madison
- 1801–1812 – St. Clair
County Seats
- 1837–present – Freeport
History of county governing board
- 1837–1850 – County Commissioners’ Court
- 1850–present – County Board of Supervisors
Township Government
- Adopted – November 6, 1849
Township Names
- Buckeye – Original spelling was Buck Eye.
- Dakota – Formed from Buck Eye in April, 1861.
- Erin
- Florence
- Freeport
- Harlem – Name changed from Wayne in December, 1850.
- Jefferson – Formed from Loran (no date, before 1921).
- Kent – Formed from Erin on March 17, 1856.
- Lancaster
- Loran
- Oneco
- Ridott
- Rock Grove
- Rock Run
- Silver Creek
- Waddams
- West Point
- Winslow
Township Map
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