THE DEVELOPMENT OF KNOX COUNTY

(Extracted from the History of Knox County, Illinois, Vol. I, by Albert Perry, pgs 6-8,
submitted by Janine Crandell)

The division of Illinois into counties began in 1790. More than the east half of that part of the state south of the Illinois River constituted one county, and it was called Knox County. Changes and a further subdivisions were made in 1793, 1801, 1803 and 1809. In 1809 the name of Knox County drops out. In the subdivision of 1790 that portion between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers was untouched. In the subdivisions of 1801, 1803 and 1809, it was included within the limits of St. Clair County, which comprised about four-fifths of the entire area of the state, Randolph County occupying the other one-fifth in the southern portion of the state. In the subdivisions of 1812 and 1813, about the same amount of territory and similarly located, was called Madison county. The territory now occupied by Knox County remained a part of Madison County until 1821, when that portion of the state line between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers was called Pike county.

On the 28th day of January, 1823, a further subdivision was made, and Pike County was cut down to a very small part of what it once was. Fulton County was laid out and covered the south four townships of what is now Knox County. The balance of the land now comprising Knox County and the territory north and east was attached to Fulton County for judicial purposes.

On the 13th day of January, 1825, Knox County was formed by an act of legislature, and it covered the same territory that it covers today, with the exception of four townships on the north, the four townships on the south previously included in Fulton County been given to Knox, and four townships on the north being given to Henry County, giving to Knox County sixteen townships only.

The County remain the same until 1831, when on January 13th, the boundary of the county was changed by adding a row of townships on the north and to townships, numbers 12 and 13 in range 5 East, on the east.

Another change was made March 2, 1839, whereby the two townships, numbers 12 and 13 North in range 5 East, was taken from Knox and given to Stark county. Since that time there has been no change in the area of Knox County.

Thus it is shown that the territory comprising the county of Knox today, has been a part of St. Clair, Madison and Pike counties, and that a part of the territory of Knox County has heretofore formed a part of Fulton and Henry counties. The inhabitants of the county at different points were obliged to go to Lewistown, Rushville, Pittsfield, Edwardsville, and Kaskaskia to secure an abstract of title to their lands. After the formation of Knox County in its present shape, the records pertaining to lands in Knox County were carefully copied from the above places and now constitute a part of the records of Knox County. It is supposed, however, that the records of Knox County today as kept at Galesburg, are complete, and there is no reason for visiting other county seats for information concerning Knox County lands.

During the progress of fixing the territory, state and county boundaries, a systematic plan of survey has been pursued. The plan of Congress consisted in running a base line east and west through some point having a natural witness, if possible, and running a meridian line north and south from this base line. Then beginning in an angle formed by those base and meridian lines, laid out the townships six miles square. The north and south rows of townships were called ranges and the ranges were numbered one, two, three, etc., east or west of the meridian as the case might be.

The description of lands in Knox County is arrived at in the following way: the city of Beardstown in Cass County, Illinois, is on the Illinois River, and is taken as the starting point for all descriptions of land west of the Illinois river. A line running to north from Beardstown is known as the fourth principal meridian. Another line passing to Beardstown runs west from here to the Mississippi River, and is known as the base line. If you take a township map of the state of Illinois, and start at Beardstown and count the townships northward until you reach Knox County, you will find that the southwest township of Knox County is the ninth township north of the base line running through Beardstown. It is also east of the fourth principal meridian. Therefore, the southwest township of Knox County would be described as township nine, north of the base line, and in range one, east of the fourth principal meridian. This township is also known as Indian Point. The southeast township of the county is known as Salem Township, and under congressional description would be known as township nine, north of the base line, and in range four, east of the fourth principal meridian. Each township is divided into sections each one mile square, and in each township therefore has thirty-six sections. They are numbered beginning at the northeast corner of the township for number one, running westward six miles, then drop one mile south and you have section seven, then you run eastward six miles and you have section twelve, then drops southward one mile and run west six miles and you have section eighteen, and so on until you have numbered all sections in the township, giving you thirty-six sections in all. Knox County has twenty townships which would make 720 sections, making approximately 450,800 acres.

It is a simple matter from the above congressional rule to describe any fraction of section in the county. If you are purchasing the northeast quarter of Section 1, township 11 north, in range 1, east of the fourth principal meridian, you know that it is 160 acres of land in the northeast corner of Galesburg township.

The following table shows a complete description of each township in the county of Knox as at present existing:

Indian Point  -- township   9 North, range 1 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Cedar           -- township 10 North, range 1 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Galesburg     -- township 11 North, range 1 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Henderson    -- township 12 North, range 1 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Rio               -- township 13 North, range 1 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Chestnut       -- township   9 North, range 2 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Orange          -- township 10 North, range 2 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Knox             -- township 11 North, range 2 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Sparta           -- township 12 North, range 2 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Ontario         -- township 13 North, range 2 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Maquon        -- township    9 North, range 3 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Haw Creek    -- township 10 North, range 3 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Persifer        -- township 11 North, range 3 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Copley          -- township 12 North, range 3 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Walnut Grove -- township 13 North, range 3 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Salem            -- township  9 North, range 4 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Elba              -- township 10 North, range 4 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Truro            -- township 11 North, range 4 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Victoria          -- township 12 North, range 4 E. of the 4th principal meridian.

Lynn              -- township 13 North, range 4 E. of the 4th principal meridian.