ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

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Jackson County

Established
January 10, 1816 (Laws, 1815/16, p. 62)

Origin of the name of the county
Named after Andrew Jackson, statesman and seventh President of the United States (1829–1837). His army defeated the British at New Orleans during the War of 1812. As Democratic president (1829–1837), he opposed the Bank of America and greatly strengthened the presidency.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
1812–1816 — Johnson
1795–1816 — Randolph
1790–1795 — St. Clair

County Seats
1816–1817 — House of Nathan Davis on Big Muddy River.
1817–1843 — Brownsville
1843–  — Murphysboro—Name changed from Murphys Borough, date unknown.

History of county governing board
1816–1818 — County Court
1818–1819 — Justices’ Court
1819–1849 — County Commissioners’ Court
1849–1872 — County Court
1872–1875 — County Board of Supervisors
1875–1878 — Board of County Commissioners
1878–1883 — County Board of Supervisors
1883–1885 — Board of County Commissioners
1885–  — County Board of Supervisors

Documented Record Losses
June 10, 1843 — Fire. Some records lost or damaged.

Township Government
Adopted — November 7, 1871
Discontinued — November 3, 1874
Adopted — November 6, 1877
Discontinued — November 7, 1882
Adopted — November 4, 1884

Township Names
Bradley
Carbondale
Degognia
DeSoto
Elk
Fountain Bluff — Named Big Lake under first organization; changed to Fountain Bluff (date unknown).
Grand Tower — Named Big Hill under first organization, then changed to Fountain Bluff (date unknown); named Grand Tower under third organization.
Kinkaid
Levan
Makanda
Murphysboro
Ora
Pomona — Name changed from Ridge (date unknown, before 1921).
Sand Ridge
Part of Grand Tower and Fountain Bluff under second organization.
Somerset
Vergennes

Township Map

Pertinent Databases
Federal Township Plats of Illinois
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