ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

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Rock Island County

Established
February 9, 1831 (Laws, 1831, p. 52)
County organization was completed in 1833.

Origin of the name of the county
Named from rock island of that name in the Mississippi.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
1831–1833 — Attached to JoDaviess County (Laws, 1831, p. 53)
1827–1831 — JoDaviess
1825–1827 — Mercer
1825–1827 — Henry
1821–1825 — Pike
1823–1825 — Fulton
1812–1821 — Madison
1794–1812 — St. Clair

County Seats
1833–1835 — Farnhamsburg – House of John Barrell (temporary designation).
1835–1841 — Stephenson—Name changed to Rock Island in 1841.
1841–  — Rock Island

History of county governing board
1833–1835 — County Commissioners’ Court
1849–1857 — County Court
1857–  — County Board of Supervisors

Township Government
Adopted — November 4, 1856

Township Names
Andalusia — Formed from Edgington in September, 1858.
Blackhawk — Name changed from Camden on October 1, 1857.
Bowling
Buffalo Prairie — Name changed from Buffalo to Copper on October 1, 1857; from Copper to Buffalo Prairie in January, 1858.
Canoe Creek
Coal Valley
Coe — Name changed from Fremont to Penn on October 1, 1857; from Penn to Coe in January, 1858.
Cordova
Drury
Edgington
Hampton
Moline
Port Byron
Rock Island
Rural — Formed from Coal Valley (date unknown).
South Moline — Formed from Moline in March, 1879.
South Rock Island — Formed from Rock Island on March 1, 1878.
Zuma — Name changed from Walker on October 1, 1857.

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
Rock Island Probate Case Files Index (1834–1899)