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Established: |
September 14, 1812
(By proclamation, Territorial Record of Illinois, p. 26) |
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Origin of the name
of the county: |
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Named for Richard M. Johnson, a Colonel
of the Kentucky militia, who served in Indian wars and the War of
1812, and reputed to have killed the Indian chief, Tecumseh, at the
battle of Thames. Johnson served as Representative in Congress and
United States Senator from Kentucky and Vice-President of the United
States from 1837 to 1841. |
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Present area, or
parts of it, formerly included in: |
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1795–1812 |
Randolph |
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1790–1801 |
Knox, Northwest Territory |
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| County
Seats: |
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1813–1814 |
Home of John Bradshaw |
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1814–1818 |
Elvira |
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1818– |
Vienna |
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| History
of county governing board: |
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1812–1814 |
Court of Common Pleas |
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1814–1818 |
County Court |
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1818–1819 |
Justices’ Court |
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1819–1849 |
County Commissioners’ Court |
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1849–1873 |
County Court |
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1873–1876 |
County Board of Supervisors |
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1876– |
Board of County Commissioners |
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Township
Government |
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Adopted: |
November 8, 1870—Division into townships completed in February,
1873. |
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Discontinued: |
November 7, 1876 |
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| Township
Names (under 1870 township organization): |
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Bloomfield |
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Burnside |
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Cache |
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Elvira |
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Goreville |
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Grantsburg |
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Simpson |
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Tunnel Hill |
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Vienna |
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Johnson County’s townships
became precincts after the abandonment of township government in
1876. |
