History of the County and Courthouse, Macoupin County IL
History of the county and courthouse
Macoupin County Illinois
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Macoupin
County became the 50th county in Illinois on 17 January 1829 by an Act of the General Assembly out of unorganized Greene County and Madison County. Carlinville, the county seat, has a population of 5,416. The 2000 US Census shows the county's total population is 49,019. |
This index is layed out like the county. If we have history
for a town in or the township itself, the township will be
linked.
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South Otter Twp |
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Shaws Point Twp |
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Brushy Mound Twp |
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| Also see Photo Album |
Biographical
Sketches History Book 1904 |
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1911
History Book Online |
| Carlinville
Township History includes Courthouse Act of the General Assembly creating Macoupin County Illinois contributed by Robert Fletcher "The first known white men to cross the land that became Macoupin County were 350 soldiers from Fort Russell in 1812, led by Territorial Governor Ninian Edwards. Perhaps the earliest settlers were part of the so-called "Great Migration," which began at the close of the War of 1812 and had as one of its results the founding of the State of Illinois in 1818." (Taken from the Macoupin County Courthouse Centennial 1867-1967 booklet provided by a committee of citizens with Lucille Paul Carney, Chairman.) First Macoupin County Courthouse 1829 Newspaper Excerpts relating to that courthouse excerpts from Missi Darnell A Brief History of Macoupin County an article by Joseph Howell (many area names) - from James Stratmann Personal Recollections of the Early Settlement of Carlinville, Illinois(by Mrs. M.B.W.) - contributed by Mary Ann Stewart Kaylor The first white child born in Macoupin County was probably Samuel Love born in South Palmyra Township 1822. Descendant of Samuel Love is family researcher Ron Grassi. The Macoupin County Courthouse is a grand and huge structure for such a small county, 47,000 population. In the 1860's, the price of a courthouse costing over a million dollars sounds unthinkable but it was built and still stands off the square in Carlinville as the largest courthouse of its time. Macoupin County's Famous Courthouse by Cynthia K. Leonard, a genealogy researcher and a newspaper column writer for the Staunton Star Times. Cynthia's article provides a brief history of Macoupin County from its beginning in 1829, the origination of the name Macoupin and the problems in the building of the elaborate courthouse. Macoupin County Courthouse by Pat Hauter, The courthouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Sites - printed in The Story Of Macoupin County 1829-1979, p 1, by Pat Hauter. Picture of the 1870 million dollar courthouse (recent) courtesy Wayne Hinton **Self-guided tours are available of the Macoupin County Courthouse. The Carlinville Community Chamber of Commerce has recorded the tour on cassette (which takes 20 - 30 minutes) and provided Walkmans for individuals to take their own tours. The walkman and cassette are available in County Clerk Mike Mathis' office during regular business hours. A small deposit is collected, but fully refunded upon return of tape and recorder. Macoupin County Courthouse in Carlinville (taken early 1900's) from M Trover Macoupin County Courthouse picture showing the iron fence around it. borrowed by Anne Michael Early Macoupin County Courthouse postcard from Annette Miner 1869 Macoupin County Jail Picture of the Veterans Memorial in Carlinville on the courthouse grounds courtesy Wayne and Marie Hinton Water powered Mills in Macoupin County from Jim Frank, from his book, History of Polk Township Tunnels In and Around Carlinville - research done by Frank R. Masters Bridge - Route-66 Deerfield Road - Investigation Report by Frank R. Masters Stage Coach Inn - courtesy Don Eichen & Frank R. Masters Heard Mr. Lincoln Make His Speech In Carlinville (Macoupin County Enquirer, August 7, 1929, p 8.) - from M Trover Around The Square In Eighteen Ninety-Six from Mary McKenzie 1870 Ed Trover letter to Frank and Elizabeth Trover Russell, Carlinville Township contributed by M Trover Ed Trover's 1905 Recollections of Carlinville contributed by M Trover Alms House Bethel Holiness Orphanage and other known orphanages George Huston Holliday - George Huston Holliday was one of the commissioners appointed in the building of the courthouse and later he was county clerk when misuse of funds became an issue. Contributed by Dennis H. Watkins. Macoupin County Fair of 1859 (Macoupin County Enquirer, March 22, 1911, Page 5 -from Glenda Sue Raffurty McMurry Jarrot and Samuel Dugger contributed by Lee Waters and Helen Pockrus Great-Grandfather Gets Arrested Riding His Horse Too Fast shared by Brenda Hersch Mrs. Millie SEAMAN
RODGERS, One of Our Well-known Citizens,
Remembers Hearing Lincoln and Douglas in Their
Speeches in 1858 - Owns Printed Confession of Aaron
TODD. Charity
Baptist Church Records Samuel
Love, living in Bird Township about 1890 may have
been the first white child born in Macoupin County
by Ron Grassi Merchants in Brighton -1880 Bunker Hill Township Old Bunker Hill Macoupin Co IL Newspaper Stories from Mary McKenzie Old Bunker Hill Newspaper Stories contributed for use by Cindy Leonard Some Old Settlers Bunker Hill 1889 from the Bunker Hill Gazette contributed by Stephen Crawford Bill Behrens Memories, Bunker Hill, as told to Lula Vaughn Grandma Ladendroff - Bunker Hill IL written by Lula Vaughn A Sketch of Woodburn - Bunker Hill Township (Bunker Hill Gazette, July 6, 1876, page 2.) Charles A. Jacobi letter from Frank Sellers Cahokia Township Eagerville, Cahokia Township, history from Freida Price Hornsby History Cahokia Township from Shirley Denson Spring Creek Church An Old Settler 4 Sept 1871 article Lacy shares encounters with Capone and Lindbergh, news article Chesterfield Township History of Harmony Baptist Church History of the Loomis House, Chesterfield Township (Macoupin County Enquirer January 9, 1901) - from Glenda Sue Raffurty McMurry History of Historic Chesterfield Congregational Church (Macoupin County Enquirer, February 21, 1923) - from Glenda Sue Raffurty McMurry Medora History, Chesterfield Township from Mary McKenzie 1934 Medora High School Yearbook from Jere Braden Dorchester Township Dorchester History Carlinville Free Democrat and Macoupin Times - from Cindy Leonard and Mary McKenzie Wilsonville Is Newest Town In Old Macoupin, Litchfield News Herald - from Edna Grosenheider Gillespie Township Larry Clark remembers Gillespie Growing Up In Coal Town: Main Street by Victor Hicken Mount Clare History from Edna Grosenheider Lawyer Gives Farm To Blackburn College, St Louis Post Dispatch - from Larry Clark Hopewell Baptist Deed Lester Kahl murders Marguerite Slaughter Kahl - 1924 from David Richards Howard Keel Girard Township Girard History, Girard Gazette - from Carolynn Jones Bettis Girard History, excerpted Girard 1855-1955, Historical Committee - from Carolynn Jones Bettis Orphanage at the Church of the Brethern Home Head of Otter Creek Primitive Baptist Deed Hilyard Township History of Plainview - researched, written and donated by Jim Frank History of Wagner Cemetery - researched, written and donated by Jim Frank The Cyclone, Shipman and Plainview Vicinity, 1883, Macoupin County Ilinois, from the Carlinville Democrat, typed and donated by Sue McMurry Where Was Brooklyn, Macoupin County, and When Was It Laid Out, and By Whom?(Carlinville Democrat, 24 December 1930) - from Robert L. Shultz The
Centerville Record - Seventh Homecoming 1930 -
contributed by Thomas Meyer ( 2.7 meg
file )
Honey
Point Township |
page design by Rose Hyde
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All
materials contained on these pages are furnished
for the free use of individuals engaged in
researching their personal genealogy. |
