Name Date How did the counties in Illinois get their names? Use the attached research sheet to find out! 1. Six counties received their name in honor of Presidents of the United States. Fill in these counties below then color them yellow on the map. 2. Four counties were named after Illinois Governors from long ago. Fill in these counties below and color them light blue. 3. Sixteen counties received their name in honor of men who were important to early Illinois history. Fill in these counties below then color them orange. 4. Twenty-one counties are named after brave soldiers who were Illinois citizens at one point in their life. Fill in these counties below and then color them dark blue.
5. Three counties received their name in honor of Navy officers. Fill in these counties below and then color them light green. 6. Twenty-one counties are named after important men and soldiers who were never citizens of Illinois. Fill in these counties below and then color them green. 7. Nine counties were named after counties that already existed in three other states. Fill in these counties below and then color them red. 8. Seven counties received their names from the Native Americans who had previously settled on that land. Fill in these counties below and then color them brown. 9. Fourteen counties were name for random reasons. Fill in these counties below and then color them purple.
Illinois County Name Origin From The Making of Illinois by Irwin F Mather, 1900, Of the one hundred and two counties into which the state of Illinois is divided, six were named in honor of Presidents of the United States. These are Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Adams (named for John Quincy Adams, not for his father), and Jackson. Bond County was named for Shadrack Bond, who later became the first Governor of Illinois; while Coles (Edward Coles, second Governor of the State) Edwards (Ninian Edwards, 3rd Governor of the State) and Ford (Thomas Ford 8th Governor of the State) also took their names from chief executives of the state. Of those who have figured in the history of Illinois, or who were, for one reason or another, prominent in the early days, the following men have given their names to counties: William M. Alexander, an early settler in this county, a state senator in the second and third general assemblies. Daniel P. Cook, a pioneer lawyer, first attorney general of the state and a representative in Congress from 1819 to 1827. Stephen A. Douglas, whose name will ever be associated with that of Lincoln; an eminent lawyer, brilliant orator, political leader, Secretary of State 1840, representative in Congress (1843-1847), United States senator (1847-1861), and Democratic candidate for the presidency in 1860 John Edgar, pioneer merchant, politician and land speculator. Elias Kent Kane, pioneer lawyer, Democratic leader, pro-slavery advocate, member of the first constitutional convention, judge of the territory, first Secretary of State and second United States senator (1825 1835). John Logan, M.D., a pioneer physician, father of General John A. Logan. William McHenry, a pioneer of White county, who served in both the War of 1812 and the Black Hawk War; representative of the first, fourth, fifth and ninth general assemblies and a senator in the 6 th John McLean, lawyer, territorial judge and first representative in Congress in 1818 and United States senator 1824-1825. Pierre Menard, a French Indian trader, a colonel of Territorial militia and first Lieutenant Governor of Illinois.
Joseph Ogle, politician and lieutenant of militia in the territorial days. Two local residents, James A. Piatt and Jesse Warner, were instrumental in forming the county. It was named after James A. Piatt after winning a coin flip against Jesse Warner. Nathaniel Pope, first territorial Secretary of State and last territorial delegate in Congress. Without his efforts the north tier of counties of Illinois would be in Wisconsin and Chicago a city of that state. Benjamin Stephenson, a prominent pioneer, a Colonel of Territorial militia, Adjutant general of the territory in 1813-1814. Leonard White, pioneer of Gallatin county, gallant soldier; major of militia, member of constitutional convention 1818, state senator in the second and third general assemblies Samuel Whiteside, colonel of territorial militia, representative in the first general assembly and brigadier general of militia during the Black Hawk War. Conrad Will, territorial recorder of Jackson County, member of the constitutional convention of 1818, and member of the general assemblies from the first to the ninth, inclusive. Among the brave soldiers whose names are perpetuated in those of our counties are: Jacob Brown, Major General during the War of 1812, who won distinction at Sackett s Harbor, Chippewa and Niagara George Rogers Clark, a soldier of the Revolution, who as Colonel of Virginia militia, established Colonial control in the Illinois country by capturing Kaskaskia and Fort Vincennes Baron Jonathan DeKalb, the German nobleman who served the colonies and was killed at Camden, S.C. in 1780 Major General Nathaniel Greene of revolutionary fame who distinguished himself as commander in the Southern Colonies William Jasper, the famous sergeant of the revolution who, during action in Charleston Harbor, replaced the flag shot away at Fort Moultrie and was later killed at Savannah, 1779 Joseph Hamilton Daviess, the Kentucky lawyer who gave his name to Jo Daviess County, United States district attorney and major of militia; he was killed in the battle of Tippecanoe, 1811 Richard M. Johnson, colonel of Kentucky militia, veteran of the War of 1812, representative in congress, United States senator from Kentucky and Vice President of the United states from 1837 to 1841
Henry Knox, a soldier of the Revolution who commanded the storming party at Stony Point, later a Major General and Secretary of War under Washington Francis Marion, soldier of the revolution who distinguished himself as a partisan commander in the Carolinas Hugh Mercer, a General of the Revolution, killed at the battle of Princeton Richard Montgomery, Revolutionary General, of Irish birth, who was killed before Quebec in 1775 Daniel Morgan, commander of the "rifle brigade" during the revolution, served with distinction at Quebec, Saratoga, the Cowpens and other important engagements William Moultrie, A General of the Revolution, who built For Moultrie and successfully defended it Zebulon Pike, an early explorer of the Louisiana purchase. Pike s Peak was named in his honor. He was a General of the War of 1812 and was killed at York, Canada. Count Casimir Pulaski, a Polish exile who espoused the cause of the colonies during the revolution and was killed at Savannah in 1779 Major General Israel Putnam was an American army general who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill Major General Philip Schuyler, a soldier of the French and Indian wars, a Major General of the Revolution, a member of the Continental Congress and United States Senator from New York Major General John Stark, a soldier of the French and Indian wars, a Major General of the Revolution, who served with distinction at Bunker Hill, Trenton, Princeton and Bennington Major General Arthur St. Clair, commander in chief of the army after the revolution and governor of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio Joseph Warren, a physician and soldier who served at Lexington, a Major General of Massachusetts militia; killed at the battle of Bunker Hill Anthony Wayne, a surveyor and politician of Pennsylvania, a Major General during the Revolution, Commander-in-Chief of the Army after General St. Clair and successful Indian Fighter in the Northwest Territory Three counties bear the name of naval officers: McDonough, named for Commodore Thomas McDonough, who commanded the fleet on Lake Champlain in a successful engagement with the British near Plattsburg in 1814
Lawrence, for Captain James Lawrence, commander of the Chesapeake, who was mortally wounded in an engagement between that vessel and the British ship Shannon, in the War of 1812 Perry, for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, hero of the battle of Lake Erie in 1813 The following statesmen and soldiers who were not citizens of Illinois are represented in the names of counties: John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, a lawyer, statesman, Representative, United States Senator, Secretary of War under Monroe, Vice President, Secretary of State under Tyler, and is recognized as the "Father of Nullification" Charles Carroll of Carrollton, statesman, signer of the Declaration of Independence and United States Senator from Maryland Lewis Cass, soldier, statesman, Territorial Governor of Michigan, Minister to France, United States Senator from Michigan, Secretary of War under Jackson, Secretary of State under Buchanan and at one time a prominent candidate form the Presidency Henry Clay, a statesman and political orator, Representative in Congress and United States Senator from Kentucky, three times Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, famous as the author of the political measure known as the Missouri Comprise and a prominent candidate for the Presidency William H. Crawford, senator from Georgia, minister to France, Secretary of War and of the Treasury and a candidate for the presidency Benjamin Franklin, American Statesman, philosopher, diplomatist, author, inventor, printer, a member of the Continental Congress, Ambassador to France, and (before the Revolution) Deputy Postmaster General of the British Colonies in America Albert Gallatin, a statesman and financier, Representative in Congress from Pennsylvania, Secretary of the Treasury of the United States and Minister to France and England Felix Grundy, a lawyer and politician, United States Senator from Tennessee and Attorney General of the United States Alexander Hamilton, a soldier, statesman, author and financier, aid on the staff of Washington during the Revolution, a member of the Continental Congress, first Secretary of the Treasure (1789-1795) and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army in 1799 John Hancock, a prominent figure of the Revolutionary period, first signer of the Declaration of Independence, a Major General of militia, President of the Continental Congress and the first Governor of the State of Massachusetts
Patrick Henry, was an American attorney, planter and politician who became known as an orator during the movement for independence in Virginia. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia, from 1776 to 1779 and from 1784 to 1786. Henry led the opposition to the Stamp Act 1765 and is remembered for his "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech. He is regarded as one of the most influential champions of Republicanism and an enthusiastic promoter of the American Revolution and its fight for independence. Amos Kendall, a successful politician and journalist, Postmaster General under Jackson and as partner of S.F. B. Morse, the inventor of the electric telegraph, he contributed largely to the commercial success of that invention. Richard Henry Lee, an orator and statesman of the Revolutionary period, a member of the Continental Congress, a Representative in Congress and United States Senator from Virginia Edward Livingston, Mayor of New York, representative in Congress from that state, afterward representative and senator from Louisiana, Secretary of State under Jackson and minister to France Nathaniel Macon, Colonel during the Revolution and later a Representative and United States Senator in Congress from North Carolina. He strenuously opposed the adoption of the United States Constitution as conferring powers on the Federal government which should be reserved for the States John Marshall, a soldier of the Revolution, statesman, author and jurist, Ambassador to France, Representative in Congress from Virginia, Secretary of State and Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court Edmund Randolph, soldier of the revolution, member of the Continental Congress, Attorney General and Governor of Virginia, Secretary of State of the U.S. and Attorney General under Washington Isaac Shelby, a soldier of the Revolution and Indian wars, Governor of Kentucky (1792-1796) and again (1812-1816), commanded the Kentucky troops in the battle of the Thames in the War of 1812 Lyttleton W. Tazewell, lawyer, Governor, Representative and Senator from Virginia From DeWitt Clinton of New York, mayor, governor, senator, lawyer, financier and chief promoter of the Erie Canal, two counties - DeWitt and Clinton - have taken their names. Through the influence of immigrants from three other states, nine of our counties are named after counties in those states: Champaign and Richland from Ohio;
Christian (Originally Dane County (for Nathan Dane of Massachusetts who had been a member of Congress and as the author of Northwestern Ordinance) (changed in 1840) named after William Christian, Revolutionary War Veteran killed in Southern Indiana), Hardin, (named for John Hardin, an officer in the Revolutionary War), Henderson, (named for Richard Henderson, founder of the Transylvania Company, an early attempt to organize what later became Kentucky) Mason (The County is named in honor of George Mason, a member of the Virginia legislature), Scott (named after a local family named Scott) and Woodford (for General William Woodford with Washington at Valley Forge) ALL from Kentucky Williamson (Hugh Williamson, a physician in the Revolutionary War and North Carolina delegate to the United States Constitutional Convention) from Tennessee Iroquois, Kankakee, Macoupin, Peoria, Sangamon, Wabash and Winnebago counties recall the Native Americans, the original owners of the land now comprised in the State of Illinois. These names were generally given to the rivers, creeks or lakes first and then transferred to the land. Fourteen other counties derive their names from sources so diverse that they cannot be easily classified. (Random names for random reasons) Boone County is named for Daniel Boone Bureau for Pierre Buero, a French trader Cumberland from the Cumberland road, named in its turn from the town of Cumberland, Maryland, which derived its name from the mountain range of the same name adopted presumably from the Cumberland mountains of Great Britain Du Page from a small river of the same name said to have derived its name from a French trapper and trader from the region Effingham is named for Lord Effingham, who resigned his commission in the British army in 1775, refusing to serve in a war against the colonies Fayette is named for the French General La Fayette Fulton, for Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat Jersey, for the state of New Jersey, which derived its name from the Isle of Jersey, Great Britain Lake for Lake Michigan
LaSalle for Robert de LaSalle, the French explorer who effected the first white settlements in Illinois and explored the Mississippi to the Gulf Massac, from Fort Massac, a misspelling of a French surname, Massiac Rock Island, from an island in the Mississippi River Saline from the salt springs of the vicinity Union for the federal Union Vermilion from the river which flows through the county.