Illinois (territory) -- Johnson (county)


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County Quick Reference

County Seat: Vienna

County Name: Named for Richard Johnson, U.S. Congressman and later Vice President of the United States.


 
Boundary Changes
(click on the name of a change to see more information)
 
Date
Area
Change
14 SEP 1812749Created from Randolph County
01 APR 18161338Lost to Jackson and Pope counties
02 JAN 1818505Gained from Pope County; lost to Franklin and Union
   

 

 

Authority
(click on a title below to view laws involved in the formation or governance of the area)
Background
(general information on the area to put it in the context of history)

Johnson County was formed on 14 September 1812 by by proclamation of the Governor of the Territory [click here for more information]. The county's boundaries changed twice before statehood.

The following map shows the original size of the county at its founding (in red with yellow border) superimposed on a modern map.


Johnson County in 1812

 

Census
(click on a year below to view information on the population of the area)


DatePopulationChange
1818678---


Bibliography
(click on the title of the following works to learn more about life in the area; for those items not available online, check with your local library for availability)


  • The Biographical review of Johnson, Massac, Pope and Hardin counties, Illinois : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, also biographies of the presidents of the United States. Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co., 1893.
  • Annable, Edward L. Cache Township, Johnson County, Illinois, 1812-1870. Cypress, Illinois centenniel ed. Cypress, Ill. (P.O. Box 186): Ed Annable Pub. Co., 1995.
  • Annable, Edward L. and Johnson County Genealogical & Historical Society (Vienna Ill.). Johnson County, Illinois Bicentennial Families, 1812-2012. Vienna, Ill.: Johnson County Genealogical & Historical Society, 2012.
  • Bowman, Faye Morris and Johnson County Genealogical & Historical Society (Vienna Ill.). Obituaries & Vitals Collection, 2002, from the Vienna Times, Johnson County, Illinois. Vienna, Ill.: Johnson County Genealogical & Historical Society, 2009.
  • Bucciferro, Rose Parker. Parker's History of Johnson County, Illinois : Illustrated History of Johnson County, Illinois. Hartford, Ky.: McDowell Publications, 1977.
  • Bucciferro, Rose Parker. Places Old & New : Johnson County, Illinois. Lockport, Ill.: R.P. Bucciferro, 2000.
  • Bucciferro, Rose Parker. Civil War Roster, Johnson County, Illinois. Lockport, Ill.?: R.P. Bucciferro, 2002.
  • Chapman, Leorah May Copeland. A History of Johnson County, Illinois. Herrin, Ill.,: Press of the Herrin news, 1925.
  • Chapman, Leorah May Copeland and SandS Genealogists. Index to Mrs. P.T. Chapman's Book, a History of Johnson County, Illinois. Vienna? Ill.: SandS Genealogists, 1997.
  • County Line Baptist Church (Flatwoods Ill.). County Line Baptist Church : The First 150 Years, Flatwoods Community, Johnson County, Illinois : 1852-2002. Flatwoods, Ill.: County Line Baptist Church, 2002.
  • Davis, Patricia S. Index to Parker's History (Cemeteries) of Johnson County, Illinois. Marion, IL: P.S. Davis, 1995.
  • Hacker, Gary. The Trail of Tears in Johnson County, Illinois : Documenting the Trail of Tears in Johnson County. 1 vols. Vienna, Ill.: Johnson County Genealogical and Historical Society, 2010.
  • Honea, Barbara May and Leorah May Copeland Chapman. A History of Johnson County, Illinois : Index. Amarillo, Tex.: B. Honea, 1995.
  • Johnson County Genealogical & Historical Society (Vienna Ill.). "Johnson County Heritage Journal." v. Vienna, Ill.: Johnson County Genealogical & Historical Society, 1997.
  • Johnson County Historical and Genealogical Society (Johnson County Ky.). Johnson County, Illinois : History & Families. Limited ed. Paducah, Ky.: Turner Pub. Co., 1990.
  • Kreklow, Rebel L. and Johnson County Genealogical & Historical Society (Vienna Ill.). Civil War Soldiers of Johnson County, Illinois. 1 vols. Vienna, Ill.: Johnson County Genealogical & Historical Society, 1999.
  • Mount, Mary Ellen, Ruth Ann Sistler and Johnson County Genealogical & Historical Society (Vienna Ill.). A History of Johnson County, Illinois. [1996 revision]. ed. Vienna, Ill.: Johnson County Genealogical and Historical Society, 1996.
 
Related Content
(the links below contain information related to this area)

Proclamation establishing Gallatin, Johnson, and Madison counties, 1812

By virtue of the powers vested in the Governor of the Territory, I do hereby lay off a county or district to be called the County of Madison to be included within the following bounds, viz.: To begin on the Mississippi, to run with the second township line above Cahokia east until it strikes the dividing line between the Illinois and Indiana Territories therein with said dividing line to the line of Upper Canada, thence with said line to the Mississippi, and thence down the Mississippi to the beginning. I do appoint the house of Thomas Kirkpatrick to be the seat of justice of said county. I do also lay off a county or district to be called the County of Gallatin, to be bounded as follows, viz.:

An Act adding a part of Pope county to Johnson, and forming a new county out of Johnson county, 1818

Be it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Illinois territory, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the boundary lines of Johnson county,
shall hereafter be as follows, to-wit : Beginning on the range line, between ranges four and five, east of the third principal meridian, at the corner between townships ten and eleven, south of the base line ; thence south along the said range line to the Ohio river ; thence down along the Ohio river, to where the range line between ranges one and two east intersects the said river ; thence north along the said range line to the corner of townships ten and eleven south; thence east along the township line, between townships ten and eleven, south to the beginning. And that all that part of Pope county, which is included within the said boundary, shall hereafter be attached to and form a part of Johnson county

An Act to erect a new county out of the counties of Randolph and Johnson, 1816

Be it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Illinois Territory, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That all that part of the counties of Randolph and Johnson included within the following bounds to wit : Begining at the mouth of Big Muddy river and running up the same to the township line between ten and eleven ; thence east with said line to the principal meridian line running from the mouth of the Ohio river; thence north with the meridian line thirty miles; thence west twenty four miles to the corner of range between four and five west of the principal meridian line ; thence south six miles to the township corner between six and seven ; thence to the head waters of the creek called Gagnic, and down it to the Mississippi ; thence down the Mississippi to the beginning, shall be a seperate and distinct county and called and known by the name of Jackson

An Act to alter a part of the lines between the counties of Gallatin and Pope, 1816

Be it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Illinois territory, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same. That the line dividing the counties of Gallatin and Pope, as established by the act passed at the last session of the general assembly, entitled an act to erect a new county out of the counties of Gallatin and Johnson, be, and the same is hereby altered as fol- lows, to wit : Beginning at the Rock and Cave on the Ohio river, thence a straight line to the corner of townships number ten and eleven south,

An Act to erect a new county out of the counties of Gallatin and Johnson, 1816

Be it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Illinois Territory, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That all that tract of country situate and lying within the following bounds, to-wit : Beginning on the Ohio river where the meridian line leaves it that divide ranges number three and four, east of the third principal meridian ; thence north to the township line, dividing township ten and eleven south ; thence east eighteen miles ; thence to that point on the Ohio where the line dividing range eight and nine leaves it ; thence down the same to the beginning, shall constitute a separate county, to be called and known by the name of Pope

 

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