ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

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Edwards County

Established
November 28, 1814 (Territorial Laws, 1814, Pope’s Digest, p. 85)

Origin of the name of the county
Named after Ninian Edwards, Governor of the Illinois Territory and the third Governor of the State of Illinois. Edwards served as Territorial Governor from May 27, 1809 to October 6, 1818 and Governor of the State of Illinois from December 6, 1826 to December 6, 1830.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
1812–1814 — Gallatin
1803–1812 — Randolph
1801–1809 — St. Clair
1790–1809 — Knox, Northwest Territory

County Seats
1814–1821 — Palmyra
1821–   — Albion

History of county governing board
1814–1818 — County Court
1818–1819 — Justices’ Court
1819–1849 — County Commissioners’ Court
1849–1873 — County Court
1873–   — Board of County Commissioners

Township Government
Edwards County has never adopted township form of government. The county has been divided into precincts.

Precinct Names
Albion
Bone Gap
Browns
Dixon
Ellery
French Creek
Salem
Shelby

County Map

Pertinent Databases
Federal Township Plats of Illinois
Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
Illinois Servitude and Emancipation Records
Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950
Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
Local Governmental Records Database
Name Index to Illinois Local Governments