Hancock County is:

30 miles long, 

24 miles wide,

constitutes 795 square miles

has 25 townships,

contains appoximately 492,160 acres,

a population of 21,373 (1990 census)

and a population of 20,121 (2000 census)



Early pioneer families came to Hancock County in a 2 horse wagon. 

Many time all they brought with them to begin their new life was

a cow, yoke of oxen, gun and an ax.  Within a few days a crude log

cabin with a dirt floor and clapboard roof was built.



Many counties were formed when Illinois joined the union in 1818.

Hancock was a part of Adams and Pike counties until 1829 when the

residency of Hancock County reached 350, enabling it to become a

separate county.



Ft. Edwards was a central location and was considered the county 

seat until March 21, 1833 when it was suggested that Carthage, 

being the most central point become the county seat.



In August of 1833 a log cabin courthouse with 2 glass windows and 

a door on the north side was built by John M. Forrest.  This cabin

 was south of the square about where the jail is at present.  In 

it's day the courthouse also served as a public meeting place, 

school and where Sunday services were held.



In 1838 a license for the first tavern was issued for Plymouth, IL.



In 1839 a new court house was built  (more info coming!!!)



Hancock County was famous for it's limestone (found between Nauvoo

and Hamilton).  This limestone went into the making of such famous

buildings as the first Nauvoo Temple and the Springfield, Il Post

Office.



The underclay of the coal seams in Hancock County were almost the

only clays in the state of Illinois used for the manufacture of

potter's ware and were the only ones from which a good article of

firebrick was make.  A good source of this potter's clay was found

below the lower coal seam on William's Creek which runs through

Augusta Township.

A list of the various villages in Hancock County and the date plated:

Montebello,        July, 1832

Commerce,          May, 1834

Warsaw,            April 1834

Fountain Green,    May, 1835

LaHarpe,           May, 1835

St. Marys,         November, 1835

Augusta,           February, 1836

Appanoose,         July ,1836

Chili,             April, 1836

Jo Duncan,         October, 1836

Hartford,          November, 1836

Plymouth,          January, 1836

Pulaski,           February, 1836

Commerce City,     April, 1837

Des Moines,        May, 1837

Pontoosuc,         April, 1837

Carthage,          December, 1838

Nauvoo,            August, 1839

Mechanicsville,    December 1840

Ramus,             August, 1840

Yelrome,           March, 1844

Dallas City,       October, 1848

BuanoVista,        March, 1850

Hamilton,          November, 1852

Sommerset,         June, 1852

St. Albans,        December, 1852

Oakwood,           June, 1855

Tioga,             March, 1855

West Point,        March, 1856

Breckenridge,      March, 1857

Elvaston,          September, 1857

Niota,             July, 1857

Prairieville,      March, 1858

Hopkinsville,      November, 1859

Bowen,             April, 1863 

Bentley,           August, 1863

Denver,            November, 1863

Burnside,          December, 1868

Ferris,            June, 1869

Stillwell,         December 1870

Adrian,            September, 1873

Disco,             January, 1876

Sutter,            April 16, 1877

East Madison,      March, 1888

Schnellville,      February, 1888

Powellton,         ?, 1889

Basco,             January, 1891

Colusa,            August, 1894