Illinois Genealogy Trails, Union County

Welcome to Union County

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Union County History

Source: HISTORY OF ALEXANDER, UNION AND PULASKI COUNTIES, ILLINOIS, Edited by William Henry Perrin, Chicago: O. L. Baskin and Company, Historical Publishers, 183 Lake Street, 1883, pgs 266, 270, 285, 357.

In the year 1803--just 80 years ago--the first white settlement was made in the territory now comprising Union County. Two families, Abram Hunsaker and George Wolf, came down the Ohio River and up the Cache, hunting and fishing and finally started on an overland route. They camped one night a short distance from where Jonesboro now is. They found game and water plentiful and got busy building cabins.

In the year 1809 in the south part of what is now Union County, three families named Lawrence and the William Clapp family settled on Mill Creek. In a short time after this, Stokes settlement was occupied by John Stokes, William Gwinn, George Evans and Thomas Standard.

The act creating Union County bears the date of January 2, 1818. It is entitled, "An act adding a part of Pope County to Johnson County, and forming a new county out of Johnson County."

The site where Jonesboro now stands was selected in the Spring of 1816 and so named for a Dr. Jones. Another site for a county seat was selected, but quite a contest sprung up and the Commissioners selected the site of John Grammer's farm.
More Early History

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INDEX

OBITUARIES
updated CEMETERIES
updated BIOGRAPHIES
updated

MARRIAGES
updated
DEATH RECORDS
updated
MILITARY DATA
updated

CENTENARIANS
updated
HISTORIC CHURCHES

LOCAL HISTORY
updated

NEWSPAPER STORIES
updated LAND PATENTS & DEEDS
updated DIVORCES

LODGES AND SECRET SOCIETIES
CENSUS
REMEMBRANCE CARDS

ESTATES & WILLS PHOTO GALLERY
updated
GUARDIANSHIP RECORDS

ANNIVERSARIES
updated SURNAMES
updated
SCHOOLS
updated

OUTLAWS
PIONEER FAMILIES
updated
FAMILY REUNIONS
updated

BIRTHS
BIBLE RECORDS
CCC CAMPS
new

OBITUARIES updated	CEMETERIES updated	BIOGRAPHIES updated
MARRIAGES updated	DEATH RECORDS updated	MILITARY DATA updated
CENTENARIANS updated	HISTORIC CHURCHES	LOCAL HISTORY updated
NEWSPAPER STORIES updated	LAND PATENTS & DEEDS updated	DIVORCES
LODGES AND SECRET SOCIETIES	CENSUS	REMEMBRANCE CARDS
ESTATES & WILLS	PHOTO GALLERY updated	GUARDIANSHIP RECORDS
ANNIVERSARIES updated	SURNAMES updated	SCHOOLS updated
OUTLAWS	PIONEER FAMILIES updated	FAMILY REUNIONS updated
BIRTHS	BIBLE RECORDS	CCC CAMPS new