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CHRISTIAN COUNTY - a rich
agricultural county, lying in the "central belt" and organized in 1839 from parts of Macon,
Montgomery, Sangamon
and Shelby Counties. The name first given to it was Dane,
in honor of Nathan Dane, one of the framers
of the Ordinance of 1787 (a/k/a the Northwest
Ordinance), but a political prejudice led to a change. A preponderance of early settlers having come from Christian
County, KY., this name was finally adopted. The surface is level and the soil fertile, the northern half of
the county being best adapted to corn and the southern to wheat. Its area is about 710 square miles, and its population
(1900) was 32,790. The life of the early settlers was exceedingly primitive. Game was abundant; wild honey was
used as a substitute for sugar; wolves were troublesome; prairie fires were frequent; the first mill (on Bear Creek)
could not grind more than 10 bushels of grain per day, by horse-power. The people hauled their corn to St. Louis
to exchange for groceries. The first store was opened at Robertson's Point, but the county-seat was established
at Taylorville. A great change was wrought in local conditions by the advent of the Illinois
Central Railway, which passes through the eastern part of the county. Two other railroads now pass centrally
through the county - the Wabash and the Baltimore
& Ohio Southwestern. The principal towns are Taylorville (a railroad
center and thriving town of 2,829 inhabitants), Pana, Morrisonville,
Edinburg and Assumption.
[Source: Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois,
1901]
The county was renamed Christian County in 1840.
Surrounding Counties: Macon, Montgomery,
Sangamon, Shelby
We regret
that we are not available to perform personal research for you.
ONLINE DATA
Many Thanks to Judy Edwards for all her work on this site!
Helpful Aids
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Christian County Courthouse
P.O. Box 647
Taylorville, IL 62568
County Clerk - (217) 824-4969
Circuit Clerk - (217) 824-4966
Recorder - (217) 824-4960 or 824-4969
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IRAD Depository
LIB 144
University of Illinois at Springfield
One University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield IL 62703-5407
(217) 206-6520
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Assumption
Public Library
131 North Chestnut
PO Box 227
Assumption, IL 62510-0227
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Illinois
State Archives
Margaret Cross Norton Building
Capitol Complex
Springfield, IL 62756
Phone: 217.782.4682
FAX: 217.524.3930
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Oak Hill Cemetery - Taylorville, Illinois
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Trails, with full rights reserved for original submitters.
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