The present Lee County boundary and the designation of its county seat as Dixon was set on Feb. 27, 1839. The county is named for Gen. Richard Henry Lee, father of Gen. Robert E. Lee, Southern commanding office in the Civil War. Before Illinois was admitted to the Union in 1818, counties were drawn out in the Illinois Territory. In 1790 the Lee County present area was included in parts of Knox and St. Clair Counties. The next redrawing of county lines in 1801, placed this area in Madison County. Two years later the lines were changed and continued to be redrawn for the next four years, until 1818, when the territory became a State. In the last change before statehood, Lee became part of Bond and Clark Counties. Now part of the Union, and in 1821 the county lines were moved again. This time Lee was included as part of Pike County. Continued development of the area brought changes in lines again in 1823 and Lee became part of Fulton County. In another two years Lee became part of Putnam County and again two years later in 1827, the area became part of Jo Daviess County. In another quadriennium the area was made part of LaSalle County - five years later and the last change before its present configuration, Lee became part of Ogle County. Three years later and the General Assembly finally established Lee County as we now know it.