Hancock County is a county located in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of
IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 19,104, which is a decrease of 5.1% from 20,121 in 2000. Its
county seatA county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is
CarthageCarthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
.
HamiltonHamilton is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,029 at the 2000 census. The city is located directly across the Mississippi River from Keokuk, Iowa. Hamilton is the largest city in Hancock County.-About Hamilton:...
is the largest city in Hancock County, with Carthage being the second largest. The county is made up of rural towns with many farmers.
History
Hancock County was part of the
"Military Tract"In May 1812, an act of Congress was passed which set aside bounty lands as payment to volunteer soldiers for the War against the British...
set aside by Congress to reward veterans of the
War of 1812The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Actual settlement of the interior of the County was delayed by concerns about hostile American Indians. After their defeat in the Blackhawk War in 1832, settlement proceeded quickly.
Hancock County was formed, on January 13, 1825, out of
Pike CountyPike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 16,430, which is a decrease of 5.5% from 17,384 in 2000...
. It was named in honor of
John HancockJohn Hancock was a merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
, who clearly signed the
Declaration of IndependenceA declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
.
For a brief period in the 1840s Hancock had one of Illinois' most populous cities:
NauvooNauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, which was then headquarters for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The LDS leader Joseph Smith, Jr. was
killedThe death of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844 marked a turning point for the Latter Day Saint movement, of which Smith was the founder and leader. When he was attacked and killed by a mob, Smith was the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and running for President of the United States...
in the county seat of Carthage in 1844. Most
MormonsThe Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, a religion started by Joseph Smith during the American Second Great Awakening. A vast majority of Mormons are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a minority are members of other independent churches....
left Hancock county in the 1840s. Today followers of the LDS movement come, in increasing numbers, to important LDS sites in Hancock county, partly for vacation and partly for religious pilgrimage.
The original courthouse was located at Montebello. Montebello no longer exists but was between Nauvoo and Hamilton. In 1833 the state commissioned the formation of the county seat at Carthage IL which was centrally located but not well developed at the time. A log cabin was built to serve as the courthouse and continued to serve that purpose until 1839 when the second Carthage Courthouse was built. The original log cabin continued to serve as a school and other purposes until 1945 when it was removed.
The second courthouse cost $3,700 dollars to build and served from 1839 until 1906. It served as a location for both Stephan A. Douglas (October 11, 1858) and Abraham Lincoln (October 22, 1858) to speak to residents of the area as they were running against each other for the US Senate. In 1906 it was removed to make room for the current courthouse.
The current courthouse was dedicated October 21, 1908.
Geography
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 814.4 square miles (2,109.3 km²), of which 793.73 square miles (2,055.8 km²) (or 97.46%) is land and 20.67 square miles (53.5 km²) (or 2.54%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 136
Illinois Route 9Illinois Route 9 is a cross-state, east–west rural state highway in central Illinois. It runs from the Fort Madison Toll Bridge over the Mississippi River to Iowa in Niota east to State Road 26 at the Indiana border. This is a distance of ....
Illinois Route 61Illinois Route 61 is a rural state road in western Illinois that runs north and east from Illinois Route 96 in Ursa to the intersection of U.S. Route 136 west of Tennessee. Illinois route 61 is long.-Route description:...
Illinois Route 94Illinois Route 94 is a north–south state highway in western Illinois. It runs from U.S. Route 24 just east of Camp Point to U.S. Route 67 just south of Oak Grove, just south of the Quad Cities area...
Illinois Route 96Illinois Route 96 is a north–south state road in far western Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 100 in Kampsville, not far from a ferry crossing across the Illinois River, to Illinois Route 94 north of Terre Haute. This is a distance of ....
Illinois Route 336Illinois Route 336 is a four-lane freeway/expressway combination that serves western Illinois. It is also used to refer to the name of a future project to connect the cities of Quincy and Peoria via underserved Macomb....
>
Adjacent Counties
- Henderson County - northeast
- McDonough County - east
- Schuyler County - southeast
- Adams County
Adams County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 67,103, which is a decrease of 1.7% from 68,277 in 2000...
- south
- Lewis County, Missouri - southwest
- Clark County, Missouri
Clark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 7,139. Its county seat is Kahoka. The county was organized in 1836 and named after William Clark, leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and later a Governor of Missouri Territory.Clark County is part...
- west
- Lee County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 35,862 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,205 housing units, of which 14,610 were occupied.-2000 census:...
- northwest
Demographics
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 20,121 people, 8,069 households, and 5,607 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 25 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 8,909 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.68%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.20%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.18%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.23%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.13% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.52% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 35.5% were of
GermanThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 20.7%
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 12.0%
EnglishThe English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 10.0%
IrishThe Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 98.8% spoke
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 1.0%
SpanishSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as their first language.
There were 8,069 households out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,654, and the median income for a family was $44,457. Males had a median income of $31,095 versus $20,680 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $17,478. About 5.40% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.90% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- Augusta
Augusta is a village in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 657 at the 2000 census. It is located near Weinberg-King State Park.- Geography :Augusta is located at ....
- Basco
Basco is a village in Hancock County, Illinois, U.S.- Geography :Basco is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.- Demographics :...
- Bentley
Bentley is a village in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bentley is located at ....
- Bowen
Bowen is a village in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 535 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bowen is located at ....
- Carthage
Carthage is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,725 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hancock County. Carthage is most famous for being the site of the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844.- History :...
- Dallas City
Dallas City is a city in Hancock and Henderson counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 1,055 at the 2000 census.The Henderson County portion of Dallas City is part of the Burlington, IA–IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
(partly in Henderson County)
- Elvaston
Elvaston is a village in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 152 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Elvaston is located at ....
- Ferris
Ferris is a village in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 168 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ferris is located at ....
- Fountain Green
Fountain Green, Illinois, is an unincorporated community located about eleven miles northeast of Carthage, Illinois in Fountain Green Township, Hancock County, Illinois, USA.-Geography:Fountain Green is located at at an elevation of 682 feet.-History:...
- Hamilton
Hamilton is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,029 at the 2000 census. The city is located directly across the Mississippi River from Keokuk, Iowa. Hamilton is the largest city in Hancock County.-About Hamilton:...
- La Harpe
La Harpe is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,385 at the 2000 census.-Geography:La Harpe is located at , along the South Branch La Moine River....
- Nauvoo
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
- Plymouth
Plymouth is a village in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 562 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Plymouth is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
- Pontoosuc
Pontoosuc is a village in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 171 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pontoosuc is located at ....
- Warsaw
Warsaw is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,793 at the 2000 census. The city is notable for its historic downtown and the Warsaw Brewery, which operated for more than 100 years beginning in 1861...
- West Point
West Point is a village in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 195 at the 2000 census.-Geography:West Point is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
Unincorporated towns
- Adrian
Adrian is an unincorporated town in Rock Creek Township, Hancock County, Illinois, USA.-Geography:Adrian is located at at an elevation of 699 feet....
- Burnside
Burnside is an unincorporated town in Pilot Grove Township, Hancock County, Illinois, USA.-Geography:Burnside is located at at an elevation of 646 feet....
- Colmar
Colmar is an unincorporated community in Lamoine Township, McDonough County, Illinois, United States. Colmar is located on Illinois Route 61 north-northeast of Plymouth. Colmar had a post office, which closed on July 18, 1992....
- Colusa
Colusa is an unincorporated community in Dallas City Township, Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Colusa is south of Dallas City. Colusa has a post office with ZIP code 62329....
- Denver
Denver is a small unincorporated community located in rural Harmony Township in Hancock County in the U.S. state of Illinois, about eight miles south of Carthage and about 30 miles northeast of Quincy.-Geography:...
- La Crosse
- McCall
- Niota
Niota is an unincorporated community in Appanoose Township, Hancock County, Illinois. The community is located on the bank of the Mississippi River and is at the eastern end of the Fort Madison Toll Bridge, which connects Niota to Fort Madison, Iowa. Niota is the western terminus of Illinois Route...
- Stillwell
Stillwell is an unincorporated town in St. Albans Township, Hancock County, Illinois, USA.-Geography:Stillwell is located at at an elevation of 669 feet....
- Sutter
Sutter is an unincorporated community in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Sutter is south of Hamilton. Sutter had a post office, which closed on July 23, 1994....
- Webster
Webster is an unincorporated community in Fountain Green Township, Hancock County, Illinois. It was originally known as Ramus and was settled under the direction of Joel H. Johnson....
Townships
Hancock County is divided into twenty-five
townshipsA civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
:
- Appanoose
Appanoose Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 350.-Geography:...
- Augusta
Augusta Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 923.-Geography:...
- Bear Creek
Bear Creek Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 379.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Bear Creek Township covers an area of .-Cemeteries:...
- Carthage
Carthage Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 3,175.-Geography:...
- Chili
Chili Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 718.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Chili Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Chili at Chili...
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Dallas City Dallas City Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,089. It was formed from Pontoosuc Township in 1860.-Geography:...
DurhamDurham Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 302.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Durham Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Durham at Durham...
Fountain GreenFountain Green Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 329.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Fountain Green Township covers an area of ....
HancockHancock Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 254. It was formed from Fountain Green and St...
HarmonyHarmony Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 421. It was formed from Carthage and Chili townships on September 12, 1854.-Geography:...
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La Harpe La Harpe Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,653.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, La Harpe Township covers an area of .-Unincorporated towns:...
MontebelloMontebello Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 3,632.-Geography:...
NauvooNauvoo Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,090.-Geography:...
Pilot GrovePilot Grove Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 299.-Geography:...
PontoosucPontoosuc Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 423.-Geography:...
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Prairie Prairie Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 385. It was formed from Montebello and Carthage townships on September 12, 1854.-Geography:...
Rock CreekRock Creek Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 383. It was formed from Sonora and Pilot Grove townships on April 27, 1855.-Geography:...
Rocky RunRocky Run Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 158.-Geography:...
St. AlbansSaint Albans Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 414.-Geography:...
St. Mary'sSaint Mary's Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 714.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Saint Mary's Township covers an area of .-Political districts:...
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Sonora Sonora Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 489.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Sonora Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Powellton at Sonora...
WalkerWalker Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 315.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Walker Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Breckenridge at *...
WarsawWarsaw Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,793. Since November 15, 1855, the township has been co-extensive with the city of Warsaw.-Geography:...
WilcoxWilcox Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 164. It was formed from the rural portion of Warsaw Township on November 15, 1855, when that township became co-extensive with the city of Warsaw.-Geography:According to the...
WytheWythe Township is one of twenty-five townships in Hancock County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 269.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Wythe Township covers an area of .-Unincorporated towns:...
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Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Carthage have ranged from a low of 13 °F (-10.6 °C) in January to a high of 87 °F (30.6 °C) in July, although a record low of -30 °F was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of 113 °F (45 °C) was recorded in August 1934. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.47 inches (3.7 cm) in January to 4.58 inches (11.6 cm) in May.
External links