Brief History of Madison County

Named after James Madison (1751-1836), fourth President of the United States, Madison County was established in 1812 out of Randolph and St. Clair Counties, before Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818. At the time it was established, Madison encompassed the majority of the Illinois Territory. All of Illinois north of the current southern boundary of Madison County between the Mississippi and Wabash Rivers was part of the county. In 1814, the formation of Edwards County removed almost half of the eastern part, and the final boundary change came in 1843, when a small portion on the northeast corner of Madison County became part of Bond County.

Madison County is the home of the Cahokia Mounds Historic Site -- the most sophisticated prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico that had its peak of power in circa 1100-1200 A.D. The site is named for the Cahokia, a sub tribe of the Illini Nation.

The county seat is Edwardsville. In the late 1800s, Madison County became an industrial powerhouse, and in the 20th century, was known for first, Graniteware, and later, its steel mills, oil refineries, and other heavy industry. In the year 1900, the population of Madison was 64,694.  In 2006, the population was 265,303 [Source: Wikipedia.org].  For more county history click here.

Illinois History

Kaskaskia, the oldest settlement in what is now Illinois, was, at the outbreak of the Revolution, occupied as an outpost by a British garrison, which was withdrawn to Detroit on the American invasion of Canada in 1775. A small defensive force, however, was still left there, under the command of Rouhebinne, a Frenchman. On the 4th of January 1778, Col. George Rogers Clark of Virginia, on the recommendation of Jefferson, Mason and Wythe, pushed out into the extreme west with four companies of Virginia troops, and on the 4th of July reached and captured Kaskaskia. Thence he moved to Vincennes, and there prepared for another campaign, but was driven out by an advance of the British from Detroit under Lieut. Gov. Hamilton. The latter announced his purpose of recovering the Illinois region, but Gen. Clark again marched against him from Kaskaskia, and recovered Vincennes in the following February. Gov. Jefferson sent re-enforcements from Virginia and North Carolina, and Illinois remained an American possession.   (Source: Alton Telegraph, Thursday, April 11, 1878)