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Wayne County Fact Sheet

Addresses for County Courthouse and IRAD:

Wayne County Courthouse
301 E. Main Street
P.O. Box 187
Fairfield, IL 62837
  • Telephone:

County Clerk
Circuit Clerk
Recorder
 

(618) 842-5182
(618) 842-7684
(618) 842-5182
 

IRAD Depository
Booth Library
600 Lincoln Avenue
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, IL 61920
  • Telephone: (217) 581-6093

Established:

March 26, 1819 (Laws, 1819, p. 268)

     

Origin of the name of the county:

  Named for Anthony Wayne, a surveyor and politician of Pennsylvania, a Major General during the Revolution, Commander-in-Chief of the Army after General St. Clair, and successful Indian Fighter in the Northwest Territory.
     

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in:

 

1815–1819

Edwards

 

1812–1815

Gallatin

 

1803–1812

Randolph

 

1801–1803

St. Clair

 

1790–1801

Knox, Northwest Territory

     
County Seat:
 

1819–

Fairfield

     

History of county governing board:

 

1819–1849

County Commissioners’ Court

 

1849–1860

County Court

 

1860–

County Board of Supervisors

     
Documented Record Losses
 

November 17, 1886—Fire

Total record loss (1819–1886).

     
Township Government
 

Adopted:

November 8, 1859

     
Township Names:
 

Arrington

 
 

Barnhill

Name changed from Fairfield to Douglas on June 9, 1860; name changed from Douglas to Barnhill on September 3, 1860.

 

Bedford

 
 

Berry

Formed from Arrington on December 12, 1905.

 

Big Mound

 
 

Elm River

Name changed from Newton to Elm on June 9, 1860; name changed from Elm to Elm River (date unknown, before 1921).

 

Four Mile

 
 

Garden Hill

Formed from Orchard (date unknown, before 1921).

 

Grover

Formed as Fairfield from Barnhill on December 14, 1888.

 

Hickory Hill

 
 

Indian Prairie

Name changed from Johnson to Franklin on June 9, 1860; name changed from Franklin to Indian Prairie on September 3, 1860.

 

Jasper

 
 

Keith

Formed from Bedford and Indian Prairie in June, 1906.

 

LaMard

Name changed from Jefferson on June 9, 1860.

 

Leech

Name changed from Wabash on June 9, 1860.

 

Massillon

 
 

Mt. Erie

 
 

Orchard

Name changed from Brush Creek on September 8, 1891.

 

Orel

Formed as Wayne from Four Mile and Arrington in March, 1886; name changed from Wayne to Orel in June, 1886.

 

Zif

 

 

Township Map

Click on thumbnail to view a map of Wayne County and its civil and congressional townships.
 
Databases Pertinent to Wayne County

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