Sec[Section] 1 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That all that portion of McHenry county lying east of the centre of Fox river, shall constitute a new county, to be called Lake county: Provided, however, that if range five east should be added to, and form a part of, Boon county, according to the provisions of an act entitled “an act to define the boundaries of Boon county,” then the range line dividing ranges eight and nine east, shall be, and is hereby, declared to form the western boundary of Lake county.

Sec 2 That Edward E. Hunter and William Brown of Cook county, and Col.[Colonel] E. C. Berry, of Fayette county, be, and are hereby appointed Commissioners to locate the seat of Justice of said county. Said Commissioners, or a majority of them, shall meet at the house of Henry B Steele at Independence ^Grove^ in said county, on the first Monday in May next, or as soon thereafter as may be, and after being duly qualified by some Justice of the Peace, faithfully to perform the duties required of them by this act, shall proceed to locate and establish the permanent seat of Justice of said county, having due regard to the Geographical situation, the settlement and the convenience of the present and future population of said county. The claimants on land where said county seat may be located, shall donate and convey their right and tittle to not less than twenty acres of land, to the county Commissioners of said county, as soon as said county shall be organized, for the use and benefit of said county, on which the public buildings shall be erected;

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and it shall be the duty of the said county Commissioners to purchase and secure a title to the same, from the funds of the county when said land comes into market.

Sec 3 That the legal voters of said county shall meet at the several places where elections were held in said county at the last general election, on the first Monday in August next, and proceed to elect county officers; and returns of said election shall be made by the Judges and Clerks to the Clerk of the county Commissioners’ Court of McHenry county, according to law as in other cases, and said Clerk shall give certificates of election; and when the county Commissioners shall be elected and qualified, the said county of Lake shall be duly organized.

Sec 4 That said county of Lake shall shall be attached to the seventh judicial district, the Judges of said Circuit shall have power to fix the terms of the Circuit Court. And the county commissioners shall determine the place of holding Courts until public buildings shall be erected

Sec 5 That after the election of county officers as herein provided, the persons elected county Commissioners are hereby authorized to administer the oaths of office to each other; and to all other officers of said county.

Sec 6 That the Commissioners appointed to locate the county seat, shall each receive the sum of three dollars per day for the time necessarilly employed in locating the same, out of the county Treasury.