Sec.[Section] 1^st Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly,

That all that tract of country included within the following boundaries towit: beginning at the South west corner of the county of Marshall thence running west along the line dividing the Counties of Putnam and Peoria. to the south west corner of township twelve, in range five east of the fourth principal meredian thence north along the line dividing ranges four and five to the north west corner of township fourteen, thence east ^to the north east corner of Township fourteen, range^ seven, east, thence south to the place of beginning, shall constitute a new county to be called Stark.2

Sec. 2. That for the purpose of locating the county seat of said county, William Fenn, of Marshall county, D. G Salisbury of Bureau, and Campbell Wakefield of M^cLean county, are hereby appointed Commissioners, and the said Commissioners or a majority of whom, shall on the second Monday in April next or as soon thereafter as may be convenient, meet at the house of Elijah M^cClenahan S^r in the county of Putnam; and after being duly sworn to observe the provisions of this act, shall proceed to locate the county seat, taking into view the central central position, and eligibility of the place; with an eye to the convenience of the present and future population of said county; and should the place selected be on lands belonging to the United States, the County Commissioners shall as soon as convenient purchase the same for the use of the county, but if the location shall be made on lands belonging to individuals the aforesaid Commissioners shall require a donation to be made to said county, of any quantity of acres, not less than fifty and on which the public buildings shall be located.

Sec 3. The legal voters of said county of stark, shall meet at

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the house of Elizah M^cClenahans Srn^r, in said county on the first Monday in April next, and proceed to choose three Judges and two Clerks, who after being duly sworn shall proceed to open the polls and hold an election for the purpose of electing county officers, excepting only the county Commissioner at present residing within the limits of said new county, who shall continue in office for the same period as if no change in the county of Putnam had taken place; The County Commissioners shall meet at the house of Elijah M^cClanahan Senior within ten days after said election and after being qualified shall proceed to lay off the said county into Justices districts; to levy a county tax for the present year, lay off road districts, and appoint supervisors and to do and perform such other duties as is required by law.

Sec 4. It shall be the duty of Moses Boardman, or in case of his absence any Justice of the peace within the boundaries of said county to give at least fifteen days notice of the time and place of holding the election provided for in the third section of this act, and the Justice of the Peace of the said new county shall meet at the house of Elijah M^cClenahan Senior within seven days after the said election, and shall proceed to open the poll books and examine the votes; give certificates of election to the persons elected county commissioners and make returns to the office of secretary of State for the county offices, and shall do and perform all such duties as is required of Clerks of County Commissioners and Justices of the peace in like cases.

Sec. 5. The County of Stark shall be entitled to and shall receive one sixth part of all the money received by the county of Putnam from the state of Illinois according to the provisions of the act to establish and maintain a General System of Internal Improvements; which sixth part shall be paid by the

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county treasurer of Putnam County, to the order of the county Commissioners of the county of stark, and which order shall be sufficiant evidence to the Treasurer of Putnam county to pay over said money.

^2^ Sec. 6. The Courts of said county shall be held at such place as the County Commissioners may designate, until a suitable preperation can be made at the county seat, which county seat when located shall be called Toulon, said county shall form a part of the same Judicial Circuit with the Counties of Putnam and Marshall, and the circuit court shall be held for said county twice in each year at such time as the Judge of the said circuit may designate.

Sec. 7. The qualified voters of the county of Stark in all elections except county elections shall vote with the Senatorial and representative district composed of the Counties of Peoria. Putnam. Bureau, and Marshall, until otherwise provided by law, but shall make election returns, to the Secretary of State in the same manner that is now required by law from other Counties in this State.

Sec. 8. It shall be the duty of the Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of Stark County to make the returns of election for representative to the General Assembly to to the clerk of the county of Putnam; and the returns for Senator to the County of Peoria, and shall proceed to compare said election returns as is now required by law in other Senatorial and representative districts.

Sec. 9. The Commissioners appointed by this act to locate the County seat shall each receive the sum of three dollars per day for each day they may be necessarily employed in the location of the same, which compensation shall be paid out of the County Treasury of said County.

Sec. 10. That the following additional territory shall be attached to and become a part of the county of stark

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towit, Beginning on the north boundry line of the County of Peoria at the middle of range six east of the fourth principal meredian, running thence south four miles thence west to the middle of range four east, thence north to the middle of Township fifteen north, thence east to the Bureau county line, thence south to the north boundary line of the county of stark as established in the first Section of this act, Provided that a majority of the qualified voters of that part of the county of Peoria, and of Knox, and of Henry included within the bounds of the County of Stark as established by this section, shall hold an election on the second Saturday in March next at the place of holding elections for Justices of the Peace and Constables within that part of their respective counties included within the bounds designated in this section; if such precinct exists, if not, at such place as may be designated by advertisement posted up at least ten days previous to the day of election at four different places, in each part of said Counties, and if necessary the electors may choose their Judges and Clerks of election who shall open a poll Book with two colums one in favor of becoming part of the County of Stark the other against it, and if a majority of all the votes given at either of said places shall be in favor of becoming part of the County of Stark in that case it shall compose a part of said County, but should the votes be against it. it shall remain part of the county ^of^ which it originally belonged, but nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the formation of the County of Stark as established in the first section of this act. The Judges of said election shall meet on Monday succeeding the election, at the House of Jonathan Hodgson Esq^r at Frokers Grove and in his presence

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shall open the poles; and compare them, and said Hodgson shall inform the Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of each County and the Secretary of the State of the result of the several elections aforesaid.3