An act to establish the County of Stark

Sec[Section] 1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois represented in the General assembly; the all that tract of country included within the following Boundaries to wit; 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 meridian 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

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 first ^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 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 seat of 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 twenty fifty and on which the public buildings shall be located

Sec 3 The legal voters of said County of Stark shall meet at the respective places of holding elections on the ^strike out^first Monday of April next and proceed to elect 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^cClanaham Senior within ten1 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 the 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 Justices 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 officers; 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 Starkshall 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 maintain establish and maintain A General System of

---

---

Internal improvements; which sixth part shall be paid by the county treasurer of Putnam County, to the order of the County commissioners of the county of Stark, and which order shall be sufficient evidence to the treasurer of Putnam County to pay over said money.

Sec 6 The court of said county shall be held at such place as the county commissioners may designate, until a suitable preparation 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, untill 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 representatives to the general assembly 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 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.