KNOX COUNTY, situated toward the west part of Illinois. Area, 792 square miles. Seat of justice, Knoxville. Pop. in 1830, 274; in 1840, 7,060; in 1850, 13,279. (Fanning's, 1853)
KNOX COUNTY Is situated in the west-north-west part of the state, and has an area of 840 square miles. It is intersected by the Burlington and Quincy and Peoria and Owquawka railroads and Spoon river, and is drained by Pope and other creeks. The surface is undulating and soil very productive. A large portion of the county consists of prairies, alternating with timber. Wheat, corn, oats, wool and pork are the staples. It contains about 20 churches, 3 colleges, several newspaper offices, and has about 3,000 pupils attending public, and about 600 attending other schools. The county contains beds of coal of considerable extent. Spoon river furnishes excellent water power. Capital, Knoxville. Population, 28,000. County Judge, Leander Douglass. Sheriff, E. W. Eake. (Hawes' Illinois State Gazetteer...,1859)