STARK, county, III. Situated N. W. of the centre of the state, and contains 288 sq. ms. The surface is undulating; soil, very fertile. Drained by Spoon r. Capital, Toulon. There were in 1840, neat cattle 1,461, sheep 1,322, swine 5,269; wheat 18,876 bush. produced, Ind. corn 61,655, oats 16,850, potatoes 8,112, tobacco 590 pounds, sugar 3,133; 3 stores, cap. $5,000; 1 tannery, 3 grist m., 7 saw m. Cap. in manufac. $500. 8 sch. 214 scholars. Pop. 1,573. (Haskell's Complete Descriptive and Statistical Gazetteer of the the United States...,1843)
STARK COUNTY, situated toward the northwest part of Illinois, and traversed by Spoon river. Area, 288 square miles. Seat of justice, Toulon. Pop. in 1840, 1,573; in 1850, 3,710. (Fanning's, 1853)
STARK COUNTY A county in the north-west central part of Illinois. It has an area of 290 square miles, and is intersected by Spoon river, an affluent of the Illinois. The county is divided between prairie and timber land, and the soil is good. Indian corn, wheat, oats and hay are the staples. It was named in honor of Gen. Stark of the Revolutionary war. Population, about 4,000. County Judge, John Finley. Sheriff, Henry Brees. (Hawes' Illinois State Gazetteer...,1859)