McHENRY COUNTY, situated on the north boundary of Illinois. Area, 960 square miles. Seat of justice, Dorr. Pop. in 1840, 2,578; in 1850, 14,979. (Fanning's, 1853)
McHENRY COUNTY Is situated in the north-north-east part of the state, bordering on Wisconsin, and has an area of 620 square miles. Fox river flows through the eastern part of the county from north to south. It is also drained by the Kishwaukee river, and by Nippersink and Piskashaw creeks. The surface is nearly level, and is diversified with fertile prairies and fine groves of timber. Wheat, corn, oats, wool, pork, and butter are the staples. It contains about. 20 churches and has over 6,000 pupils attending public schools. The county is underlaid with limestone, and is intersected by the Galena and Chicago, Fox River Valley, Chicago and St. Paul, and Fond Du Lac railroads. Capital, Woodstock. Population, about 23,000. County Judge, Hon. Theodore D. Murphy. Sheriff, John Eddy. (Hawes' Illinois State Gazetteer...,1859)