MERCER COUNTY, situated on the west boundary of Illinois, with the Mississippi river on the west. Area, 550 square miles. Seat of justice, Millersburgh. Pop. in 1840, 2,352; in 1850, 5,246. (Fanning's, 1853)
MERCER, a county in the W. N. W. part of Illinois, bordering on Iowa, has an area of about 500 square miles. The Mississippi river forms its boundary on the W., and it is intersected by Edward's and Pope's creeks. The surface is moderately uneven, and the soil is good; the county contains a large proportion of prairie. Indian corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, and pork are the staples. In 1850 there were raised 430,991 bushels of corn; 103,479 of wheat; 60,159 of oats, and 19,493 pounds of wool. It contained 8 churches, 1 newspaper office, and 196 pupils attending public schools. This county is comprised in the coal field of Illinois. Capital, Keithsburg. Population, 5240. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
MERCER COUNTY Is situated in the west-north-west part of the state, bordering on Iowa, and has an area of 500 square miles. The Mississippi river forms its boundary on the west and it is intersected by Edward's and Pape's creeks. The surface is moderately uneven, and the soil good. A great portion of the county consists of prairie land. Corn, wheat, oats, potatoes and pork are the staples. It contains a number of churches, two newspaper offices, and has about 300 pupils attending public schools. The county is underlaid with beds of stone coal. The county seat was formerly at Keithsbury. Capital, Aledo. Population, about 12,500. County Judge, J. M. Matlock. Sheriff, Benijah Lloyd, Jr. (Hawes' Illinois State Gazetteer...,1859)