MARSHALL COUNTY, situated toward the north part of Illinois, and traversed by Illinois river. Area 384 square miles. Seat of justice, Lacon. Pop. in 1840, 1,849; in 1850, 5,180. (Fanning's, 1853)
MARSHALL, a county in the N. central part of Illinois, has an area of 445 square miles. It is intersected by the Illinois river, (navigable by steamboats,) and also drained by Sand and Crow creeks. The surface is nearly level, and is diversified by prairie and timber. The soil is fertile. Indian corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, and hay are the staples. In 1850 this county produced 392,317 bushels of corn; 104,469 of wheat; 46,990 of oats, and 4967 tons of hay. It contained 5 churches, 2 newspaper offices, and 800 pupils attending public schools. Stone coal is found. Capital, Lacon. Population, 5180. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
MARSHALL COUNTY Is situated in the north central part of the state, and has an area of 443 square miles. It is intersected by the Illinois river (navigable by steamboats), and also drained by Sand and Crow creeks. The surface is nearly level, and is diversified by prairies and woodlands. The soil is fertile. Corn, wheat, oats, hay and potatoes are the staples. It contains a large number of very fine churches, several newspaper offices, and has over 1,500 pupils attending public schools. The town of Henry, in this county boasts of having several of the best schools and institutions of learning in the state, all of which are in a most flourishing condition. Among them are the North Illinois Institute, under charge of Professor G. B. McElroy and M. B. Gaff, formerly of Madison College, Penn., assisted by Miss E. A. Perley, a graduate of the Graham Female Seminary, Me. The college building used by the Institute is a large three story brick edifice, and contains a well selected library of over two thousand volumes, with apparatus for illustrations in astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, etc. In the same town is the Henry Female Seminary, an old and popular institution, under the supervision of the Rev. H. G. Pendleton, assisted by an efficient corps of teachers. The county is partly underlaid with stone coal. Capital, Lacon. Population, about 11,500. (Hawes' Illinois State Gazetteer...,1859)