Editing Hancock County, Illinois

{{Short description|County in Illinois, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Hancock County
 | state                = Illinois
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1825
 | seat wl              = Carthage
 | largest city wl      = Hamilton
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 814
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 794
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 21
 | area percentage      = 2.5
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 17620
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 17186 {{loss}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = https://www.hancockcounty-il.gov/
 | district             = 15th
 | named for            = [[John Hancock]]
 | ex image             = Hancock County Courthouse, Carthage.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Hancock County Courthouse (Illinois)|Hancock County Courthouse]] in Carthage
}}

'''Hancock County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Illinois]]. According to the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], it has a population of 17,620.<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17067.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 5, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606170723/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17067.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Carthage, Illinois|Carthage]],<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> and its largest city is [[Hamilton, Illinois|Hamilton]]. The county is composed of rural towns with many farmers.

Hancock County is part of the [[Fort Madison, Iowa|Fort Madison]]-[[Keokuk, Iowa|Keokuk]], [[Iowa|IA]]-IL-[[Missouri|MO]] [[Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-IL-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area|Micropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
[[File:Hancock County Illinois 1825.png|thumb|Hancock County at the time of its creation in 1825]]

Hancock County was part of the [[Military Tract of 1812|"Military Tract"]] set aside by Congress to reward veterans of the [[War of 1812]]. Actual settlement of the interior of the county was delayed by concerns about hostile American Indians. After their defeat in the [[Blackhawk War]] in 1832, settlement proceeded quickly.

Hancock County was formed, on January 13, 1825, out of [[Pike County, Illinois|Pike County]]. It was named in honor of [[John Hancock]], who signed the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA148 | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=148}}</ref>

For a brief period in the 1840s Hancock had one of Illinois' most populous cities: [[Nauvoo, Illinois|Nauvoo]], which was then headquarters for the [[Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)|Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints]]. The [[Latter Day Saint movement|movement's founder]] [[Joseph Smith]] was [[Death of Joseph Smith|killed]] in the county seat of Carthage in 1844. Most [[Mormons]] left Hancock County in the 1840s. Today, Latter Day Saints come in increasing numbers to important Latter Day Saint sites in Hancock County, partly for vacation and partly for religious pilgrimage.

The original courthouse was at Montebello. Montebello no longer exists but was between Nauvoo and Hamilton. In 1833 the state commissioned the formation of the county seat at Carthage, which was centrally located but not well developed. A log cabin was built to serve as the courthouse and served that purpose until 1839 when the second Carthage Courthouse was built. The original log cabin continued to serve as a school and other purposes until 1945 when it was removed.

The second courthouse cost $3,700 to build and served from 1839 until 1906. It served as a location for [[Stephen A. Douglas]] (October 11, 1858) and [[Abraham Lincoln]] (October 22, 1858) to speak to residents as they were running against each other for the US Senate. In 1906 it was removed to make room for the current courthouse.

The current courthouse was dedicated October 21, 1908.

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|814|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|794|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|21|sqmi}} (2.5%) is water.<ref name="census-density"/>

===Climate and weather===
{{climate chart
|[[Carthage, Illinois]]
|13|32|1.47
|18|38|1.68
|29|50|2.86
|39|62|3.82
|50|73|4.58
|60|83|4.38
|64|87|4.54
|62|85|3.54
|54|77|3.99
|42|66|2.85
|31|50|3.15
|19|36|2.28
|float=right
|units=imperial
|clear=both
|source=The Weather Channel<ref name="weather">{{cite web
  |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIL0196
  |title=Monthly Averages for Carthage, Illinois
  |access-date=January 27, 2011
  |publisher=The Weather Channel
}}</ref>}}
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Carthage have ranged from a low of {{convert|13|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|87|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-30|°F}} was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of {{convert|113|°F}} was recorded in August 1934. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|1.47|in}} in January to {{convert|4.58|in}} in May.<ref name="weather"/>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:US 136.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 136]]
* [[Image:Illinois 9.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 9]]
* [[Image:Illinois 61.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 61]]
* [[Image:Illinois 94.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 94]]
* [[Image:Illinois 96.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 96]]
* [[Image:Illinois 336.svg|20px]] [[Illinois Route 336]]

=== Adjacent counties ===
* [[Lee County, Iowa]] - northwest
* [[Henderson County, Illinois|Henderson County]] - northeast
* [[McDonough County, Illinois|McDonough County]] - east
* [[Schuyler County, Illinois|Schuyler County]] - southeast
* [[Adams County, Illinois|Adams County]] - south
* [[Lewis County, Missouri]] - southwest
* [[Clark County, Missouri]] - west

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1830= 483
|1840= 9946
|1850= 14652
|1860= 29061
|1870= 35935
|1880= 35337
|1890= 31907
|1900= 32215
|1910= 30638
|1920= 28523
|1930= 26420
|1940= 26297
|1950= 25790
|1960= 24574
|1970= 23645
|1980= 23877
|1990= 21373
|2000= 20121
|2010= 19104
|2020= 17620
|estyear=2023
|estimate=17186
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 2, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 5, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 5, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/il190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 5, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 5, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2013<ref name="QF"/>
}}
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Hancock County, Illinois age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|2000 census age pyramid for Hancock County]]}}

As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 19,104&nbsp;people, 8,040&nbsp;households, and 5,427&nbsp;families residing in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US17067
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=July 11, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213025844/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US17067
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|24.1|PD/sqmi}}. There were 9,274 housing units at an average density of {{convert|11.7|/sqmi}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17067
  |access-date=July 11, 2015
  |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212202852/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US17067
  |archive-date=February 12, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 98.0% white, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.3% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 34.7% were [[Germans|German]], 13.8% were [[English people|English]], 13.2% were [[Americans|American]], and 12.1% were [[Irish people|Irish]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17067
  |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=July 11, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213021319/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US17067
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

Of the 8,040&nbsp;households, 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.5% were non-families, and 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 44.6 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $42,857 and the median income for a family was $55,162. Males had a median income of $41,609 versus $27,648 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,885. About 8.9% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US17067
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=July 11, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213033550/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US17067
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Politics==
Hancock County is in [[Illinois's 15th congressional district|Illinois's 15th Congressional District]] and is currently represented by Republican [[Mary Miller (politician)|Mary Miller]]. For the [[Illinois House of Representatives]], the county is in the 94th district and is represented by Republican [[Randy Frese]]. The county is in the 47th district of the [[Illinois Senate]], and is represented by Republican [[Jil Tracy]].

In presidential elections, Hancock County usually favors Republican candidates, having voted for Democratic presidential candidates only four times during the period of 1940 to 2024 (in 1964, 1988, 1992, and 1996).
{{PresHead|place=Hancock County, Illinois|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=November 4, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|6,708|2,183|215|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|6,906|2,315|182|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|6,430|2,139|552|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|5,271|3,650|190|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|5,161|4,141|167|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|5,837|3,975|87|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|5,134|4,256|301|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|3,961|4,001|1,216|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|3,714|4,213|2,142|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|4,568|4,740|70|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|6,251|3,713|37|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|6,597|3,522|466|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|6,043|4,730|108|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|7,519|3,592|18|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|6,866|3,720|811|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|5,557|6,199|0|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|8,036|4,947|7|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|8,431|4,854|12|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|9,181|4,681|19|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|7,098|5,559|122|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|7,972|5,338|68|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|9,108|6,688|165|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|7,383|7,726|398|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|4,789|8,808|137|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|7,795|5,447|48|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|6,678|5,189|1,018|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|7,379|5,125|274|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|6,472|7,711|543|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|1,937|3,692|1,937|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|3,781|4,260|274|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|3,887|3,456|515|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|3,907|4,657|177|Illinois}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|4,250|4,581|177|Illinois}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Democratic|3,393|4,132|595|Illinois}}

==Communities==

===Cities===
* [[Carthage, Illinois|Carthage]] (seat)
* [[Dallas City, Illinois|Dallas City]] (partly in [[Henderson County, Illinois|Henderson County]])
* [[Hamilton, Illinois|Hamilton]]
* [[La Harpe, Illinois|La Harpe]]
* [[Nauvoo, Illinois|Nauvoo]]
* [[Warsaw, Illinois|Warsaw]]

===Town===
* [[Bentley, Illinois|Bentley]]

===Villages===
{{div col}}
* [[Augusta, Illinois|Augusta]]
* [[Basco, Illinois|Basco]]
* [[Bowen, Illinois|Bowen]]
* [[Elvaston, Illinois|Elvaston]]
* [[Ferris, Illinois|Ferris]]
* [[Plymouth, Illinois|Plymouth]]
* [[Pontoosuc, Illinois|Pontoosuc]]
* [[West Point, Illinois|West Point]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* [[Adrian, Illinois|Adrian]]
* [[Breckenridge, Hancock County, Illinois|Breckenridge]]
* [[Burnside, Illinois|Burnside]]
* [[Chili, Illinois|Chili]]
* [[Colusa, Illinois|Colusa]]
* [[Denver, Illinois|Denver]]
* [[Disco, Illinois|Disco]]
* [[Durham, Illinois|Durham]]
* [[Elderville, Illinois|Elderville]]
* [[Fountain Green, Illinois|Fountain Green]]
* [[Joetta, Illinois|Joetta]]
* [[La Crosse, Illinois|La Crosse]]
* [[McCall, Illinois|McCall]]
* [[Middle Creek, Illinois|Middle Creek]]
* [[Niota, Illinois|Niota]]
* [[Old Niota, Illinois|Old Niota]]
* [[Powellton, Illinois|Powellton]]
* [[Saint Mary, Illinois|Saint Mary]]
* [[Stillwell, Illinois|Stillwell]]
* [[Sutter, Hancock County, Illinois|Sutter]]
* [[Tioga, Illinois|Tioga]]
* [[Webster, Illinois|Webster]]

===Forts===
* Fort Johnson<ref name="warsawilparks.com">{{cite web | url=https://www.warsawilparks.com/warsaw-site-two-military-forts/ | title=Warsaw Once the Site of Two Military Forts &#124; Warsaw Park District }}</ref>
* Fort Edwards<ref name="warsawilparks.com"/>

{{div col end}}

===Townships===
Hancock County is divided into twenty-four [[Civil township|townships]]:

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Appanoose Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Appanoose]]
* [[Augusta Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Augusta]]
* [[Bear Creek Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Bear Creek]]
* [[Carthage Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Carthage]]
* [[Chili Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Chili]]
* [[Dallas City Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Dallas City]]
* [[Durham Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Durham]]
* [[Fountain Green Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Fountain Green]]
* [[Hancock Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Hancock]]
* [[Harmony Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Harmony]]
* [[La Harpe Township, Hancock County, Illinois|La Harpe]]
* [[Montebello Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Montebello]]
* [[Nauvoo Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Nauvoo]]
* [[Pilot Grove Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Pilot Grove]]
* [[Pontoosuc Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Pontoosuc]]
* [[Prairie Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Prairie]]
* [[Rock Creek Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Rock Creek]]
* [[Rocky Run-Wilcox Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Rocky Run-Wilcox]]
* [[St. Albans Township, Hancock County, Illinois|St. Albans]]
* [[St. Mary Township, Hancock County, Illinois|St. Mary]]
* [[Sonora Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Sonora]]
* [[Walker Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Walker]]
* [[Warsaw Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Warsaw]]
* [[Wythe Township, Hancock County, Illinois|Wythe]]
{{div col end}}

==Education==
The following is a list of all school districts with any territory in Hancock County, no matter how slight, even if the schools and/or administrative headquarters are in other counties.<ref>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st17_il/schooldistrict_maps/c17067_hancock/DC20SD_C17067.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720181432/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st17_il/schooldistrict_maps/c17067_hancock/DC20SD_C17067.pdf|date=December 22, 2020 |archive-date=July 20, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hancock County, IL|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 20, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st17_il/schooldistrict_maps/c17067_hancock/DC20SD_C17067_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

K-12:
* [[Community Unit School District 4]]
* [[Hamilton Community Consolidated School District 328]]
* [[Nauvoo-Colusa Community Unit School District 325]] - A K-12 district, but it has an arrangement with Warsaw district where Nauvoo-Colusa sends its high schoolers to Warsaw while Warsaw sends its junior high school students to Nauvoo-Colusa<ref name=Endres>{{cite news|last=Endres|first=Doug|url=http://www.journalpilot.com/news/article_29651ef7-af0e-5e08-8ccb-45e5744623fe.html|title=Nauvoo residents sound off on deactivation|newspaper=[[Hancock County Journal-Pilot]]|date=October 11, 2007|accessdate=March 29, 2017}}</ref>
* [[Southeastern Community Unit School District 337]]
* [[Warsaw Community Unit School District 316]] - A K-12 district, but it has an arrangement with Warsaw district where Warsaw sends its junior high school students to Nauvoo-Colusa while Nauvoo-Colusa sends its high schoolers to Warsaw<ref name=Endres/>
* [[West Prairie Community Unit School District 103]]

Secondary:
* [[Illini West High School District 307]]

Elementary:
* [[Carthage Elementary School District 317]]
* [[Dallas Elementary School District 327]]
* [[La Harpe Community School District 347]]

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Hancock County, Illinois]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.hancockcounty-il.gov/ Office site]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Hancock County, Illinois
|North     =
|Northeast = [[Henderson County, Illinois|Henderson County]]
|East      = [[McDonough County, Illinois|McDonough County]]
|Southeast = [[Schuyler County, Illinois|Schuyler County]]
|South     = [[Adams County, Illinois|Adams County]]
|Southwest = [[Lewis County, Missouri]]
|West      = [[Clark County, Missouri]]
|Northwest = [[Lee County, Iowa]]
}}

{{Hancock County, Illinois}}
{{Illinois}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|40.40|-91.17|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-IL_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Hancock County, Illinois| ]]
[[Category:Illinois counties]]
[[Category:1825 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1825]]
[[Category:Significant places in Mormonism]]
[[Category:Illinois counties on the Mississippi River]]
[[Category:Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-IL-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area]]