Cass Morgan, IL-2016 Telco

COUNTY CHRONICLES

Schuyler County The county of Schuyler “Where the Latch String is Always Out,” was organized in 1825 from the counties of Pike and Fulton. The county was named for General Phillip Schuyler, a Revolutionary soldier and delegate to the Continental Congress. Rushville was selected as the county seat in February 1826 after 20 voting sessions. The original courthouse, built of logs in the fall of 1826, was replaced in the summer of 1882. The new courthouse occupies what was called “Beatty corner” on the southwest corner of the public square where the old courthouse stood. The old jailhouse, one block south of the courthouse, is now the Schuyler County Jail Museum and Historical Society. It’s a wonderful and exciting place to research genealogy and the history of Schuyler County. Marquette and Joliet traversed the area now occupied by Schuyler County during their voyage of exploration in 1673. For centuries, this region was Indian Territory. As late as 1826 the Indians occupied territory within the county boundaries, but the coming of the set- tlers forced the Indians to move northward and westward to the remaining frontier.

Schuyler County Court House on the 4th of July, 2003. photo courtesy of Nancy J. Stephens, daughter of Harold and Donna Stephens

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