Welcome to Bureau County Genealogy and History

The ILGenWeb Project

The USGenWeb Archives Project

The USGenWeb Project

This county is adoptable.
See this webpage for more information if you are interested.

Bureau county is located in northwestern Illinois, approximately 100 miles west southwest of Chicago, apapproximately 60 miles north of Peoria, approximately 60 miles east of Moline and approximately 60 miles south of Rockford. It was established by an act of the Illinois Legislature on February 28, 1837 (Laws, 1837, p. 93) from Putnam County. Bureau County was named in honor of Pierre Buero, a Frenchman who was an Indian Trader. Princeton is the county seat of Bureau County.

Bureau County has 25 townships all of which are named and most have small towns or villages that have been well established either before Bureau County was created or shortly thereafter. Bureau County was settled by families that migrated from New England and the Mid Atlatic States. Most were of English, Irish, Scottish and French descent. Originally a part of the "Old Northwest Territory", many of the early settlers were fur traders. Native Americans were well established in the area and mostly of the Black Hawk, WInnebago, Sauk and other tribes. Much of Bureau County was swampland that was recovered and turned into arable farm land by the creation of canals.

If there is a township or Village history available the Township will be a clickable link.

Bureau County Townships

Bureau County Neighbors