Stark County, Illinois
             FROM WIKIPEDIA.ORG

Stark County was formed in 1839 out of Knox and Putnam Counties. It was named for Colonel John Stark, an officer in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. Col. Stark commanded a New Hampshire regiment at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Stark County and Its Pioneers by Mrs. E. H. Shallenberger, 1876--- In the latter part of April, 1829 a solitary, heavily laden wagon was wending its way from the hospitable home of Mr. French, at Prince's Grove, about a half mile north-west of the present town of Princeville, towards Spoon River, probably crossing that stream at a point since known as Boardman's Ford, or, as others think, near the seat of Cox's Mill, and moving on towards section fifteen in what has since been known as Essex Township.

The weather was warm and balmy considering the season. The prairie burnt over by the Indians in the fall was already green with sprouting grass. Accompanying this vehicle were as it might seem a guard of good men, and true; "neighbors" they called themselves, although they must have lived many miles apart, some of them thirty or forty from the scene of their present friendly labors, having come from LaSalle Prairie, from Chillicothe and Peoria. They were neither hunters or warriors, they feared no enemy, and sought not the "spoils of war".

It was a peaceable expedition and its leader was the occupant of the wagon, Isaac B. Essex, then in the strength of his manhood, and with him came his young wife and infant child to found a home in the wilderness. The "neighbors" were Daniel Prince, Stephen French, Simon Reed, Frank Thomas and two Baptist ministers, Elders Silliman and Allen. The former of these two was the father of the much respected Toulon townsman Minott Silliman, the first treasurer of Stark county. And these men had came so far to raise a cabin!

Mr. Essex had been out and made a claim in 1828, and in the fall of that year cut the logs and split the clap-boards for his house, probably all of which were on the northeast quarter of section fifteen. They now proceeded to haul them together and get them in shape on the proposed building site. They all camped in the woods the first night, but towards sundown of the second day, the cabin was raised, the roof on, and as Mr. Essex graphically said "we cut a log out and moved in."

This was emphatically the first pioneer cabin, the first home of non-native American settlers within the present limits of Stark County.

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,332 people, 2,525 households, and 1,764 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 2,725 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.63% White, 0.06% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 0.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,525 households out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 7.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.10% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,826, and the median income for a family was $43,410. Males had a median income of $30,774 versus $22,146 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,767. About 6.30% of families and 8.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.20% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.