Illinois county celebrates 200th birthday with commemorative postmark

By Molly Goad

The Union County Historical and Genealogy Society in Jonesboro, Ill., is commemorating the county’s bicentennial with a special postmark featuring the county seal.

The year 2018 is a big one for the area, marking the 200th birthday for the state of Illinois, Jonesboro and Union County. Jonesboro is one of the few towns celebrating its 200th birthday with the state.

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Established in 1800 and incorporated in 1818, Jonesboro is the county seat for Union County. It is also one of the sites for the famous debates between Abraham Lincoln and Sen. Stephen Douglas in 1858.

The county seal depicts two preachers shaking hands. According to History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois by William Henry Perrin (published 1883), the preachers were the first people in the county; their historical meetings that gave the county its name likely occurred around 1816 or 1817.

To obtain the postmark, address your request to:

UNION COUNTY, IL Station, Postmaster, 103 W. Broad St., Jonesboro, IL 62952-9998, Jan. 2.