Brown County, Illinois

Founding: 1839
Parent county: Schuyler

Namesake: Jacob Brown, U.S. army officer
Seat: Mount Sterling (1839–)

Land area: 306 square miles

Population (2020): 6,244

Population (historic): 4,183 (1840); 9,938 (1860); 13,041 (1880); 11,557 (1900); 7,892 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1840–1880; 1930s; 1980–2000

Subdivisions: One city; three villages; nine townships

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 769 (31.4%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 42%
Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 6.4%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 9.5%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 8.1%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $1,156
Average outbuilding value (1930): $1,080

Average farmhouse size (1940): 5.7 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 1,352
Average farm size (1920): 91.1 acres
Sources of settlement: Ohio, Kentucky, Ireland, Germany, and Pennsylvania
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Mount Sterling

Namesake: Unclear—perhaps Mount Sterling, Kentucky

Founding: 1833 (platting); 1833 (post office); 1837 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 2,006

Population (historic): 556 (1850); 1,352 (1870); 1,655 (1890); 1,986 (1910); 1,724 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1833–1910; 1930–1960; 1970s; 1990s
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 289 (28.7%)
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Outstanding Buildings

1. Sylvester Nokes Farm (1881). Road 100 East, south of Road 900 North. Lee. Italianate. Razed.
2. Brown County Infirmary (1878). US Highway 24, east of Road 350 East. Lee. Razed.

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