Pulaski County was named in honor of Count Casimir Pulaski, a Polish nobleman, born in Warka, Poland in 1747. He took a conspicuous part in the war for the liberation of Poland. When further resistance became hopeless, he went to Turkey and then on to France, where he offered his services to Benjamin Franklin, our then representative at the court of Louis XVI. Count Pulaski arrived in Philadelphia in the summer of 1777 and entered the service of the United States as a volunteer. He was soon made a Brigadier General by Congress and appointed to a command of cavalry, serving under General George Washington. He later raised an independent corps, known as the Pulaski Legion. Count Pulaski was wounded at the Battle of Savannah during the Revolutionary War on October 9, 1779. He died on October 11, 1779 as a result of his injuries. Count Pulaski is noted by historians as one of the most brilliant cavalry officers in the Revolutionary War. There are many memorials erected in the United States in memory of General Casimir Pulaski.
Originally, the area within now Pulaski County was a part of Alexander County. As a result of an act of Legislature, dated November 3, 1843, the county of Pulaski was formed.
Pulaski County began at a point on the Ohio River in Range line between 2 and 3 east, of the Third Principal Meridian, running north with and on said line to Cache River, down and with said river to Alexander County Line; thence north to the southeast corner of Union County. Embracing an area of 192 square miles, Pulaski County is one of the smallest counties in the state of Illinois.
Also resulting from the November, 1843 Legislative act, the first commissioners were appointed to the county; they were Henry Sowers, Thomas Lackey, Jr. and Thomas Howard.
The Commissioners first job was to locate the county seat. One of the guidelines was to obtain a land donation of no less than 20 acres. They chose Caledonia, located on the banks of the Ohio River which was near the current town of Olmsted. The Commissioners were to submit their report to Thomas Forker, Justice of Peace.
The land in Caledonia was donated by Colonel Justus Post and his wife Eliza G. Post, thus making this the first deed recording for Pulaski County.
A court house was erected on the donated lant and in those days, building a court house seemed to have been a great undertaking, as in this case, the county was authroized by an act of the Legislature in 1847 to borrow $600.00 to finish the court house of Pulaski County. The act further authorized the county to levy a tax to build a jail.
Caledonia held the county seat until 1861. On February 13, 1861 Legislature passed an act authorizing the removal of the county seat from Caledonia to Mound City, causing Caledonia to become another deserted town.
In November, 1879 the Court house in Mound City caught fire. Nearly all of the records dating to 1860 were lost, which resulted in imperfection of record keeping of early records. Mound City still holds the County seat for Pulaski County.
PULASKI COUNTY, FIRST
ATTORNEY - Sidney GRANT is assumed to be the first practicing attorney in Pulaski and Alexander Counties.
CIRCUIT COURT was held May, 1844 in Caledonia.
COUNTY JUDGE - Richard C. HALL served until 1847
COUNTY SEAT - Caledonia
ELECTED COMMISSIONERS - Henry SOWERS, Thomas LACKEY, Jr., Thomas HOWARD
RECORDED DEED - Colonel Justis POST and wife Eliza G. for establishing the first county court house.
PRECINCTS - Mound City, Burkville, Villa Ridge, Pulaski, Ohio, Ullin, Wetaug and Grand Chain
CENSUS - 1843 - 1,500 residents 1850 - 2,624 residents
____________________________________________________________________________
MOUNDS FIRST
MAYOR - 1907, William Biggerstaff
BANK - Bank of Beechwood
TELEPHONE - Located inside Wooods Drug Store
CHURCH - Union Church
_____________________________________________________________________________
PERKS FIRST
FIRST POSTMASTER OF PERKS - Robert HERREN
FIRST CHURCH - Maple Grove Baptist Church