ROCK ISLAND COUNTY, situated on the northwesterly boundary of Illinois, on the Mississippi, and traversed by Rock river. Area,        square miles. Seat of justice, Rock Island. Pop. in 1850, 6,397.

When they got to the Ohio side of the river there was no way to get onto the land. The river’s banks were too steep and the horses kept slipping. Soon the three runaways feared they might freeze to death. Then, as morning came, they saw where a road cut through the hilly bank. They had made it to a free state.

But that didn’t mean they were free. According to the Fugitive Slave Law, anyone who found them in Ohio was obliged to return them to their owner. If you broke the law you could go to jail, or be fined, or both.

RICHLAND COUNTY, situated in the southeasterly part of Illinois.  Area      square miles.  Seat of justice, Olney.  Pop. in 1850, 4,012.

RANDOLPH COUNTY, situated on the southwesterly boundary of Illinois, with Mississippi river on the southwest, and traversed by the Kaskaskia.  Area, 540 square miles.  Seat of justice, Kaskaskia.  Pop. in 1810, 7,275; in 1820, 3,492; in 1830, 4,436; in 1840, 7,944; in 1850, 11,079.

POPE COUNTY, situated on the southerly boundary of Illinois, with Ohio river on the southeast.  Area, 576 square miles.  Seat of justice, Golconda.  Pop. in 1820, 2,610; in 1830, 3,323; in 1840, 4,094; in 1850, 3,975.