Welcome to Cass County

      Welcome to this website which is a part of MIGenWeb and USGenWeb, a network of websites that provide free online genealogical information. This county is currently available for adoption.  For more information contact our state coordinator.

Cass County History

     Calhoun County was established in 1829, and named in honor of Lewis Cass, who was the territorial governor at the time it was created. Because it was mostly prairier, Cass County was settled at first mostly by farmers, many from Ohio and Indiana.

     The county seat is Cassopolis, which was platted in 1831 as the future county seat. 

     Cassopolis and Vandalia were stations on the Underground Railroad.  Slaves fleeing from the south through Illinois and Indiana came to Cass County where Quakers and others gave them shelter. Some traveled on to Canada to the east while others stayed here and built their own rural communites.

     The photo to the left is the Cass County Courthouse.