Thomas Carlin

County: Greene
Location:   The marker is located in Carrollton, on the southeast corner (South Main and Fifth Street) of the Greene County Courthouse.

N  39o 18.074  
W 090o 24.456

Erected: 09/09/00 Erected by: The Illinois State Historical Society


Thomas Carlin, sixth elected Governor of Illinois (1838-1842), was an early settler of Illinois and a prominent figure in organizing Greene County and establishing Carrollton as its county seat in 1821. 

Born in Kentucky in 1789, Carlin came to the Illinois Territory and served in the War of 1812. He settled on farm land, part of which is now Carrollton.

He served as the county's first sheriff (1821), as a captain in the Black Hawk Militia (1832), as a state senator (1825-1833), and as a land office receiver (1834).

He died in 1852 and is buried in Carrollton City Cemetery. 


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