Freeport, a city and the capital of Stephenson co., Illinois, on the Pekatonica river and at the intersection of the Western Union railroad with the Galena division of the Chicago and Northwestern, and the Northern division of the Illinois Central line, 108 m. W. N. W. of Chicago; pop. in 1850, 1,436; in 1800, 5.370; in 1870, 7,889. It is situated on a fertile and undulating tract of land, and contains one of the finest court houses in the state. The principal manufactories are one of reapers and wagons, one of churns, one of carpets and coverlets, a machine shop and foundery, a planing mill and pump factory, a woollen mill, a turning shop, and a tannery. There are two national banks, with a capital of $200,000, three weekly newspapers (one German), two monthly periodicals, 13 churches, and 20 public schools (in 1872), including a high school, with 25 teachers and 1,400 pupils. Freeport college (Presbyterian) was organized in 1872, with 10 professors and instructors and 00 students. Freeport was first settled in 1835.