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Glasford Formation

From ILSTRAT

Lithostratigraphy: Glasford Formation
Chronostratigraphy: Cenozoic Erathem >>Quaternary System >>Pleistocene Series


Primary source

Willman, H. B., and John C. Frye, 1970, Pleistocene Stratigraphy of Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey Bulletin 94, 204 p.

Contributing author(s)

H. B. Willman and John C. Frye

Name

Original description

Glasford Formation (Willman and Frye 1970).

Derivation

The Glasford Formation is herein named for Glasford, Peoria County, Illinois.

Other names

The Glasford Formation has previously been called Illinoian till or Illinoian drift and is described in many reports, of which the following are representative of various areas (Leverett, 1899a; Leighton, 1923a, 1959; Wanless, 1929a, 1957; Lamar, 1925a, 1925b; Ball, 1952; Horberg, 1953, 1956; Leighton and Brophy, 1961; Willman, Glass, and Frye, 1963; Frye, Willman, and Glass, 1964; Johnson, 1964; Frye et al., 1969; Jacobs and Lineback, 1969).

History/background

Type section

Type location

Glasford is 2 miles northeast of the type section, the Tindall School Section (table 6), SW SW NE Sec. 31, T. 7 N., R. 6 E., Peoria County.

Table 6 -- Stratigraphic Sections (partial)

  • Stratigraphic section table showing exposures and analytical sample data.
    Pulleys Mill Section, Rochester Section, and Tindall School Section
  • Stratigraphic section table illustrating Illinois stratigraphic sections.
    Tindall School Section (cont.) and Toulon Section

Type author(s)

Type status

Reference section

Reference location

In addition to the type section, other stratigraphic sections in table 6 that describe the Glasford Formation are Chapin, Cottonwood School, Enion, Farm Creek, Flat Rock, Jubilee College, Lewistown, New Salem Northeast, Petersburg, Pleasant Grove, Pulleys Mill, Rochester, Toulon, and Washington Grove Sections.

Table 6 -- Stratigraphic Sections (partial)

  • Stratigraphic section table showing Illinois exposures and data.
    Chapin Section and Cottonwood School Section
  • Stratigraphic section table illustrating variation in Pleistocene units.
    Cottonwood School Section (cont.) and Enion Section
  • Stratigraphic section table documenting additional stratigraphic sections.
    Enion Section (cont.), Farm Creek Section, and Flat Rock Section
  • Stratigraphic section table showing analytical records.
    Flat Rock Section (cont.), Gale Section, and Jubilee College Section
  • Stratigraphic section table illustrating field observations.
    Jubilee College Section (cont.), Lewistown Section, and Malden South Section
  • Stratigraphic section table showing detailed stratigraphic data.
    Malden South Section (cont.), New Salem Northeast Section, and Petersburg Section
  • Stratigraphic section table showing sample locations.
    Pleasant Grove School Section
  • Stratigraphic section table illustrating regional variation.
    Pulleys Mill Section, Rochester Section, and Tindall School Section
  • Stratigraphic section table documenting Illinois stratigraphy.
    Tindall School Section (cont.) and Toulon Section
  • Stratigraphic section table showing analytical results.
    Toulon Section (cont.), Washington Grove Section, and Wedron Section

Reference author(s)

Reference status

Stratigraphic relationships

The Glasford overlies the Petersburg Silt or, in the absence of the Petersburg Silt, rests on the Yarmouth Soil; it is bounded at the top by the Sangamon Soil.

  • Diagram showing stratigraphic relationships of Glasford Formation and associated units.
    Fig. 7 -- Diagrammatic cross section showing the relations of formations and members of Illinoian age in western Illinois.

In the type section the formation is bounded at the top by the top of the Sangamon Soil developed in till, and at the base by the top of the truncated Yarmouth Soil developed in till of the Banner Formation. The Radnor Till Member, Toulon Member, Hulick Till Member, and the Kellerville Till Member make up the Glasford in the type section. The top of the Glasford Formation is defined as the top of the till and interbedded outwash or the top of the accretion-gley deposits where they overlie the till. The silt deposits overlying the Glasford in some areas, and probably equivalent in age to part of the Glasford, are classed as Teneriffe Silt, and outwash sand and gravel deposits occurring on the Glasford and extending beyond the limit of glaciation are classed as the Pearl Formation. Where the silt or the sand and gravel intertongue with the Glasford Formation, the formations are separated by vertical cutoff.

  • Map showing geographic extent of Glasford Formation.
    Fig. 6 -- Areal distribution of the dominantly till formations and members of Illinois.
  • Map showing distribution of Illinoian drift across Illinois.
    ISGS Bulletin 94 - plate 2

Subdivision of the Glasford Formation into members differs in various regions of the state. In northern Illinois the Sterling, Winslow, and Ogle Till Members are differentiated, in central and western Illinois the Berry Clay, Radnor Till, Toulon, Hulick Till, Duncan Mills, and Kellerville Till Members, and in south-central Illinois the Roby, Hagarstown, Vandalia Till, Mulberry Grove, and Smithboro Till Members. In extreme southern Illinois no subdivision into members has been proposed.

Extent and thickness

The Glasford Formation is the most widespread formation of glacial origin in Illinois, and its southernmost extent represents the southern limit of continental glaciers in the northern hemisphere.

  • Map showing southern extent of glaciation in Illinois.
    Fig. 5 -- Sequence of glaciations and interglacial drainage in Illinois.

Lithology

The Glasford Formation includes glacial tills, intercalated outwash deposits, and overlying accretion-gley deposits.

The matrix grain-size and clay mineral compositions are given in tables 2 and 5, and heavy mineral analyses are summarized in table 4.

  • Table showing grain-size and composition of glacial tills.
    Table 2 -- Typical Compositions of Glacial Till Units.
  • Table summarizing heavy mineral analyses of tills.
    Table 4 -- Averages of Analyses of Selected Heavy and Light Minerals (Analyses of size fraction 0.062-0.250 mm). (From Frye, Glass, and Willman, 1962; Frye, Willman, and Glass, 1964; Willman, Glass, and Frye, 1963).

Selected analyses from stratigraphic sections (X-ray analyses by Illinois State Geological Survey).

  • Table showing mineralogical analysis data for glacial deposits.
    Table 5
  • Table showing additional mineralogical analysis data.
    Table 5 -- Continued.
  • Table showing mineral composition of loess samples.
    Table 5 -- Continued.
  • Table presenting detailed mineralogical analysis data.
    Table 5 -- Continued.
  • Table summarizing additional mineral analysis results.
    Table 5 -- Continued.
  • Table showing extended mineralogical data sets.
    Table 5 -- Continued.

Core(s)

Photograph(s)

Contacts

Well log characteristics

Fossils

Age and correlation

The Glasford Formation includes all but the earliest part of the Illinoian Stage, and all of the Sangamonian Stage. It is largely the deposit of glaciers of the Lake Michigan Lobe, but the drift in the southeastern and southern part of Illinois was deposited by the Erie Lobe.

Environments of deposition

Economic importance

Remarks

References

BALL, J. R., 1952, Geology and mineral resources of the Carlinville Quadrangle: Illinois State Geological Survey Bulletin 77, 110 p.
FRYE, J. C., H. D. GLASS, J. P. KEMPTON, and H. B. WILLMAN, 1969, Glacial Tills of Northwestern Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey Circular 437, 47 p.
FRYE, J. C., H. B. WILLMAN, and H. D. GLASS, 1964, Cretaceous deposits and the Illinoian glacial boundary in western Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey Circular 364, p. 28.
HORBERG, C. L., 1953, Pleistocene deposits below the Wisconsin drift in northeastern Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey Report of Investigation 165, 61 p.
HORBERG, C. L., 1956, Pleistocene deposits along the Mississippi Valley in central western Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey Report of Investigations 192, 39 p.
JACOBS, A. M., and J. A. LINEBACK, 1969, Glacial geology of the Vandalia, Illinois, region: Illinois State Geological Survey Circular 442, 24 p.
JOHNSON, W. H., 1964, Stratigraphy and petrography of Illinoian and Kansan drift in central Illinois: Illinois State Geological Survey Circular 378, 38 p.
LAMAR, J. E., 1925a, Geology and mineral resources of the Carbondale Quadrangle: Illinois State Geological Survey Bulletin 48, 172 p.
LAMAR, J. E., 1925b, Glacial phenomena in the vicinity of Carbondale: Illinois Academy of Science Transactions (1924), v. 17, p. 181-186.
LEIGHTON, M. M., 1923a, The differentiation of the drift sheets in northwestern Illinois: Journal of Geology, v. 31, no. 4, p. 265-281.
LEIGHTON, M. M., 1959, Stagnancy of the Illinoian glacial lobe east of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers: Journal of Geology, v. 67, no. 3, p. 337-344.
LEIGHTON, M. M., and J. A. BROPHY, 1961, Illinoian glaciation in Illinois: Journal of Geology, v. 69, no. 1, p. 1-31.
LEVERETT, F., 1899a, The Illinois glacial lobe: United States Geological Survey Monograph 38, 817 p.
WANLESS, H. R., 1929a, Geology and mineral resources of the Alexis Quadrangle: Illinois State Geological Survey Bulletin 57, 230 p.
WANLESS, H. R., 1957, Geology and mineral resources of the Beardstown, Glasford, Havana, and Vermont Quadrangles: Illinois Geological Survey Bulletin 82, 233 p.
WILLMAN, H. B., H. D. GLASS, and J. C. FRYE, 1963, Mineralogy of glacial tills and their weathering profiles in Illinois, Part 1—Glacial tills: Illinois State Geological Survey Circular 347, 55 p.

ISGS Codes

ISGS Code and Symbol
Stratigraphic Code Geo Unit Designation

0750

g



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