A Directory of Towns, Villages, and Hamlets
Past and Present
of Henry County, Missouri

Compiled by Arthur Paul Moser

[8]

Leesville

The town was laid out by A. J. Lee and John French in the year 1854. It was stated that French built the first store and Lee the first house for a residence, but while French helped Lee, it was Lee's building and he occupied it as the first merchant. He also became the first postmaster, and for want of a better name called it Tebo, after the township of a few years back.

The post-office remained at Tebo until 1857, when the name of the town was changed to Leesville, and Mr. Lee remained postmaster until he closed out his business in 1860, and was followed by William L. Pigg.

>From a centennial address given in 1876, the following excerpt is taken:

"In the year 1854 D. B. Reavis put up a circular saw mill near where the old carding machine now stands, and shortly after sold to Andrew Jackson Lee one acre of land and in the course of a few months a village was born. As the village was nameless the citizens got together and decided to give it a name. One proposed "Centreville", another "Starvation Point", (this man had gone without his dinner), another "Pinch-him-slyly", still another "Hardscrabble", and again "Niggerhead", but at last we settled unanimously on "Leesville", after its founder." (--History of Henry County, pp. 475-47g.)

Leesville was located at Section 11, Township 41 N, Range 24 W, on Highway PP, between C & 7.

Lewis Station

Lewis Station was in Deer Creek Township. The land was laid out on the land of Howell Lewis, who platted forty acres for a town to be known as "Lewis". The word "station" has been added, but does not belong to the name of the village. The forty acres was the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 16, Township 42 N, Range 25 W. . .The first building erected was a granary, by J. A. Good & Son. The first dry goods store was that of A. B. Griffith & Co. The first postmaster was John T. Middlecoff, in 1871. (--History of Henry County, p.484.)

It is six and three-quarter miles northeast of Clinton. (--The State Of Missouri, in 1904, p.399.)

It is located at Sections 9 & 16, Township 42 N, Range 25 W, on Highway 52, northeast of Clinton.

Lucas

It was sixteen miles west of Clinton; laid out in 1871, it had 2 general stores (1874). Population about 100. (--Gazetteer of Missouri, 1874, Campbell, p.232.)

It was in White Oak Township. (--History Of Henry County, p.449.)

It was located at Sections 20, 21, 28, & 29, Township 42 N, Range 28 W, on Highway MM, east of Cass County line.

[9]

Mallard

Mallard was between Hartwell and Winchell, on the old Kansas City, Clinton and Springfield R. R. (--Map Of Western States, 1911, Rand, McNally & Co.)

Marvin

Marvin was a post-office, in Davis Township, 10 miles west of Clinton. (--Gazetteer Of Mo., p. 232; New Atlas Of Mo., Map #24.)

Maurine

Maurine was five and one-half miles southeast of Blairstown, or twelve miles northwest of Clinton. (--The State Of Missouri, in 1904, p.399.)

It was located at Section 28, Township 43 N, Range 27 W, on the Frisco R. R., on an unmarked county road west of O.

Montrose

The town of Montrose is located on part of Sections 13 and 14, on lands of Joseph Patton and D. C. Cross, (1883). Mr. Brad Robinson built the first house and also was the first merchant in the place. . .The town started out with quite a population, receiving most of the inhabitants of Germantown,(q.v.).. .The petition for the incorporation of the "town of Montrose was presented to the court for action July 23, 1874, and was granted the same day. (--History of Henry County, p.409.)

It is in the southwest section of the county, five and one-half miles northeast of Appleton City, (St. Clair Co.). (--The State Of Missouri, in 1904, p.399.)

It is located at Sections 13, 14, 23, & 24, Township 40 N, Range 28 W, on Highway 52, west of Deepwater.

Mount Zion

It is in the southeast corner of the county, near the St. Clair County line. It is seven and one-half miles southeast of Brownington. (--The State Of Missouri, in 1904, p.399.)

It is located at Sections 23, 36, Township 40 N, Range 25 W, on Highway Z, southeast of Brownington.

Muddy Mills (in Pettis County)

Muddy Mills was the leading post-office for the people and they had to travel from thirty to forty-five miles to reach there. Muddy Mills was some miles beyond the present site of Sedalia, Mo., in Pettis County. (--History of Henry County, pp. 96, 378.)

[10]

New Piper

New Piper was north of Piper, (q. v.).

It was located at Sections 15 & 16, Township 41 N, Range 28 W, on Highway K.

Noah

Noah was northwest of Montrose from which point it was served by R. F. D. (--The State Of Missouri in 1904, p.399.)

Norris        (Norris Fork)

It was a post-office, sixteen miles north of Clinton, in Big Creek Township. (--Gazetteer of Mo., p.232; New Atlas Of Mo., Map #24.)

The Village of Norris Forks lies in the southwest corner of Section 10, and is the only village in the township, if it can be called such. . .It took a start in the world in the spring of 1875, in the erection of a storehouse by Mr. H. T. Moore. His son, Nathan, put up the first residence. (--History of Henry County, p.445.)

It was south of Blairstown, from which point it was served by R. F. D. (--The State Of Missouri, in 1904, p.399.)

It was located at Sections 10 & 15, Township 43 N, Range 27 W, on Highway N.

Palm Grove

An old log cabin belonging to a Mr. Palm, and the site of a school taught by Bird D. Parks, in the winter of 1838-1839. It was in Bethlehem Township. (--History of Henry County, p.486.)

Piper

Piper was in the southwest section of the county, north of Montrose, from where it was served by R. F. D. (--The State Of Missouri, in 1904, p.399.)

It was located at Sections 15 & 22, Township 41 N, Range 28 W, on Highway K, north of Granddaddy's Creek.

Petersburg

Petersburg was east of Norris, on a continuation of the R.F.D. from Blairstown. (--The State Of Missouri, in 1904, p. 399.)

It was located at Sections 12, & 13, Township 43 N, Range 27 W, on Highway N, east of Norris.

[11]

Quarles

Quarles was approximately six and one-half miles north of Clinton. (--The State of Missouri, in 1904, p.399.)

It was located at Section 36, Township 43 N, Range 26 W, on Highways 13 & N.

Roseland

It was near the Benton County line, approximately four miles north of Leesville. (--The State Of Missouri in 1904, p.399.)

It was located at Section 26, Township 42 N, Range 24 W, on Highways PP, C & Y.

Shawnee Township

While under the jurisdiction of Lafayette County, Shawnee Township was first known as Tebo and Davis Townships, being divided on range line 26. This was in 1830 and wholly in Tebo Township, Lafayette Co., in 1832. It remained Tebo until May, 1834, when it was called Springfield Township, one line being on its west border.

In the spring of 1835 Rives County, now Henry, having organized the county court made four townships, and the dividing line between Big Creek and Tebo, the names given the two northern townships, was again range line 26, and Shawnee was once more divided half and half. . .It came into existence in 1823, being one of the group made under the provision of the new township organization law. . .The first post-office in the township was Shawnee, established about 1860. This was nearly three miles west of the present village of Shawnee Mound. The postmaster was William Gillespie, and the post-office was kept at his house. He continued postmaster during the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the post-office called Shawnee was removed to its present location and called Shawnee Mound. Its first postmaster was Frank Crook. . .Shawnee Mound is not a city..but notwithstanding it has one general store, one hardware store. . .and one blacksmith shop. Two physicians are located here. (--History of Henry County, pp.431, 432.)

Shawnee Mound

A post-office and store thirteen miles north of Clinton. (--Gazetteer Of Mo., p.232; New Atlas Of Mo., Map #24.)

It was located at Section 11, Township 43 N, Range 26 W, on Highway 13. See Shawnee Township.

[12]

Sparrow

It was approximately six miles southeast of Clinton, from which point it was on R. F. D. (--The State Of Missouri, in 1904, Williams, p.399.)

Tebo

See Leesville. (--History of Henry County, p.475. )

Thrush

Thrush was approximately five miles south of Clinton. (--The State Of Missouri in 1904, p.399.)

It was located at Section 29, Township 42 N, Range 24 W, on Highway V.

Tightwad

Tightwad is located at Section 26, Township 41 N, Range 24 W, on Highways PP & 7, near the Benton County line.

Urich

Urich is located on the southeast corner of Section 22, and was founded in April, 1871, by H. C. McDonnell, and H. C. McDonnell & Co., built the first house at the above date. In
the spring of 1872, they opened a very general stock of merchandise, and being the first and only store in the township, they did a good business in the community by which they were surrounded. . . In the following year, they sold out to T. W. Wells, who became the first postmaster. (--History of Henry County, p.441.)

It is five miles southeast of Creighton (Cass Co.) (--The State Of Missouri, in 1904, p.399.)

It is located at Sections 9 & 10, Township 42 N, at the Township 43 N, line, Range 28 W, on Highways B, K, & 7.

Winchell

Winchell was southeast of Hartwell. (--Map of Western States, 1911, Rand, McNally & Co.)

A possible location is Section 23, Township 42 N, Range 27 N, at the junction of Highways 7 & O.

[13]

Windsor

R. F. Taylor, the founder of Windsor first located in 1839 on Section 5. He purchased the ground upon which the City of Windsor now stands in 1852, and platted the town in 1855. . .The town was first called Bellmont, then an attempt was made to call it Spring Grove, and Mr. Robert D. Means, having been a reader of English history. . .and in reading of Windsor Castle, he urged that name. The majority ruled against him and the town was called Belmont, but as there was a post-office already in the state by that name, they let Mr. Means have his way in naming the post-office Windsor. When confusion arose from a town by the name of Belmont in one part of the state and a post-office in another, the Postal Authorities suggested a change. Then the Spring Grove champion urged his selection, but there seems to have been another before him and Spring Grove No. 2 was not allowed. Then it was Mr. Means' time to act, and with much oratory urged the name "Windsor Castle", but being anxious for harmony, he was willing to compromise on plain "Windsor" leaving off the "Castle", in the name of the town as it had been in the post-office. As he sat down he said "there isn't much of a castle in looks, about these log cabins and shanties anyway". The "Town of Windsor" was incorporated February 5, 1873. And this is the history of Belmont, Spring Grove and Windsor, in naming the "Future Great" of Henry County, known in "Meadow County" history as the "Battam". (--History of Henry County, pp.383, 384, 385.)

It is located at Sections 1, 2, & 12, Township 43 N, Range 24 W, on Highways 2, 52, & WW.

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