Springfield-Greene
County LibraryCompiled by Arthur Paul Moser
[1]
Adam-on-di-Adam (Adam-ondi-Ahman)
This historic place, now (1882) nearly obliterated by time, was situated about two miles south of Jameson on a pleasant eminence bordering upon a rocky bluff...overlooking the waters of Grand River. It was on this spot that the Mormon Prophet, Smith, claimed our forefather Adam was buried. The land was purchased from a man by the name of Arrington...and it was here the Saints flocked as their promised Zion. There on this site they commenced to build a town, and they called it Adam-on-di-Amon. The town site later was a farm...The town grew rapidly. The Mormons flocked from all quarters, even "Far West" was paling before the grave of Adam, and it soon became known to the Mormons that their prophet Joseph Smith, had had another revelation, and that the Lord had told him to build another temple.
This temple was not built in Missouri; instead it was built in Nauvoo, Illinois... (--Hist. of Daviess County, pp. 659, 660.)
Far West
The county seat of Caldwell County was established at Far West. (--Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, 1901, Conard, Vol. 4, p. 484.)
For a discussion of Mormonism in Missouri, the reader is invited to read "Mormonism in Missouri" in Conard, Vol. 4, pp. 481-487 inclusive.
Adam-ondi-Ahman was situated at Section 36, Twp. 60 N, R. 27 W near Grand River west of Highway 13, south of Jameson. (--Gen. Highway Map of Daviess County, issued by The Missouri State Highway Department, 10-1-63. Unless otherwise noted all map locations are from this map.)
It is no longer listed.
Altamont (elevation 1005 feet)
Altamont is six and one-half miles west of Gallatin on the Rock Island R. R. A Branch line to Weatherby, DeKalb County ends here. (--The State of Missouri, in 1904, Walter Williams, p. 377.)
Altamont means "High Mountain"...So named because of its elevation of 1002 feet at the railroad depot. (--How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, David W. Eaton, 2nd Article, p. 284. From a series in Missouri Hist. Review.)
Alto Vista (Alta Vista)
The town of Alto Vista was laid out by M. D. Hines in the year 1856, who also opened the first store...In the census of 1880 the population was 36. (--History of Daviess County, p. 831.)
[2]
Asperville
Asperville was situated at Section 34, Township 61 N, R. 17 W. (--New Atlas of Mo., 1874, Campbell, Map 15.)
It is no longer listed.
Auberry Grove
Auberry Grove, a settlement, was in the southwest corner of Jamesport Township...Here the first settlers located. It was the principal settlement in the township for several years. (--Daviess County, p. 565.)
Bancroft
The town of Bancroft was situated in the northwest corner of Lincoln Township and was located in Townships sixty-one and sixty-two, being on the township line dividing them, and about one mile from the Sullivan County line and the same distance from the west township line of the township. It was principally built upon Sections five and thirty-two...It was laid out in the year 1857, by John Oran and Thomas Mickels, each giving five acres of land for the site of the town. The first merchant was Washington Nichols and the first blacksmith was Lon Chaplin...
Bancroft had not grown rapidly and was the only village in the township and had a population of some 150 inhabitants. (--Daviess County, p. 712.)
It was ten miles north of Jamesport. (--Gazetteer of Missouri, 1874, Campbell, p. 188; New Atlas of Mo., 1874, Campbell, Map 15.)
Blake
Blake was east of Gallatin on the R. R. I. & P. R. R. (--Map of Missouri, 1911, Rand, McNally.)
Brownsville
Brownsville was in the southwest section of the county, south from Civil Bend. (--The State of Missouri, in 1904, Walter Williams, p. 377.)
The post-office was discontinued in 1905. (--General Scheme of Missouri, 1905, Still P. Taft, for the use of Railway Mail Clerks, p. 33.) (It is no longer listed.)
Carlow
Carlow is four miles south of Lock Springs. (--Map of Missouri, 1884, Rand, McNally; Williams, p. 377.)
It is situated at Section 32 & 33, Twp. 59 N, R. 26 W on V west of 170.
Mail via Jamesport; no population is shown. (--Standard Ref. Guide of Missouri, 1974, Rand, McNally.)
[3]
Camp Everly
The first Union camp in Daviess County was on the farm of William W. Everly...The old man was a pioneer settler in Daviess County, having come to the county in 1833. The "soldier boys" all "Camp Everly." (--Daviess County, p. 218.)
Civil Bend
Civil Bend was the principal town of Marion Township. It is located on Section 24, Township 60 N, Range 29 W. It was laid off in 1868 by Gilbert Canfield who surveyed twenty-four lots and had them platted as the town of Civil Bend...The first business house in Civil Bend was built by John T. Price. (--Daviess County, p. 728.)
It is seven miles south of Pattonsburg; population in 1874 was 100. (--Campbell, p. 188.)
It is situated at the junction of 69 and DD.
Mail via Pattonsburg--rural; no population shown. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Coffeysburg (Salem)
It is about eight miles north of Jameson and had a population of about 150. (--Campbell, p. 189.)
It is situated at Section 12, Twp. 61 N, R. 28 W. (--New Atlas of Missouri, Map 15.)
It was shown as Coffey Station or Coffeysburg on the 1884, Rand, McNally. It is shown as Coffey on the Gen. Highway Map of Daviess County.
It is situated at the junction of N & 13.
It is a village on Grand River, sixteen miles north of Gallatin. It had Baptist, Christian and Methodist Episcopal Churches, a bank, two hotels, a weekly newspaper, the "Sun", and about twenty-five miscellaneous stores and shops. Population, 1899 (estimated), 400. (--Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, 1901, Conard, Vol. 2, p. 41.)
Coffey, corporate name changed from Salem since 1950. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Coon Grove
Andrew McHenry's place was known as "Coon Grove" and there was more coon hunting going on in that grove than in all the rest of the county put together, and it was proved that generally the hunter was caught and not the coon. To explain matters, Mr. McHenry had two very charming grown daughters and they could by a smile drive all thoughts of coons from the heads of the young men, who always managed to get as far as "Coon Grove" but it was seldom they got any farther...(--Daviess County, p. 147.) (Location unknown.)
[4]
Cravensville
A man by the name of Cravens had located a farm on the high bluff just north of Grand River on Section 31, in Township 60 N, Range 27 W. A small town had grown up and was named Cravensville, and the crossing of the river was known as Adam-on-di-Adam, it being located by the Mormons as the spot where Adam was buried.
At the March term of the County Court, 1840, a petition was presented for a removal and re-location of the county seat (from Gallatin), with Cravensville as the designated spot, within about one-half mile of the geographical center of the county. As there was an insufficient number of names on the petition, the court rejected it. (--Daviess County, pp. 249, 250; New Atlas of Missouri, Map 15.)
Crittenden
Crittenden was a post-office seven miles northwest of Jamesport. (--Campbell, p. 189.)
It was situated at Section 26, Twp. 61 N, R. 26 W. (--New Atlas of Mo., Map 15.)
This area is at the junction of B & 170.
Crofton
August 17, 1871, the new station on the Chicago & Southwestern Railroad, halfway between Gallatin on the northeast and Cameron on the southwest, was given for a short time the name of Crofton. This...prairie was said to be the highest point of land in the county, and was owned by Mrs. Susan Ethington, Frederic Croft, and others. The owners donated a large portion of the town site to the railroad company, both for railroad and town purposes. The railroad company, in turn, conveyed to a few persons interested, at Gallatin, who formed what was known at the time as the "Gallatin Company." They pushed the sale of the lots and the town, under their charge, began to grow and was called "Winston". In February 1872, a post-office was established at Winston and F. B. H. Brown was the first regularly appointed postmaster...The first railroad station agent was T. J. Jefferson...Joseph Swike opened the first store in November, 1871, dealing in general merchandise...Mr. Brown remained postmaster from February, 1872, until December, 1872, when he was succeeded by Joseph Swike...The name of the office is Emporia...
On November 23rd, 1876, the town of Winston was incorporated. (--Daviess County, pp. 695, 696.) See Winston.
[5]
Crystal Springs
One of the institutions of Benton Township...are the famous Crystal Springs. They were situated... about five miles northwest of Pattonsburg, on Crystal Springs Branch, a small creek which empties into Samson Creek, not far distant...In 1882, there was a beautiful grove of forest trees near the springs, which were three in number... (--Daviess County, p. 626.)
Cypress
Cypress was the first station north of Pattonsburg on the Omaha & Kansas City R. R. (--Map of Missouri, 1917, Rand, McNally.) (It is no longer listed.)
Daviess
Daviess was situated at Section 20, Twp. 58 N, R. 27 W. (--New Atlas of Mo., Map 15.)
This area is in Monroe Township west of 13 and south of HH.
It is no longer listed.
Elm Flat (see Pattonsburg)
The railroad company ceased work on the banks of the Big Muddy on a low piece of ground thickly covered with elm trees and known as Elm Flat. This movement, of course, destroyed the town of Pattonsburg, for...there the company built a station house and freight depot...The business of Pattonsburg was removed to the station, and New Pattonsburg took the place of the old town, and the post-office took the name of Elm Flat...
The old town, with property to the value of $5000 was destroyed so that by 1882 only two or three houses remained to tell where the old town stood. The new town, however, retained the name of Pattonsburg.
Elm Flat was incorporated September 10, 1877. It was situated at the southwest quarter of northwest quarter of Section 26, Township 61 N, Range 29 W, also southeast corner of the northeast quarter of Section 35, Township 61 N, Range 29 W, including the north half of the northwest quarter of Section 35 and all west of Big Creek, of the south half of the southwest quarter of Section 26, all in Township 61 N, Range 29 W. (--Daviess County, pp. 618, 621.)
Elm Flat is no longer listed in Rand, McNally 1974.
Emporia
See Crofton.
Farmington
Farmington was situated at Section 30, Twp. 59 N, R. 29 W. (--New Atlas of Mo., Map 15.) (This is near Altamont.)
There is a Farmington in St. Francois County. (--Rand, McNally 1974.)
[6]
Feurst Summit
See Jameson.
Gallatin (elevation 820 feet)
Gallatin, the county seat, was founded in 1837. The town of Gallatin was platted before ever the patent was issued. Medders Vanderpool surveyed the town and laid off the blocks and lots in December, 1837, and the first sale of lots took place January 8, 1838...The first house was erected by Jacob Stollinger, and the first cabin for a dram shop by George W. Worthington, of the firm of Worthington & McKinney, of Millport. Some claim that Worthington got his cabin up first...
John A. Williams started the first grocery store and his license was dated the 7th of April, 1837...
In 1857 Gallatin had a population of about 400, and was still the only town in the county. To be sure, old Pattonsburg began to be heard of; Salem was getting one or two houses together, and Jamesport adopted its name the following year--1858, and must have had fully a score of people at that very time.
Gallatin covers nearly a section of land. It was incorporated November 21, 1857. When Millport was losing ground by the location of the county seat at Gallatin, the post-office was brought to the new town and G. W. Worthington was postmaster and he probably also officiated at Millport, and as he was one of the first, if not the first to put up a cabin at the new county seat, he brought it with him. (--Daviess County, pp. 453, 457, 458, 459, 519.)
Gallatin was named for Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury under President Thomas Jefferson. (--How Missouri Towns, Streams and Streams Were Named, Eaton, 2nd Article, p. 248.)
It is situated at Section 17, 19 & 20, Twp. 59 N, R. 27 W at the junction of 6, 13 & Missouri Manual.
Highland
Highland was the first station east of Altamont, on the C. R. I. & P. R. R. (--Map of Missouri, 1884, Rand, McNally.)
Jackson
Jackson was the second town in Jackson Township, and had a population of 30.
Frank Hines had a drug store; Sebron Sneed, general merchandise, ties and lumber; Robert E. Grove, general store and postmaster. (--Daviess County, p. 748.)
It was a station on the Omaha Branch of the ST.L. K. C. & N. R. W., eight miles southeast of Gallatin. (--Campbell, p. 189.)
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It was situated at Section 33, Twp. 59 N, R. 26 W. (--New Atlas of Missouri, Map 15.) (This area is west of the junction of M & H.)
Jackson is no longer listed in Ray County, Jackson is listed in Cape Girardeau County. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Jameson (elevation 797 feet)
In June, 1871, the St. Louis, Chillicothe & Omaha Railroad had been completed as far as where the present town of Jameson is located...A surveying party from Chillicothe surveyed the town and completed the work on Saturday, June 12, 1871...The ground upon which Jameson stands was originally entered by Charles Cravens, October 2, 1854...The land is known as the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 13, Twp. 60 N, R. 28 W.
The first building erected was by Herbert D. White, a small frame building used for a grocery, confectionary and restaurant. The second was the store of a Mr. Threlkeld. Others believe the building was a store house built by James F. Hamaker...Dr. William Allen opened the first drug store, and was the first physician located in the town...
The post-office was called "Feurt Summit," but was afterwards changed to "Jameson". The first postmaster was John A. Brown. Jameson was incorporated October 12, 1876... (--Daviess County, pp. 660, 661, 662.)
Jameson...eight miles northwest of Gallatin, shipped a great deal of stock...had some 200 inhabitants and was the principal railroad station for Bethany, and a large part of Harrison County. (--Campbell, p. 189; Also, Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, 1901, Conard, Vol. 3, pp. 412, 413.)
It is located at the junction of 13, OO and W.
Jamesport (elevation 900 feet)
Jamesport is the metropolis of Jamesport Township and was originally located on Section 27, of Township 60 N, Range 26 W...A portion of the town can be found on Sections 26 and 34, besides the original plat still located on Section 27...In the year 1858, it had a small gathering of settlers who concluded to build a village. And with a store, a blacksmith shop, and a few other necessary business cabins and some small dwelling house, Jamesport started out...
Jamesport was incorporated August 6, 1872. The first governing body was a board of trustees. In 1860, it had fifty-nine inhabitants...In 1879 the population had grown to 150 people in round numbers. It had four stores of merchandise, two drug and two grocery stores combined, two blacksmith shops, one harness shop, two wagon repair shops, two saloons, one photograph gallery and one school. (--Daviess County, pp. 576, 579, 580.)
It is located at the junction of 6, 170 F & NN near the Grundy County line.
[8]
Jamesport, a city of the fourth class, eleven miles northeast of Gallatin on the C. R. I. & P. R. R., had five churches, a graded school, two hotels, a flouring-mill and an ax handle factory...Population (1899, estimated) 1,000. (-- Conard, Vol. 3, p. 413.)
Lock Springs
Lock Springs, situated in the southwest corner of Jackson Township and the county as well claimed a population of 50. It was a railroad station with a depot. It had the following business houses: Francis M. Burris, druggist; Litton & Minnick, groceries, etc.; W. T. Minnick, postmaster and railroad agent. Lock Springs was the largest town in Jackson Township. (--Daviess County, p. 748.)
It is an incorporated village, on Grand River, fourteen miles southeast of Gallatin, on the Wabash Railroad. It had three churches, a bank, ax handle factory, saw mill, a newspaper, the <i>Herald</i>, and about twenty miscellaneous business places. Population, 1899 (estimated), 400. (--Conard, Vol. 4, p. 103; Campbell, p. 189.)
It is situated at Section 12, Twp. 58 N, R. 26 W southeast corner of the county at the junction of U & 170.
Population 85. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Mabel
Mabel was located incorporated the southwest corner of the county on the Rock Island Railroad. (--Map of Missouri, 1884, Rand, McNally; The State of Missouri, in 1904, Walter Williams, p. 377.)
It was situated at Section 19, Twp. 58 N, R. 29 W on 69 southwest of Winston.
Madelayne (Madelaine)
It was east of Pattonsburg and southeast of Coffeysburg. (--Map of Missouri, 1884, Rand, McNally; Williams, p. 377.)
Millport
About 1834 the first mill was put up in the county. Robert P. Peniston was the owner, and Milford Donaho was the architect, assisted by "Uncle Jake" Peniston, a slave owned by Robert Peniston. This was a "horse-mill"...
Robert P. Peniston, Sr. came in 1831. He moved from Kentucky and settled near Richmond, Ray County, in 1830...William P. Peniston, only grown son of Robert Peniston...concluded to settle on the site which was known for a number of years and for miles around as Millport, and the house of Robert Peniston was the first house built in that once noted town...
[9]
The first few years, before Millport had a house or a name, it was a serious affair "to go to the store". The store was situated down on the river, at either Richmond, Liberty, Platte City or St. Joseph...The completion of Peniston's mill changed all that. Josiah Morris and his brother opened the first general store, and John A. Williams is reported to have opened the first grocery store...Milford Donaho had his blacksmith shop there, the first in the county, and this is the way that Millport, the first town within the limits of Daviess County was started...
It was in the summer of 1837, that Millport received its death blow by the location of the county seat south of the river....The settlers on Lick Fork, Honey Creek and Grindstone Creek combined together when the county was organized and succeeded in locating the county seat south of the river. This was a death blow to Millport and the inhabitants lost no time in moving to the new town and the record shows that the first licenses granted for a grocery store, etc., were to the men doing business at Millport. This was in April or May of 1837...
Millport was located in Union Township, about three miles east of Gallatin, near Splawn's Ridge...
It was in Section 22, Twp. 59 N, R. 27 W. The first post-office in Daviess County was at Millport and it was established in the fall of 1835. (--Daviess County, pp. 147, 148, 152, 153, 155, 165, 439, 441, 519.)
Nothing is shown at this location. (--Gen. Highway Map of Daviess County.)
New Farmington
New Farmington was on the South-Western Branch of the C. R. I. & P. R. R., six miles west of Gallatin. (--Campbell, p. 189.)
It was situated at Section 30, Twp. 59 N, R. 29 W. (--New Atlas of Mo., Map 15.)
This area is near Altamont.
Pattonsburg (Benton Township, elevation 745 feet)
The town is situated on the bottom lands on the bank of Sampson Creek, in a place called "Elm Flats" from the number of elms growing on it. The old town of Pattonsburg was located about one and a half miles north of the present location, and went by that name since 1845. Matthew Patton built the first water-mill in the township just on the edge of town, on Big Creek, and from being called Patton's Mill, it became changed to Pattonsburg as the name of the settlement.
[10]
The Chillicothe & Omaha Railroad was completed to Big Creek, and they established a depot on Section 27...This was done to destroy the old town...The business men, of course, were compelled to move and the rest followed, and Old Pattonsburg is a thing of the past. The name of the post-office is Elm Flat, but the people brought the name of the old town with them when they moved, and it will never be known by any other name...
The town grew rapidly and steadily. The old town had moved over in 1876, and the county people around began to concentrate their trade at the new town...The next and nearest trading-points were McFalls, seven miles northwest, and Jameson, nine miles southeast.
The first mayor was J. W. Casebolt, for two years. (--Daviess County, pp. 620, 622.)
It was founded in 1872, and for some time was known as Elm Flat. It had Christian, Methodist Episcopal, South, and Baptist Churches, an opera house, three newspapers, the <i>Call</i>, the <i>Star Press</i>, and the <i>Life</i>, two banks, a flouring mill, saw mill and about forty miscellaneous business places, including stores, shops, etc. Population, 1899 (estimated), 1,200. (--Conard, Vol. 5, p. 73.)
It is situated at Section 26, 27, 34 & 35, Twp. 61 N, R. 29 W, at the junction of 69, Z & PP.
Prairie City
In 1870...there was really no village in Grand River Township. Prairie City did have a name and was located in the north part of the township, but it never boasted of many houses, and is now--1882--only known as a farm. Its history is more of a tradition than actual fact. (--Daviess County, p. 665.)
There is a Prairie City in Bates County. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Salem
Salem was laid out by B. H. Coffey, in the fall of 1856. The first building erected in the place was a frame storehouse, which was built by Brown & Westfield. They put in a stock of general merchandise. The first dwelling was a frame and was built by Edwin McIntire. The first blacksmith was William Triplett. William Gillespie was the first cabinet maker. Professor Walrad was postmaster in 1876. (--Daviess County, pp. 844, 845.) (See Coffeysburg)
Salem is the county seat of Dent County. (--Rand, McNally, 1974; Conard, Vol. 5, p. 474.)
[11]
Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa was a post-office fifteen miles west, northwest of Gallatin. (--Campbell, p. 189.)
It was situated at Section 30, Twp. 60 N, R. 29 W. It was in Daviess County in 1844. (--Campbell, 189.)
It is now in DeKalb County. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Victoria (Jefferson Township)
This town was laid out in 1855, by John Osborne in the northwestern part of Section 32 and within less than a mile of the south line of the county. It never reached a very large size, but once was laid out as a rival of Alto Vista, which was nearly two miles distant on Section 19, and was near the DeKalb County line.
Victoria was named for the womanly Queen of England. At one time Victoria had two stores, a dozen dwelling houses, etc. The census of 1880 gave it a population of 38 inhabitants, and that was two more than its rival...John Osborne also opened the first store in the place. Being but a little over two miles from Winston, the growing railroad town...there was not much future for Victoria and the old Queen of the Prairie had to give way...(--Daviess County, p. 830.)
The population in 1874 was 120. (--Campbell, p. 189.)
It was situated at Section 32, Twp. 59 N, R. 29 W. (--New Atlas of Mo., Map 15.)
Victoria is no longer listed in Daviess County. Victoria is listed in Jefferson County. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Winston
The town of Winston, the metropolis of Colfax Township, was destined to become one of the largest, if not the most populous, town in the county, excepting only the county seat, is located upon a commanding eminence, a view from which is by far the finest in Daviess County. (--Daviess County, p. 694.) See Crofton.
Winstonville, a station on the Southwestern Branch of the C. R. I. & P. R. R., eleven miles southwest of Gallatin, had a population of 125. (--Campbell, p. 189.)
[12]
As an incorporated village, a mile southwest of Gallatin, on the C. R. I. & P. R. R., had a public school, a Methodist Episcopal and Evangelical Churches, a bank, a flouring-mill, cheese factory, ax handle factory, two public halls, two hotels, a newspaper, the <i>Star</i>, and about twenty-five miscelleanous business places. Population, 1899 (estimated), 700. (--Conard, Vol. 6, p. 492.)
Winston-Emporia Post-Office, shown on Map of Daviess County, bound in History, 1882.
It is situated at Section 3, Twp. 58 N, R. 29 W at the junction of YY and 69.