Springfield-Greene
County LibraryCompiled by Arthur Paul Moser
Mercer County
[1]
Adel
Adel was located in the north central part of the county on R. F. D., west from Mercer. (--The State of Mo., in 1904, Walter Williams, p. 445.)
It was east of Saline. (--Map of Mo., 1910, The Kenyon Company, Des Moines, IA.)
The post-office was discontinued pre 1905. (--Gen. Scheme of Mo., 1905, Still P. Taft, for the use of Railway Mail Clerks, p. 68.)
Alverd
Alverd was north of Princeton on the C. R. I. & P. R. R. (--Map of Mo., 1910, Kenyon.)
It was in the north central part of the county, five miles northeast of Princeton. (--Williams, p. 445.)
Brush
Brush was located in Sec. 20, Twp. 66 N, R. 24 W. (--Map of Mo., 1894, Rand McNally.)
Burrows
Burrows was south of Saline on the C. B. & Q. R. R. (--Map of Mo., 1917, Rand McNally.)
Cleopatra
Cleopatra was 20 miles north east of Princeton and six miles from Lineville (Iowa). It contained two stores and a population of about 100. There was a strong sulphur spring two and one-half miles northeast of this village. (--Campbell's Gazetteer of Mo., 1874, p. 362.)
It was situated at Sec. 5, Twp. 66 N, R. 22 W. (--Gen. Highway Map of Mercer Co., issued by The State Highway Dept. of Mo., 11-1-66. Unless otherwise noted all map locations are from this map.)
It was on an unmarked county road leading north from M west of Z.
The post-office was discontinued pre 1905.(--Taft, p. 68.)
Cottonwood
Cottonwood, on the C. R. I. & P. R. R., six miles north of Princeton, had one store and one saw mill. Population about 100. (--Campbell, p. 362.)
[2]
Cottonwood (Cont)
It was situated in Sec. 33, Twp. 66 N, R. 24 W, Marion Township. (--New Atlas of Mo., 1874, Campbell, Map 15.)
This area is east of P and south of K.
Cottonwood is no longer listed in Mercer County; Cottonwood Point is in Pemiscot County. (--Rand McNally Standard Ref. Guide of Mo., 1974.)
Crusher
Crusher was south of Princeton on C. R. I. & P. R. R. (--Map of Mo., 1917, Rand McNally.)
The post-office was discontinued pre 1905. (--Taft, p. 68.)
Dinsmore
Dinsmore was located in the southwest corner of the county near Harrison County line, on R. F. D. from Mill Grove. (--Williams, p. 445.)
Fort Heatherly
Fort Heatherly was the site of the home of the notorious George Heatherly, Sr., and his family, robbers and murderers.
Old "Fort Heatherly" was either burned or rotted down ... and its existence is now (1888) forgotten, except by a few of the earliest pioneers. Those who do remember it located it in the extreme southern part of Medicine Township. (--Goodspeed, p. 394.)
Goshen
Goshen, a little hamlet on the Bethany and Princeton Road, six miles from the latter place was laid out just prior to the Civil War by James McKinney, who owned the land. It was first called McKinneysville. The second house erected was a log building. At about the close of the Civil War Anderson Owens and Henry Neal opened general stores, Elisha Pruiett, a grocery and Charles Scott, a drug store. From 1870 to 1876 the town enjoyed a season of prosperity, having about seventy-five inhabitants, but since that time the population had decreased to less than twenty-five.
In 1888 the only store in the place was a grocery, opened about 1886 by George Flogger. The post-office was established in 1866 with Anderson Owens, as postmaster. (--Goodspeed, p. 446.)
The post-office was discontinued pre 1905. (--Taft, p. 68.)
[3]
Goshen (Cont)
It is situated in Sec. 35, Twp. 64 N, R. 25 W, in Harrison Township at the junction of D & A.
Mail via Princeton; population 20. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Half Rock
Half Rock, a small village in Medicine Township, was founded in 1874 by Thomas Cooper, but several years before John Garrett had erected a small mill, and opened a store on No Creek about one-fourth of a mile from where the town was laid out. The first merchants of the town were John Garrett, John Cooper and Thomas Cooper ... Other firms and individuals who have been located at Half Rock have been J. McMurray & Son, Duff & Hall, dealers in general merchandise, W. R. Edwards, J. H. Moses and J. B. Robinson, druggists and J. N. Ragan and T. L. Hill, dealers in hardware ... (--Goodspeed, p. 445.)
It had one store. (--Campbell, p. 363.)
The post-office was discontinued pre 1905. (--Taft, p. 68.)
It is located in Secs, 12, 36, Twp. 63 N, R. 23 W in Medicine Township at the junction of J & JJ.
Mail via Spickard, (Grundy Co.); population 30. (--Rand McNally, 1974.)
Honey
Honey was a post-office nine miles southeast of Princeton. (--Campbell, p. 363.)
Honey is no longer listed in Mercer Co; Honey Creek is listed in Cole County. (--Rand McNally, 1974.)
Ilia
Ilia was located in the northeast section of the county on R. F. D. between Mercer and Cleopatra. (--Williams, p. 445.)
It was southwest of Cleopatra. (--Map of Mo., 1910, Kenyon.)
The post-office was discontinued pre 1905. (--Taft, p. 68.)
McKinneysville
See Goshen.
[4]
Madisonville
See Modena.
Marion
Marion was a small village and station on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R., about ten miles north of Princeton and was of comparatively new origin in 1888. The site was originally entered by R. W. Rockhold. The first house was erected by A. A. Alley, who engaged in a general merchandise business in 1879. Other business interests in 1888 were W. D. Alley, general merchandise, Marion Merritt, druggist and groceries, and S. S. Newlin, groceries and hardware. It was incorporated as a town by the county court in 1886 ... (--Goodspeed, p. 446.)
Marion is no longer listed in Mercer Co.; Marion is listed in Cole County. (--Rand McNally, 1974.)
Mercer elevation 1080 feet
Mercer is an incorporated town, on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, ten miles northeast of Princeton. It had two churches, a public school, woolen mill, grist mill and nine other business places, including stores and shops. Population, 1899, (estimated) 500. (--Ency. of the Hist. of Missouri, 1901, Conard, Vol. 4, 326.)
It is situated in Sec. 19, Twp. 66 N, R. 23 W, in Marion Township, at the junction of K. M & 65.
Middleburg
Middleburg was in the extreme southern part of the county, three miles northeast of Spickardville (Grundy Co.) its nearest railroad station, and ten miles south of Princeton. It was a trading point for the surrounding country. It had one store and about 75 inhabitants. (--Campbell, p. 363.)
It was situated in Sec. 35, Twp. 63 N, R. 24 W, Washington Township. (--New Atlas of Mo., Map 15.)
Middleburg, formerly a town of considerable importance, existed in the southeastern part of Washington Township, but since the completion of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad through the county it has entirely disappeared. It was founded by Royal Williams, who established a store there some in the 1840's. It was situated on an old stage route, and prior to the Civil War had grown to a flourishing village. Among those who were engaged in business in the place were Richard Williams, & John Wilkinson, grocers.
[5]
Middleburg (Cont)
Jackson Wyatt and John Thompson, general merchants, James Cox and Jackson Wyatt and Jackson McElroy, blacksmiths; David Campbell, hotelkeeper, and Abraham Schooler, Cephas Gray, and ? Greenlee, saloonkeepers. Of those who did business after the Civil War may be mentioned James Williams, Jesse Reed, Andrew McLaughlin and William Covey, merchants, and C. Cornell, hotelkeeper. (--Goodspeed, p. 445.)
Mill Grove elevation 810 feet
Mill Grove is a station on the C. R. I. & P. R. R. about eight miles south of Princeton. The town was laid off by C. H. Stewart, William M. Butcher and William Smith in December, 1870. The first house was built in that year by John Everhart, who was engaged in the drug and grocery business for about a year. The first dwelling was erected by John Schooler, who had a general store. The first blacksmith shop was conducted by Gilbert Blue.
Mill Grove was incorporated by the county court in 1877 ... (--Goodspeed, pp. 444, 445.)
Incorporated but not listed in 1970 census. (--Rand McNally, 1974.)
It was a thriving town, and had a good flouring mill, a steam saw mill, three stores and several shops. Population about 200. (--Campbell, p. 363.)
It is situated in Sec. 28 & 33, Twp. 64 N, R. 24 W on D west of 65. See, also, Conrad, Vol. 4, p. 387.
Modena or Madisonville
Modena or Madisonville, as it was formerly called, was laid out in 1856 by A. M. Thompson and George W. Stewart and occupies the center of Sec. 35, Twp. 64, Range 25. The first store was opened by Thompson & McGhee ... The first blacksmith was George Miller. (--Goodspeed, p. 444.)
It is nine miles southwest of Princeton and had two stores, several shops and about 100 inhabitants. (--Campbell, p. 363.)
It is located in Madison Township at the junction of D & A.
The post-office was discontinued pre 1905. (--Taft, p. 68.)
Zip 64663, population 61. (--Rand McNally, 1974.)
[6]
Princeton elevation 1025 feet
The town of Princeton was laid out in the spring of 1846, and named in memory of the battle in which General Mercer was killed. The commissioners appointed to locate the seat of justice for the county of Mercer, fixed upon a site three miles east of the present town, but as many objections were waged against the place, mainly the lack of water, the county court through commissioners appointed by itself, established the present seat of justice. This irregularity in locating the town was legalized by a special act of the Legislature. The site chosen consisted of the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 27, in Township 65 of Range 24.
A claim had been laid and some improvements made upon the land by Samuel Speer. This claim was purchased and the land entered by the county seat commissioner, Joseph Pritchar, who received a patent for it, dated August 1, 1848 and signed by James K. Polk. The town was laid off by Spartan F. Rhea, and the first sale of lots took place on April 6, 1846 ...
The first storehouse was built by Floyd Shannon immediately after the town was laid out. It was a small log building. At about the same time William Wesley built a similar house on the lot about the middle of the block on the west side of the public square. This was occupied by R. D. Ballew with a stock of goods brought from Camden, Mo.
Princeton was first incorporated at the May term of the county court in 1853, when John R. Davis and others were appointed trustees. This incorporation was made under a general law, and two years later, a special charter was granted by the Legislature under which an organization was effected and maintained until the (Civil) War, when it was allowed to lapse. The town was then without any municipal government until April, 1869 when the county court ordered it incorporated under a general act of the Legislature passed in 1865.
The powers were found to be too limited for the effective administration of the sixth municipal government and it was decided to apply for a new charter. A new charter was presented to the General Assembly as an amendment to the charter of 1855. It passed that body and was approved by the Governor on March 20, 1871. By this charter the following territory was incorporated as the town of Princeton: The south half of Section No. 27, the north half of Section No. 34, and the southeast quarter of Section No. 33, all in Township No. 65, Range No. 24 ... (--Goodspeed, pp. 423, 424, 433.)
Princeton was settled in 1840 and incorporated in 1857 ... It had 2 churches, Baptist and M. E. Church, 25 stores, 1 fine flouring-mill with steam and water power, 1 wagon and 2 saddle and harness shops, 3 lumber yards ... (--Campbell, p. 363.; See, also, Conard, Vol. 5, p. 236.)
It is located at the junction of 65, 136 & FF.
[7]
Ravanna
Ravanna, the second town in importance in Mercer County, was laid out in the spring of 1857 by William R. McKinley and Addison Sparks, and is situated on the northeast quarter of Section 10 in Township 65, Range 23 ...
The first house on the site of the town was erected in 1855 by W. R. McKinley, for a dwelling. It was a small log building ... The next year an addition was made to this house and a small stock of goods put in ...
The first blacksmith shop was established by Jacob Loutsenhiser, a son-in-law of W. R. McKinley ...
The post-office, now -- 1888 --- at Ravanna was formerly called Sonoma, and was kept by J. B. Anderson, who had a little store about three miles east of the town ...
Ravanna was incorporated by an order of the county court made on March 9, 1860.
In November, 1886, a weekly newspaper known as the Ravanna Review was established by T. H. Graves, who, in May following, removed it to Lucerne (Putnam County), and changed the name to the Lucerne Bee. This was the only newspaper ever published in the town. (--Goodspeed, pp. 440, 441.: See, also, Conard, Vol. 5, 301, 302.)
It is located at the junction of AA, C & 136.
It has been disincorporated since 1970; mail via Princeton, population 127. (--Rand McNally, 1974.)
Saline
Saline was a post-office fourteen miles northwest of Princeton. (--Campbell, p. 363.)
It is located in the northwest corner of the county near Harrison County line. (--Williams, p. 445.)
It is situated in Sec. 16, Twp. 66 N, R. 25 W on T west of B.
Mail via Cainesville, Harrison Co.; no population. (--Rand McNally, 1974.)
Somerset
It was a village in Somerset Township and was laid out in 1836 by Frederick Royse and Albert Bruce. The first house erected in the town was a hewed-log building, built by William Royse. The first merchant was Thomas McLaughlin, who continued in business for several years ... Among those who have been in business in Somerset were Jacob Baumgardner, Samuel Butcher, John J. Johnson and others. (--Goodspeed, p. 446. Shown on New Atlas of Mo., Map 15 as being adjacent to Cleopatra.)
It was situated in Sec. 5, Twp. 66 N, R. 23 W.
[8]
Sonoma
See Ravanna.
South Lineville
South Lineville is on the Iowa line, and on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R., sixteen miles north of Princeton. Population (1874) about 500. (--Campbell, p. 363.)
It is situated in Sec. 29 & 30, Twp 67 N, R. 23 W on 65.
Mail via Lineville, Iowa; population 52. (--Rand McNally, 1974.)
Topaz
Topaz was located in the southeast section of the county on R. F. D., from Princeton. (--Williams, p. 445.)
The post-office was discontinued pre 1905. (--Taft, p. 68.)
Wataga
Wataga was located in the northwest corner of the county near Iowa line. (--Williams, p. 445.)
It was southwest of Lineville, Iowa. (--Map of Mo., 1910, Kenyon.)
The post-office was discontinued pre 1905. (--Taft, p. 68.)