xt7zs756ht0x https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7zs756ht0x/data/mets.xml Missouri Missouri Historical Records Survey. United States. Work Projects Administration. Division of Professional and Service Projects. 1940 109 l.: ill., maps ; 28 cm. UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program libraries. Call Number FW 4.14:M 69o/no.61 books English St. Louis, Mo.: the Survey This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Missouri Works Progress Administration Publications Archives -- Missouri -- Dallas County -- Catalogs Dallas County (Mo.) -- History -- Archival resources Dallas County (Mo.) -- Genealogy Inventory of the County Archives of Missouri. No. 61. Dallas County (Buffalo) text Inventory of the County Archives of Missouri. No. 61. Dallas County (Buffalo) 1940 1940 2019 true xt7zs756ht0x section xt7zs756ht0x 1mlumflufiflilflflflflflinjflflflfiflmmmw
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 Il-TVENTORY OF THE COUNTY ARCHIVES
. OF MISSOURI
' i No. 61. DALLAS COUNTY (BUFFALO)
:1 Prepared by
1:»; V1114; The Missouri Historical Records Survey
" Division of Professional and Service Projects
‘ Work Projects Administration
* >I< * * * * >0:
St, Louis, Missouri
' i The Missouri Historical Records Survey
November 1940

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WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION

Howard 0. Hunter, Acting Commissioner I
George H. Field, Regional Director j

E. M. Casteel, State Administrator 1

of Missouri 1

* * * J

/

DIVISION OF 1 ,

PROFESSIONAL AND SERVICE PROJECTS

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Florence Kerr, Assistant Commissioner f

v Mary G. Moon, Regional Supervisor 1
. E. D. Voorhis, Acting State Director ;
' of Missouri j

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* * * ‘

HISTORICAL RECORDS SURVEY PROGRAM
Sargent B.'Child, National Director ,
A. Loyd Collins, State Supervisor of Missouri

‘ s * * 3
SPONSOR ‘ 5

Dwight H. Brown, Secretary of State '
CO-SPONSOR i

Dallas County Court 2

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{ FOREWORD
The Inventgry of the Cgunty Archives 2£.yissou£i is one of a
number of bibliographies-o? historicalifiiterialsuprepared throughout
the United States by workers on the Historical Records Survey Program
‘ of the Work Projects Administration. The publication herewith pre-
‘ sented, an inventory of the archives of Dallas County, is number 61
J of the Missouri series.
The Historical Records Survey Program was undertaken in the winter
5 of 1955—56 for the purpose of providing useful employment to needy
’ unemployed historians, lawyers, teachers, and research and clerical
» ‘workers. In carrying out this objective, the project was organized
7 to compile inventories of historical materials, particularly the
unpublished government documents and records which are basic in the
j administration of local government, and which provide invaluable data
; for students of political, economic, and social history. The archival
‘ guide herewith presented is intended to meet the requirement of day-
; to—day administration by the officials of the county, and also the
, needs of lawyers, business men, and other citizens who require facts
1 frOm the public records for the proper conduct of their affairs. The
[ volume is so designed that it can be used by the historian in his
1 research in unprinted sources in the same way he uses the library card
f , catalog for printed sources.
I
l The inventories produced by the Historical Records Survey Program
‘ attempt to do more than give merely a list of records - they attempt
further to sketch in the historical background of the county or other
unit of government, and to describe precisely and in detail the organ-
; ization and functions of the government agencies whose records they
5 list. The county, town, and other local inventories for the entire
’ country will, when completed, constitute an encyclopedia of local
3 government as well as a bibliography of loaal archives.
' The successful conclusion of the work of the Historical Records
, Survey Program, even in a single county, would not be possible without
‘ the support of public officials, historical and legal specialists, and
‘1 many other groups in the cormmnity. Their cooperation is gratefully
5 acknowledged.
; The Survey Program was organized by Luther H. Evans, who served
‘ as Director until his appointment as Director of the Legislative
; Reference Service of the Library of Congress. He was succeeded on
March 1, 1940 by Sargent B. Child, who had served in the capacity of
, Field Supervisor since the inauguration of the Survey. The Survey
; Program operates as a Nation—wide series of locally sponsored projects
in the Division of Professional and Service Projects, under the adminis-
J tration of Mrs. Florence Kerr, Assistant Commissioner.
i _
j ‘ HOWARD o. HUNTER
' : Acting'Commissioner
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‘ , PREFhCE
’ The Historical Records Survey Program was initiated as a Nation-
, wide undertaking in January 1936, as a part of the Federal Writers‘
' Project of the Works Progress Administration, which was operating in
5 the State at that time. The Survey in Missouri became a separate unit
; of Federal Project No. 1 on October 15, 1956, and continued to operate
- as a part of the Nation—wide project. By act of Congress Federal
; Project No. 1 was abolished August 31, 1959, and the Missouri project
{ was converted into a State-wide locally sponsored project under the
{ administrative authority of Colonel B. M. Casteel, State Administrator
; and the Director of the Professional and Service Division, Work Projects
Administration.
3 The purpose of the Survey in Missouri is twofold: First, to list
A public records in county offices in a reference volume for the use of
county officials and the general public; second, to locate, classify,
‘ and catalog all extant county records so as to make them more easily
7 accessible to county officials, historians, and research workers. In
1 the official documents of Dallas County is continued the story of civi-
: lization as it pushed westward from the Mississippi River. A compilation
3 of this valuable information is found within the pages of this
‘ Inventory 2f the Archiygs sf Dallas Cgunty. Preparation of complete
I inventories of all other counties in the State, the larger cities, and .
. other local governmental units, is anticipated.
' , The arrangement of agencies in Part B of the inventory classifies
' them according to governmental function: Administration; registration
I of property titles; administration of justice; law enforcement; finance;
3 elections; education; health; and miscellaneous. A short history of
i the agency is found in a section preceding the inventory of the records
? of each agency. Records are classified, in general, according to the
f agencies which make them, unless other disposition of the records is
directed by law. Records have been classified under each agency, so
; far as possible, according to the subjects with which they deal.
, Records are described in entries whose style is formalized to
. give the following information: Title of record, dates for which avail-
? able, quantity, labeling of volumes or containers, variant titles,
5 description of record contents, manner of arrangement, indexing,
nature of recording, size of volumes or containers, and location.
‘ The inventory of the records of Dallas County was made by Ella
‘ Burd, who started the survey in the county on July 16, 1937, and
5 continued the work up to April 27, 1938. Additional work has been
, done in the county since that time, particularly the abstracting of
£ the County Court Records as well as the writing of other minor his-
f torical essays. Mrs. Burd has been assisted in this part of the work
’ by Sylvester Weeks. A complete recheck of the inventory was begun on
: may 16, 1939 and completed on may 27, 1939 by Ruth West, District
1 . Supervisor in charge of the Survey in Dallas County, assisted by Paul
1 Myerscough, Area Supervisor from the state office of the project.
1 This recheck resulted in the final verification of the record entries
I that are found in this volume.

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. The inventory was prepared for publication by the editorial staff
of the Survey in St. Louis under the direction of Ellis McClenning,
: Assistant Supervisor, assisted by Raymond Kelly and wmi H. Michell,
in charge of editing and re-editing. Legal data was furnished by
f Joseph Block, Elmer Dolphus, and George Schlueter. The historical
‘ sketch was written by O. H. Gerard, and the alphabetical and chrono-
; logical indexes were prepared by Marie Carroll. The Missouri staff
; has profited in all phases of its work by the constructive advice and
criticism of the washington staff. This inventory in manuscript form
1 was edited by mabel S. Brodie, Assistant Archivist in charge of public
records inventories, of the washington, D. C. office. '
p The County Court has co-sponsored this book and aided in procuring
‘ certain materials necessary in mimeographing the volume, The active
cooperation of all the officials in Dallas County has been an
; invaluable aid in the preparation of this inventory and I wish to
- express appreciation for the assistance rendered by each of them.
1 County officials at the time of the survey were: Hon. Paul R. Bennett,
‘ presiding judge, county court;'Hon. W. R. Williams,‘judge, county court,
‘ 1st District; Hon, J. C. Nimmo, judge, county court, 2nd District;
Kinch Bridges, county clerk; Hon. Clarence Barclay, probate judge;
B. H. Darby, circuit clerk and recorder of deeds; Albert A. Willard,
f collector of revenue; Will G. maddux, assessor3‘R. E. McArron, treas-
' urer; H. F. Bartlett, sheriff; James P. Hawkins, prosecuting attorney;
Anna Stearns, superintendent of public schools; J. M. Brackley, county
‘ surveyor; L. B. Jones, coroner; and W. J. Smithpeter, public adminis—
f trator. I also wish to express appreciation for the cooperation
: rendered by the officials of the Missouri Historical Society, the
, Missouri work Projects Administration, the St. Louis Law Library
' Association, and the St. Louis Public Library.
5 The various units of the Inventory 2f the County Archives 2E
: ygssouri are being issued in mimeographed form for free distribution
i ' to state and local officials and public libraries in Missouri, and to
f a limited number of libraries and governmental units in other states.
; Inquiries concerning particular units of the inventory may be addressed
5 to Colonel B. M. Casteel, State Administrator, Work Projects Administra-
' tion, 417 Bolivar Street, Jefferson City, Missouri.
1 “- r
g A. LOYD COL INS, State Supervisor
' Historical Records Survey
1 St. Louis, Missouri
, November 5, 1940

 j .
l ADVISORY COIWITTEE
MISSOURI HISTORICAL.RECORDS SURVEY
Dr. John F. Herget, President, William Jewell
College, and Missouri Baptist Historical Society.
i * ;\,‘: :k ::< :5
, John G. Putz, President, Cape Girardoau Connty
/ Historical Seciety.
f *****
Henry C. Chiles, PreSident, Lexington Historical
Societyo
*****
' Prof. R. F. Wood, Associate Professor of History,
Central Missouri State Teacher's College; President,
Johnson County Historical Society.
, **$**
1 Dr. Ralph P. Bieber, Professor of History,
; Washington University.
, #****
, Dr. Uel W. Lamkin, President, Northwest Missouri
3 State Teacher's College.
.j $****
l George Pohlmon, President, Hecon County Historical
' Society.
: *****
Charles H.'Whitaker, Sr., Editor, The Clinton Daily
Democrat. ‘
*****
j ' Dr. C. H. McClure, Head of Division of Social ScienCe,
: Northeast Missouri State Teacher's College.
f . **$**
5 Dr. Jonas Viles, Professor of History, University of
, Missouri.
t *****
Dr. E. A. Collins, State Teacher‘s College,
’ Cape Girardeau, Missouri. I
f

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1 TABLE or CONTENTS
A. Dallas County and its Records System
, ' Page
, County Map . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Township Map . . . . . . . . . . 4
1. Historical Sketch . . . . . . . . . 5
5 Physical Description. Early History. Establishment
‘ of County: creation and boundaries; townships; early
officials; county seat. Transportation: railroads;
i highways. Agriculture. Industry and Commerce.
, Finances. Population. Education. Religion. Public
5 welfare. Newspapers. Recreation.
3 2. Governmental Organization . . . . . . . 17 ‘
Chart of Government of Dallas County . . . . 20
\ 3. Housing, Care, and Accessibility of the Records . . 21
Depository Charts . . . . . . . . . 22-25
Floor plans, Dallas County Courthouse . . . . 26-28
i 4. Abbreviations, Symbols, and Explanatory Notes . . 29
B. County Offices and their Records
I. County Court . . . . . . . . . . . 51
, Proceedings. Bonds and Commissions. Bond Issues.
Schools: loans; land grants and sales; plats and
' boundaries. Roads and Bridges: proceedings; rights-
of-way; reports; poll tax. Fiscal Reports and Ac-
? counts: audits; annual; fees and costs. Assessments.
% Licenses. Public Welfare. County Property.
II. County Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Elections. Bonds and Commissions. Schools. Taxation:
4 real estate and personal property; land sales; delin-
‘ quent. Fiscal Reports and Accounts: county clerk;
collector; warrants. Certificates and Licenses: pro-
/ fessional; game and fish. Vital Statistics. Agriculture:
farm names. Maps and Plats.
‘ III. Recorder of Deeds . . . . . . . . . 4.7
‘ Entry Books and Indexes. Real Property: deeds; patents;
leases; deeds of trust and mortgages; releases; wills.
; Personal Property. Bonds. Fees. Marriages. Miscel~
, laneous Recordings.
, IV. Circuit Court . . . _. . . . . . . 55
5 Proceedings: case papers; minutes; orders; tax suits;
- ; juvenile; dockets; naturalization. Judgments and
} Executions.
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Table of Contents
Page
VI Circuit Clerk I o I I I I I I o I I 58
Judgments. Liens. Jurors. Fees and Costs: accounts;
‘ ' civil; criminal; witnesses. Permits. Miscellaneous.
5 VI. Probate Court . . . . . . . . . . - 61
7 Proceedings: case papers; minutes; dockets; public
5 - administrator; settlements. Administrators and
; Executors. Guardians and Curators. Inheritance Tax.
3 Pensions. Marriages.
‘ , VIII Public Administrator I I I I o p I I I 66
‘ VIII. Coroner I I I I I I I o I q o I 66
IXI sheriff I O I I I O I O 0 C Q ' 67
X. Prosecuting Attorney . . . . . . . . . 68
I V XII ASSSSSOI‘ c o a I I g o o 9 I I A 69
j XII. Board of Equalization . . . ,. . . . . . 71
' XIII. Collector of Revenue I o I I I I I r I 71
Accounts. Taxation: real estate and personal property;
commercial; public utilities; income; school; delin-
quent; land sales. Receipts.
v ‘ XIV. Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . ~. . 77
; Fiscal Reports and Accounts: general; roads; schools;
‘ warrants; depository; receipts. Fees and Costs.
. XV. Superintendent of Public Schools . . . . . . 81
. ‘ Reports; fiscal; inspection; teachers. Pupils.
{ XVI. Deputy State Commissioner of Health . . . . . 84
j XVII. Social Security Commission . . . . . . . 85
‘ XVIII 9 Surveyor I I I: I n o I . I v '. I 0 86
~ XIXI Highway comission Q 0 I a o I I o o 86
i XX. Highway Engineer . . . . . . . _ . . . 87
‘ Reports and Accounts. Maps and Plats. .
I XXII Farm Bureau 0 I I I I v I ' I I I O. 89
5 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . ‘ ._ 89
i Index, Chronological . . . . . . . . . 92
; Index, Topical . . . . . . . . . . 94
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' COUNTY MAP
I. OF
2 MISSOURI
: Showing Location of |

Dallas County -

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1 ‘ TOWNSHIP NAP '
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DALLAS COUNTY, MISSOURI 3
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33 33 SHERIDAN +3; 5
3 3 3L 33 '3 Township Lines 7.-.... ':
3 3 L! State Pavement 7...... LT
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3 33 3:3 Greene County 3 Scale: 23:" —- 1 mile 3
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,3 '

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. (First entry, p. 32)
‘ PART A. DALLAS COUNTY AND ITS RECORDS SYSTElIl
I l. HISTORICAL SKETCH '
Physical Description
1 Dallas County is situated in the southwest part of Missouri1 and
} has an area of 543 square miles, or 547,520 acres.2 It is bounded on
‘ the north by Hickory and Cannen Counties, on the east by Laclede County,
7 on the south by Webster and Greene Counties, and on the west by Polk
; and Hickory Counties.5
j The altitude of the county ranges from about 850 feet to about
' 1,250 feet ab0ve sea level.4 The surface varies from level and gently
j undulating to broken and hilly land in the vicinity of its larger
f, streams. The county is drained by the Big and Little Niangua Rivers
: and their tributaries, the waters of which flow into the Osage River
and then into the Missouri River. The Big Niangua River enters the
county from the south and flows north to the center, then east to the
eastern boundary where it turns north and crosses the Laclede County
' boundary six times before flowing into Camden County on the north.
The Little Niangua River rises a little northwest of the center of
the county and flows north into Hickory County. The numerous tribu-
taries of these streams are fed by many ever-flowing springs, the
~ largest of which is Bennett Spring, which flows enough water to supply
‘ 1 a city of over a million persons. The soil of the river and creek
; bottoms is black alluvial, the prairies are generally a black prairie
. loam.of l to 3 feet in depth, and the hill land is'mostly clay.6
Visible rock formations are of magnesian limestone, and many attrac-
‘ tive caves are located in the rocky bluffs along the larger streams.7
. Early History
' When the first settlers came to the area that is new Dallas County
they found a vast wilderness of great scenic beauty. This virgin
, forest of oak, walnut, sycamore, ash, elm, hickory, maple, and cherry
was inhabited by many kinds of wild life.8 There were elk, deer, '
' wolves, panthers, catamounts, Wildcats, and a few bears and buffaloes.
1 Wild turkeys, ducks, and goose were plentiful.9 The Osage and Delaware
>— f , ._.__ _..,_..._.___.___________.
'f 1. Standard Map of Missouri, 1938, Rand McNally, Chicago, Illinois.
:' 2. Dwight aware—1, 'Officia'l Manual, State of Missouri, 1939-1910,
_ 1940, Jefferson City, Missouri, I). 2"1"8. '-
. 3. Standard map of Missouri.
4. United States—geological Survey, Spirit Leveling in Missouri, 1958,
washington, D. C., bull. 898-B, pt. 2, pp. 248-262.
S 5. History_2£ Lacledo, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Tean,
~ Pulaski, Phelps, and Dent Counties, Missouri, 1889, Chicago,
I"1'1"'in'o"ié, pp. 49327156. ' '
Q 6. .Walter Williams, Egg State of Missouri, 1904, Columbia, Missouri
‘1 p. 574:.
f 7. Historylgg Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas,
. Pulaski, Phelps, and Dent Counties, Missouri, p. 496.
8. Ibid., p. 493. .
f 9. TEE, p‘. 505.

 . _ 6 _

Historical Sketch - Establishment (First entry, p. 52)

I of County

‘ Indians had formerly inhabited this regionlo but had abandoned it before
its settlement began. However, they continued to return annually on

‘ hunting excursions. They were not hostile but their presence caused

. considerable annoyance because of trifling depredations and the fear

I experienced by the women and children.11

' From the best information obtainable, Mark Reynolds was the first
white settler in Dallas County. He migrated from Tennessee and settled

fr in Polk County, Missouri in 1851. The next year he moved to Buffalo

3 Head Prairie, which area is now in Dallas County. A year later he sold

’ this claim.to Bracket Davidson and settled 5 miles west of the present

; town of Buffalo. The names of the next settlers are not definitely
known in the order of their arrival, but among them were the Evans,
Randleman, and Williams families from Kentucky. Richard Wilkinson, Sr.
settled southwest of Buffalo in 1857. He came from Ohio accompanied by

. his five sons and five daughters together with the wives of his sons

. John and Ezekiel and his son—in—law David Wright. Other settlers

: arriving about this time included John F. Norton, Joseph Wilcox, William
Mbntgomery, Hardin Paine, Frank Wisdom, John Brashear, Elijah Yeager,

. James Jump, Doctor Prichard, Peter Self, Eaton Tatus, Charles Davis,

‘ and George Atterbury. The Haines, Cox, Gregg, and Vanderford families
arrived from Ohio and Indiana about this same time.12

. Establishment of County
Ereation.and Boundaries

Dallas County was created by an act of the Missouri Legislature

‘ approved January 29, 1841, and its boundaries were defined as follows:

' "All that portion of territory within the following described limits,

' viz: Beginning at the north-east corner of Green County; thence, west,
along the northern boundary of Green County, to the range line between
ranges twenty and twenty-one; thence, north with said range line to

, the township line dividing townships thirty-six and thirtyhseven;

‘ thence, east on said township line to the range line dividing ranges

g _ j seventeen and eighteen; thence, south, with said range line to the
' place of beginning, is hereby created a separate and distinct county,
' to be called and known by the name of the county of Niangua."13 The

‘ name was changed from Niangua to Dallas County on December 16, 1844 in

] honor of George M. Dallas who had just been elected Vice President of

v the United States.14 .

a The present boundaries of the county are the same as those estab-

, lished by an act approved December 7, 1855 when a tract 12 miles long
10. History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, webster, Wright, Texas,

. a . mrrhmndmmm, Mi, p. 288.“

r 11. TEES—p.356?" _.._._..__..__.___._ ......_....._

_ 12. lbid., pp. 498—501.

,v' 15. Her. 18421, p. 34, $600 16.

‘ 14. M.L. 1844, pp. 26 f., secs. 1-5.

4

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1 Historical Sketch - Establishment (First entry, p. 32)

I of County
and 5 miles wide was detached from the southeast corner of Dallas
County and added to Webster County. The boundaries were then correctly

‘ defined as follows: "Beginning at the south-east corner of section
thirteen, township thirty—two and range eighteen; thence west, to the
range line dividing ranges nineteen and twenty; thence south, to the
south-east corner of section twelve, in township thirtybone, range

. twenty; thence west, to the range line dividing ranges twenty and
twenty—one; thence north, to the township line dividing townships
thirty—six and thirty-seven; thence east, to the range line dividing

‘ ranges seventeen and eighteen; thence south to the place of begin-
ning."15
Townships .

‘ Shortly after its organization the county was divided into six
municipal townships named: Miller, Green, Benton, Jasper, washington,
and Jackson. Green Township was later divided into two townships named

. Lincoln and Grant.16 Subsequent changes were made until the present

‘ ll townships were formed and named as follows: Lincoln, Sherman, Miller,
Grant, Jasper North Benton, South Benton, Wilson, Jackson, washington,

‘ and Sheridan.17
Early Officials

Because of the almost total destruction of county records in the
courthouse fire of September 1867, authentic information pertaining to

' early county officials is not available. The most reliable information
obtainable lists some of the county ceurt justices in the early days of

; the county as follows: Thomas Proctor, Peter Haynes, Thomas Marlan,
Jacob Randleman, William.Montgomery, John Ross, Jesse Hendrickson,

‘ George W. mallard, Daniel Beckner, A. H. Henson, James Jones, and John
F. Marsh. It is believed that the first three justices nentioned con-'
stituted the first county court. J. L. Paine was appointed clerk of

‘ the county court and served from 1841 to 1858. J. H. Paine served as
clerk from 1858 to 1861,18 and A. B. Maddux served from 1861 to 1870.19

' Prior to 1870 the county clerk was also clerk of the circuit court, but

, the offices were separated in 1870 and John S. Cummins served as the
first circuit clerk.2O

, 15. M.L. 1855, Adjourned Session, pp. 40 f.; R.S. 1929, see. 11950.
16. Histor of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, wright, Texas,

‘ Fulaski,.T%elps, and Dent cefififiies; WEEEEEFi, p. 509.

‘ 17. R-oad Lia 'p if D"e'11e.‘s"doun' "t“y, M'issou'ri, 193's, Missouri School of

} Nfines, Bella, Missouri.

j 18. Histor, of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, webster, Wright, Texas,

i Pulaski;_?helps, and Dent Counties, Hissouri, pp. 526 f.

_. 19. mar—Comma? 93f.— m, My 3.

20. County Court Record, vol. A, p. 84,.v31. B, p. 1, see entry 3;

, Circuit Court Record, vol. B, p. 5, E23 entry 129.__—

 _ 8 -
' Historical Sketch - Establishment (First entry, p. 32)
of County
There is some uncertainty as to who was the first sheriff. Evi-

‘ dence that William D. Beeler collected taxes in 1842 proves that he was
sheriff at that time, but Arad White, also mentioned as being the first
sheriff, may have preceded him. Succeeding sheriffs up to 1860 were
G.'W. Benson, James B. Jones, Talbert Mayfield, William Davis, and

' 1‘ Daniel Lindsey.21 When the offices of sheriff and collector were sepa—
' rated in 1872,22 John O'Bannon was the first to serve as collector, and
Francis Hale became sheriff.23 It seems that the office of assessor

. was first held by Mark Reynolds and subsequently by Thomas Proctor, J.

‘ Randles, and Daniel Beckner. J. H. Paine was treasurer from 1856 to
1858, W. L. Morrow from 1858 to 1860, and J. W. Gammon from 1860 to
1864. Jesse L. Paine was elected probate judge when the probate court

- was established in 1847. The first representatiVG in the legislature

' was Thomas Martin, and he was succeeded by William Edwards.2
County Seat .

The act organizing Niangua County, now Dallas County, designated

, the home of Samuel Williams as the temporary seat of justice,25 and set

‘ the first Mbnday of March 1841 as the date of the first meeting of the

‘ ocunty court.26 Richard Saye and E. M. Campbell of Polk County, and
Hosea Mullins of Greene County were appointed commissioners to select

v the permanent seat of justice.27 The county seat was located at Buffalo
and a small two-story brick courthouse was built by Levi Beckner. It
was destroyed on October 18, 1863 by Confederate troops and most of the

' county records were destroyed with it. The Methodist Church building

; was then used as a courthouse until July 30, 1864 when it burned. A

‘ frame business building which stood on the west side of the public
square was then occupied as the courthouse until September 3, 1867 when

< it was destroyed by fire. Practically all county records were destroyed
in this fire. 8

f The next meeting of the county court was held September 16, 1867

, at the district schoolhouse in Buffalo.29 Noah Bray was commissioned

' on November 5, 1867 to supervise the construction of a building for

‘ clerks' offices, and an appropriation of $400 Was made for that pur-

» pose.30 The question of moving the county seat to the center of the
.._._.__.._a_____.._____,______~a___.____.....______..__.______.__—_—___.
21. Histor of Laclcdo, Camden, Dallas, Webster, wright, Texas,

' _ , Pulaski,'Phclps, and Dent Counties, NisSOuri, p. 528.
22 . M' .‘L.‘ ‘1’8‘71-72, Aij‘u‘Fne'd So's‘s'io'n', 'p. '1"o"2",“s'e'o. 93 (92).

‘ 23. County Court Record, vol. B, p. 3, see entry 3.

L 24. History 23 Laclcdo, Camden, Dallas,~WEbster, Wright, Texas,

1 Pulaski, Phelps, and Dent Counties, Missouri, pp. 528-530.

‘ 25. M.L. 1841, p. 34, sec. 18.

26. Ibid., p. 38, sec. 2.

f 27. Fun, p. 34, sec. 17. ,

28. Fi's‘t‘or 31: Lacledc, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas,
Pulaski, Phelps, and Dent Counties, Missouri, pp. 511 f.

. 29. County Court Record, vol. A, p. 3, sec entry 3.

50. Ibid., p. 9. ""

l

 i ‘ 9 "

I Historical Sketch - Transportation (First entry, p. 32)
county was proposed, and on August 4, 1868 the county court ordered the
sheriff to post notices in three of the most public places in each muni—

‘ cipal township, notifying all persons that the question would be brought
up at the November election. The records do not reveal the details of

1 the action taken but Buffalo still remains the county seat.31

7 H, Hovey vms appointed on February 8, 1868 to superintend the

r building of a neW'courthouse. The county court appropriated $15,000
for the building and ordered that the money be raised by the issuance

‘ of bonds.32 Plans were approved in November 1868 and the first Monday

I in February 1869 was set for the time to receive bids.‘53 The contract
was let to A. E. Dye and in March 1869 he posted bond.54 Eldridge

i Norman replaced Hovey as superintendent of the courthouse on May 6,
1869.35 On August 4, 1869 Isaac N. Morrow was appointed commissioner
to sell courthouse bonds,36 and a special bond tax of 1 percent on

' all taxable property was ordered by the countv court on May 4, 1870.37

, The clerks‘ offices were sold about this timesa and the next meeting of
the county court was held on May 18, 1870 "upstairs in Stanley Brothers'
new brick store in Buffalo."39 The first court session held in the

‘ new courthouse was on June 27, 1870, and the building was formally

. accepted at that time.40 It is a two'story brick structure with a

‘ cupola and is in use today.

V Transportation

i Railroads

‘ There are no railroad facilities in Dallas County although a

; determined effort was made to secure railroad service. It was at the

'1 August term of the county court in 1869 that $150,000 was subscribed

‘; to the capital stock of a proposed line known as the Laclede & Fort

1 Scott Railroad. Bonds for that amount were issued to pay for the sub— '
scription, and the court decreed that the bonds were not to be delivered
until the roadbed was graded and ready to receive the cross ties.4~‘l

1 An additional $85,000 was subscribed in May 1871 because it was
"satisfactorily shown to this court by proper estimates that a further

. subscription to the capital stock of said company, of the sum of eighty—
five thousand dollars is necessary to complete the grading and bridging

, of said roadbed so as to have the same ready for the ties within the

, 31. County Court Record, vol. A, p. 30, sec entry 5.
52. Ibid., p. 19. —
' 55. Ibid., p. 59.
_ 51.. ma, p. 47.
' , 35. I—b'flfu p. 51.
36. 161‘s}, p. 55.
’ 37. 11038:, p. 78.
- 58. With, pp. 72 and 79.
. .7 59. “1’13E‘5., p. 85.
- _ 40. “EYE” pp. 84 and 86.
41. mm, pp. 57 r.

 ‘a - 10 —

Historical Sketch - Transportation (First entry, p. 52) ,

‘ limits of Dallas County;"42 Considerable friction developed over these

; bond issues, orders were rescinded and later restored, and new orders

_ were issued.43

‘ A roadbed had been graded, ready to receive the cross ties, when
the panic of 1875 put a stop to the work and the roadbed lay deserted.
A new attempt to build the road was made in 1881. The name was changed

3 to the St. Louis & western Railroad and the company's capital stock was
increased from 6 million to 12 million dollars by issuing twice as many

‘ stock certificates. There was intensive activity for a while and then
all work ceased without any explanation being given.44

Dallas County officials refused to pay on the railroad bonds,
Z interest charges mounted, and suits were begun by bondholders. The
- ' county officials steadfastly refused to honor the judgment rendered by
the court and found it necessary to dodge the United States marshals.

‘ This situation still prevailed in 1918 when a federal judge cited county
judge John S. Evans, and the other county judges, for contempt of court
for refus