Daviess County "Firsts"
The following was abstracted from "A History of Northwest Missouri, Vol. 1" by Williams. Chapter XX- Daviess County by M. F. Stipes, Jamesport. Copies of this chapter were sent to me by Peter Castro. This chapter on Daviess appears to have been written before 1920 and wasn't very "PC".
1830- January- First permanent settler, John Splawn
March- First deaths were those of two children of Stephan Roberts
August 25- First sermon in the county is preached under a tree by Rev. James McMahon
1832- January 8- First child born in the county, Elizabeth Tarwater
1833- First settler in Benton Township (Benjamin Sampson)
1834- First settler in Jamesport Township (Thomas N. Auberry)
1835- First Post Office established at Millport
1837- April 7- First mercantile license issued to John A. Williams for a grocery
April 29-First election held
July-First Circuit Court held on the fourth Monday
1838- January 13- First deed recorded (Francis C. Case and wife Mary to Elisha Groves)
September 3-First County Court session held at Gallatin
1840- First marriage in Jamesport Township (Richard Hill and Ann Gillilan)
1841- First bridge built across Big Muddy, by Adam Black
March- First jail completed
1843- First courthouse completed, constructed of wood
1851- First Railroad survey made through the county;
1853- First public schools with William Isaacs as county superintendent;
1855- March- First attorneys admitted to the bar in the county (Theodore Peniston, George W. Poage and G. W. Keene);
First store in Jamesport (opened by John and Isaac Faulkner)
1860- November 1- First applicant for a saloon license rejected
1871- August 17- First telegraph line into Gallatin
1886- July 23- John Smith was the first recorded hanging. He was hanged for the murder of William C. Gladson, which occurred on December 29, 1885;
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This page was created on March 20, 1999.
This page was last updated March 21, 1999.
This page Copyright 1999 by Lori Beckett Pownall.