Missouri,
One of the
central United States, lies west of the
Mississippi River, which separates it from
Illinois,
Kentucky, and
Tennessee.
Arkansas bounds it on the south.
On the west, a line drawn south from
Kansas City in about long.
94° 30′, separates the
State from the
Indian Territory and
Kansas, while the
Missouri River marks the boundary of
Kansas continued and
Nebraska north of
Kansas City.
The
State of Iowa forms the northern boundary.
It is limited in latitude from 36° to 40° 30′ N., and in longitude from 89° 2′ to 95° 44′
W. Area, 65,370 square miles in 115 counties.
Population in 1890, 2,679,184; 1900, 3,106,665.
Capital,
Jefferson City.
Fernando De Soto ascends the west bank of the
Mississippi River as far as the present site of New Madrid......1541
Louis Joliet and
Pere Jacques Marquette descend the
Mississippi to lat. 33°......1673
Robert
Cavalier de La Salle descends the
Mississippi to its mouth......1682
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A prospecting party sent out by French governor of
Louisiana ascends the
Missouri River to the mouth of the
Kansas......1705
Missouri included in a grant to
Anthony Crozat for the exclusive privilege of the commerce of
Louisiana for fifteen years, made by Louis XIV......Sept. 14, 1712
Missouri included in a grant to the Mississippi Company on the resignation of
Crozat......August, 1717
Lead-mining in St. Genevieve county by Sieur Renault......1720
Pierre Ligueste Laclede, head of
Louisiana Fur Company, who in 1763 obtained from the
director-general of
Louisiana a monopoly of the fur trade with the Indians of
Missouri, sends a party under
Auguste Chouteau, who lays out
St. Louis......Feb. 15, 1764
St.
Ange de Belle Rive, the
French commander of Fort Chartres, about 15 miles above
St. Genevieve, surrendering the fort to the
British, removes with officers and troops to
St. Louis and assumes command of
upper Louisiana......July 17, 1765
Spanish troops under
Captain Rios reach
St. Louis;
Rios takes possession in the name of the
King of
Spain......Aug. 11, 1768
Pontiac, chief of the Ottawas, who was murdered at
Cahokia, is buried at
St. Louis, where he was a guest of St. Ange......1769
Blanchette, surnamed “The
Hunter,” builds a log-hut on hills now occupied by the city of
St. Charles, and establishes a military post under the governor of
upper Louisiana......1769
Lieut.-Gov. Don Pedro Piernas arrives at
St. Louis to assume the
Spanish authority over
upper Louisiana......1770
Francisco Crozat succeeds
Piernas......1775
Don Ferdinando Leyba appointed governor to succeed
Crozat......1778
Massacre of whites near
St. Louis by Indians who, led by British, intended a general attack on the settlement, but were repulsed......May 26, 1780
Leyba removed and
Francisco Crozat reinstated.
Under his government
St. Louis was regularly fortified......1780
Old St. Genevieve, which tradition says was founded by settlers from
Kaskaskia in 1735, is destroyed by a flood, the inhabitants remove from river bottoms to the present site......1785
New Madrid, settled as early as 1780, is laid out on an extensive scale by
Col. George Morgan, of
New Jersey, who had received a grant of over 12,000,000 acres of land from
Spain......1788
Crozat succeeded by
Don Manuel Perez as commandant-general of the post of
St. Louis......1788
Zenon Trudeau succeeds
Perez......1793
Daniel Boone, of
Kentucky, moves to what is now
St. Charles county......1795
Trudeau succeeded by
Charles Dehault Delassus de Delusiere......1798
Delassus appoints
Daniel Boone commandant or syndic of the
Femme Osage district......1800
Maj. Amos Stoddard, agent of
France for receiving
upper Louisiana from the
Spanish, arrives at
St. Louis, and on March 9 Delassus surrenders the territory to him, and next day it is transferred to the
United States,
Major Stoddard in command......March 10, 1804
Missouri included in the district of Louisiana, set off from the
Territory of Louisiana, and placed under the government of
Indiana Territory by act of Congress......March 26, 1804
Exploring expedition of
Lewis and
Clarke up the
Missouri River leaves
St. Louis......May 14, 1804
By act of Congress the district of Louisiana is regularly organized into the
Territory of Louisiana, and
President Jefferson appoints
Gen. James Wilkinson as governor......March 3, 1805
Aaron Burr visits
General Wilkinson at
St. Louis......September, 1805
Lewis and
Clarke expedition return to
St. Louis......Sept. 23, 1806
Missouri Gazette established and published at
St. Louis by
Joseph Charless......July, 1808
Treaty of
Fort Clark by which the
Great and Little Osage tribes cede to the
United States 33,173,383 acres of land in
Missouri and 14,830,432 acres in
Arkansas......Nov. 10, 1808
Town of
St. Louis incorporated......Nov. 9, 1809
Town of
New Madrid destroyed by an earthquake......Dec. 16, 1811
Act of Congress changing the name to the
Territory of Missouri approved......June 4, 1812
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Edward Hempstead first delegate to Congress......November, 1812
First General Assembly meets in the house of
Joseph Robidoux, between Walnut and Elm streets,
St. Louis......Dec. 7, 1812
United States Congress confirms to
Daniel Boone 833 acres of land in the
Femme Osage district......Feb. 10, 1814
Capt. James Callaway, with fifteen men, returning to the settlement of
Loutre Island with some horses they had recovered from the
Sac and
Fox Indians, are attacked by the Indians in ambush and
Captain Callaway and three of his men are killed......March 7, 1815
By act of Congress the election of the council in
Missouri Territory is by choice of the people......April 29, 1816
Steamboat
General Pike ascends the
Mississippi to
St. Louis......Aug. 2, 1817
Bill authorizing people of
Missouri to frame a State constitution for admission into the
Union introduced into Congress......Feb. 13, 1819
By act of Congress,
Arkansas Territory is set off from
Missouri......March 2, 1819
Independence, a pioneer steamboat, ascends the
Missouri River and arrives at
Franklin, Howard county......May 28, 1819
Western Engineer, a steamboat constructed by
Col. S. H. Long for an expedition up the
Missouri to the
Yellowstone, leaves
St. Louis......June 21, 1819
Act approved authorizing the people of
Missouri Territory to form a State constitution......March 6, 1820
A constitutional convention meets at
St. Louis, June 12, completes its labors, July 19, and the constitution is ratified by the people at the ensuing election......1820
Article III:, section 26, of the
State constitution requires the legislature “to pass such laws as may be necessary” to prevent free negroes and mulattoes from coming to and settling in the
State......1820
General Assembly, elected Aug. 28, meets in the
Missouri Hotel at
St. Louis and organizes a State government......Sept. 19, 1820
Daniel Boone dies at Femme
Osage......Sept. 26, 1820
Missouri admitted into the
Union with conditions that the legislature should pledge the faith of the
State that the free negro clause should never be executed......March 2, 1821
Conditions of admission of
Missouri into the
Union being accepted,
President Monroe approves the bill......Aug. 10, 1821
Thomas H. Benton enters the United States Senate and serves continuously until 1851......1821
St. Louis incorporated a city; population, 4,800......Dec. 9, 1822
Public reception of
Lafayette in
St. Louis......April 29, 1825
Gov. Frederick Bates dies......Aug. 1, 1825
Seat of government removed from
St. Charles to
Jefferson City, and legislature holds its first session there......Nov. 20, 1826
Joseph Smith, the
Mormon leader, having found a location for “Zion” at
Independence, Jackson county, in 1831, which he names “The New Jerusalem,” arrives from
Kirtland, O., with many followers......1832
St. Louis University, founded 1829; incorporated......December, 1832
Mormons in
Missouri publish a paper, the
Evening Star, the sentiments of which are obnoxious to the people, who tar and feather the bishop and two others, and throw the presses into the river.
On Oct. 31 an encounter occurs in which two citizens and one Mormon are killed.
On Nov. 2 the Mormons attack Independence, but are routed and forced to promise to leave the county before.
Jan. 1, 1834......Nov. 2, 1833
Congress adds the
Platte purchase, a triangle north of the
Missouri River, west of the western boundary of the
State, and south of the northern boundary to
Missouri, thus making it slave territory......June 7, 1836
Depredations and murders in
Carroll county traced to a band of desperadoes composed principally of a family named
Hetherly, old
Mrs. Hetherly being a sister of the
Kentucky brigands, Big and Little Harpe.
The band broken up by the arrest and imprisonment of some of its chief men......July 17, 1836
Bank of the State of
Missouri established at
St. Louis; capital, $5,000,000, about four-fifths belonging to the
State......1837
By proclamation of
President Van Buren, the law of June 7, 1836, regarding the
Platte purchase, takes effect......March 28, 1837
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Col. Richard Gentry's regiment leaves
Columbia for the
Seminole War......Oct. 6, 1837
State-house burned with public papers and records......Nov. 17, 1837
Act of Congress to ascertain the true boundary-line of
Missouri on the north, described in the act of admission as “the parallel of latitude which passes through the rapids of the river
Des Moines, making the said line to correspond with the
Indian boundary-line” ......June 18, 1838
Numerous conflicts occurring between the Mormons and people lead
Governor Boggs to issue a proclamation to call out the militia and enforce the laws.
Skirmishes occur at
Crooked River and Haughn's Mills, near
Breckinridge, between the militia and Mormons under
G. W. Hinkle; in the latter eighteen Mormons were killed, some of them after surrender.
At
Far West, Caldwell county,
Joe Smith surrenders to the militia and agrees that the Mormons shall leave the
State......October, 1838
Corner-stone of the
University of the
State of Missouri at
Columbia, laid......July 4, 1840
Suicide of
Gov. Thomas Reynolds......Feb. 9, 1844
Remains of
Daniel Boone and his wife are removed to
Frankfort, Ky.......July 17, 1845
The first regiment of
Missouri troops for the
Mexican War arrives at
Fort Leavenworth......June 18, 1846
State constitution completed, but rejected by the people......1846
Colonel Doniphan, with 924
Missouri volunteers, defeats 4,000 Mexicans under
General Heredia in the pass of
Sacramento......Feb. 28, 1847
First line of telegraph between
East St. Louis and the
East completed......Dec. 20, 1847
Decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States upon the northern boundary is confirmed by Congress, and the present boundary established by act......Feb. 15, 1848
Claiborne F. Jackson, on Jan. 15, 1849, introduces resolutions in the State Senate, questioning the power of Congress to legislate on slavery in the
Territories.
Passed by the Senate, Jan. 20, and by the Assembly......March 6, 1849
Fire in
St. Louis destroys twenty-three steamboats and their cargoes and a large section of the city......May 17, 1849
United States Senator Thomas H. Benton, in the hall of the
House at
Jefferson City, opposes the “
Jackson resolutions,” as in the spirit of nullification and disunion, and appeals from the legislature to the people......May 26, 1849
Inter-State convention at
St. Louis unanimously endorses a national Pacific railway across the continent......Oct. 16, 1849
Ground broken for the Pacific Railroad by the mayor of
St. Louis......July 4, 1850
William Jewell College at
Liberty, chartered in 1849, opened......1850
At a joint convention to choose a
United States Senator, Henry S. Geyer, of
St. Louis, Whig, defeats
Thomas H. Benton......Jan. 22, 1851
Destruction of the
Industrial luminary, a newspaper published at
Parkville, by a pro-slavery faction......April 14, 1855
Gov. Trusten Polk resigns to become
United States Senator......March, 1857
Dred Scott and family emancipated by Taylor Blow, under deed for that purpose from the family of
Calvin C. Chaffee, who inherited then......May 26, 1857
First overland mail leaves
St. Louis for
San Francisco......Sept. 16, 1858
First overland mail from
California arrives at
St. Louis twenty-four days eighteen and a half hours from
San Francisco......Oct. 9, 1858
Legislature calls a State convention, “that the will of the people may be ascertained and effectuated,” but providing that no ordinance of secession should be valid unless ratified by the people......Jan. 18, 1861
Edward Bates, of
Missouri, United States Attorney-General......March 5, 1861
State convention assembles in the courthouse at
Jefferson City; ninety-nine delegates.
Sterling Price chosen president, Feb. 28.
They adjourn to meet at
St. Louis on March 4, when a committee reports against secession......March 9, 1861
In reply to
President Lincoln's call for troops,
Governor Jackson writes, “Not one man will the
State of Missouri furnish to carry on such an unholy crusade” ......April 17, 1861
United States arsenal at Liberty seized and garrisoned by State troops under order from
Governor Jackson......April 20, 1861
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Captain Lyon, at the head of the United States forces in
St. Louis, by a sudden move upon Camp Jackson, compels an unconditional surrender of the
State militia there......May 10, 1861
General Harney, commandant at
St. Louis, addresses the people of
Missouri, denouncing a military act of the legislature as indirect secession and unconstitutional......May 14, 1861
Governor Jackson calls for 50,000 militia, “for the purpose of repelling invasion, and for the protection of the lives, liberty, and property of citizens of the
State” ......June 12, 1861
Governor Jackson, with the
State troops, proceeds to
Booneville, leaving the capital to fall into the hands of
Lyon......June 15, 1861
General Lyon defeats the
State troops under
Colonel Marmaduke in
battle at Booneville......June 17, 1861
An indecisive battle is fought at
Carthage between State troops under
General Jackson and Federals under
General Sigel......July 5, 1861
State convention makes
Robert Wilson president in place of
Sterling Price, made major-general in the Confederate army......July 22, 1861
State convention declares the office of governor, of lieutenant-governor, and of members of legislature vacant, and elects
Hamilton R. Gamble as provisional governor......July 31, 1861
Thomas C. Reynolds,
ex-lieutenant-governor, proclaims from New Madrid that the forces of
General Pillow had come on the invitation of
Governor Jackson, “to aid in expelling the enemy” ......July 31, 1861
Governor Gamble, by proclamation, promises protection to all citizens in arms who return peaceably to their homes......Aug. 3, 1861
Governor Jackson, returning from
Richmond, Va., to New Madrid, issues a “
Declaration of Independence of the
State of Missouri” ......Aug. 5, 1861
Nationals under
General Lyon defeat Confederates under
Gen. James Rains at
Dug Springs, Aug. 2, and are defeated by
Gen. Benjamin McCulloch at
Wilson Creek;
General Lyon was killed......Aug. 10, 1861
Missouri is placed under martial law by
General Fremont, at the head of the Western Department, and
Major McKinstry, U. S. A., is created provost-marshalgeneral......Aug. 30, 1861
By proclamation, Aug. 30,
General Fremont manumits two slaves of
Thomas L. Snead, a secessionist of
St. Louis......Sept. 12, 1861
Nationals are defeated in battles at Blue Mills Landing, Sept. 17,
Lexington, Sept. 20, and
Papinsville......Sept. 21, 1861
State convention at
Jefferson City requires each civil officer within sixty days to subscribe an oath to support the constitution......Oct. 16, 1861
Lexington reoccupied by the Nationals, Oct. 16, who are also victorious at
Fredericktown, Oct. 22, and at
Springfield......Oct. 26, 1861
Governor Jackson issues (Sept. 26) a proclamation from
Lexington, convening the legislature in extra session at Masonic Hall in
Neosho, Newton county......Oct. 21, 1861
General Fremont is relieved by
Gen. David Hunter......Nov. 2, 1861
Legislature at
Neosho passes an act of secession, Oct. 28, and resolution requesting all members to sign it......Nov. 2, 1861
Indecisive
battle at Belmont between
Generals Grant and
Polk, Nov. 7;
Warsaw destroyed by Confederates......Nov. 19, 1861
Major-General Halleck, who succeeded
General Hunter, Nov. 7, declares martial law in
St. Louis, Dec. 23; and, some men returning from
General Price's army having destroyed about 100 miles of the Missouri Railroad, he extends the order to all the railroads in the
State......Dec. 25, 1861
Battles at
Shawnee Mound and
Milford, Dec. 18, 1861, and at
Mount Zion......Dec. 28, 1861
New Madrid captured by
General Pope......March 14, 1862
Independence captured by the
Confederates......Aug. 11, 1862
Battle at
Newtonia, Confederates victorious......Sept. 30, 1862
Andrew Allsman, an aged citizen of
Palmyra, taken in a raid by
Col. John C. Porter's band in September, and not heard of afterwards;
General McNeil in retaliation shot ten of
Porter's raiders......Oct. 18, 1862
Confederate
Gen. John S. Marmaduke
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repulsed at
Springfield, Jan. 8, and at
Hartsville......Jan. 11, 1863
Gen. John H. McNeil repulses
General Marmaduke in a battle at
Cape Girardeau......April 26, 1863
Ordinance adopted by the State convention, ordaining that slavery should cease, July 4, 1870, subject to provisions with regard to age, etc.......July 1, 1863
Death of
Governor Gamble......Jan. 31, 1864
Robbery and general massacre of citizens and Federal soldiers in
Centralia by guerilla band under Bill
Anderson......Sept. 27, 1864
General Price invades
Missouri; defeats
Curtis at Little Blue, Oct. 21, but is repulsed by Nationals at Big Blue, Little Osage, and
Newtonia......October, 1864
Constitutional convention meets at
St. Louis, Jan. 6, 1865, adopts an ordinance abolishing slavery......Jan. 11, 1865
State board of immigration organized under act of legislature......1865
State convention vacates on May 1 the offices of judges of the Supreme Court, of all circuit courts, and others......March 17, 1865
New constitution completed April 10.
Article II., section 9, provides that after sixty days “no person shall be permitted to practise as an attorney,” “nor be competent as a bishop, priest, deacon,
minister, elder, or other clergyman” to teach or preach or solemnize marriages unless he shall have taken, subscribed, and filed an oath of loyalty.
Constitution ratified by the people, vote 43,670 for and 41,808 against......June 6, 1865
Judges of the higher courts decline to yield to the new judges appointed by
Governor Fletcher under ordinance of March 17, as not in the power of the convention.
By special order,
General Coleman is directed to use such force as may be necessary to establish the new judges in office, which he accomplishes......June 14, 1865
Excitement in
Lafayette from political strife and robbery and murder by desperadoes under
Archie Clemmens, who is killed by troops sent to quell the disturbance......spring of 1867
Legislature makes prize-fighting for money punishable by imprisonment from six to twelve months, or a fine of $500 to $1,000......Feb. 8, 1868
Monument to
Thomas H. Benton, raised for the
State government on
Lafayette, Square,
St. Louis, is unveiled......May 27, 1868
People reject the amendment striking out the word “white” in the suffrage clause, by 74,053 to 55,236......1868
Original seal of the
State of Missouri, which had disappeared from the seat of government in 1861, is restored to
Governor McClurg by
ex-Lieut.-Gov. Thomas C. Reynolds......May 26, 1869
Legislature ratifies Fifteenth Amendment to the
United States Constitution......Jan. 10, 1870
State Agricultural College located at
Columbia by law......1870
A movement set on foot in 1866 by
Col. B. Gratz Brown, for universal amnesty, universal franchise, and revenue reform, divides the Republican party, at the State convention at
Jefferson City, Aug. 31, 1870, into Radicals and Liberals or “Bolters,” headed by
Gen. Carl Schurz.
The Liberal candidate,
B. Gratz Brown, elected governor......Nov. 8, 1870
Act passes over
Governor Brown's veto directing that 422 bonds of the
State of Missouri, of $1,000 each, issued in 1852 and falling due in 1872, “redeemable in gold or
silver coin,” be redeemed in legaltender notes......Feb. 8, 1872
Seventy or eighty masked men stop a railroad train at Gun City,
Cass county, and murder
Judge J. C. Stephenson,
Thomas E. Detro, and
James C. Cline, charged with complicity in the fraudulent issue of railroad bonds, which imposed a heavy burden upon the tax-payers in that county......April 24, 1872
Railroad bridge over the
Mississippi at
St. Louis, designed by
James B. Eads and constructed by the
Illinois and St. Louis Bridge Company, formally opened......July 4, 1874
State railroad commission created by act of legislature......March 27, 1875
Ordinance passed by legislature to prevent the payment of 1,918 bonds and coupons of $1,000 each, executed by the Pacific Railroad of
Missouri under a law of Dec. 10, 1855, which had disappeared, but had not been cancelled or destroyed......Oct. 30, 1875
New constitution framed by a State convention which sat at
Jefferson City, May
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5, 1875, to Aug. 19, is submitted to the people and ratified by a vote of 90,600 to 14,362......Oct. 30, 1875
Convention of 869 delegates from thirty-one States and Territories assembles at
St. Louis to take action upon the construction of the
Southern Pacific Railroad......Nov. 23-24, 1875
Carl Schurz, of
Missouri,
Secretary of the Interior......March 12, 1877
State lunatic asylum at
St. Joseph burned; the 218 inmates escape......Jan. 25, 1879
Cottey law passed, to take effect immediately, providing that county courts shall levy only four taxes: the
State revenue tax, the
State interest tax, tax for current county expenses, and school tax, unless ordered by the circuit court for the county or by the judge thereof in chambers......March 8, 1879
Laws creating a State fish commission, a bureau of labor statistics, and appropriating $3,000 for a State hatchery......1879
Proposed amendment to the constitution, article XIV., embodying the
Maine liquor law, passes the
House, and is rejected in the Senate by 12 to 10......1879
Convention of representatives of the commercial and agricultural and other productive industries of the
Mississippi Valley meets at
St. Louis......Oct. 26, 1881
Missouri River improvement convention meets at
St. Joseph.
Four States and two Territories are represented......Nov. 29, 1881
Downing high license law passed, which fixes the maximum State and county tax on license for dram-shops at $1,200 per annum......1883
State board of health created by act of legislature......1883
Some seventy-five of the “Bald-knobber” organization of
Christian county are arrested in March, some on the charge of murder, others for attending unlawful assemblies of “Regulators.”
All but the leaders are tried at
Ozark and fined......August, 1887
Fifty out of seventy-eight elections under the
Wood local option law result in favor of prohibition......1887
Governor Marmaduke dies......Dec. 28, 1887
Institution for deaf and dumb at
Fulton burned......February, 1888
Bald-knobber leader
David Walker and three accomplices tried, March and April, 1888.
Sentenced to be executed on May 18; postponed.
Their Bald-knobber friends, for revenge, seize and hang five of the witnesses......Nov. 14, 1888
Norman J. Coleman appointed
Secretary of Agriculture......Feb. 12, 1889
Australian ballot reform act, applicable to cities and towns with a population of 5,000 and over, passed by the legislature......1889
Act of legislature appointing the first Friday after the first Tuesday of April to be observed as Arbor Day......1889
David Walker,
William Walker, and
John Matthews, Bald-knobbers, sentenced April, 1888, finally executed at
Ozark......May 10, 1889
Inter-State Wheat Growers' Association of Mississippi Valley meets at
St. Louis,
N. J. Coleman, presiding......Oct. 27, 1889
Woman's temperance crusade in
Lathrop, etc., from......Feb. 10, 1890
State
Treasurer E. T. Noland suspended from office for defalcation to the amount of $32,745.69......March 4, 1890
Semi-centennial of the laying of the corner-stone of the State university at
Columbia celebrated......July 4, 1890
Limited Kansas City express on the
Missouri Pacific Railroad is “held up” by seven highwaymen at
Otterville, and express car robbed of $90,000......Aug. 17, 1890
Representatives from the
Union Labor, Prohibition, and Greenback parties meet at
St. Louis, Sept. 3, and organize the
National Reform party......Sept. 5, 1890
Gen. W. T. Sherman dies at New York City, Feb. 14, is buried at
St. Louis......Feb. 21, 1891
Legal rate of interest fixed at 8 per cent. by act of legislature, which adjourns......March 24, 1891
National industrial conference (over 650 delegates from Farmers' Alliance and mutual benefit associations) meets at
St. Louis and decides to act with the
People's party in the Presidential campaign......Feb. 22, 1892
National Nicaragua Canal convention, with delegates from twenty-five or more States, meets at
St. Louis......June 2, 1892
Southeast Missouri land commission created......1893
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Cyclone at
St. Louis, great loss of lives and property......May 27, 1896
Republican National Convention meets at
St. Louis.
Platform adopted......June 18, 1896
The People's Party National Convention meets at
St. Louis......July 24, 1896
The street-railroad system of
St. Louis sold to a New York syndicate for $8,500,000......Dec. 7, 1898
Tornado in northern part of the
State (forty-two persons killed, over 100 injured)......April 27, 1899
Richard P. Bland dies at
Lebanon, Mo.......June 15, 1899
Louisiana purchase exposition to receive $5,000,000 in bonds from
St. Louis; $1,000,000 from the
State; $5,000,000 from the
United States after the committee has raised $10,000,000......1900
Department-store taxation law declared unconstitutional......Feb. 20, 1900
The great trolley-car strike settled......July 2, 1900
Seven constitutional amendments adopted......November, 1900
Montana 
