Christian County

The general area in which Christian County is situated was owned by the American Indians and in succession by the governments of France, Spain and again by France until it became territory of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Subsequently it was part of the Territory of Louisiana, Territory of Missouri, and State of Missouri, and as such a part of Greene County from 1833 to 1859 when its independence was achieved. Except for frequent visits by Indian bands and intermittent occupation by them, the area was uninhabited prior to about 1819 when the first American trappers and hunters found their way to this section, probably from the St. Louis area and more certainly by ascending the White River from the Mississippi. This does not preclude probable earlier visits by French and Spanish explorers and prospectors, although there is no actual record of these.

At any rate the authentic explorer, Henry R. Schoolcraft, an American, in 1819 traveled from White River up Swan Valley and across the intervening ridge to Finley Creek in what is now Christian County, making an independent discovery of the Smallin Cave as he proceeded toward James River. His narrative, available in the Christian County Library at Ozark, states that the stream referred to had been named for a trapper, Finley or Findley, who had earlier sought, and no doubt found, beaver pelts on the stream, which was described as clear and beautiful, even in December 1819. He crossed Finley near the present site of the nationally famous Riverside Inn and the authentic history of Christian County seems actually to start at that point.

The first permanent settlers arrived about two years later, locating in the vicinity of the present town of Ozark. These include the families of Pettyjohn, Shipman, Friend, Claud, and Kimberling, soon followed by those of Patterson, Wells,

Christian County - 1

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