Bates County, on the western border of the State, is bounded north by Cass County, east by Henry and St. Clair, south by Vernon, and west by the Kansas State Line, and has an area of 538,638 acres.

Population in 1850, 3,669; in 1860, 7,215; in 1870, 15,960; of whom 15,840 were white and 120 colored; 8,541 male, and 7,419 female; 15,422 native (5,383 born in Missouri), and 538 foreign.

History
The Osage Indians occupied this region until 1824, when some missionaries, who had traveled from New York in keel boats, landed near the present site or Papinville. The Indians received them in the most friendly manner, and the missionaries had no difficulty in taking possession of the 3 sections of land which the Government had donated them.

They selected for their establishment a very beautiful location above high water level, partly timber and partly prairie, near a little brook which they called Mission Branch; this with the Marais des Cygnes (Osage) River, which at this place is about 200 feet wide, running over a gravelly bed and ease of access, afforded plenty of water. They built a mill, store, blacksmith shop, church and several dwelling houses, also planted an orchard of apple trees. They called the settlement Harmony Mission, and dwelt among the Osage Indians for many years, doing what they could to teach and civilize them. After the Indians were removed to the Indian Territory, the missionaries broke up the establishment and located in different parts of the county where some of them who were then young still reside with their descendants.

The county was established January 16th, 1833, and organized January 29th, 1841. In 1854 it was reduced to its present limits, and December 4th, 1855, Butler was made the county seat.

At this date two-thirds of the land was held by the Government, but in three years it was nearly all entered, mostly by actual settlers, and from that time until the breaking out of the Civil War, there was a steady immigration induced by the rich lands and the facilities for stock-raising.

In 1861, Butler, the county seat, was a well-built town with a population of about 1000, and the people generally throughout the county were in a prosperous condition. Being on the border it became the prey of Kansas jayhawkers, and Missouri bushwhackers.

In 1863, Gen. Ewing issued his famous order No. 11,† and when the 15 days had expired, nearly every inhabitant had crossed its border, and for three years its history was a blank. During these years the prairie fires swept over the land, adding to the desolation. In the spring of 1866, some of the former inhabitants returned, but with a very few exceptions, not a vestige of their old homes was left, save the chimneys rising above beds of rank weeds. The richness of the land, however, could not be destroyed. Settlers flocked in rapidly, and with peace came prosperity.

Physical Features
The county is an undulating prairie, occasionally interspersed with timber. There are a few mounds from 50 to 100 feet high. The soil is a rich loam, sometimes 5 to 8 feet thick, underlaid with red clay. The county is well watered: The Osage River, running south-easterly in the southern part, is the largest stream. It has been navigated by steamboats to Papinville, and is well adapted to driving machinery. Grand River, the next in size, and which forms part of the northern boundary of the county, also furnishes good water power. The other streams are Miami, Mormon, Elk, Deepwater, Panther, Deer, Mound, Mulberry, Walnut, Bone, Cove, Peter and Muddy Creeks, all of which furnish plenty of water for stock.

About one-fifth of the county is covered with good timber-white, black, water, post and spotted oak, black-walnut, hickory, locust, sycamore, linn, cottonwood, maple, cherry, mulberry, ash, elm, red-bud, box-elder, coffee-bean and pecan, found chiefly along the banks of the streams.

Mineral Resources
The county seems to rest on a bed of coal. A mine 2 miles northwest of Butler, has a 3 foot seam of excellent coal only 8 feet below the surface. 8� miles northwest of Butler is a mine which has been worked for a number of years, and has a 3 foot seam from 2 to 10 feet below the surface. The coal from this mine brings a higher price than any other in Butler, from blacksmiths. Two other mines of excellent coal are worked-one 6 miles northwest and another 11 miles north of Butler.

The Manufacturing Interests are noticed under the different towns where they are located.

Wealth
Valuation of the county per census of 1870, $8,000,000.*

Railroads
The Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad has 6 miles of track in the south-eastern part of the county. The Lexington, Lake & Gulf Railroad is graded and bridged through the county, north and south.

The Exports are corn, wheat, oats, apples and stock; and it only needs a railroad to make coal a leading export.

Educational
The county has a school fund of $95,796.86. There are about 100 sub-school-districts, each having a commodious school house.

Bates County Places in 1875

Altona, 12 miles northeast of Butler, laid out by Wm. Crawford January 29th, 1860, is in the midst of a fine agricultural region, and has 1 public school, 1 Masonic hall, 1 flouring mill, and 3 stores. Population about 200.

Burdett, on Mormon Creek, is 15 miles northwest of Butler, was laid out by Hon. S. S. Burdett, September 27, 1870. It has one public school, 1 saw-mill, and 5 stores.

BUTLER, the county seat, is located at the center of the county, 18 miles north west of Rockville, the usual shipping point. The town was burned during the Civil War, but in 1866 the officers of the county returned to the site with the records, and two small houses were built, one for a court-house and one for a clerk's office. Since that time the town has been steadily rebuilding, and has a present population of 2,800. It has a handsome court-house, completed in 1872, costing $35,000, 2 public schools, 4 churches-Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian and Cumberland Presbyterian-2 flouring-mills and 1 woolen factory, 7 dry goods, 6 grocery, 3 drug, 2 hardware stores, 2 hotels, 3 harness, 2 jewelry, 2 furniture, 3 tin and stove stores, 4 wagon shops, and 2 newspapers-The Democrat, published by Wade & Scudder, and The Record, published by Austin & Stone.

Chestnut Grove, ts a post-office, 16 miles south west of Butler.

Coleville is a post-office 12 miles north east of Butler.

Cove City is a post-office 17 miles north east of Butler.

Crescent Hill, 12 miles north of Butler, has 1 public school and 7 stores. Population about 300.

Elkhart is a post-office 9 miles north west of Butler.

Hudson is a post-office 13 miles south east of Butler.

Johnstown, 16 miles north east of Butler, was surveyed by John Herbert in 1854, and has 1 public school, 2 hotels, 1 saw-mill and 5 stores. Population about 200. There is a valuable coal mine on the outskirts of the village.

Lone Oak is a post-office 7 miles south east of Butler.

Marvel is a post-office 11 miles south west of Butler.

Mulberry is a post-office 14 miles north west of Butler.

New Home is a post-office 11 miles south west of Butler.

Papinville, 16 miles south east of Butler, at the head of navigation on the Osage River, was, until 1854, the county seat of Vernon County. There is a good wooden bridge across the river, 1 public school, 1 flouring and saw-mill, 3 wagon shops and 12 stores. Population about 550.

Pleasant Gap, one of the oldest places in the county, was laid out by Joseph Smith. It is very beautifully situated, commanding a view of Papinville, Rockville, Prairie City and the timber of the Osage River. This place escaped fire during the war, and when the county government was re-organized it afforded a temporary shelter for the county records and officials.

Prairie City, 18 miles south east of Butler, was laid out by J. N. Darand, May 7, 1859, and was a thriving village until the location of Rockville, on the M., K. & T. Rail Road.

Rich Hill is a post-office 10 miles south west of Butler.

Rockville, 18 miles south east of Butler, on the M., K. & T. Rail Road, 67 miles from Sedalia, was laid out by the Rockville Town Co., November 15, 1870, and has a good stone public school-house and a number of business houses.

Vinton is a post-office 12 miles north west of Butler.

Virginia is a post-office 8 miles north west of Butler.

Walnut Creek is a post-office 12 miles south west of Butler.

West Point, 18 miles north west of Butler and half a mile from the State Line, was surveyed by Col. T. B. Arnett and Sidney Adams in 1843. At that time it had a good trade with the Miami Indians west of the State Line. It was destroyed by fire during the war, but has since been rebuilt. It has 5 stores. Population about 300.


*Assessed valuation for 1873, $5,551,011. Taxation, $0.50 per $100.
†Ordering the inhabitants to leave the county within fifteen days.

This website created June 13, 2015 by Sheryl McClure.
� 2015 Missouri American History and Genealogy Project