Welcome to Barton County, Missouri
History of Barton County
Many thanks to Carmen Boyd for providing this information
Osage and Sac Indians were the earliest settlers to this area and the first white settler in the area was probably Allen Petty. Goodspeed's History lists the following residents of Barton County who were here before the war:
John Apperson
Morris Baker
Doctor Blacker
Felix Bonse
Irwin Brown
Joseph H. Brown
A. Cochran
J.A. Creamer
Jesse Kelley
Frank Lease
Phillip Matthews
Mr. Minor
David Norris
George Oldham
J.C. Parry
Elisha Peters
"Al" Pinnock
Thomas Seal
James Smith
Dr. L.M. Timmonds
Dr. Charles Van Pelt
George Ward and sons Ed & G.
J.T. Ward
J.H. Zevely
Barton County was named after David Barton the first Missouri senator after statehood. Formed December 12, 1855 from Jasper County the county seat is Lamar, named by Mrs. George Ward in honor of the military president Mirabeau Lamar of the Republic of Texas. Barton County was ravaged by the Missouri-Kansas Border Wars in 1854-1859, by Quantrill and his raiders and the occupation of Lamar by Union troops in 1864.
The town of Lamar originated in 1852 when George E. Ward built a saw mill and store where Lamar now stands. The town was built on land originally owned by Mr. Ward and his son-in-law Joseph Parry. The original townships were Newton, Union, Mineral, Nashville, Lamar, North Fork, and Golden Grove. The earliest post offices in the county were Lamar, Drywood or Baker's Green, and Coon Creek.
Lamar's population is 4,577 and is located about 120 miles south of Kansas City. Famous as the birthplace of Harry S. Truman, it is also near the resting place for Urilla Earp, the first wife of Wyatt Earp who served as the first constable of Lamar in 1870-71. Current attractions in Lamar are the Aquatic Park, Stilabower Public Observatory, the Harry S. Truman Birthplace, the City Park and Lake, Old North Dam, Thiebaud Auditorium and the Barco Drive-In Theatre -- one of the very few of these left in the area.
Today, the county boasts a population of 11,687 and is a leading grain producer in the state. Barton County towns include: Golden City, Iantha, Irwin, Kenoma, Lamar, Liberal, Milford, Mindenmines, Newport, Nashville, Oakton, Oskaloosa, Verdella, Boston and Burgess. Prairie State Park near Liberal is a nice place to visit and check out the Missouri Conservation Areas in Barton County!
For further information on Lamar and Barton County contact: Barton County Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 228 (824B 12th Street)
Lamar, Missouri 64759
Phone: 417-682-3595
FAX: 417-682-9566
Back to Barton County Main Page
04/06/04
