Marion
City ---- In April, 1836, a town was laid out on the river
bank about six miles above Hannibal, in Marion County, and
called Marion City. Within a year it had a population of
3oo people, contained thirty houses, two large steam
sawmills, and was important as a river shipping point.
Dikes were built to prevent overflow by the Mississippi
River. In 1844 high water washed the town out of existence
and little remains to mark the place where the prosperous
village once stood. The founder of Marion City was William
Muldrow, a man with a wonderful genius for fascinating his
fellow beings. At that time the maps represented the great
American Desert as approaching near to the Missouri River.
Governmental reports authorized this assumption. On this
basis, Muldrow considered that the great cities of the
valley must be on the Mississippi instead of on the
Missouri River. Though extremely visionary and
imaginative, he was a true colonist-the worthy successor
of Delauriere, Between 183o and 1835, 300 families,
through his influence, settled in this region.
Thomas.
H. Bacon. |