Biography of Gray C. Briggs, M.D.

Dr. Gray C. Briggs, a well known Roentgenologist, was born in Burlington, Iowa. June 30, 1882, a son of Dr. Waldo Briggs, who became a noted surgeon of St. Louis. He was born at Bowling Green, Kentucky, July 3, 1856, his parents being William Thompson and Anna (Stubbins) Briggs. He won his professional degree on the completion of a course in the medical department of the University of Nashville, at Nashville, Tennessee, and in 1877 began practice in St. Louis. From 1895 until 1898 he was professor of surgery in Beaumont Medical College and in the latter year accepted the … Read more

A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri

Map of Early Missouri Settlements

A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri was written by William Bryan in 1876. William along with his associate, Robert Rose, traversed by horse across five counties in the state of Missouri interviewing families for the information found in this manuscript. As such, readers should not use this as the Gospel for these early Missouri families. Research is warranted to validate what the families claimed, as they were often in error, merely detailing the information passed down to them. Even William acknowledged such in his preface to the book. The five counties included were: Audrain, Callaway, Montgomery, St. Charles … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Darst, Abraham

Abraham Darst came to Texas in the early ’20 from St. Charles County, Missouri, and settled at Damon’s Mound. This famous mound is situated partly in Fort Bend County and partly in Brazoria, all of the league of Mr. Darst being in the latter county. He was married twice, the children of the first wife being Emery, John, Edmund and Patrick. By his last wife were Rosetta and Richard. Emery Darst married Miss Mary Ann Moore. She was born in St. Charles County, Mo., and died in 1902, in the eighty-third year of her age. Her people came to Texas … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles Woodruff

Charles Woodruff, of Buckingham Co., Va., married a Miss Gatewood, and their son, Wyatt P., married Mary Talphro, and settled in St. Louis Co.; Mo., in 1825. In 1827 they removed to St. Charles County, and from there to Montgomery County in 1832. They had John, Charles E., Robert H., Francis S., and David B. all of whom live in Montgomery County.

Biographical Sketch of John Preston

John Preston was left an orphan when very young, but at eight years of age he was adopted by an old gentleman and his wife, who were very kind to him. They took him to Rock Castle Co., Kentucky, and educated him, as though he had been their own son. When he was of age he married Jane Day, and came to St. Charles County, Missouri, in 1820. They had eleven children, only five of whom lived to be grown. Their names were Frank L., Mary W., Caroline V., Liberty M., and Fanny H. Mr. Preston and his wife were … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Richard Jones

Richard Jones, who was born in England, married a Miss Love, and settled in Botetourt Co., Va. He was a member of the Baptist Church, but had to give a hogshead of tobacco every year for the support of the Episcopal Church. The names of his children were William, John, and Silas. William married Elizabeth Metcalf, and settled first in Shelby Co., Ky., from whence he removed to Missouri and settled on Darst’s Bottom, St. Charles County, in 1818. In 1820 he removed to Callaway County, and built a horse-mill, under the shed of which the Baptists held religious services … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Julia A. McCarver

MRS. JULIA A. McCARVER. – Julia A. McCoy was born November 19, 1825, in St. Charles county, Missouri. Her parents died before she was three years old; and she was brought up by her grandfather and grandmother. At an early age she was married to Garrett Buckalew, and thereafter lived in the State of Illinois until the spring of 1847, when, with her husband and two children, and the families of eighteen neighbors, she started across the plains for Oregon. At St. Joseph, Missouri, they joined a host of other emigrants, the combined party including ninety families, who continued their … Read more

Biography of Anthony Wayne Fairchild, M. D.

Anthony Wayne Fairchild, M. D. The work which he had done as a member of the medical profession in Fall River had already attracted much attention to Doctor Fairchild, whose attainments and abilities are much above the average. Not only does a large clientage esteem him for his services, but his wife, Mrs. Fairchild, is likewise a graduate physician and had a considerable practice, specializing in discases of the eye. The Fairchild family originated in England, coming to America in Colonial times. Doctor Fairchild’s grandfather was Minor Fairchild, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1818, and became a pioneer farmer … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Daniel Pegram

The parents of Daniel Pegram were Scotch. Daniel was born in Petersburg, Va., but settled and lived in Bedford County, where he raised ten children, six sons and four daughters, each of whom was more than six feet in height. Thomas, a son of Daniel Pegram, married Nancy Hopkins, whose mother’s maiden name was Clark, and who had a brother, Chester Clark,, who drew $100,000 in a lottery. Thomas had but three children James L., Edward T., and William. The latter died in Virginia in his 19th year. James L. married Julia R. Oley, of Virginia, and settled in St. … Read more

Biography of Natley Dutton

Natley Dutton and wife, of England, settled in Maryland some time after Lord Baltimore began to colonize that State. Their son, Natley, Jr., was born and raised in Maryland. He had a son, named John H., who was born in 1790. Mr. Dutton died when his son was eleven years of age, and two years afterward his mother had him bound out to learn the ship carpenter’s trade. He worked at that business fourteen years. In the meantime his mother had married a Mr. Elton, whose father was a Quaker and came to America with William Penn. They had a … Read more

Biography of John Baptist Miege

John Baptist Miege, first Catholic bishop of Kansas, was born in 1815, the youngest son of a wealthy and pions family of the parish of Chevron, Upper Savoy, France. At an early age he was committed to the care of his brother, the director of the episcopal seminary of Moutiers, and completed his literary studies at the age of nineteen. After spending two more years at the seminary in the study of philosophy, on October 23, 1836, he was admitted to the Society of Jesns. The following eleven years he spent in further study, a portion of the time at … Read more

Biography of Caleb S. Stone, M. D.

Dr. Stone has left the ranks of the many to stand among the more successful few in a profession where advancement depends solely upon individual merit. In other walks of life, especially in commercial circles, one may enter upon a business already established and carry it on from the point where others laid it down, but the physician must rely solely upon his knowledge and ability, and these must be acquired through close and earnest application. That Dr. Stone, of Wallace, is numbered among the leading physicians and surgeons of his section of the state is therefore evidence of his … Read more

St. Charles County’s Participation in the World War

St. Charles County's Participation in the World War

Soon after World War 1 localities across the country wished to honor the men and women who had served the Nation from their locality. St. Charles County, Missouri, is one of these counties. This manuscript isn’t limited to just the men who fought overseas, it also includes the women who had participated via Red Cross and the men who had actively served in the various campaigns backing the War here at home.

Biography of Jasper S. Martin

Jasper S. Martin is well known in financial circles of north-eastern Oklahoma as cashier of the Farmers State Bank of Vinita, with which he has been identified for the past nineteen years, and has promoted the success of the institution by systematic, progressive and conscientious work. He was born in St. Charles, Missouri, April 12, 1880, of the union of Rev. George M. and Hardenia (Tyler) Martin, also natives of that state, the former born in Saline County and the latter in St. Charles County. The father continued to engage in farming in Missouri until 1889, when he. came to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Chambers

John Chambers, of Ireland, settled in North Carolina and married Mary Thompson, of Kentucky, by whom he had John, Jr., William, Sarah, James, Thomas, Alexander, Nancy, and Jane. In 1798 Mr. Chambers came to Missouri and settled in St. Louis County, and in 1800 his wife died. After that he lived with his son, Thomas, in St. Charles. Thomas married Eleanor Kennedy, and the names of their children were Prospect, Riley, Sarah, Julia, Harriet, Davis H., Ellen, Rhoda, and Thomas, Jr. Thomas and Alexander Chambers were rangers together in Captain Musick’s company, and were at the battle of the sinkhole … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Lewellyn

Jacob Lewellyn, son of Samuel Lewellyn, had a son Samuel who settled in Pike Co., Mo., at a very early date, and died in 1837. He left a son, John W., who married Jane Trabue, of Kentucky, in 1824, and had ten children, nine of whom are still living. Mr. Lewellyn lived for some time in Clarke Co., Mo., where he was Judge of the County Court for eight years. He settled in Montgomery County in 1839, having lived in St. Charles County in 1818, and in Pike County in 1820.

Biographical Sketch of Robert Gray

When Robert Gray was a small boy he lost his father, while they were moving from North Carolina to Tennessee. He had four sisters Polly, Dorcas, Elizabeth, and Jane. After the death of his father, his mother proceeded on her way to Tennessee, with her children; and they remained in that State until 1809, when they came to (now) Warren County, Mo. During the Indian war they lived the greater portion of the time in Castlio’s Fort, in St. Charles County. Polly Gray married Rueben Thornhill, Dorcas, Barney Thornhill and Jane Bryant Thornhill, all of whom were early settlers of … Read more

Biography of Peter VanBibber

Peter and Isaac VanBibber, of Holland, came to America and settled in Botetourt Co., Va., previous to the revolution. Peter married Marguety Bounds, and they had Peter, Jr., Jesse, Jacob, James, Joseph, Matthias, Nancy, Sophronia, Ellen, and Olive. James married Jane Irvine, and settled in St. Charles County in 1803. He was Coroner at the time William Hays was killed by his son-in-law, James Davis. In 1817 he removed to Callaway County, and settled on the Auxvasse. His children were Joseph, Irvine, Frances. Lucinda, Melissa, Daniel and Minerva. Joseph was a surveyor and made the government surveys in range eight, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hazekiah Henley

Hezekiah Henley, of Virginia, had a son named Thomas O., who was married first to Martha Bugg, by whom he had William, Samuel, Thompson, John, Nancy, Martha, and Polly. After the death of his first wife he married Mary Herndon, by whom he had Allen, Wilson, Thomas, Archibald, Schuyler, Sarah, Lucinda, Amanda, and Catharine. Samuel was married twice, and settled in St. Charles County. Allen settled in Montgomery County in 1838. He married Lucy Thomas, and they had ten children.

Missouri Atlases and Plat Books

Sample Missouri Plat Book closeup

198 online plat books and atlases organized by county and ordered by date for the State of Missouri. At the bottom of the page are two items that can help you use these documents in your genealogy research. The first is a blog post Plat Books Revealed: Mapping Generations of History and the second a video where Ben Clark explains what plat maps are used for, how to navigate them, and pulls out a few interesting stories from them.