Land Records & Town Directory
Land Records of Audrain
County
Original Patentees
To obtain a copy of the patentee certificate, visit the BLM website
The Official Federal Land Patent Records Site
Note: It appears that this project did not get completed.
But, that said, there are three sets of Alpha Records that are valuable
A ~ B ~ C ~ The three Pares are Here
There are also Township Plats in the Directory
Compiled by Arthur Paul Moser
Barneyville
Bellevue
Benton City (Loutre Township)
Soon after this Samuel Barker moved from Lincoln County, Missouri, and built the first business house, which was occupied by himself and son, Theodore, as a general store...In June, 1881 Major J. S Rollins, had the town resurveyed, and platted, and the plat recorded.
The first blacksmith shop was started by B. F. Griggs, about the year 1870. There were three general stores. Chas. Gray operated oneof the stores and was also the express agent and postmaster. There was a grain elevator, owned by Hisey & James, of Mexico, also another one owned by Whiteside & Orr, a hotel and boarding house, a blacksmith shop and wagon shop. (--History of Audrain County, p. 146.)
It is seven miles east of Mexico and contained 1 general store. (--Campbell's Gazetteer of Missouri, p. 49.)
It is situated on Sec. 2, 11, Twp. 50 N, R. 8 W on A south of 54. (--General Highway Map of Audrain County, issued by the Missouri State Highway Dept., 6-1665. Unless otherwise noted all map locations are from this map.)
It was named in honor of Thomas H. Benton, Senator from Missouri 1820 to 1850. (--How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 204.
Champ
Champ is no longer listed in Audrain County; there is a Champ in St. Louis County. (--Standard Reference Guide of Missouri, 1974, Rand McNally.)
[2]
Cuivre
Davenport
Farber (elevation 770 feet)
Frank Draper was the railroad agent. (--History of Audrain County, p. 464. See, also, Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, Volume 2, p. 414.)
It is four miles northeast of Rush Hill. (--The State of Missouri, in 1904, Walter Williams, p. 323.)
It is situated on Sec. 21, Twp. 52 N, R. 6 W on AA south of J.
Francis
It was situtaed on Sec. 30, Twp. 51 N, R. 8 W.
Grassland
C. Haig
Hickory Creek (Barneyville)
Hickory Creek is no longer listed in Audrain County; Hickory Creek (Hickory) is listed in Grundy County. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
[3]
Hollensville
John's Branch
Laddonia (elevation 780 feet; Prairie Township)
It is on the C. & A. R.R., 15 miles east northeast of Mexico, and had a population of about 200 and contained a good schoolhouse and a store. (--Campbell, p. 49. See also Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, 1901, Conard, Volume 3, p. 571.)
It is situated on Secs. 35, 36, Twp. 52 N, R. 7 W and Sec. 2, Twp. 51 N, same range at the junction of 19, 54 & K.
It was named for Amos Ladd, an early settler. (--How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 204.)
Larrabee
It has no population. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Leroy
There is a Leroy in Lafayette County; no population. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Littleby (See Progress)
[4]
Martinsburgh (Martinsburg, Loutre Township)
It had a church, school, picture frame factory, bank, newspaper the "Success", hotel, and about fifteen other business places, including stores, shops, etc. There were also coal mines in the vicinity. Population, 1899 (estimated) 300. (--Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, 1901, Conard, Vol. 4, p. 210.)
Martinsburgh...on the St. L. K. C. & N. R. W. (now Wabash) 14 miles southeast of Mexico, had a population of about 500. It had 1 church, 1 school-house, 6 stores and a cheese factory. (--Campbell, p. 49.)
It is situated in southeast corner of the county on Sec. 24, Twp. 50 N, R. 7 W at the junction of V, N & 19.
It was laid out in January, 1859, by William R. Martin and named in his honor. He was a native of Kentucky and settled near the town site in 1854. (--How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 204.)
Mexico (elevation 830 feet; Salt River Township)
After laying out the town these gentlemen offered to give every alternate lot and a public square to the county, provided that the site was selected by the county as its seat of justice. The commissioners appointed by the Legislature to locate the county seat, selected the town of Mexico. The first sale of lots by Mansfield occurred in the fall of 1836.
The pioneer business men of the town were Morris & White (J. B. Morris and William White)...
Mansfield & Smith opened the first grocery in the town, beginning soon after Morris & White...James L. Stephenson sold dry goods as early as 1840. He purchased a great many hickory nuts during the fall of that year--amounting to several hundred bushels--and the price fell to almost nothing. J. B. Morris, of Mexico, purchased 100 bushels of these nuts for one dollar, and fed them to his hogs...
George W. Turley was among the first merchants.
[5]
It covers several sections in Twp. 51 N, R. 9 W, at the junction of 54, 153, 22 & FF.
Named for the country of that name, and which was named from the Mexican name for the Maguy plant, which gave the people of that country the necessities of life. It was so named in recognition of the excitement at that time in the State over the growing controversy between Mexico and the United States concerning the independence of Texas. (--How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 204.)
Modoc (or Ridgeway's Store)
Molino
It is in the northwest portion of the county near Monroe County line. (--The State of Missouri, in 1904, Walter Williams, p. 323.)
It is situated on Sec. 11, Twp. 52 N, R. 9 W on ZZ north of Z.
It was named by W. R. Dudley from a list of names. (--How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 204.)
Mail is via Mexico, rural; no population. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Ortiz
It is situated on Sec. 27, Twp. 50 N, R. 9 W on 54 north of Callaway County line.
It has no population. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
[6]
Progress
Progress is no longer listed in Audrain County; Progress is listed in St. Louis County. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
Rice's Corner
Ridgeway's Store
Rowe (Wilson Township)
Rowena
It is situated on Sec. 32, Twp. 52 N, R. 10 W on CC west of 15.
Mail is via Centralia, Boone County -- rural; no population. (--Rand, McNally, 1974.)
It was named for Dr. Samuel S. Rowe, who was a large land owner in the vicinity. (--How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 204.)
Rush Hill (elevation 795 feet; Linn Township)
It is nine and one-half miles northeast of Mexico on C. & A. R. R.
It is an incorporated city...five miles west of Laddonia. It had a church, a school, three general stores, a drug store, wagon shop and blacksmith shop. Population, 1899 (estimated) 225. (--Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, 1901, Conard, Vol. 5, p. 415.)
Laid out by Rush and Hill and the name was suggested from the combination of names. (--How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 204.)
It is situated on Sec. 7, Twp. 51 N, R. 7 W on B south of KK.
[7]
Saling
Skinner
Switzler
Thompson's Station (Wilson Township)
Business Directory
Thompson (Wilson Township)
It is situated on Sec. 24, Twp. 51 N, R. 10 W on 22 west of Mexico.
It was named for a pioneer family. (--How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 205.)
Vandalia (elevation 770 feet; Cuivre Township)
The first three houses in the town were erected by Aaron McPike, and constructed of lumber hauled from Louisiana, a distance of 36 miles.
The first building completed was used as a business house -- general store -- by King & Bros., who were the pioneer merchants. The next general stock was opened by Pearson & Jefferies. Riney & Bro. operated the first drug store. Chas. Hart was the first blacksmith. Martin Collins opened the first hotel and was the first carpenter in the town.
[8]
It had a population of about 300, with 5 stores, 1 wagon shop, etc. (--Campbell, p. 49.)
It is situated on Secs. 4, 5, Twp. 52 N, R. 5 W at the junction of 54 & W.
It had four churches, a graded public school, two banks, two flouring-mills, a fire brick plant, coal mines nearby, two hotels, two newspapers, the "Leader" and the "Mail and Express", and forty other business places of different classes. Population 1899, (estimated) 3,000. (--Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, 1901, Conard, Volume 6, p. 281.)
It was named for the city in Illinois. (--How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 205.)
Worcester
Young's Creek
Young's Creek derived its name from an early settler, Benjamin Young, who located on it in 1821. Young was a native of North Carolina, living for a time in Kentucky and Howard County, Missouri, before coming to Audrain. (--How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 205.)