EARLY PLACE NAMES OF SHELBY CO., MO
Alps-Situated on Section 28, Township 59, Range 9W.
Bethel-Situated on Section 20,29, Township 59N, Range 10W. The first
building on the site of the town of Bethel was the house of Peter Stice
who came to the locality in 1835. He dammed the North River and built a
small mill there. In 1844 the land was bought by Adam Shuele, David
Wagner and Christian Presser and in 1845 about 500 colonists, followers
of Dr. William Keil, came from Pennsylvania and settled there,
establishing the Bethel Colony. After the colony was disbanded, Bethel
was incorporated November 6, 1883. Post Office 1848-present.
Black Hawk-[See Maud.]
Burksville-Located in the eastern portion of the county near the Marion
County line on Section 33, Township 59N, Range 9W. The post Office was
discontinued 1905 due to rural delivery. To be supplied out of Bethel.
Cherry Box-In Taylor Township in the northwest corner of the county.
Located on Sections 9, 10, 15, 16, Township 59N, Range 11W. Post Office
active in 1907.
Christine-It was the first railroad station south of Shelbyville.
Clarence-Situated on the east half of Section 17, Township 57, Range 12,
about one mile and a half from the western line of the county. This
town was laid out October 20, 1857 by John Duff the principal contractor
for the building of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, the owners of
the land on which it lay. It is said that the town was named for one of
John Duff's children. The first incorporation of Clarence as a town was
on June 4, 1866 on the petition of A.J. Higbee and 24 others who were
"two-thirds of the inhabitants of said town" says the record. Post
Office 1859-present.
Crooked Creek-Situated on Section 20, 21, 28 and 29, Township 57N, Range 11W.
Elam-An off shoot of the Bethel Colony, a mile east of Bethel, on the
Rookwood farm.
Elgin-Named for the Elgin family, early settlers of Shelby County.
Located on the north line of the county on Section 3, Township 59N,
Range 10W. The Post Office was discontinued 1905 due to rural
delivery. To be supplied out of Bethel.
Emden-On Sections 25, 26, Township 59N, Range 9W in the Southeast part
of the county near the Macon County line. The Post Office was active in
1907.
Enterprise-Located in the Southwest corner of the county. Post Office
discontinued 1905-1907. To be supplied out of Clarence.
Epworth-On Section 23, Township 59N, Range 11W in the northern part of
the county. The Post Office was active in 1907.
Franklinville-Mentioned on an early map of Missouri. No further
information.
Hagers Grove-In Clay Township on Section 15, Township 58, Range 12 in
the western part of the county. The site was purchased by John Hager
[from William P. Norton of Ralls county.] Post Office active in 1907.
Hawkins-Post Office discontinued in 1905-1907 due to rural delivery. To
be supplied out of Lakenan.
Hebron-An off shoot of the Bethel Colony, it was located a mile
northwest of Bethel, on the Chinn farm.
Hunnewell-The town of Hunnewell was laid off August 15, 1857 by Joshiah
Hunt, land commissioner of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. It
comprised 62 1/2 acres of the north part of the west half of the
southwest quarter of Section 3, Township 56, Range 9. It was named for
H.Hollis Hunnewell of Boston who was connected with the Hannibal and St.
Joseph Railroad. It was first incorporated as a town May 3, 1869. Post
Office active in 1907.
Kellerville-Located on Section 16,21, Township 58N, Range 11W, northwest
of Shelbyville.
Kendal-Located on Section 28, Township 57N, Range 9W, south of Oakdale.
Kirby-Located in the center of the county, four and one-half miles
northwest of Shelbyville. The Post Office was discontinued in 1905-1907
due to rural delivery. To be supplied out of Shelbyville.
Lakenan-Laid out on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad in June 1858 by
John Duff. It was named for Hon. Robert F. Lakenan, an attorney of
Hannibal, who owned a large farm north or the townsite. Located on
Section 6, Township 56N, Range 9W. Post Office active in 1907.
Lentner-Lentners Station-Situated on the north-east corner of section
29-57-11 in Clay Township, but immediately on the line between Clay and
Salt River Townships. It was established when the railroad came
through. Post Office active in 1907.
Leonard-Formerly called Millersburg. Located on Section 25, 30,
Township 59N, Range 11W.
Mamri-A small community, an off shoot of the Bethel Colony. It was
located on the south side of North River, just opposite Bethel.
Maud- Originally called Black Hawk; later called Stivers Corners [1869];
then Petersburg; then Maud. The name was selected by the postmaster to
honor his daughter. In the Southwest corner of the county near the
Monroe County Line. Section 24, 25, Township 56N, Range 12W. Post
Office 1880-1903.
Millersburg-[See Leonard.]
Nelsonville-15 Miles northeast of Shelbyville.
New York-A town laid out in the northwestern part of the county in 1835
by Col. Muldrow a speculator who lived in Marion Co., Mo. It was located on
Sections 1,2,12 and 13 in Township 58, Range 11. It was laid out and lots
sold to gullible parties out of state. It was literally a town without houses,
never developed and never populated.
Oakdale-This was the first settlement in the county. It was established
at the residence of William B. Broughton and he named it for the black
oaks on a hill behind his home; it was written Oak Dale in early years
and that is how it appears on an 1895 Atlas. Post Office discontinued
in 1905-1907 due to rural delivery. To be supplied by Shelbina.
Pansy-In Tiger Fork Township on Section 17, Township 59, Range 9.
Petersburg-[See Maud.]
Shelbina-Laid out August 11, 1857 by Josiah Hunt, on Section 33,34,
Township 57N, Section 4,5, Township 56N, Range 10W. Post Office
1858-present.
Shelbyville-Laid out by the county seat commissioners in the fall of
1835. For nearly 25 years after it was founded, Shelbyville was
unincorporated and remained a small village. The first incorporation
was as a town and was made January 5, 1859. Post Office 1836-present.
Sigsbee-In the northeast corner of the county near the Lewis and Marion
County lines on Section 14, 23, Township 59N, Range 9W. The Post Office
was discontinued sometime before 1905 due to rural delivery.
Stivers Corners-[See Maud.]
Tiger Fork-In Bethel Township on Section 3, Township 59N, Range 9W. It
was named for the Tiger Fork of North River, which was so called because
of the two panthers or "tigers" killed in the winter of 1835 along this
stream.
Walkersville-Named for David O. Walker one of the co-builders and owners
of the mill built here in 1840. Located on Section 18, Township 57N,
Range 10W.
West Springfield-Twelve miles northeast of Shelbyville on Section 24,
Township 59N, Range 9W.
Submitted by Suzanne Graves Crawford, transcribed from History of Monroe and Shelby Counties Missouri-St Louis National Historical Co. 1884 Shelby County Maps Post Offices in The United States-United States Postal Service-1907
Lea Ann Oliver, Shelby County, MOGenWeb
Project county coordinator.
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