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 --Reynolds
County--
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Reynolds County was organized in
1845. It is still an area of rugged beauty near the geologic
center of the Ozark Highland. Reynolds County was formerly part of
Ripley County which was formed in 1831 and part of Wayne County which
was formed in 1818. It was also previously part of Washington
County and part of St. Genevieve County. The county was named in honor
of Governor Thomas Reynolds of Missouri.
Lesterville was selected as the county seat and a small court house
was erected. This building burned down. The county seat was
changed to Centerville, where another small building was erected.
The county courthouse was burned twice. The first time was
in December, 1863 when confederate army burned it. A new
courthouse was built in the fall of 1867 on the same foundation as the
prior one. This courthouse was burned in late November 1871.
Both times all records were destroyed. Temporary quarters again
burned May 27, 1872, while a "fireproof" courthouse was being
built. A new building was built at the cost of $8000. This
building is still in use today.
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History of
Ellington |
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| No ones knows the exact date that Barnesville
(early Ellington) was settled, but records show the Logans came to the
creek and gave it their name before moving on. (Logan Creek runs through
the center of Ellington). By 1837, the Ellington family settled
here, joined by Thomas Barnes from Iron County. Soon, Barnes built
a water wheel, gristmill, and distillery on Dry Valley at Logan Creek.
The village, now called Barnesville, was on the Bellevue Trail, which
was the main route between Van Buren, through Pilot Knob to Ste.
Genevieve. The Copeland family moved to Barnesville and opened a
store. During the Civil War, both confederate and union armies
used the Bellevue Trail, harassing the settlers until they moved on to
Ironton or Illinois. Union soldiers burned Barnesville to dispose
of the Confederate officers who had been living in some of the
homes. The remains of a Civil War fort, believed to be Fort
Barnesville, was recently discovered and is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places.
After the Civil War, Ellington was established south of Logan Creek,
to replace the village of Barnesville, which was completely
destroyed. Ellington received its name around 1868 from William
Copeland, who married one of the original Ellington daughters.
By 1895, the Missouri Southern Railroad had extended its line from
Garwood, up Webb Creek, then up Dickson Creek through Ellington.
The train hailed logs and lumber cut from local virgin timber, |
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Early Ellington |
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This page is still under construction.
Things to be added soon are :
More Ellington History
Early Ellington photos
Historic Buildings in Ellington |
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