66 COCGRTIES OF MISSOURI. 
GAINSVILLE, the county seat, population in 1870 including 
township, 532, is located near the center of the county, about 70 
miles southeast from Springfield, Greene County, which is a station 
on the Atlantic & Pacific Railway, 241 miles southwest from St. 
Louis. 
The general surface of the country is hilly and mountainous, cov- 
ered with timber. Yellow pine here acquires great size. The 
chief products are corn, wheat, tobacco and stock. There is ex- 
cellent water power, and minerals are reported. 
Pemiscot County—Is the extreme southeast coufity of the State, 
and touches the Arkansas line on the south, and is washed by the 
Mississippi River on the east, by which it is separated from Ten- 
nessee. The county is watered by Little River and numerous lakes 
and sluggish streams. Most of the annual overflow of these streams 
is being successfully prevented bythe erection of an extensive 
levee. 
Gayoso, the county seat, population in 1870, including township, 
463, is located near the Mississippi River, 310 miles by water south 
of St. Louis, 35 miles below New Madrid, and 67 miles south from 
Morley, Scott County, -.a station on the St. Louis & Iron Moun- 
tain Railway, 163 miles from St. Louis. 
The surface of the country is level and generally heavily timbered. 
The soil is alluvial and very fertile, and the climate as healthy as 
any section similarly located. This county was nearly depopulated 
by the earthquakes of 1811-12, which depressed the surface of the 
land, causing the formation of several of the lakes. Iron ore exists. 
This county was first settled in 1700 by Spaniards, and afterwards 
by Americans in 1800. 
Perry County—lIs situated in the southeastern part of the State, 
bordering on Illinois, from which it is separated by the Mississippi 
River, which, together with Apple, Saline and other Creeks, forms 
its drainage. 
PERRYVILLE, the county seat, population in 1870, sor, is situated 
near the center of the county, 12 miles southeast from St, Mary’s, 
Ste. Genevieve County, which is a landing on the Mississippi 
River, 77 miles below St. Louis. Perryville is also about 30 miles 
northeast of Fredericktown, Madison County, a station on the 
St. Louis & Iron Mountain Railway, 105 miles from St. Louis. 
The surface of the country is broken and undulating and well 
timbered. The soil is adapted to most agricultural purposes. 
Tobacco and fruit yield well. The chief exports are wheat, corn 
and barley. The county was first settled by Kentuckians in 1800. 
Pettis County—lIs situated in the west central part of the State, 
and is drained by Flat and Muddy Creeks, and other head streams 
of La Mine River. 
GEORGETOWN, the county seat, estimated population in 1870, 
519, is pleasantly located on the Lexington Branch of the Pacific 
Railroad of Missouri, 4 miles north of Sedalia. Georgetown was 
first settled in 1821, and became the county seat in 1836. 
Sedalia, the principal business point in the county, population 
in 1870, 4,560, is advantageously located near the center of the 
county, and is a station on the Pacific Railroad of Missouri and the 
southeastern terminus of the Lexington Branch of this road, and 
also a station on the Sedalia Division of the Missouri, Kansas & 
Texas Railway. Sedalia is 55 miles southeast from Lexington, 
La Fayette County, r10 northeast from Fort Scott, Kansas, 94 east 
from Kansas City, 63 miles west from Jefferson City, and 188 
miles west from St. Louis. 
The surface of the country is gently undulating, prairie with tim- 
ber along the streams. The soil is generally very fertile, and well 
adapted to agriculture, including the growing of tobacco, grapes 
and stock. The county offers excellent educational advantages, and 
contains good mill sites, and large deposits of coal, iron and lead. 
It also possesses several large clear springs of fresh water and some 
of salt. The county was first settled in 1818. 
Phelps County—lIs situated in the southeast central part of the 
State, and is drained by the Gasconade and Maramec Rivers and 
their affluents. 
Ro ta, the county seat, population in 1870, 1,354, has a pleasant 
and healthy location on the Atlantic & Pacific Railway, 114 miles 
southwest from St. Louis, and 200 miles northeast from Neosho, 
Newton County, and 48 miles, air line, from Jefferson City. The 
State School of Mines (a branch of the State University,) was 
established at Rolla in 1871, and is now in successful operation. 
The surface of the country is undulating, and along the streams 
considerably broken, mostly prairie interspersed with timber. 
The soil is generally fertile, and adapted to the purposes of agricul- 
ture, including the growing of grapes and stock. The leading 
staples are wheat, corn and oats. The county possesses excellent 
water power, deposits of lead and immense quantities of iron. 
Iron mining was first commenced in 1826. 
’ This county was formed from Crawford and organized November 
13th, 1857. 
Pike County—Is situated in the northeastern part of the State, 
on the western border of Illinois, from which it is separated by 
the Mississippi River, and its interior is drained by Salt and Cuivre 
Rivers and their tributaries. 
Bow Linc GREEN, the county seat, population in 1870, 599, is lo- 
cated near the center of the county, and is a station on the Louisi- 
ana branch of the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railway, 40 miles 
northeast from Mexico, 207 miles east from Kansas City and 148 
miles northwest from St. Louis, va Mexico. Bowling Green was 
first settled in 1819. 
Louisiana, the principal city in the county, population in 1870, 
1st ward, 769; 2d ward, 1,000; 3d ward, 920; 4th ward, 950, 
total 3,639; of whom 3,333 were native born and 306 foreign ; and 
2,964 white and 675 colored, is pleasantly situated on the Missis- 
sippi River, and is the eastern terminus of the above mentioned 
branch, 10 miles northeast of the county seat, 50 miles from Mex- 
ico, 114 miles northwest from St. Louis by river. Louisiana was 
incorporated March 1, 1855. 
Clarksville, population in 1870, 1,152, is situated on the Missis- 
sippi River, 16 miles east of the county seat, 12 miles below 
Louisiana. It is located on the site of an old Indian stockade, 
erected in 1812. It was incorporated as a city February 24, 1853. 
The surface of the country is undulating, and along the river 
sometimes quite broken. About one-third of the county is prairie, 
the remainder timber land. The soil is very fertile and well 
adapted to all purposes of agriculture. This is one of the oldest 
counties in the State, and settled early in this century. 
