Reynolds County - Centerville, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 37° 26.112 W 090° 57.537
15S E 680574 N 4145107
From Henry Fry (1812) fur trapper, through brutal Colonel Timothy Reeves to the challenges of the future.
Waymark Code: WM3KY7
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 04/18/2008
Views: 8
Historian: James E. Bell.
Marker Erected by: The City of Centerville; Reynolds County.
Design, Layout & MFG: Pewitt Monument Co.
County of Marker: Reynolds County.
Location of Marker: Green St. & Main St., courthouse lawn, Centerville.
Marker Text:
REYNOLDS COUNTY
Reynolds County owes its beginning to two fur trappers, Henry Fry and Andrew Henry. Henry Fry, the first white inhabitant of the county, settled here in 1812. Andrew Henry came in 1816. Other pioneers soon followed and slowly the narrow valleys along the numerous small streams became dotted with picturesque log cabins. Reynolds County named for Thomas Reynolds, Missouri's 7th Governor was organized Feb. 28, 1845, by the authority of the 13th General Assembly. William C. Love, Landon Copeland and James Crownover were appointed by Governor Edwards to serve as the Governing Body, then known as the Justices of the County Court. He also chose Marvin Munger as sheriff and John Buford as surveyor. These three Justices chose Colin E. Campbell as Circuit and County Clerk. Pate Buford, a brother to John, had been elected in 1844 as Shannon County State Representative and through his diligence, Reynolds became one of 19 counties organized in 1845. Pate Buford was elected in 1846 as the County's first Representative. The first County Court selected 14 of the best qualified men in the various communities to the important positions of Justice of the Peace.
Aryes Hudspeth, John Miller, and Moses Carty were selected in the Legislative Act of 1845 to locate and lay out a permanent county seat. After due consideration, Centerville was chosen. As specified by the General Assembly, Lesterville and the home of Joseph McNail, was used as the first meeting place for the Circuit Court and County Court until a permanent Seat of Justice was established. James George of Madison County was given the contract to build the court house, which he completed in 1849. This brick structure survived until 1863 when Colonel Timothy Reeves of the 15th Missouri Calvary (Confederate) surprised Capt. Bartlett's Co. C of the 3rd Missouri State Militia, took them captive, burned the court house with all it's records. A new court house was built after the Civil War which met with a similar fate in 1871. The structure you see today was built by John Johnston and James B. Barnes in 1872 at a cost of $8,000. Reynolds County's citizens have met and overcome many adversities in the past. They stand ready to face the challenges of the future.