Text of the Marker:
1836 (Daughters of the American Revolution Seal) 1936
Founding of Clinton, as the County Seat of Henry County.
"I believe that man should be proud of the city in which he lives and that he should live that his city will be proud that he lives in it."
Marked by the Udolphia Miller Dorman Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution
September 19, 1936
From the Chamber of Commerce website on the history of Clinton, Mo.:
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"In 1834, Rives County was officially organized and later re-named Henry County in honor of patriot Patrick Henry. The organizing act of 1834 named three commissioners: Henderson Young and Daniel McDoweel of Lafayette County and Daniel M. Boone (son of Daniel Boone) of Jackson County, "for the purpose of selecting a seat of justice ... for the county of Rives (Henry)."
Several locations were presented as possibilities. The decision for choosing the location of the county seat came before the county court in November 1836. The new village's location was "the southeast quarter of section 3, township 41, range 26."
The first mention of the name "Clinton" was at the February, 1837 term of the county court: "Ordered that James M. Goff be allowed $42.75 for services rendered in laying off the town of Clinton..." Peyton Parks was appointed county seat commissioner, with full power to lay out the town, sell lots, and do whatever was necessary to get Clinton started. The town was named for DeWitt Clinton,Governor of the state of New York and a major proponent of the Erie Canal.
Mr. Goff marked off 64 lots and the streets now surrounding the square in January, 1837. His streets around the square were 80 feet wide, a six acre square on the prairie. The four streets around the square, and one more street in each direction, were named Main, washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Green, Grand River, East, and Water.
East Street was found to be just over the section line and was not laid out on the first plat.
The location for the Clinton Square mat have been chosen because it was the last high ground, a natural campsite, before the pioneers went West down the natural pathway cut by animals and Indians."