1830

John Stark on Stark's Creek (Wilson p. 153); Sam Judy at Judy's Gap; J. C. Montgomery north of Wheatland.

1832

Zumwalts and Ingleses settled on Lindley Creek. (Goodspeed p. 215)

1833

Antioch Primitive Baptist church organized. James Richardson and Elijah Williams, ministers. (Lay p. 62)

1834

Wax sealed letter from John West to Wm. Montgomery, Little Niangua, Missouri. (Wilson p. 139)

1835

Boonville to Springfield "old road" cut out. (Lay p. 10) Land west of Pomme de Terre River opened to whites. (Lay p. 12)

1836

Emigration and cheap money.

1837

Financial panic. Alfred Lindsey settled south of Hermitage.

1838

First land entered by twelve parties. (Goodspeed p. 221)

1839

Land entered by Runyan, Malock, Kerchival, Vestal, Taylor, McCarroll, Owings, Mitchell, Farmer, Bryans, Henderson, McCracken, Arbuckle, Bradley, Blue, Ball, Whitehead, Chessur, Clardy families.

1840

Slicker War began at Judy's Gap. (Lay p. 39)

1841

Land entries by I. M. Cruce, Nathan Boswell, S. W. Harris, Aaron Yarnell.

1842

Land entries by Eliza Ingles, Jonas Brown, Ephraim Jamison, A. C. Nowell, Joseph Edde.

1843

Antioch Christian Church organized. M. Y. Pitts, Minister.

1844

Mastodon skeleton (20,000 years old) discovered near Avery (1839) sold to British Museum. W. S. Pickett settled near Cross Timbers.

1845

Hickory County formed from parts of Benton and Polk counties. First meeting of County Court met in a newly erected crib or stable at Judge Joel B. Halbert's. Members: Amos Lindsey, Joel Halbert and Thomas Davis. County taxes for the year  $383.65.

1846

Second meeting of the county court met at Heard's spring one half mile north of Wheatland at the John Heard residence.

1847

Hermitage platted. Jacob A. Romans, County Seat Commissioner.

1848

Court house built at Hermitage. Quincy platted.

1849

Gold rush to California. First probate court in the county. Aaron Triplett first probate judge.

1850

W. F. Bradley, presiding judge of county court. County population 2,329. W. B. Estes settled near Wheatland. Little Niangua Baptist church organized.

1851

Land entries by Josiah Brown, H. C. Butler, J. W. Huffman.

1852

Elkton Baptist church organized. Total county taxes $515.98. Court house burned. (Goodspeed p. 238)

1853

Micajah Turner and Martha Brookshire married Dec. 26 by Asa Johnson, Justice of the Peace.

1854

Dry year in Missouri. J. C. Bernard settled at Quincy.

1855

Jonathan Chaney and Elizabeth Starkey married September 4, by minister Wm. Henderson. E. D. Blair settled at Hermitage.

1856

William C. Pitts and Martha E. Richards married February 28 by Rev. Thomas Pitts.

1857

Financial panic. Preston platted.

1858

Great Comet. W. E. Dorman built a two story hotel at Hermitage and put up a dinner bell.

1859

Wm. Pippin and Margaret Bybee married April 28 by Joel Harlow, J.P.

1860

Wooden bridge built across Pomme de Terre River but destroyed by high water before it was finished. New court house built. County population 4510. (Goodspeed p. 233)

1861

Civil War Co. D, Osage Regiment, Missouri Home Guards, raised.

1862

Attack on invalid Iowa soldiers at Quincy, under the noted Capt. Rafter. (Goodspeed p. 243)

1863

John Lawrence commissioned as judge. Served six years. Prevented railroad bonds. J. K. Parks settled at Goose Neck.

1864

"Nearly 1000 men connected with the armies--about equally divided." (Goodspeed p. 242)

1865

Civil War ended. Veterans return.

1866

Hermitage Lodge A. F. and A. M. No. 288 chartered. Woolen mill established at Quincy.

1867

First county attorney, Charles Kroff.

1868

Capt. W. H. Liggett, School Commissioner. (Goodspeed p. 597)

1869

Pittsburg Baptist Church organized. Wheatland platted. Hermitage Enterprise first published; also Hickory County Mirror by Wm. Moore.

1870

Stone jail at Hermitage and Wheatland flour mill built.

1871

Pittsburg Baptist Church house built. Cross Timbers platted.

1872

First store at Weaubleau. Weaubleau Christian Institute organized by John Whitaker, founder.

1873

Weaubleau Christian College building completed.

1874

Dry year. Macedonia Baptist Church organized.

1875

Baptist annual meeting--W. W. Palmer, moderator; J. H. Stonecipher, preacher.

1876

Cross Timbers school house built. Swedes come to county. Election returns for Governor: Phelps (D) 403; Finklenburg (R) 627.

1877

Swedish Baptist Church begun near Almon.

1878

First Democratic Court since 1860. Vote for Congress, A. M. Lay (D) 308; A. Underwood (R) 439; James Boyd (Greenback) 393. (State Almanac 1879 p. 94)

1879

Cyclone unroofed jail and court house. Alexander Murphy began ten years service as county school commissioner. (Goodspeed p. 602)

1880

Weaubleau surveyed. Election for Congress: Philips (D) 464; Rice (Greenback R) 754. (Official Directory of MO, 1881 p. 47) County population 7387.

1881

Second court house burned. Hermitage Brick Church house built (M. E. South)

1882

Weaubleau Baptist Church organized. Democrats elect George S. Selvidge as State Representative. Hill (R) elected Superintendent of Schools. (Official Directory of MO, 1882 p. 62)

1883

Pittsburg Annual Baptist Meeting--J. M. Russell, Moderator; L. J.Tatum, Clerk.

1884

First Issue of The Index. Election results: (R) 1963; (D) 626.

1885

Cross Timbers M. E. Church built. Two story frame school house built in Wheatland.

1886

Seven hotels in Wheatland. G. A. R. organized at Hermitage. (Hickory County Democrat, 4-23-86)

1887

Hermitage School House built. Galmey post office established. Wheatland I.O.O.F. organized.

1888

Wheatland Union Church house built. Elkton Baptist Church built. Clark School House. Ten doctors in the county.

1889

Twelve members of the Bar in Hickory County (Goodspeed p. 239). Four advertised at Hermitage (Index). Hickory County Bank organized at Hermitage with W. H. Liggett, President, and James Vaughan, Cashier; capitalized at $5,000.

1890

Judge Ben L. Mallonee re-elected. Durnell Chapel Baptist church organized. County population 9453.

1891

Iron Bridge at Hermitage constructed at cost of $5,699. Preston steam flour mill built.

1892

Nemo Baptist Church house built. Wheatland Baptist church organized. Seven Christian churches reported in county.

1893

New College building at Weaubleau. Cross Timbers Bank organized (capitalized at $10,000). Financial panic.

1894

Zinc mining boom near Pittsburg. Republican Primary cast 1198 votes.

1895

Optimistic prediction: "Hickory County will double in population and Hermitage will have 1,000 inhabitants in next three years." (Index, Aug. 15, 1895)

1896

Present court house built by subscription ($5,350). Wire suspension bridge constructed ($2100).

1897

More mining of zinc and lead.

1898

Hermitage Camp Modern Woodsmen of American organized. Seven miles of railroad in the county; station at Weaubleau. Elkton Christian Church organized.

1899

Hermitage Baptist Church and Preston M. P. Church built. Weaubleau Bank organized (capitalized at $5,000).

1900

Zenith reached in population, 9985. Election: (R) 1281; (D) 773. J. H. Jones in Wheatland revival.

1901

Dry year. Dr. B. F. Cox reported trip to Indian Territory and Oklahoma (Index 8-5-01). First telephones in county.

1902

Hermitage reunion July 25-26. Weaubleau Christian Church house built. Teachers' Institute at Hermitage, Holly Morton, principal.

1903

Wheatland item, "Roads are muddy as usual; passable as unusual" (Index 5-21-03). First Hickory County fair held.

1904

Hermitage Lodge I.O.O.F. No. 670 organized. Jordan steam flour mill built.

1905

Weaubleau flour mill erected. Hermitage Christian Church organized.

1906

$15,000 fire at Hermitage. Citizens Bank organized, W. F. Coon, President.

1907

Hickory County Fair held August 27-30. Wilson's History of Hickory County published.

1908

Pittsburg mines re-opened.

1909

M. N. Neihardt wrote from Winona, Mo. "Keep sending your paper to Weaubleau and I'll pay for it when I get ready even if it is not worth a darn. Wife says it is all right." Walter Coon's auto visits Hermitage Fair and steals the show. First automobile many had seen.

1910

Index sponsored Piano Contest. Election: (R) 689.

1911

Center Baptist Church organized, Dallas Erickson, Pastor.

1912

Demonstration of Majestic Ranges for sale at Knight and Sons, Weaubleau. Election: (R) 730; (D) 421; Progressive 375; Socialist 57.

1913

Weaubleau Christian College approved by State normals; Fred Cooper, President. Spring School at Preston with Irl R. Chrisope, Principal. First High School building at Wheatland built.

1914

Young's High Flyer will fly at Hickory County Fair, August 25-28.

1915

Queen Incubators advertised (Index 5-6-15). County Fair buildings burned.

1916

Rural Mail Carrier's Examination held at Wheatland. Many California letters to Paul Murphy, publisher of the Index (10-12-16).

1917

533 names registered in the county for the War Department (Index 7-12-17).

1918

United War Work Campaign. Influenza epidemic.

1919

County Conference of Sunday School workers at Wheatland, H. E. Shumate, President. Big fire at Wheatland.

1920

The Index purchased from Paul Murphy by U. Elmer Wilson. Republican Primary tallies 1150 votes.

1921

Enclosed car, Ford Coupe, $595. Don Harryman, Wheatland, and Ashcroft Motor Co., Weaubleau, agents.

1922

Articles on Consolidated Schools published. New high school building at Hermitage. Primary election: (R) 2307; (D) 305. Wheatland Christian Church dedicated; Dr. A. L. Fisher, Dr. A. S. Johnston, H. H. Rogers, leading donors.

1923

New Ford touring car advertised for $295, F.O.B. Detroit, by Parker Motor Co., Wheatland. The Index is the only newspaper in the county.

1924

$2,000 fire at Hermitage. County to have 56 miles of graded graveled roads; 34.6 miles already built.

1925

Lead mines at Seed Tick Prospect near Cross Timbers. Mill Creek Co. selling shares for $10 each.

1926

Mining machinery still coming. Several hundred acres of land leased by Westerman Brothers. Election: (R) 1895; (D) 722.

1927

Extension work to start, O. V. Singleton, District Extension Agent. High School at Pittsburg. Hickory County Fair at Weaubleau.

1928

Hickory County farmers motor 150 miles to market. Radio programs advertised in Index.

1929

Clover and Prosperity Days held July 30-31. Two summer resorts near Hermitage--Gum Spring and Dorman Springs.

1930

4H Baby Beef Calf Show. A. T. Mahanay began 16 year county pastorate. Highway 54 designated across county. R. W. Hoffman closed six year county pastorate.

1931

Bus transportation for pupils at Hermitage; H. H. Bybee, Supt.  O. B. Whitaker serving tenth term in State Legislature.

1932

W. H. Coulter, first Vocational Agriculture Teacher in the county, at Wheatland. Election: Hoover-1585; Roosevelt-878.

1933

Wet and Dry election: 260 Wet, 1088 Dry (Index 8-24-33).

1934

CWA Women's Work, Dorothy Boiler, Director.

1935

Pave U.S. 54 Association formed. George H. Miller admitted to the Bar.

1936

Election: Landon-2310, Roosevelt-904.

1937

Permanents $1 to $5 at Ruth's Beauty Shoppe, Hermitage. Thirteen children from County at free Warsaw clinic.

1938

Summer camp for Baptist girls at Gum Spring, June 14-16. Election: Caulfield (R) 1449; Clark (D) 610.

1939

U. S. 54 paved. Terraces built on R. E. Tull farm. County Sunday School Convention at Hermitage July 2.

1940

U. S. 54 open through county. History of Draft Order numbers 637 (Index 11-14-40). County population 6506.

1941

World War II began.

1942

War Relief Fund for Red Cross collects $473.78. AAA dinner at Brick Church (Hermitage). 9^th anniversary of AAA.

1943

New marriage law explained. Ration Book 3 applications. War Fund Campaign collects $1500.

1944

Soybeans for Hickory County recommended by County Agent L. W. Doran. Gerald Parsons awarded the Purple Heart.

1945

20,000 fish planted in Hickory County waters. Achievement Day Program for Extension clubs held September 29^th.

1946

New Empire substation built east of Hermitage.

1947

Old age assistance totals $98,290 for county. Monthly average $25.34. School lunch program.

1948

Balanced Farming Field Day at Floyd Pearson farm; 200 present. New buildings for County Fair. Owsley Pie Supper Proceeds--$163.60. Donald Shull, teacher.

1949

$75,000 fire at Hermitage. Loss of Lightfoot, Troxel, Pope, Dorman and Day buildings. County assessed valuation $4,706,286. Weaubleau Baptist and St. Bridget Catholic churches at Hermitage dedicated. World War I and II Memorial dedicated at Hermitage.

1950

County population 5377. County Historical Society organized; Ralph Nevins, president.