High Street at Jefferson, looking east.
On the right is Lohman's Store and Opera House.
On the left is Schott's Windmill and Marketplace.
Cole
County is available for adoption.
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Cole County, Missouri
Cole County’s earliest American settlers began arriving around 1816, with families from Kentucky and Tennessee establishing homesteads within what would become the county’s boundaries. The county was officially organized on November 16, 1820, and named for Capt. Stephan Cole, an early pioneer remembered for his frontier leadership.
The first county seat was established at Marion in 1822, but as Missouri’s government shifted westward, the seat moved to Jefferson City in 1828. This transition reflected broader statewide changes: the capital had moved from St. Louis to St. Charles in 1821, and then to Jefferson City in 1826, supported by a congressional grant of four sections of land for the permanent seat of government.
Construction of the first State Capitol began in 1823, initially contracted to Daniel Colgan and later transferred to James Dunnica of Kentucky, who completed the building for $25,000. The first Capitol Building was finished on October 1, 1826, and the Legislature convened there on the third Monday of November that same year.
“The 1st Capitol Building was completed on October 1, 1826, and the Legislature convened in the building on the third Monday in November.”
At the time Jefferson City was selected as the capital, it was little more than a frontier clearing. According to the document, only two families lived there initially—Major Josiah Ramsey, Jr., and Mr. Wm. Jones. By 1826, a small but growing community had formed, including early residents such as Azariah Kennedy, Christopher Casey, Daniel Colgan, David Harmon, John C. Gordon, Granville P. Thomas, Henry Buckner, and many others.
“At this time there were but 2 families residing in the place, Major Josiah Ramsey, Jr., and Mr. Wm. Jones.”
These early families—builders, craftsmen, merchants, and state employees—formed the foundation of the capital city and played a central role in shaping Cole County’s civic and social landscape.
For genealogists, Cole County offers rich research opportunities: early settlement families from the Upper South, records tied to the establishment of Missouri’s state government, and a well‑documented community that grew alongside the Capitol itself.
Early Families of Jefferson City (1823–1826)
“At this time there were but 2 families residing in the place, Major Josiah Ramsey, Jr., and Mr. Wm. Jones.”
Founding HouseholdsMajor Josiah Ramsey, Jr.
Wm. Jones
Early Settlers & Capitol‑Era Families
Christopher Casey
Daniel Colgan
David Harmon
David Scrivner
David Slater
Geo. Woodward
Granville P. Thomas
Harden Casey
Henry Buckner
Hiram H. Baber
James Dunnica
James R. Pullen
Jesse F. Roystan
John Dunnica
John P. Thomas
Josiah Ramsey, Jr.
McDaniel Dorriss
Mr. Moss
Mr. Thompson
Robert A. Ewing
Robert H. Hones
Samuel Harrison
Stephen C. Doriss
Terry Scurlock
Willis Thornton
Wm. Henderson