Clinton

This town has also been called Somerset Post-Office, and "Little Ireland". It was laid out by George Glenn, Samuel Bryant and S.S. Williams in 1836.  They built the first store, mill and blacksmith shops in town. After the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad was built, and the 
towns of Shelbina and Hunnewell sprang into existence, Clinton fell into decline. 
JONESBURG was a town separated from Clinton by merely an alley. It was laid out by Gabriel Jones in 1836. It also had several business, but also went into decline at the same time as 
Clinton.

This town was known as Somerset P.O.  It was laid out by George Glenn, Samuel  Bryant and S. S. Williams in 1836.  These men built the first store and first mill that were opened and operated in the town.  Jacob Kirkland was the pioneer blacksmith.  Greenlee Hays and Major William Howell were once merchants in the town.  After the Hannibal & St. Joseph R.R. was built through that section of the country and the towns of Shelbina and Hunnewell sprang into existence, the business of Clinton was withdrawn from that place and given to the newer towns mentioned above.  There was at one time a flourishing Catholic Church located at Clinton, but this, like the town, is now a thing of the past.  The first church in Washington Township was located at Clinton and was built by the M. E. Church South.

--Directory of Towns, Villages, and Hamlets, Past and Present, of Monroe Co., 
Mo., p. 186

Clinton, (formerly Somerset) 12 miles north, northeast of Paris; 6 miles west from Clapper, and 5 miles from Lakenan, Shelby Co., was settled in 1840 and contained 2 potteries. 
Population, about 230.

--Campbell's Gazetteer of Missouri, 1874 p. 380

Clinton was also known as North Fork, and the Catholic Church's name was St. Peter's, only the cemetery remains.   
(submitted by Robin Gatson)

 (Undated article from the Monroe Appeal; from the files of Neil Block, transcribed by Lisa Perry)

Clinton, now known as North Fork, was laid out by George Glenn, Samuel Bryant and S.S. Williams, in 1836. They built a store and Jacob Kirkland operated a blacksmith shop.

A rival town, known as Jonesburg, was laid out by Col. Gabriel Jones in 1836. It was separated from Clinton by an alley. Greenlee Hays, Jas. (Combs), Benedict Gough, Blakey and (Lesley), were its early merchants. A Methodist Church was organized at Clinton, with William Fowler, wife and two sons, John Strayer and wife, William Hickart and wife, and Henry Ashcraft and wife as charter members.