St. Charles County History and Information

St. Charles County was organized October 1, 1812, as one of the five original counties and named for Italian Cardinal St. Charles Borromeo. The County Seat is Saint Charles. See also County History or Courthouse History for more historical details.

St. Charles County has records of genealogical interest available: Recorder of Deeds: Index to deeds, 1804-1888; Deed records, 1804-1890; Index to deeds of trust, 1874-1888; Deeds of trust, 1873-1890; Marriage records, 1807-1916; Register of marriage licenses, 1883-1905. Clerk of the County Court: County court records, 1836-1 850. Clerk of the Circuit Court: Index to circuit court records, 1842-1974; Circuit court records, 1808-1887. Clerk of the Probate Court: Index to probate records, 1852-1886; Pro­bate records, 1827-1886; Probate minutes, 1809-1813, 1829-1834, 1847-1848, 1851-1853 and 1860-1879; Administrator’s/executor’s letters, bonds and records, 1859-1893; Settlement records, 1836-1844 and 1865-1868; Will records, 1822-1917. The Health Department has Birth & Death Records from 1910-Present. See Court Records for more details on whats available from the courthouse.

Counties adjacent to St. Charles County are Lincoln County (northwest), Calhoun County, Illinois (north), Jersey County, Illinois (northeast), Madison County, Illinois (east), St. Louis County (southeast), Franklin County (south), Warren County (west). Cities and Towns include Augusta, Cottleville, Dardenne Prairie, Defiance, Flint Hill, Foristell, Harvester, Josephville, Lake St. Louis, Matson, New Melle, O'Fallon, Orchard Farm, Portage Des Sioux, St. Charles, St. Paul, St. Peters, Weldon Spring, Weldon Spring Heights, Wentzville, West Alton

• St. Charles County, Missouri History Books at Amazon.com
• Search Historical Newspapers from Missouri (1808 - 1922) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
• Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
• Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.

St. Charles County Court Records

See Also Missouri Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

All Departments below are in the St. Charles County Courthouse located at 201 N. 2nd St., Room 338, Saint Charles, MO 63301; Telephone: (314) 949-3080 , unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at http://www.saintcharlescounty.org . See also Courthouse History.

PLEASE READ FIRST: Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

St. Charles County Clerk of the Court has Birth & Death Records from 1876-90. City Clerk has Birth and Death records for 1883-1952 In this office in each county is located an index to common pleas, records of all extant proceedings, chancery minute books, records of births and deaths, county court records, right-of-way and road records, as well as surveyor's records (including field notes and plats made by the county surveyor). This office usually holds the county treasurer's notes, bonds and commissions, records of marks and brands, wolf scalps, stray notices, real estate assessments, and tax books. In some counties, early terms for this court included “Chancery” or the “Court of Common Pleas.”

St. Charles Register of Deeds / Recorder has Marriage Records from 1807 and Land Records from 1804. Room 338, Ph: (636) 949-7505 The Office of Recorder of Deeds records and files instruments of writing affecting real property or personal property, subdivision plats, federal and state tax liens, and other instruments of writing. Also, the Recorder’s Office issues marriage licenses, and in accordance with the Uniform Commercial Code files termination statements. All recorded instruments are available for public research.

St. Charles County Probate Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1805. 300 North Second Street, Room 512, St. Charles, MO 63301; Ph: (636) 949-3086
In the smaller counties, probate matters are handled in the same office as the associate circuit court office. (In larger counties, there will be a separate probate court clerk's office and separate probate judges/commissioners).

St. Charles County Circuit Court Clerk has Court Records from 1808. 300 N Second, Ste 216, St. Charles, MO 63301 Ph: (636) 949-3080, Fax (636) 949-7390 This office holds the direct index to records such as divorces, debt, dissolution of partnerships, adoptions, judgment, and tax fee books including direct and indirect indexes. They also retain the index to criminal records and criminal files of the circuit court. Adoptions are under the jurisdiction of the circuit court. Naturalization records, including petitions, declarations of intention, certificates, and certificates of allegiance, and granting of citizenship are also located in the clerk's office, as well as an index to civil case files. Some naturalization records have been found with the deeds.

Below is a list of online resources for St. Charles County Court Records. Email us with websites containing St. Charles County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Local Records Inventory Database
• St. Charles County, Missouri Court Books at Amazon.com
• Missouri Marriages, 1766-1983
• Missouri Marriages to 1850
• Missouri Marriages, 1851-1900.
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
• Land Patents: 1831 - 1969.
• Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
• Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.

St. Charles County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Missouri

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102, Please allow up to approximately 6-8 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail. They have the following records:

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• Birth & Death Certificates: Birth records maintained by Bureau of Vital Statistics, Dept. of Health since 1903 through the present. For births that occurred within the past 75 years, copies can be requested only by the immediate family of the person whose name is on the birth certificate.
  • Cost: The cost of a birth record is $15 per record, $15 for each additional copy. The cost of a death record is $13 per record, $10 for each additional copy. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $22.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Processing Time: 6-8 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE
• Marriage & Divorce Certificates: To request a certified copy of a marriage license contact the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the license was obtained.To request a certified copy of a divorce decree contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where the decree was granted.
• Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

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Order In Person:To request a birth or death certificate from a local health department, you may download the application and submit it in person or by mail to the nearest local health department.

Order By Mail: Make check or money order payable to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Checks must be drawn on a United States bank. A money order must be drawn on a United States bank or issued by the United States Postal Service. Do not send cash. Mail to the following address:Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records, P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Please include return address on envelope and application form.

Below is a list of online resources for St. Charles County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing St. Charles County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

• VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
• Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
• Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Missouri newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
• Search Missouri Birth and Death Database, pre-1910
• Search Missouri Death Certificate Database, 1910-1956
• Missouri Marriages, 1766-1983
• Missouri Marriages to 1850
• Missouri Marriages, 1851-1900.
• Missouri Newspaper Death Index: Spanning over 150 years with over 50,000 records from three Missouri counties, this updated version of the Missouri Newspaper Index is a wonderful resource for the researcher with ancestors in this area.
• St. Charles County, Missouri Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
• Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.

St. Charles County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Missouri

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for St. Charles County, Missouri are 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in St. Charles County, Missouri are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, , 1870 and 1880.There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

Below is a list of online resources for St. Charles County Census Records. Email us with websites containing St. Charles County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Missouri Census, 1830-70: This collection contains the following indexes: 1830 Federal Census Index; 1830-39 Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1850 Slave Schedules; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1860 Slave Schedules; 1870 Federal Census Index; Early Census Index.
• St. Charles County, Missouri Census Books at Amazon.com
• Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.

St. Charles County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Missouri and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Missouri showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps.

You can view rotating animated maps for Missouri showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries.

Below is a list of online resources for St. Charles County Maps. Email us with websites containing St. Charles County Maps by clicking the link below:

• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Missouri Maps
• Missouri State University Libraries: Map Resources
• St. Charles County, Missouri Map Books at Amazon.com
• Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

St. Charles County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Missouri

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for St. Charles County Military Records. Email us with websites containing St. Charles County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Missouri Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
• National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
• Missouri Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
• National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Missouri (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Missouri (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Missouri (The National Archives): NARA M322. View, Print Copy & Save Original Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from Missouri units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier.
• Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons ("Amnesty Papers"), 1865-67 from the State of Missouri (The National Archives): NARA M1003. View, Print Copy & Save Original Applications for pardon submitted to President Andrew Johnson, 1865-67, by former Confederates excluded from earlier amnesty proclamations.
• Missouri Confederate Death Records: This list, originally published in the St. Louis Republic in the spring of 1895, reveals important information regarding many of these volunteers
• Missouri Confederate Volunteers: Taken from the History of the First and Second Missouri Confederate Brigades, 1861-1865 published in 1879, this database lists over 1600 men who volunteered to fight in the 1st and 2nd Missouri Confederate Brigades.
• Search the Soldiers Database: War of 1812-World War I
• Civil War Refugees in the Ozarks
• Civil War Provost Marshal Index Database
• St. Charles County, Missouri Military Books at Amazon.com
• Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.

St. Charles County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

The Missouri Historical Society has some original tax records; others can be found in the Western Historical Manuscript Collection at the University of Missouri, but most extant records remain in the office of the clerk of the county court. The Missouri State Archives has microfilmed some tax records for the counties of Boone, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Chariton, Clay, Cooper, Franklin, Howard, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, St. Charles, St. Francois, and Ste. Genevieve.

Prior to 1850, purchasers of the federal lands in Missouri were exempt from land taxes for five years after purchase. If one finds an ancestor on a Missouri tax list with livestock, etc., but no land being taxed, the individual may have purchased his land from the government within the preceding five years.

Some early delinquent tax lists were sent to the state auditor's office and are now located in the Capitol Fire Documents held by the Missouri State Archives

Below is a list of online resources for St. Charles County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing St. Charles County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• St. Charles County, Missouri Tax Books at Amazon.com

St. Charles County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Missouri Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for St. Charles County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing St. Charles County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• St. Charles County Historical Society, 101 South Main Street, St. Charles, Missouri 63301-2802; 636 - 946 - 9828
• Boone-Duden Historical Society, P.O. Box 82, New Melle, MO 63365
• O’Fallon Historical Society, 105 North Main Street , O’Fallon, MO 63366, Phone: (636) 240-3777
• Friends of Historic Augusta, Webster & High Streets, Augusta, MO 63332, Phone: (636) 228-4303
• Wentzville Community Historical Society, 506 South Linn Avenue, Wentzville, MO 63385, Phone: (314) 327-8720
• Historic Daniel Boone Home and Boonesfield Village, 1868 Highway F , Defiance, MO 63341, Phone: (636) 798-2005, E-mail: Mella@usmo.com
• St. Charles County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 715, St. Charles, MO 63302-0715
• St. Charles County Historical Society, 101 South Main Street, St. Charles, MO 63301, Phone: (636) 946-9828
• Lewis & Clark Center , 701 , Riverside Drive , St. Charles, MO 63301, Phone: (636) 947-3199
• Missouri State Archives, Missouri State Information Center, [EMAIL]
  P.O. Box 1747, 600 West Main Str, Jefferson City, MO 65102; Phone:(573) 751-3280, Fax: (573) 526-7333
• State Historical Society of Missouri, 1020 Lowry Str., Columbia, MO 65201-7298; (573) 882-7083, [EMAIL]
• Missouri State Genealogical Association, P.O. Box 833, Columbia, MO 65205-0833
• Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
• Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
• See the Society page for more statewide Societies and archives
• Missouri Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

St. Charles County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Missouri

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in St. Charles County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the St. Charles County Tombstone Transcription Project.

The Missouri State Archives has published A Brief Guide to Church Records on Microfilm which is a county by county listing, but it is currently out of print. The available church records can be located by using the Archives' Manuscript Register. Church microfilm rolls are not available for purchase, without written consent of the individual church, and must otherwise be used at the Missouri State Archives. The Western Historical Manuscript Collection on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus holds some church records. These can be located by using their descriptive catalogue or microfiche guide. Most church records in Missouri are scattered and remain in private hands

There is no central registry for cemeteries located in Missouri. The following national cemeteries are located in Missouri:

• Springfield National Cemetery, 1702 E. Seminole Street, Springfield, Missouri 65804. All known soldiers buried there, including those transferred from towns throughout southwest Missouri were published in Ozar'kin
• Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, 101 Memorial Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63125. There is a card file reference to persons interred there. Inquiries may be made by phone or mail.
• Jefferson City National Cemetery, 1024 E. McCarty Street, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101. The researcher may phone or write the Jefferson Barracks for information.

Below is a list of online resources for St. Charles County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing St. Charles County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Missouri obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Missouri newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Missouri.
• Missouri Bible Records, Volume 1: The database is the first volume in a series of Bible records that includes such information as births, marriages, probate information, and deaths of individuals who settled in Missouri.
• St. Charles County, Missouri Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• St. Charles County, Missouri Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for St. Charles County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing St. Charles County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search for Local Missouri Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Missouri Researcher!
• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ St. Charles County ] [ Missouri ] [ Main Page ]
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• The Missouri Family Group Sheet Project
• Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
• Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
• Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
• St. Charles County, Missouri Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

 

County Time Line

• 1682 - (April 19) La Salle took formal possession of the Louisiana Territory for France
• 1763 - Treaty of Paris - The Spanish obtained the LouisianaTerritory from France.
• 1769 - Tradition holds that Louis Blanchette built a log cabin on the Missouri River at the future
  site of St. Charles. At that time the settlement came was called "Les Petite Cotes" which
  means little hills.
• 1789 - Blanchette became the first of three commandants appointed by the Spanish. The residents
  of the area were still French in language and culture.
• 1789 - Carlos Cardinal settled along the Dardenne River. This settlement became the village of
  St. Peters named after the local church.
• 1790 - The first Spanish grant of "common fields" was made. Common fields were a French
  tradition whereby city owned fields were set aside for each head of family for farming
  purposes and additional land was set aside for common use for fire wood, building timber
  and pasture.
• 1790 - John Coontz, a German from Illinois, began operation of a water mill
• 1791 - The first church in Les Petite Cotes was dedicated to San Carlos Borromeo. The settlement
  became known as San Carlos del Misuri.
• 1791 - Blanchette was named the commandant of the District of San Carlos
• 1792 - First recorded marriage in St. Charles. John Baptiste Provost married Angelique Savanges
  on the 25th of September.
• 1793 - Louis Blanchette dies
• 1793 - Charles Tayon named commandant
• 1796 - Francois Duquette, a French-Canadian, came to St. Charles. He established a wind mill,
  acquired land, and became a principal trader and merchant in the area.
• 1797 - Population of the village of St. Charles consisted of 80 families.
• 1797 -99 - Daniel Boone settled with his family on the Femme Osage Creek in what is today
  western St. Charles County.
• 1798 - Jacob Zumwalt built a cabin in the O'Fallon area.
• 1799 - Portage des Sioux was laid out by Francois Saucier. Because of its location at the
  confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, it was considered and important location
  by the Spanish for a settlement and military post.
• 1800 - Daniel Boone was appointed the commandant of the Femme Osage District
• 1801 - First recorded assembly of the people. A meeting called to determine the question of fencing
  in the new addition to the commons.
• 1802 - The Millington Brothers set up an operation for the manufacture of castor oil.
• 1803 - Louisiana Purchase
• 1804 - (March) Formal transfer of Upper Louisiana from France to the United States. San Carlos,
  part of the Louisiana Purchase, became a territory of the United States. The Spanish name
  San Carlos was anglicized to Saint Charles.
• 1804 - (May) Lewis and Clark expedition left from St. Charles.
• 1812 - The area of Missouri was organized as a territory and the old District of St. Charles was
  reorganized as one of the five original counties of Missouri.
• 1815 - A treaty of peace was made at Portage des Sioux between the Confederate Tribes and the
  United States.
• 1818 - The Academy of the Sacred Heart was established in St. Charles by Philippine Duchesne.
• 1818 - Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable dies and is buried in the Borromeo Church cemetery.
• 1819 - A census for that year lists 981 whites, 124 slaves, and five free Negroes residing in
  St. Charles.
• 1820 - Daniel Boone dies at the age of 86.
• 1821 - Missouri entered the Union under the terms of the Missouri Compromise. St. Charles was
  designated as the temporary State Capital.
• 1824 - Gottfried Duden settled near present Dutzow, wrote his observations on life in the area and
  upon returning to Germany, published his writings. The book aroused interest in St. Charles
  County and spurred a significant German immigration in the 1830's.
• 1825 - St. Charles College was founded by Mrs. Catherine Collier and her son George.
• 1826 - The State Capitol moved from St. Charles to Jefferson City.
• 1827 - Lindenwood College was founded by Major Goerge S. Sibley.
• 1829 - Gottfried Duden returned to Germany and published his book which encouraged emigration
  to the area surrounding St. Charles.
• 1830 - St. Charles City was incorporated.
• 1832 - A cholera epidemic hit St. Charles.
• 1836 - The town of Mount Pleasant, later to be renamed Augusta, was laid out.
• 1836 - The town of Foristell was laid out by J. A. Davis
• 1836 - St. Charles College, founded by Catherine Collier, a Methodist widow, was opened.
• 1837 - Elijah P. Lovejoy visited St. Charles to preach a sermon against slavery. A mob forced
  Lovejoy and his family to leave St. Charles the next morning.
• 1839 - Cottleville was laid out by Lorenze Cottle.
• 1843 - The town of Mount Pleasant changed its name to Augusta.
• 1846 - St. Charles City organized a public school.
• 1849 - (March 10) St. Charles was incorporated as the "City of St. Charles".
• 1850 - The town of New Melle was laid out in 1850 by Franz Henry Porter. Emigrants from Melle
  in Germany gave it its name.
• 1851 - St. Charles and Western Plank Road Company established. Its purpose was to build a toll
  road of wooden planks along Boonslick Road to the western part of the county.
• 1851 - Spring Brewery was built.
• 1854 - Portage des Sioux was incorporated.
• 1855 - Augusta was incorporated.
• 1855 - William M. Allen gave land to the railroad for a right of way and laid out the city of
  Wentzville.
• 1856 - Nicholas Krekel arrived, opened a store, and named the area O'Fallon.
• 1856 - The town of Howell, formerly known as Mechanisville was founded by Fortunatus Castlio.
• 1861 - The St. Charles Company, a military unit comprised of 50 Union sympathizers was formed.
• 1871 - The town of O'Fallon was laid out by John C. Edwards, W. C. Williams, Appleton Bradley,
  and Fred Mathews.
• 1871 - The first railroad bridge to span the Missouri River was opened to traffic in May. It is now
  the Wabash Railroad Bridge.
• 1872 - Wentzville was incorporated.
• 1873 - St. Charles (railroad) Car Manufacturing Company was formed.
• 1874 - The first railroad car rolled off the line at the St. Charles Car Company.
• 1876 - A tornado struck St. Charles on February 27. Four persons were killed and over 150
  buildings were damaged or destroyed including the County Courthouse, Jail and the Concert Hall
• 1878 - St. Charles Opera House opens.
• 1879 - A span of the Wabash Railroad Bridge gave way while a train was crossing the bridge.
  Eighteen cars fell into the river and five men were killed.
• 1881 - The Wabash bridge again failed and 31 cars filled with cattle and freight fell into the river and
  sand below. The engineer was the only fatality.
• 1884 - The Montana, a 252 foot long steamboat, lost power and crashed into the piers of the
  Wabash Railroad Bridge. No one was injured, but the boat was destroyed.
• 1885- The first hospital was opened by the Sisters of St. Mary, it was called St. Joseph Hospital.
• 1888 - Capt. John Enoch opened a pontoon bridge across the Missouri River at St. Charles.
  It was destroyed five months later by ice on the river.
• 1904 - The first highway bridge between St. Charles and St. Louis County opened.
• 1910 - St. Peters was incorporated.
• 1912 - O'Fallon was incorporated as a city.
• 1914 - The first St. Charles City library was organized by Kathryn Linnemann
• 1916 - The 115 highway bridge catches fire and burns.
• 1916 - A tornado hits St. Charles and destroys St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.
• 1918 - St. Charles High School burns to the ground on February 14.
• 1935 - A runaway train rammed a pier of the St. Charles Bridge causing a 40 foot span to drop to
  the street below.
• 1951 - Flooding in the summer of 1951 took away part of the Old Rock Road. The people that
  worked at McDonnell Douglas had to drive out to the Daniel Bridge to go into work.
  The 115 St. Charles bridge was tempararly closed.
• 1959 - Interstate 70 bridge (now Blanchette Memorial Bridge) opens.
• 1966 - Lake St. Louis was founded.
• 1973 - Flooding forces evacuation of West Alton and many areas along the Missouri River north of St. Charles.
• 1975 - Lake St. Louis was incorporated.
• 1978 - St. Charles Banner-News, a daily newspaper which had been published for more than a century, ceases publication.
• 1992 - The Discovery Bridge connecting hwy. 370 to St. Louis County opens on December 16.
• 1993 - The Missouri River crests at 39.6 feet, 14.6 feet above flood stage, on August 2.
• 1994 - The new Clark bridge between St. Charles County and Illinois.
• 1995 - Fire guts St. Charles High School on August 11.

Courthouse History

St. Charles County was organized in 1812, but present boundaries were not established until 1818. For several years the county rented quarters. Among them were rooms in Peck's Row, provided by Charles and Ruluff Peck, the same space the brothers rented to Missouri's first state government when officials met in St. Charles, from 1821 to 1825.

In 1833 the county bought a house and lot from William Pettus for $800, on which officials planned to build a courthouse and jail. This became the site for the 1846-49 courthouse designed by Solomon Jenkins. Little is known of Jenkins, who built three other courthouses in Missouri: Warren, 1838, Scotland and Callaway, 1856. Born in Virginia in 1808, he was active in St. Louis in the 1830s. In the census of 1850 he is identified as a house builder. The same census also recorded two carpenters living at Jenkins' address, one from Virginia, the other from Ireland, and a stone cutter from Scotland, bringing to Missouri several possible sources of influence.

The one-story courthouse, built between 1846-49 for about $9,000, featured a handsome Doric portico with fluted shafts on the six columns and pilasters between shuttered windows on the sides. Grouped pilasters at the corners trimmed both stages of the cupola; the traditional ball and arrow topped the domical roof.

Clerk's offices were housed in small, one-story, fireproof buildings near the courthouse. William L. Overall superintended construction, which was completed in 1849. This courthouse was located at the northwest corner of Main and Madison streets. Sustaining extensive damage after a storm on February 26, 1876, the building continued in use until razed in 1903, when the court moved to its new location.

The county purchased a spacious site for the next and present courthouse in 1851 from the city of St. Charles for $223.87 ½. The county and circuit clerks' offices constructed on the site caused it to be referred to as "Clerks' Hill."

Special elections to authorize a new courthouse failed in 1888 and 1894. Three years later a petition presented to the court again called for a new courthouse. The court then appointed Jerome B. Legg architect in July 1898 to prepare plans, but an appropriation of $25,000, made in August 1898, put county funds in such a precarious state that the county feared it could not conduct its business. The court then reconsidered Legg's plans, which would have cost an estimated $60,000-$90,000 to build; the court rescinded the appropriation and decided to defer construction.

It was not until December 1900 that the court commenced construction, using Legg's design of 1898 for the new courthouse on "Clerks' Hill". Due to the slope of the hill, grading was necessary. In January 1901 J. W. Thompson received the contract for foundation, walls and roof for $37,349; the work was to be completed within a year. Cornerstone ceremonies took place June 12, 1901. Contract for completing the building was awarded Nicholas Pelligreen of St. Louis for $57,000.

The County Court room, 30 by 26 feet, and several officers were on the first floor; the Circuit Court room 42 by 46 feet, probate court and jury rooms were on the second floor. The new courthouse was occupied in April 1903. Serious flooding in June 1903 interfered with the planned dedication ceremonies.

Other related Missouri courthouses by Legg were constructed of brick in Gasconade County, built in 1896-98, and Mississippi County, 1899-1901, but the St. Charles stone building is the finest example of Legg's turn of the century courthouse design.