Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/337

 CHAPTER XXII ST. FRANCOIS, BOLLINGER AND PEMISCOT COUNTIES Present-Day Bismarck — Libertyville — Farmington — Marble Hill — Lutesville Gay- oso — Caruthersville. Birmarek, in St. Francois coimty, was set- tled iu 1860 and incorporated twenty years later. Among its early settlers ■vere S. C. Mantler, W. H. Evans, L. Sherrill, the Dent family, the Cooleys and the Matkins. The first merchants in the town were Columbus Grider, Sims and Boss. The early importance of the town was due almost entirely to the construction of the Iron Mountain Railroad and its growth has depended principally upon the farming community in which it is situated and its railroad interests. Present-Day Bismarck Bismarck has now five general stores, but the only manufacturing establishment is a flouring mill. The more important buildings in the town are the hotel nud the I. 0. 0. F. hall ; it is the division point of the Ii"on Moim- tain Railroad and the western terminus of the Illinois Southern, and is also the connection point of the Belmont branch with the main line of the Iron Mountain. The town has a good public school and the usual church or- ganizations. Its financial interests are cared for by the Bank of Bismarck, which has a capital stock of $25,000. The population of Bismarck is 848. The Bismarck Gazette is a weekly newspaper and is independent in poli- tics. It is published by George Bisplinghoff. Libertyville This village in St. Fi-ancois coimty is situ- ated in the Cook settlement, one of the oldest communities in Southeast Missouri. It is six miles from Knoblick on the railroad and has a large flouring mill, a brick school building and a church. Farmington The county seat of St. Francois county was located and surveyed as a town in February, 1822. It was located on land belonging to David Murphy, the site of the old Murphy settlement which was made about the year 1800. Murphy donated to St. Francois county fifty-two acres of land and the county ap- pointed Henry Postom, John Andrews, Wil- liam Shaw, Mark Dent and William Alexan- der as commissioners to locate the seat of justice. The survey' of the town was made by Henry Poston. The first store was opened in 1823 in a small log building on the west side of the public square, by John D. Peers; later he removed to the east side of the square and in 1833 formed a partnership with M. P. Cayce. Among the other merchants at that time were Henry W. Crowell and J. J. Brady; a saddlery shop was owned and managed by a Mr. Day. and the hotel was conducted by