View of the Past

This article and the photos are courtesy of Ron Leake, president Ralls County Historical Society

History of Ralls County

By JOE BURNETT

FIRST COUNTY OFFICERS
The first circuit Judge of Ralls county was Rufus Pettibone, who presided in 1821. The first incumbents of other county offices were: Prosecuting attorney, Edward Bates; state senator, William Briggs; representative, Peter Journey; sheriff, Green DeWitt; circuit clerk, Stephen Glascock; probate judge, Stephen Glascock; assessor, Clement White; treasurer, Thomas J. Rhodes; surveyor, Thomas Marlin.
The county had six banks, forty churches, sixty-six schools, four newspapers and the largest cement plant in the West. The towns are New London, Center, Perry, Ilasco, Saverton, Rensselaer, Hassard, Sidney, Madisonville, Spalding, Hatch, and Huntington in 1900.

RAILROADS
The county was touched by six railroads in 1900, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas, the Chicago & Alton; the St. Louis & Hannibal; the Hannibal connecting Railroad; the St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern; and the Hannibal & St. Joseph. There are sixty-three miles of railway in the county.
The Chicago & Alton barely touches the southeast corner of the county, but the other roads run through it for some distance. The St. Louis & Hannibal has the largest mileage in the county. It runs through the county from north to south and has a branch running from Ralls Junction to Perry, in the western part of the county.

TOPOGRAPHY
The surface of Ralls county is diversified. About two-fifths is prairie and the remainder was originally timber land. In the eastern part the county is considerably broken. Along the Salt river and Mississippi river there are broad strips of bottom land. These have a rich alluvial soil containing some sand. The so-called “elmland” is next in fertility and sufficiently undulating to afford good drainage. The white oak lands, underlaid [sic] in places with a reddish clay, are among the best for growing wheat and oats. The hills of the eastern part and the land near the streams are the best fruit lands.
The county is well drained by Salt river, which flows in a winding course from west to east. Lick creek, its chief tributary, flows from the south near the western border. Spencer creek and other smaller streams furnish all the necessary drainage for the rest of the county.
Many fresh and salt water springs are found in different parts of the county. The principal saline springs include Freemore, Ely, Spalding, Trabue and Fikes licks, and Saverton Springs.