About & History of Pike County

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Pike County was named after explorer and Brigadier General, Zebulon Montgomery Pike, which included the Upper Salt River in Missouri and included 9 counties and parts of 6 others. The first known settlers were native Americans, the first white man in Pike County was William Spencer (1799), known for his salt-making business at Spencer Lick. After growing tensions with Native Americans, William abandoned his business and removed to Ralls County, Missouri. His salt-making business was popular in St. Louis, which was a growing town at the time.

The county seat for Pike County, Missouri is Bowling Green, Missouri. Early trade industries were river, agriculture and key institutions, like the salt-making business and Stark Brothers Nurseries and Orchards, which is still in existence today. Most of the income was generated by agricutural commodities and natural resources along the river. By 1849, many Pike Countians joined the Gold Rush and song ballads like "Joe Bowers" and "Sweet Betsy from Pike" are thought to be from Pike County, Missouri.

Pike County originally included today's county bondaries and counties North and West of Pike County, 6 or 7 times the size of today's Pike County. Those new counties include Ralls, Marion, Lewis, Clark, Scotland, Knox, Shelby and Monroe.

Migrants from the Upper South migrated to Pike County and many, though not all, were Confederate sympathizers. After the Civil War, Jim Crow laws were enforced even though the Unionist military operations tried to prevent it. Between 1883-1921, five African Americans were lynched - Curtis and Sam Young were among those lynched for "allegedly" murdering the City Marshall, Walter Meloan on 6 Jun 1898, in Clarksville, Missouri.

The State of Pike - Brent Engle, The Courier-Post, 5 Aug 2021

The History of Pike County, Missouri, by Mills & company (Des Moines, Iowa), 1883 (Internet Archive)

Governor Lloyd Clark Stark National Register Home

Early Business Timelines

1799 - Salt-making business of William Spencer, at Spencer Lick, a salt spring. The company later relocated due to threats by Native Americans

1816 - Stark Brothers Nurseries was founded and globally known. Now goes by Stark Brothers Nurseries and Orchards See Lloyd Clark Stark

1819 - Bowling Green, Missouri is settled

1820 - first Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church

1824 - The County Seat of Pike County, Bowling Green is established

1837 - Founded Pike Academy

1867 - Established Isaac W. Bayse's Normal School

1871 - Completed the Chicago and Alton Railroad, now known as Alton Railroad

1871 - Completed the St. Louis and Hannibal Railroad (aka "the Short Line"). Originally known as the St. Louis & Keokuk RR on 16 Feb 1857

1881 - Founded J.D. Meriwether's Bowling Green College

Late 1800s - Limestone quarries open their doors

For current businesses in Bowling Green, Pike County, Missouri, check the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce

Attractions

Avenue Theatre, Lincoln Flag Museum, Louisiana, Missouri Historic Downtown, historic 1917 Courthouse, War Memorial, Pike County Fair, Stark Caverns, one of three communities forming the 50 Miles of Art corridor, linked by history, heritage and Route 79; Louisiana, Clarksville and Hannibal

Bibliographies

Missouri Pioneers of Pike County, [Missouri], Published by Infotech Publications, 1 jan 1992, 92 pages- Pike County was formed in 1818 from St. Charles County. This information came from Missouri Pioneers and Missouri Miscellany, compiled by Audrey L. Woodruff and some additional material. An effort has been made to bring you names from all over the county from 1821 to 1881.

Military History Of Pike County, Missouri (1915), by Clayton Keith, Author, published by Kessinger Publishing, 10 Sep 2010, 20 pages. A comprehensive account of the military events and contributions of Pike County, Missouri, during the American Civil War.

Virginia Settlers in Missouri, Paperback, 26 Feb 2018, by Dorothy Ford Wulfeck (Author), A Maxim Coppage (Author), published by Southern Historical Press, 158 pages. The authors have used various sources such as: Atlases, maps, census records, newspapers, Cemetery Inscriptions and etc., to show the relationship between these early settlers who moved from Virginia to Missouri by showing where they came from and where they have ended up.

“Collector’s Edition” The history of Pike County, Missouri, Volume 2 1883 [Premium Leather Bound] Leather Bound, 1 Jan 2024 by Iowa) Mills & company (Des Moines (Author), published by Rare Biblio, 1,080 pages. The original edition was first published Long Back [1883] and faithfully reprinted in 2024. You can view this book on Internet Archive

Tales & Talk From Down in Pike: Paperback, 1 Jan 1988 by Calumet Towmship Committee (Author), published by GFWC Coterie. A Collection of Rememberances and Research from Calumet Township in Southeastern Pike County, Missouri.

Genealogical Societies offer books for sale and I recommend checking out your local library. Many times, the librarian will do what's called an Interlibrary Loan (including FamilySearch libraries) if the book is not in stock. Genealogical Society and Jail Museum and Midwest Genealogical Center are just two that I have listed on the Genealogical Societies & Libraries page. The books can be found in Abe books, Amazon, libraries, genealogical societies, internet archive, e-bay or google books.

Kids Corner

Louisiana, Missouri facts for kids, Kiddle Encyclopedia

Maps

Maps for Air Service Map, Missouri Rail Freight Carriers Map, Barge service Map, Highways Map

Media Outlets

Newspapers: Bowling Green Times, The People's Tribune, Pike County News, Hannibal Courier-Post (may cover Pike County); Radio: KJFM Radio (Eagle 102), Joy FM; Kkac 104.3 The Oasis Radio; Online: Quincy Topic Pike County; Pike TV

Transit

Current Railroads running in Pike County - BNSF Railroad and Canadian Pacific Kansas City.

Although the Mississippi River was used for trade when Pike County was founded, it still has a port in Pike County called Pike/Lincoln County Port Authority and it remains an active trade route

Wildlife Refuge

Clarence Cannon National Wildlife Refuge - a National Protected Area. It is protected by a levee, however, the refuge provides flood storage in periods of high water

Sources: mainly Wikipedia, unless otherwise noted in the link; transcribed by County Coordinator, Kimberly Taylor Morgan

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Any and all donated data will remain with the County in the event of the resignation
of the County Coordinator. If any person who donates material in
the future and wishes to have it returned to them, it will be accomplished upon request.

The material on Pike County, Missouri webpages are available for the free use
of individuals in furtherance of researching their personal genealogy. Any commercial use
where money is asked for, for any reason is strictly prohibited.

Our sincere THANKS to the former Pike County Coordinators, especially Rhonda Stolte Darnell!

This page is maintained by Kimberly Morgan and updates are in process.

Last Edited: 20 Jul 2025