Cultural Heritage Center
103 S. 4th Street
Linn, MO 65051
(573) 897-2932
Osage County Court
Honest Abe
Historical
March 25, 1841, the first session of the Osage County Court was held at the home of Thomas Robinson, at which time the municipal townships-Benton, Crawford, Jackson, Jefferson, Linn and Washington—were named and the boundaries designated. At the session of court held on that day it was ordered that the regular sessions of court be held on the second Monday in May and every three months thereafter.
May 10, 1841, the election of justices of the court was ordered, and subsequent terms of court ordered held at Elijah White’s until otherwise ordered.
August 10, 1841, court convened at the home of Elijah White’s.
August 27, 1842, court convened at Adolph Menger’s, near Cave Springs.
November 4, 1842 court convened at Van Buren.
November 17, 1842, it was ordered that the county seat of Osage county be known, and styled as “Linnville.”
May 9, 1843, it was ordered that all subsequent terms of court be held at Linn.
August 14, 1843, court convened for the first time at Linn.
The name “Linnville” was used but once in the records, nor was there ever any order entered of record changing the county seat from “Linnville” to Linn.
The insufficiency of the earlier records renders indefinite the exact dates when the earlier justices were chosen. All that is available from those records are the dates when the several justices served concurrently and the selection of one of their number as presiding justice, as was then provided for by law.
| Date | Presiding Justices | Associate Justices |
|---|---|---|
| 1841 - 1847 | Roysden Roberson
Roysden Roberson Ruben Terrill |
John Chapman, Thos. L. Clark
Ruben Terrill, Thos. L. Clark Abraham Edmonson, Chesley Glover |
| 1847 - 1854 | Camm Seay
A.S. Rodgers |
A. E. Rowden, A. S. Rodgers
John Harris, Camm Seay |
| 1854 - 1862 | Andrew Branson
Andrew Branson Andrew Branson Andrew Branson |
A. E. Rowden, Elijah Jones
C.H.Gregory, Dan Shackleford J.J.McDaniel, Dan Shackleford J.J.McDaniel, Francis Meyerpeter |
| The county
of Maries being formed, and Judges Rowden and Jones living in a part of
Osage county which was attached to Maries, they ceased to be judges of
the Osage County Court, |
||
| 1863 - 1865 | J.J. McDaniel | Andrew Branson, Jno. H. Diercks |
| 1865 - 1866 | John Harris | Felix Bonnot, Josiah McKnight |
| Josiah McKnight was president of the court from November 28, 1866 to December 10, 1866 | ||
| December 1866 -
December 1870 |
J.J. McDaniel
J.J. McDaniel |
W.M.Davies, John W. Johnson
W.M.Davies, William Porth |
| December 1870 -
December 1871 |
William M. Davies | Chas, H. Burnett, William Porth |
| Judge Porth resigned | ||
| December 1871 -
December 1873 |
William M. Davies | C. H. Burnett, G. H. Schauwecker |
| Judge Davies and Schauwecker ordered the building of the new courthouse, Judge Burnett dissenting | ||
| January 1873 -
December 5, 1874 |
Chas. H. Burnett | Henry Schrader, Bernard Wilde |
| December 5, 1874 -
November 29, 1876 |
Chas. H. Burnett | Hy, Schrader, Lucine Philbert |
| November 29, 1876 -
November 26, 1877 |
Henry Schrader | J.G. McKnight, Lucine Philbert |
| November 26, 1877 -
January 1, 1879 |
Henry Schrader | Jacob Shobe, Lucine Philbert |
| January 1, 1879 -
January 1, 1881 |
Henry Schrader | Jos. J. Davies |
| January 1, 1881 -
January 1, 1883 |
Henry Schrader | J.C. Bryan, John Radmacher |
| 1883 - 1884 | Lucine Boillot | Frank Stonner, John Radmacher |
| 1885 - 1886 | Lucine Boillot | Wilson Shirley, John Radmacher |
| Wm. Schwartz succeeded Radmacher, deceased | ||
| 1887 - 1888 | Henry Ernstmeyer | J.W Agee, Jos. Nilges |
| 1889 - 1890 | Henry Ernstmeyer | Jos W Lambeth, Jos. Schrader |
| 1891 - 1892 | Frank J. Boillot | Robert Findley, Wm Schwartz |
| 1893 - 1894 | Frank J. Boillot | S.W. Matthews, Jos. Nilges |
| 1895 - 1896 | Jesse Benson | John H. Iven, Wm Schwartz |
| 1897 - 1898 | Jesse Benson | Frank J. Boillot, Theo. Wiegers |
| 1899 - 1900 | Jesse Benson | Wm. Joachim, Theo. Heinen |
| 1901 - 1902 | Jesse Benson | Wm. Joachim, Theo. Heinen |
| A. E. Shobe succeeded Jachim, deceased | ||
| 1903 - 1904 | Alex Verdot | J.M.Coffelt, Germ. Plassmeyer |
| 1904 - 1906 | Alex Verdot | J.M.Coffelt, Jos. Nilges |
| 1907 - 1908 | Alex Verdot | V.F. Boillot, Hy.Porth, Jr. |
| 1909 - 1910 | Alex Verdot | Hy.Perriguey, Hy.Porth, Jr. |
| 1911 - 1911 | W.D.Townley
R.O. Shobe R.O. Shobe |
Hy.Perriguey, Ben Schauwecker
Ben Schauwecker, Louis Vuilcot Ben Schauwecker, J.W. Agee |
| Elected | Elected | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Alexander | 1842 | C. W. Holtschneider | 1880 |
| Oliver W. Holmes | 1844 | J. M. Dennis | 1882 |
| W. W. Reynolds | 1846 | Hermann Gove | 1884 |
| Chas. H. Gregory | 1848 | Wm. J. Cochran | 1886 |
| A.E. Rowden | 1850 | Alonzo Tubbs | 1888 |
| Zechariah Isbell | 1852 | Alonzo Tubbs | 1890 |
| Zechariah Isbell | 1854 | Alonzo Tubbs | 1892 |
| Lebeus Zevely | 1856 | Alonzo Tubbs | 1894 |
| Jos. M. Clark | 1858 | Alonzo Tubbs | 1896 |
| John W. Blunt | 1860 | Alonzo Tubbs | 1898 |
| Lebeus Zevely | 1862 | Alfred A. Speers | 1900 |
| J.B.Cooper | 1864 | Alfred A. Speers | 1902 |
| Lebeus Zevely | 1866 | Alfred A. Speers | 1904 |
| Will J. Knott | 1868 | Alfred A. Speers | 1906 |
| Will J. Knott | 1870 | Alfred A. Speers | 1908 |
| Henry Marquand | 1872 | J. Wm. Vosholl | 1910 |
| Jos. P. Wagner | 1874 | J. Wm. Vosholl | 1912 |
| L.A.Lambert | 1876 | James Robinson | 1914 |
| John H. Diercks | 1878 |
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Eli McJilton | March 25, 1841 | August 15, 1853 |
| William M. Lamkin | August 15, 1853 | April 4, 1865 |
| Chesley Glover | April 4, 1865 | April 8, 1870 |
| Chesley Glover was appointed to succeed Wm. Lamkin by Governor Fletcher, under provision of an ordinance of the State Constitution, entitled “An ordinance providing for the vacating of certain civil offices in the State, filling the same anew, and protecting the citizens from injury and embarrassment.” | ||
| Jos. F. Luecke was appointed to succeed Chesley Glover, deceased. | ||
| In 1870 the offices of county and circuit clerks were separated. | ||
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Jos. F. Luecke | April 8, 1870 | January 1, 1879 |
| Anton Leiwecke | 1879 | 1890 |
| Jos. Suellentrop | 1891 | 1894 |
| Wm. Flanagan | 1895 | 1902 |
| Jos. Suellentrop | 1903 | 1906 |
| E.M.Zevely | 1907 | 1910 |
| Lafe Vaughan | 1911 | 1914 |
| Lafe Vaughan | 1915 |
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| J. Rhey McCord | 1870 | 1878 |
| E. F. Bautzer | 1879 | 1890 |
| Hermann Gove | 1891 | 1902 |
| H. C. Finck | 1903 | July 1910 |
| Wm. Flanagan | July 1910 | Jan 1, 1911 |
| Wiley J. Langendoerfer | 1911 | 1914 |
| Wiley J. Langendoerfer | 1915 |
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Zechariah Isbell | March, 1841 | August, 1844 |
| John J. McDaniel | August 1844 | August 1848 |
| Daniel Shackleford | August, 1848 | August 1852 |
| Jesse C. Evans | August 1852 | August 1856 |
| John W. Blunt | August 1856 | August 1860 |
| John W. Hawkins | August 1860 | March 1862 |
| John B. Cooper | March 1862 | November 1864 |
| August Kleinsorge | November 1864 | May 1865 |
| John N. Laughlin | May 1865 | November 1866 |
| August Kleinsorge | November 1866 | November 1870 |
| J. G. McKnight | November 1870 | November 1872 |
| John N. Laughlin was appointed to succeed A. Kleinsorge as sheriff and collector in May 1865. | ||
| Office of sheriff and collector was separated in 1872. | ||
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Robert M. Glover | November 1872 | December 1874 |
| Theopile Dubrouillet | December 1874 | November 1878 |
| John B. Jacques | November 1878 | December 1880 |
| Hugh Jordan | December 1880 | November 1882 |
| Theodore Angenendt | November 1882 | November 1884 |
| Thos. J. Cox | November 1884 | November 1888 |
| Wm. A. Ferguson | November 1888 | January 1, 1893 |
| Henry Gidinghagen | January 1, 1893 | January 1,1895 |
| Edward F. Leach | January 1, 1895 | January 1, 1899 |
| Jos. W. Schrader | January 1, 1899 | January 1, 1903 |
| C.J. Lamb | January 1, 1903 | January 1, 1905 |
| Wm. A. Gensert | January 1, 1905 | January 1, 1907 |
| Wm. D. Lamb | January 1, 1907 | January 1, 1913 |
| James B. Cox | January 1, 1913 |
| J.N. Laughlin | 1873 - 1874 |
| Gerhard H. Schauwecker | 1875 - 1878 |
| Jacob Shobe | 1879 - 1880 |
| Herman Crede | 1881 - 1884 |
| Theopile Dubrouillet | 1885 - 1888 |
| John Feurs | 1889 - 1890 |
| Thos. J. Cox | 1891 - 1892 |
| Wm. A. Ferguson | 1893 - 1896 |
| Henry Krohn | 1897 - 1898 |
| Jos. Suellentrop | 1899 - 1900 |
| Edward F. Leach | 1901 - 1904 |
| Jos. W. Schrader | 1905 - 1910 |
| James Farrell | 1911 - 1914 |
| Jas. D. Franklin | 1915 - |
| Collector takes office in March following election in November | |
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| David Hoops | March, 1841 | June, 1847 |
| Wm. Breeding | June 1847 | June, 1848 |
| Zechariah Isbell | June 1848 | November, 1850 |
| Ben Johnson | November, 1850 | February, 1852 |
| Zachariah Isbell | February 1852 | February, 1853 |
| M.W. Sevier | February, 1853 | November, 1854 |
| Sam Walker | November, 1854 | January 4, 1858 |
| Township assessors were appointed by the county court January 4, 1858, as follows: | |
| Township | Name |
| Crawford | Zachariah Isbell |
| Washington | Jesse C. Evans |
| Benton | Wm.H. Porter |
| Linn | John C. Ferguson |
| Jefferson | Wm. T. Boyse |
| Jackson | John Price |
| Township assessors were appointed by the county court January 3, 1859 as follows: | |
| Crawford | George W. Evans |
| Washington | John W. Johnson |
| Benton | James M Shobe |
| Linn | Lucine Philbert |
| Jefferson | John B. Cooper |
| Jackson | Stephen Borgmeyer |
| Office of county assessor resumed February 6, 1860 | ||
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Zachariah Isbell | February 6, 1860 | 1861 |
| John C. Ferguson | 1861 | September 1865 |
| Gerhard Schauwecker | September 1865 | 1868 |
| Lucine Philbert | 1868 | August 1871 |
| Hermann Crede | August 1871 | March 1881 |
| John Feuers | March, 1881 | March, 1883 |
| James N. Clark | March 1883 | March 1885 |
| John Feuers | March 1885 | March 1889 |
| Gerhard Plassmeyer | March 1889 | March 1893 |
| Theron Carnes | March 1893 | March 1901 |
| Thos. J. Fisher | March 1901 | March 1909 |
| Henry Cramer | March 1909 | March 1913 |
| Henry Cramer | March 1913 | |
| Henry Zurnegede | 1841 - 1855 |
| James T. Berry | 1856 - 1859 |
| Lucine Philbert | 1860 - 1868 |
| Alfred L. Bovie | 1868 - 1872 |
| S. H. Berry | 1873 - 1880 |
| F. J. Laughlin | 1881 - 1888 |
| Emile Curtit | 1889 - 1892 |
| Lucien J. Philbert | 1893 - 1900 |
| F. J. Laughlin | 1901 - 1912 |
| H. E. Stienmann | 1913 - |
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| John C Burch | May 1849 | May 1852 |
| Solomon Kinzey | May 1852 | June 1855 |
| Geo w. Hopkins | May 1859 | February 1864 |
| Peter P. McCord | February 1864 | January 1873 |
| Samuel Mosby | January 1873 | January 1877 |
| R. Steele Ryors | January 1877 | January 1881 |
| Samuel Mosby | January 1881 | January 1883 |
| J. Rhey McCord | January 1883 | January 1885 |
| Henry Marquand | January 1885 | January 1891 |
| J.W. Vosholl | January 1891 | January 1895 |
| W.L. Vaughan | January 1895 | January 1901 |
| J.W. Vosholl | January 1901 | January 1905 |
| John P. Peters | January 1905 | January 1911 |
| J. Richard Garstang | January 1911 | January 1913 |
| Wm. A. Davidson | January 1913 | January 1915 |
| J. Richard Garstang | January 1915 | |
| No county attorney between years of 1855 to 1859. | ||
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Miller | January 1879 | January 1883 |
| C. W. Miles | January 1883 | January 1887 |
| Adam Miller | January 1887 | January 1891 |
| E. M. Zevely | January 1891 | January 1901 |
| James Robinson | January 1901 | January 1903 |
| Frank W. Holtschneider | January 1903 | January 1907 |
| Wm. A. Davidson | January 1907 | January 1911 |
| John P. Peters | January 1911 |
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Preston G. McDaniel | August 1841 | August 1844 |
| Wm. Lamkin | August 1844 | February 1849 |
| Theodore Even | February 1849 | May, 1849 |
| Henry Woody | May, 1849 | June 1855 |
| Hugh Wilson | June 1855 | August 1858 |
| Sam Miller | August 1858 | August 1860 |
| David Hopkins | August 1860 | November 1862 |
| Adam Miller | November 1862 | November 1870 |
| John C. Ferguson | November 1870 | February 1875 |
| Daniel M. Lambeth | February 1875 | July 1877 |
| James N. Clark | July 1877 | January 1885 |
| Robert P. Henderson | January 1885 | January 1889 |
| Henry Gidinghagen | January 1889 | January 1893 |
| Henry Krohn | January 1893 | January 1897 |
| Geo. W. Tainter | January 1897 | January 1901 |
| Lucien J. Philbert | January 1901 | January 1905 |
| Charles F. Weeks | January 1905 | January 1909 |
| Chas. O. Muenks | January 1909 | January 1913 |
| Chas. O. Muenks | January 1913 |
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Camm Seay | November 1841 | February 1844 |
| Bernard Bruns | February 1844 | May 1846 |
| John Scott | May 1846 | March 1849 |
| Robert P. Howerton | March 1849 | February 1852 |
| Peter P. McCord | February 1852 | August 1856 |
| Geo. W. Hopkins | August 1856 | August 1860 |
| A. Kleinsorge | August 1860 | November 1864 |
| David C. Duncan | November 1864 | December 1868 |
| John W. Johnson | December 1868 | January 1877 |
| F. Bern Le Mans | January 1877 | January 1881 |
| Ferd Meyer | January 1881 | January 1883 |
| Wm. Flanagan | January 1883 | January 1885 |
| J. T. Boyse | January 1885 | January 1887 |
| Jos. W. Schrader | January 1887 | January 1889 |
| Luther Lockwood | January 1889 | January 1891 |
| Chas. R. Manguand | January 1891 | January 1895 |
| Wm Winkel | January 1895 | January 1897 |
| Chas. Ernstmeyer | January 1897 | January 1901 |
| Daniel Hoffman | January 1901 | January 1909 |
| Chas. Ernstmeyer | January 1909 | January 1911 |
| A. A. Schmudde | January 1911 | January 1913 |
| Jno. B. Crum | January 1913 |
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Nathan Ormes | August 1844 | August 1848 |
| Hugh Wilson | August 1848 | November 1854 |
| Reignier Johnson | November 1854 | August 1860 |
| John C. England | August 1860 | December 1862 |
| Bernard Westermann | December 1862 | December 1866 |
| Reignier Johnson | December 1866 | July 1870 |
| George W. Vaughan | July 1870 | July 1873 |
| John W. Glover | July 1873 | January 1876 |
| Henry Hood | January 1876 | January 1879 |
| Geo. A. Wieser | November 1876 | January 1879 |
| Paul Jencke | January 1879 | January 1881 |
| L. M. Roots | January 1881 | January 1883 |
| W. T. Mahon | January 1883 | January 1885 |
| L. H. Lockwood | January 1885 | January 1889 |
| Thos. J. Mahon | January 1889 | 1897 |
| Wm. Frey | January 1897 | January 1899 |
| A.H. Rickhoff | January 1899 | January 1907 |
| Jos. J. Radmacher | January 1907 | January 1913 |
| Jas. J. Radmacher | January 1913 |
| John Jameison | 1847 - 1848 |
| W.V.N. Bry | 1849 - 1850 |
| Gilchrist Porter | 1851 - 1852 |
| Alfred W. Lamb | 1853 - 1854 |
| John S. Phelps | 1855 - 1862 |
| Henry T. Blow | 1863 - 1866 |
| C. A. Newcombe | 1867 - 1868 |
| G. A. Finkelnburg | 1869 - 1872 |
| Richard P. Bland | 1873 - 1878 |
| John B. Clark | 1879 - 1882 |
| Richard P. Bland | 1883 - 1894 |
| Joel D. Hubbard | 1895 - 1896 |
| Richard P. Bland | 1897 - 1899 |
| Dorsey W. Shackleford | 1899 - 1914 |
| Dorsey W. Shackleford | 1915 - |
| George W. Miller | 1841 - 1852 |
| Andrew M. Elson | 1853 - 1854 |
| Allen Hamer | 1855 - 1858 |
| Chas. Jones | 1859 - 1862 |
| James O. Sitten | 1863 - 1864 |
| Girt Goebel | 1865 - 1868 |
| David A. Waters | 1869 - 1870 |
| James Halligan | 1871 - 1876 |
| Henry Read | 1877 - 1880 |
| Frederich W. Rehle | 1881 - 1884 |
| R. Steele Ryors | 1885 - 1892 |
| Samuel Mosby elected in 1892 and died before qualifying | |
| James B. Harrison | 1893 - 1896 |
| Hy. H. Hohenschild | 1897 - 1900 |
| E. M. Zevely | 1901 - 1904 |
| Frank DeVilbiss | 1905 - 1908 |
| W. S. Allee | 1909 - 1914 |
| W. S. Allee | 1915 - |
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Wm. Scott | June 1841 | October 1841 |
| James W. Morrow | October 1841 | 1851 |
| George W. Miller | October 1851 | October 1866 |
| James W. Owens | October 1866 | December 1868 |
| D. Q. Gale | December 1868 | April 1875 |
| A.J. Seay | April 1875 | April 1887 |
| Rudolph Hirzel | April 1887 | August 1900 |
| John W. Booth | August 1900 | April 1901 |
| John W. McElhinney | April 1901 | February 1903 |
| Wm A Davidson | February 1903 | February 1905 |
| R. S. Ryors | February 1905 | February 1911 |
| R. A. Bruer | February 1911 | |
| Tenure of circuit judges is designated in each case in the foregoing from first session of court held in the county by each of such judges. | ||
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| Chesley Glover | November 1854 | November 1855 |
| Leander Rainey | November 1855 | August 1856 |
| Chesley Glover | August 1856 | November 1858 |
| A.J. Seay | November 1858 | August 1860 |
| James T. Berry | August 1960 | May 1866 |
| J.K.Kidd | May 1866 | November1866 |
| James N. Clark | November 1866 | November 1870 |
| Henry Marquand | November 1870 | November 1872 |
| James Adams | November 1872 | November 1873 |
| J.K.Kidd | November 1873 | April 1885 |
| Geo. W. Tainter | April 1885 | April 1887 |
| L.W. Dallas | April 1887 | April 1889 |
| A.K. Monroe | April 1889 | April 1891 |
| Chas. Moore | April 1891 | 1895 |
| J.P. McDaniel | April 1895 | April 1899 |
| R. H. Bryan | April 1899 | August 1909 |
| From | To | |
|---|---|---|
| R.H. Bryan | August 1909 | September 3, 1910 |
| * Benona Mantle | September 3, 1910 | April 15, 1911 |
| R.H. Bryan | April 15, 1911 | |
| The office of county superintendent of public schools was created by act of the Legislature at the 1908-1909 session. The law provided that the county commissioner should become county superintendent in August following and serve until April 1911. Term of office is four years. | ||
| * Appointed, vice R, H. Bryan resigned | ||