Lakeside Park 1907
My name is Bob Jenkins and I am the Jasper County Coordinator.
We
have many genealogical resources available here.
We would be appreciative of any
contributions you would like to make to this
site
In addition:, we would appreciate any
contribution that you would like to make to this
site: biographies, obituaries, birth,
marriage, death info, grave info,
photographs....etc
The MOGenWeb Project sincerely
thanks the dedicated former county
coordinators Renessa Wiggins
who devoted so much time and effort toward making
this site a successful one.
Thank you for all you have done.
Jasper County, Missouri
Jasper County, Missouri was established in 1841 and named for Revolutionary War hero William Jasper. Its history is rooted in Native American heritage, frontier settlement, and Civil War upheaval.
🗺️ Early Origins and Settlement
- Originally home to the Osage Nation, the area was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The U.S. acquired the land from the Osage in 1808 for $1,200 in cash and $1,500 in goods.
- Thacker Vivion, a Kentuckian, became the county’s first permanent settler in 1831.
- Jasper County was officially created in 1836 and organized as a governmental entity in 1841, with its first courthouse in a log cabin near Spring River.
🏛️ County Seat and Growth
- Carthage was designated the permanent county seat in 1842. A modest courthouse was built for $398.50 and completed that June.
- The county expanded from three original townships to fifteen, remaining unincorporated to this day.
⚔️ Civil War and Reconstruction
- During the Civil War, Carthage was destroyed in 1863. The courthouse was burned, and county government operated from temporary quarters until a new courthouse was built in 1895.
- The region saw significant rebuilding and population growth after the war, with Carthage and Joplin emerging as key cities.
