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James Dunica of Cole County, and Hugh Barkley of Gasconade County were made commissioners to select a site for a county seat. It appears they did not act for on February 13. 1833, the legislature authorized the county court to select a suitable place for permanent seat of justice as near the center of population of said county as circumstances will permit". On March 10 .1835, another commission was appointed. Charles Springer of Washington County. William Spencer of Franklin County and Thomas Caulk of Polaski County. James Steel was selected as commissioner and be resigned June 1. 1836 and Simon Frost was appointed and be was ordered by the court to lay out the town. James Steel entered 40 acres of land on which was the original town site. He sold it to the County court for $50.00 on December 16 .1835. The court named the town in his honor. In 1857 the first brick courthouse was built. This courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1873. The third courthouse was built in 1873 this was destroyed by fire in early 1884. The present courthouse was built in 1885. James Steel was the first storekeeper in the town.
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Early Leasburg was steeped in Harrison laud. From 1852 to 1867 William H. Harrison Sr. and four Sons owned land in early Leasburg then known as Harrison Station. It was near the Old Springfield Road that swarmed with ox wagons and horse drawn wagons in route to Springfield or St.Louis.
William Harrison Sr. came with his family in 1811 from Kentucky and entered the first land taken up in Crawford County. The Harrisons were the first white settlers to come and stay and make their home here. The pioneer drive for land was strong in William. His father Captain Ben Harrison of the Revolutionary War, who was driven by the same urge for land, walked half way across the continent and owned land in five places in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Missouri. Those were days of savage Indians, mosquitoes, swamps, wild animals, and untold miles of blistering wilderness. William Harrison Sr. and wife Ann had nine sons and two daughters. About half of their children were born in Kentucky. |
Leasburg Historical Society PO Box 127 Leasburg, MO 65535
As they grew up in this new land they were first in many things. William Jr. had the first store in Harrison Station. He served in the Mexican War in 1867 as administrator for William Sr. estate. He closed the books sold the various land areas and soon afterward both he and his wife died possibly from cholera. Andrew had mined gold and with his family made two trips to California before 1860. He was appointed the first Postmaster of Leasburg in 1860. He was also a Probate Judge. John had the first sawmill and the first gristmill. They brought the granite bhurs with them from the east. James was a county officer in Steelville. William Sr. was co-owner with Jo Reeves of the first iron blast furnace at Thickety Ford near the river.
Talk of the railroad coming aroused the distrust and suspicious of many of the pioneers. |
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