The Johnson County Historical Society is a 501c(3) non-profit organization which maintains the Mary Miller Smiser Heritage Library & Museum and the historic buildings on the Old Courthouse Square in Warrensburg, MO. Archives of original county records dating from 1834 are housed here, original deeds, original court cases files, along with the original newspaper binders from the Daily-Star Journal and Standard Herald. A premiere research facility specializing in Johnson County families and local history is open Tuesday – Thursday – Saturday from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. or by appointment.
We are in need of volunteers to sit at the museum visitors center for 3 hours on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday from 1-4pm.
Our guiding principles are in alignment with FFNHA. Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area http://freedomsfrontier.org/
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1. We will be tolerant and respectful of diverse stories from multiple perspectives.
2. We will respect property rights.
3. We will focus on authentic and engaging experiences.
4. We will honor the region’s peoples, past and present.
5. We will appreciate unique cultural and historical assets within the nationally important landscape.
6. We will invest in community engagement, education and empowerment.
7. We will sustain and grow a sense of place.
8. We will value and protect the natural environment.
9. We will consider future generations in everything we do
Museum tours are available 1-4, Tuesday – Thursday – Saturday, guided tours and group tours by appointment.
The Old Courthouse (1838-1871) still stands, carefully restored, in its original location on Main Street. The period courtroom and upstairs offices pay tribute to the brave pioneers who built it. The Trial of Old Drum, where George Graham Vest’s Eulogy on the Dog, considered the Man’s Best Friend is the Dog Speech, was delivered, took place in this courthouse in 1870. https://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/education/olddrum/oldjohnsoncountycourthouse
Our organization is totally funded today by membership dues, donations and sales of publications.
Your donations of money, historical artifacts and your time are welcome and needed. We receive no outside agency funding and have no employees so your donation and or volunteering is extremely important and we thank you for your support.
Hours: Normally 1-4 PM, Tuesday, Friday & Saturday
To Contact us: email: curator@jocomohistory.org
Follow us on https://www.facebook.com/jocomohistory – frequent new pictures & articles.
Postal address: 302 N. Main, Warrensburg, MO, 64093
Phone: 660-747-6480
See the Johnson County History Blog: https://1973whsreunion.blogspot.com
See a video about Warrensburg, Missouri
See a video about Old Drum – Eulogy to the Dog
NOTE: If you would like to request JCHS research any information for you, for the quickest response please contact us by email or Facebook message – see the links above.
Johnson County (MO) Historical Society 
Will there be an Old Drum festival this year?
Yes, this year it will be held the 2nd Saturday of June.
yes, it has been scheduled for the 2nd Saturday in June
We own some property on 250th road in holden. I have been told there was an old homestead there once. Wyatt Hammond was the name I got. Ant records of that? Thanks Rick
I am interested in any information on the town of Fenwick, Missouri which was located in southwest Johnson County. Although there is little evidence of the town’s existence today, it was explained to me by local residents in nearby Cass County that it was a railroad town during the late 1800’s or turn of the century. I am aware that most of my ancestors settled near Appleton City, in St. Clair County Missouri following the Civil War. However, this settlement in Johnson County interests me if there is a family connection.
Any information would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Gavin Fenwick
Clinton, MO.
Hi Gavin, I haven’t been able to find anything about a town named Fenwick. It is not in the place name books or on the 1898 Plat Map
Hello! I am looking good to do some research on Dunham Grant Priestley. He is my Great Great Grandfather and was born here in Johnson County! I am trying to find more information on him and his parents. I understand there is a Priestley cemetery here and hoping to have some leads on his parents. As I am pretty novice at genealogy, I am not sure what I am doing, but conveniently I live here in Warrensburg and can do some research! Any help you guys can lend me would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Gina Carlyle
Hi Gina,
Yes, Priestly Cemetery is next to the Quick Cemetery south of Rose Hill near Blairstown. However, there are no records for Priestly, all we know is there are some graves there. The DAR checked it in 1948 and only found stones, no names though. I am unable to find anything here about Dunham Grant Priestly. Do you have any other names to share? Are you related to a Neill family?
Mike Shaw
Need your help Johnson county historical society I have been on a long journey to find my family and mother her name was Laura Mae hall and great uncle was Raymond Lee hall his they were from your great city warrensburg he served in ww2 as ssgt .I Know they lived there and their mother was Edna Mae hall loved there also .Whom I thought for years was my mom was was not and Laura Mae was in at an impasse so any information would greatly be appreciated sncerly yours Barbara Estes
Barbara, We have no records for these people. Doesn’t necessarily mean they didn’t live here, just we have nothing about them in our research library.
Yes, the business was a BBQ joint and it probably was the first black-owned business in Warrensburg.
I have a number of Missouri Sales Tax Tokens. Would you be interersted
in some for your museum?
Certainly. We appreciate all donations
Hello, I write you from Kottenheim (Germany), home village of the Pickel brothers who operated quarries in Warrensburg from 1870 on.
Researching about emigrated members of the Pickel family I was unsuccessful to identify the former three (?) Pickel and Bruce quarries north of Warrensburg on maps or Google Earth.
The publication „Historical and Architectural Study of Residential Structures in Warrensburg, MO. [1989]“ contains a sketch with eight numbered quarries in addition to several photographs, but does not mention the specific owners.
Could you please help me in identifying the former Pickel and Bruce quarries, maybe by their numbers in the above mentioned publication.
Yours
Hartmut
I am confused! this query just appeared in our email, but I see it is dated May of 2015! We would have to research at the Recorder of Deeds office to determine who owned what.
Bill Belew please contact me by email about Bella Hughes research records. Thank You,
duckman15@att.net
Hello, i have a copy of a book entitled History of Johnson County by Ewing
Cockrell which I have been heir to by ny Grandmother, Mrs. Lawrence Grinstead ‘s estate. Would the historical society
Have any interest in this? I would be happy to forward the book to you if so. If not, could you tell me who may have
Interest?
All good wishes,
Lois Grinstead Patton
loispatton@aol.com, 5/16/18
Dear Lois,
Thank you for contacting us.
Yes, we would like to have that book. We do have other copies of the book, but would like to have this one simply because it belonged a prominent Johnson County family, the Grinsteads.
Mike Shaw
Administrator
Johnson County Historical Society
Hello! I currently live on Laurel St. and I was wondering if there is information on this street? If so I can come in and look myself I just want to confirm there is something to look at. Thank you!
Alisa, We don’t have information on specific streets. What you could look at is the record book that shows the original plat(map) of Colbern’s First Addition to the Town of Warrensburg, that includes Laurel Street. We’re not sure exactly when Laurel Street was constructed, but it was platted in May of 1858 by Wm. Colbern who owned the land.
Hi,
I am helping a friend with her genealogy. We are trying to prove that Mary Marr Gladden is the mother of Mary ‘Mollie’ Gladden Hurst Collins. Mary was born in 1849. Her father,Thomas Gladden and brother and her are listed with whom we assume is her mother Miram Marr, in the 1850 C. Then Mary marries Hugh Hurst in 1868. We have that. But her mother is no where to be found. We have her parents marriage record in Johnson Co in 1846. They have a son Alexander in 1847 then Mary in 1849. Trying to find out if Mary died,and or something to prove she is the mother.
Thanks so much for your help.
Laura Phillips Nygaard
We don’t have the actual record, but a card file reference to a marriage between Thomas Gladden and Mrs. Sarah G. Odell, Aug. 17, 1852. This is the only reference to Thomas Gladden we have other than the 1850 census. Unfortunately the census doesn’t give us information about the relationships between those shown on the census. Thomas Gladding may not have been related to Miriam Marr at all; he may have been a hired hand. It’s very likely that Mary Gladding’s mother had died by the time of the 1850 census. Does the 1840 census in Kentucky show a daughter that may have been Thomas’s first wife?
I have reason to believe that Miriam Marr in the 1850 is Miriam Netherton who married John Marr(s)/Mairs in Kentucky in 1806. (See marriage record https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89SQ-C18C?i=793&cc=1804888 ). I am researching William (1805-1862) and Nancy Marrs (1812-1874) Straughn family of Lexington MO and believe Miriam is Nancy’s mother, making Nancy a sister to your Mary. I know this doesn’t directly answer your question but I think it is a strong probability that Miriam is an ancestor to your Mary. If I can be of further help please contact me through email at your convenience.
Abbot Stevenson
Hello My name is Ms Estes for years i have tried to find information on my family history. My mother Artie mae ralph was a resident there for a while and attended school there. Her mother was hazel ralph she died at the age of 21yrs. Her grandmother raised her Ida Belle Ralph. Ive been to your beautful city to ask questions and have been greeted with very odd stares as if they know things but say nothing. I do know she was related to caleb ralph and henry grant .If you have any history of this family at all it would be greatly appreciated
Oh my mom died at 29 with 5 children.Her reatives never came forward at all .Our dad raised us .He wasnt much help at all .My sister’s and brothers would appreciate any info you would have.Any fees associated for this please let me know sincerely yours Ms Estes .My emal is Blessme44200048@Yahoo .Com
Warrensburg’s Star-Journal carried this obituary on Tuesday, August 20, 1935, p. 1
HAZEL RALPH, NEGRO, DIES
Hazel Ralph, 21, negro, daughter of Belle Ralph, died about 8 o’clock Monday morning at the home, 410 North main St. She had been ill for about three weeks. The funeral will be held at Shiloh Baptist church Tuesday afternoon with burial in Sunset Hill.
I will see what else we may have here about your mother and grandmother.
Thankyou so much. I will look forward to hearing from you if you find anything else again thankyou ms estes
Also do you know did they have an obit also in paper
Does anyone know about the reunions held in Warrensburg years ago for families of Barksdale and Nancy Cockrell West who lived in the area back in 1870:’s? Also looking for genealogy records researched by Bella M Hughes. She apparently was a member of your society at one time. Also iS THere A History Of Honey Creek Baptist church Anywhere?
Thank You, Steve B James.
There was a Honey Creek Baptist Church in Columbus in the mid-1850s. I will see if anything is mentioned in my family records. I was fortunate to have a lot of information recorded by my families.
Also, I’m actually looking for my West family in Johnson/Lafayette. I have information but can’t definitively tie them to anyone yet. Would you be willing to help me out if you have West information or could you give me the names of anyone who can help? I’ve been looking for documentation for years. Thank you!
Jodi Houx McWilliams
Yes, we can help. What are you looking for?
Mike
Jim James, a relative married Jenetta West in Johnson county in 1858. I found her in 1850 census in Jefferson twp, page 124. She was daughter of William and Anna West. William born in Virginia and Anna born in Kentucky. Book k page 306-07 of private records in 1867 has record of the estate of William West. May be other information in court records. The father of Jim JAMES was my great great grandfather who lived for awhile in LaFayette county and owned land near Odessa before selling and moving to s southeast Kansas near Arcadia. His mother was Polly West and they lived in Bedford county, Virginia. Polly may be related to William West. I am interested in all i can learn about Honey Creek church. Another daughter of George W James was Mary who married in 1858 in Johnson county to John J Claunch, son of John G Claunc h who lived near Columbus. One thing I find puzzling is that I cannot find JohnJ Claunc h with wife and family anywhere in Johnson or surrounding counties in 1870. I found them in 1860. He died in 1877 and widow Mary was in Kansas by 1880. It is like he must have given a fake name in 1870. I found his parents and family, but not him. I have searched for years to find him in 1870. Any information you can find it have about that church would be greatly appreciated.
10 or 15 years ago they had reunions at Billie adams farm, the farm was Nancy cockrell West’s farm. I have Bella Hughes research papers.
Bill Ballew
Would you email me copies of her research?
I see a you tube channel for a Rose Marie Kinder. I descend from the Kinders of Johnson County. I’ve even pulled the Kinder file from the museum to look for any clues. Is there contact info for this Rose Marie? I’d love to reach out to her. Thank You
Susan Walden Thurston
(Member of historical society)
Anyone have any information about Shiloh Cemetary? It’s about 15 minutes outside of warrensburg. There’s an abandoned church too which was called Shiloh Presbyterian Church. Would just like a little information about it.
I have recently taken over here as curator and am trying to catch up with unanswered queries. I apologize for the delay.
In 1949 members of the Warrensburg Chapter of the DAR recorded the information on the readable grave markers. At that time the cemetery was owned by the church, Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian, with Mr. Silas Shannon, Chilhowee, Mo., as the Trustee. There are about 300 evident burials in this cemetery.
Hello,
I just found your July 14th answer about Shiloh Cemetery, and I am very excited! Would it be possible to send me a copy of the title pages and the pages with the Thompson tombstone inscriptions that you mentioned from the 1949 information recorded by the Warrensburg Chapter of the DAR?
I am researching the Robert Thompson and Elizabeth (Berry) Thompson family for my grand daughter’s DAR Membership Application. Robert and Elizabeth came from Blount County, TN and settled in Post Oak, Johnson County about 1834. They are both buried in Shiloh Cemetery.The photos on FindAGrave show their partially broken tombstones which only have their names and no dates or age of death. The Ancestry.com records show that Robert died 2 Feb 1867, and Elizabeth died 8 Sep 1861. I’ve been wondering where those dates came from. I’m hoping that their stones were not broken, and that their death dates were on their tombstones when the Warrensburg DAR Chapter recorded the info in 1949.
This would be an incredible discovery for me!
Thank you,
Patricia Shahen
I have a picture of a large group of men I believe to have been taken in Johnson co. A date on it is Nov 1917. Is there any way,if I sent a copy, that some one there might be able to recognize the building and why the men were gathered there? Most of them seem to be wearing some kind of ribbon. They are all dressed in suits.
We may be able to identify them. It may be of those preparing to go to war.
Years ago there was a museum of the Warren family. Does it still exist and where? If not, where would I find the genealogy information? I am related about 5 generations back. Thanks for your help.
I have recently become the curator at JCHS and am finding some apparently unanswered queries here. I apologize for the delay.
The original Johnson County Historical Society Museum was in a small house just north of the Old Courthouse. This museum was called the Warrensburg Heritage Museum. In 1982 a new museum was built with the seed money coming from the Smiser family, so it is called the Mary Miller Smiser Heritage Library. We have a lengthy Warren family file in our collection.
Lisa, My name is Marti Winkler. I sent you some info to add to the Bowman file a few yrs ago. I now have another request, but do not have your phn # to contact you. Please let me know how to contact you so I can explain what I am looking for. Thanks. Marti
Hello Marty. Please call 660-747-6480 to get in touch. You can also send email to curator@jocomohistory.org. Thanks, Lisa
Thanks Loretta. Our team will see to your request : )
Thanks to all of you!!
The family I am researching lived in Warrensburg, Mo in the mid 1800s. I will be visiting the area during the week of Aug. 3. What collections does the Historical Society hold that might provide information concerning this family that is not available on genealogy websites? Thanks very much for any assistance!
Hello Loretta, I am sorry that I was out of town last week and didn’t get to visit with you.I hope that Betty and Herb were able to find all you were seeking.
Let me know if there were other items on the lower level that might have helped you in your search.
Lisa
Hi Lisa! Just returned last night and going through my emails. Per our phone conversation when I was at the airport, I have sent an email regarding my research needs and photocopy requests. Please feel free to email or call me with any questions. I am so grateful for your assistance and that of your staff!
Loretta
Does anyone remember an man named Mr. Ewing who ran a small store on the railroad in the very early 1960’s
Penny, do you remember what kind of store it was? Was it on Washington Street? Lisa Irle, curator
Yes, Verlon Ewing was well known in Warrensburg. He worked as a sign painter, painted Warrensburg School on the new school buses and would paint children’s initials on their new bicycles, etc. He owned a small bbq joint the he inherited from his father who claimed it was the first black-owned business in Warrensburg.