Bollinger County
Historical Description 1875

Bollinger County, in the south-eastern part of the State, and bounded north by Perry County, east by Cape Girardeau, south by Stoddard and Wayne, and west by Wayne and Madison Counties, contains 381,081 acres.

Population in 1860, 7,371; in 1870, 8,162; of whom 8,116 were white, and 46 colored; 4,135 male, and 4,027 female; 7,823 native (5,677 born in Missouri) and 339 foreign.

History
Bollinger County was settled in 1800 by North Carolinians, and organized from parts of Cape Girardeau and Wayne, March 1, 1851, and named in honor of Maj. Bollinger, one of the early settlers, proverbial for his honesty and generosity, many of whose descendants still live in the county. There were two engagements in this county during the late Civil War; one in 1861 near Patton, and one in 1863 near Marble Hill (then Dallas), besides several skirmishes between scouting parties, and many murders and robberies by guerrillas.

Physical Features
The general surface of the county is broken and hilly, and in one part, Turkey Hill, mountainous, and is thoroughly drained by Castor, Big White, Water and Little White Water Rivers, and Crooked, Hurricane and Perkins Creeks. The soil is rich, and the land well timbered with oak, ash, hickory, walnut, cottonwood and pine. Many relics of the Indians still remain, such as mounds, granite tomahawks, flint spikes, etc.

The Agricultural Productions are corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, tobacco, sorghum, and the various grasses, all of which yield abundantly. Apples, peaches, plums, pears, apricots, grapes, and all of the small fruits do well. But few farmers in this region have as yet given their attention to fruit growing. There are in the county small amounts of Government and swamp lands, a Hon. Thos. Allen has about 14,000 acres for sale on liberal terms.*

Wealth
Valuation of the county per census of 1870, $2,106,000.†

The Mineral Resources of this county have not been developed, but it gives promise of being very rich in iron, lead, zinc, clays and ochres.

Kaolin used in the manufacture of porcelain ware, cornish stone for the manufacture of ironstone china ware, pipe clay and fire clay, have been discovered in large quantities.

Hematite iron ore is being mined and shipped extensively.

The Manufacturing Interests are chiefly confined to three steam and four water-power flouring-mills, and a number of saw mills.

Railroads
The Iron Mountain Railroad traverses the county from north to south, a distance of almost 20 miles, affording easy and speedy access to market. There are about 4 miles of the Illinois, Missouri & Texas Railway projected across the south-eastern corner of the county.

The Educational Interests are taken care of in 45 sub-districts, all of which are supplied with public schools at least 4 months each year.

There are 50 churches in the county, consisting of Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Christian, Episcopal, and Roman Catholic.

Bollinger County Places in 1875

Bessville, on the St. L. & I. M. Rail Road, 9 miles north west of Marble Hill, has 1 store, and is a shipping point for a considerable quantity of choice lumber.

Bollinger's Mill, 16 miles south of Marble Hill, has a large flouring mill and 1 store.

Buchanan, a post-office 18 miles south west of Marble Hill, has 1 store.

Castor, a post-office 16 miles west of Marble Hill.

Dolles Mills, 22 miles north of Marble Hill, in a rich agricultural region, contains a large water-power flouring-mill and 1 store.

Glen Allen, on the St. L. & I. M. Rail Road, 3 miles north west of Marble Hill, has 1 store.

Laflin, on the St. L. & I. M. Rail Road, 5 miles south east of Marble Hill, has 1 store, and is an important shipping point for railroad timber.

Lutesville, on the St. L. & I. M. Rail Road, 133 miles from St. Louis, and within a mile south west of Marble Hill, is a thriving village, containing 1 church, Methodist, 1 public school building, 1 newspaper, The Herald, T. S. Adams, publisher; 1 hotel, 1 iron furnace in course of construction, 1 carriage and 1 stove factory, and about half a dozen stores. Population, including Slaybaugh's addition, about 900.

MARBLE HILL, the county seat, built upon a hill of the same name just above the confluence of Hurricane and Crooked Creeks, near the centre of the county, was located under the name of Dallas, in 1852, and incorporated as Marble Hill in 1868. Its high elevation renders it free from any malaria that may arise from the low lands near it. It contains a church, public school building and court-house, 1 newspaper, The Standard, D. A. Burton, publisher; 1 steam saw and grist-mill, 1 carriage factory, 1 paint mill, one fair hotel, several shops and about half a dozen stores. Population, about 500.

Patton, 15 miles north west of Marble Hill, has 1 store.

Sedwickville, 18 miles north east of Marble Hill, has 2 stores.

Vinemont, about 5 miles south east of Marble Hill, in the centre of a German settlement, has 1 store and a Catholic church.


*For full particulars see Appendix-Page
†Assessed valuation in 1873, $1,709,001. Floating debt about $2,500.


Source: Campbell's Gazetteer of Missouri, Revised Edition, by R. A. Campbell,
Published by R. A. Campbell, St. Louis, Missouri, 1875