William Henry Hatch - Hannibal, MO
Posted by: 
Wampa-One
N 39° 41.477 W 091° 23.937
15S E 637281 N 4394718
Located on the former site of a farm owned by this Congressman who was influential in agricultural research legislation and the formation of the USDA.
Waymark Code: WM59VB
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 12/03/2008
Views: 17
"In Memory of William Henry Hatch 1833-1896
Born in Georgetown, Kentucky. Admitted to Kentucky Bar in 1854. Moved to Hannibal in 1855. Served two terms as Circuit Attorney. Enlisted in Confederate Army in 1862 where he advanced to Assistant Adjutant General. Elected to United States Congress in 1878. Served until 1894. Worked for more than 50 Acts important to agriculture. His sponsorship and leadership resulted in passage of legislation known as the Hatch Act of 1887 authorizing state agricultural experiment stations associated with land grant colleges. The stations served as models for agricultural research that has enabled agriculture in the United States to be the most productive in the world. He was active in passage of the Second Morrill Act of 1890 and establishment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture creating the Bureau of Animal Industry, Federal Meat Inspection, and the Weather Bureau. This site is a part of his farm known as Strawberry Hill where he was a breeder of Jersey Cattle, Kentucky Trotting Horses and Southdown Sheep. In cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, the University of Missouri used this property as a dairy experimental station in the breeding and management of dairy cattle for 32 years."
~ text of marker
The plaque is embedded in an approximately 8 foot tall concrete and aggregate obelisk located directly behind the Welcome Center.
There is also another historical marker pertaining to Hatch along with a life-sized statue located in downtown Hannibal. (
visit link)