County: Schuyler County
Location of courthouse: Washington St. (US 136) & Green St., Lancaster
Location of county: NE quadrant, Iowa Border; crossroads of US-63 & MO-202, US-136
Organized: Feb. 14, 1845
Named after: Gen. Philip Schuyler of the Revolution
County seat: Lancaster
Elevation (highest): 1004 feet (306 meters)
Population: 4,508 (2017)
The Person:
"Philip Schuyler
November 11, 1733 - November 18, 1804
"Philip Schuyler was born on November 11, 1733 in Albany, New York to parents Johannes “John” Schuyler Jr. and Cornelia Van Cortlandt. Schuyler’s family migrated from Amsterdam in 1650 and were related to the families of the old Dutch aristocracy. Schuyler’s second great-grandfather was the first mayor of Albany, New York, the place of his birth.
"Philip Schuyler began his military service during the French and Indian War as a captain and was later promoted to major. He partook in the battles of Lake George, Oswego River, Ticonderoga, and Fort Frontenac.
"After his first stretch in the military, Schuyler ventured into politics. He began his tenure as a New York State Assemblyman in 1768 and served until 1775 when he was selected as a delegate to the second Continental Congress in May of that year. On June 19, 1775, he was commissioned as one of only four major generals in the Continental Army. He established his headquarters in Albany, NY and began planning an invasion of Canada. Early into his campaign he was plagued with a medical condition that caused command to be deferred to General Richard Montgomery. After leaving his regiment he returned to Fort Ticonderoga and then later to his hometown of Albany. He remained there for the winter of 1775 to 1776 where he collected supplies and forwarded them to Canada. He also aided the American effort in subduing British forces in the Mohawk Valley region of Western New York.
"Schuyler’s original plan to invade Canada fell short upon the death of General Montgomery and the Patriot force’s failure to capture Quebec. Upon the American troops’ retreat to Crown Point and the evacuation of Fort Ticonderoga, General Horatio Gates attempted to claim precedence over Schuyler and sought Schuyler’s dismissal from service. The matter was taken up in front of Congress and Schuyler was superseded in August of 1777. Schuyler requested a trial in military court to prove his case. Schuyler was acquitted on all charges in 1778, but his reputation was still damaged. He resigned from military service in April of 1779.
"Upon his departure from military service he reentered politics and served first as a delegate from New York to the Continental Congress from 1797 to 1781 and then three terms in the New York State Senate from 1781 to 1997. He served a term as a United States Senator from New York but lost his seat to Aaron Burr, who’s campaign was backed by enemies of Schuyler. Alexander Hamilton was enraged by the Schuyler’s loss, as Hamilton backed his campaign due to his support of New York ratifying the Federal constitution.
"In addition to being a political ally of Schuyler’s, Alexander Hamilton married Schuyler’s daughter, Elizabeth, in 1780. Once Hamilton regained control of New York State politics, Schuyler won back his seat in the United States Senate from Aaron Burr in 1797. Schuyler served only a few years of his term before resigning due to poor health. Philip Schuyler died on November 18, 1804." ~ American Battlefield Trust
The Place:
"Schuyler County is the third county west of the Mississippi River, on the northern tier of counties, in the State of Missouri. It is bounded on the north by parts of Appanoose and Davis County, Iowa; on the east by Scotland County; on the south by Adair, and on the west by the Chariton River, which separates it from Putnam County ...
"Explorers, hunters and surveyors visited the territory of Schuyler County sometime before the permanent settlement began. The first settlement in this, the northern tier of counties in Missouri, began at St. Francisville, on the Des Moines River, in what is now Clark County, in the year 1829.
"Two years prior to the complete organization of Schuyler County, the General Assembly of the State of Missouri passed an act entitled "The act to define the boundaries of Schuyler County."
"Sec. 1 -- All that territory lying within the following limits to wit: Beginning at the northeast corner of Adair County,
in the middle of Range 13, thence due north to the northern boundary line of the State of Missouri; thence west with
said State line to the middle of the Chariton River; thence south through the middle of the main channel of said river
to the northern line of Adair County; thence east with said northern line of Adair County to the place of beginning
shall be hereafter organized and known by the name of Schuyler County.
"Sec. 2 -- Schuyler County shall be attached to the county of Adair for all civil and military purposes.
"Sec. 3 -- The revenue levied and collected by the county of Adair for county purposes, within the limits of the above
described county of Schuyler shall, after deducting the expense of assessing and collecting the same, and all expense
which may arise from criminal prosecutions originating in the county of Schuyler be reserved for the use of Schuyler
County whenever the same shall be organized.
"This act shall be in force from and after its passage. Approved February 17, 1843.
"The first term of the county court ever held in Schuyler County was held at the house of Robert S. Neely, on the third Monday in April, 1845, or April 21.
"This house stood in Section 7, Township 66 North, Range 14 West ... The county was then subdivided into municipal townships as follows: Fabius; Independence; Wells, Chariton; Liberty; Salt River.
"It will be observed that, as the territory was organized and subdivided into municipal townships, the disputed territory which caused the Iowa State War was all included in Wells and Independence Townships, and also a strip a mile wide south of the aforesaid Indian boundary line. Afterward, in 1848 and 1849, after it became evident that the State Line would be established on said Indian boundary line, the county court of Schuyler County ordered the line of Chariton, Liberty and Fabius Townships, to be extended northward to the Indian boundary line, and then, as the balance of Wells and Independence Townships were believed to be in the territory of Iowa, Schuyler County lost her jurisdiction over them, and they were dropped from her records.
"Subsequently, at the August term, 1853, of the county court, it was ordered that the municipal township of Fabius be and the same is hereby divided, making Bridge Creek the line through said township; the north end to retain the name of Fabius Township, and the south end to be called Independence Township. Thus a new township called Independence was organized to take the name of the original township of that name on the disputed strip of land. Afterward, in November, 1858, the boundary line between Fabius and Independence Townships was made to conform to the township line dividing Congressional Townships 65 and 66 North; and thus bounded, these two townships still remain." ~ History of Schuyler County, 1888, Goodpseed, pp. 595, 608-609, 616-618.
Schuyler County was organized February 14, 1845, and was named in honor of General Phillip Schuyler, of the Revolutionary Army. The county seat commissioners appointed by the act accepted a tract of land donated by James Lusk, who was the first Representative of Schuyler County. At a meeting of the county court June 2, 1845, an order was made that the land selected by the county seat commissioners be surveyed and platted into "squares, blocks and lots," and the town to be known as Lancaster." ~ Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, 1901, Conard, Vol. 5, 532.