County of Marker: Reynolds County
Location of Marker: Green St. & Main St., courthouse lawn, Centerville
Historian: James E. Bell.
Marker Erected by: The City of Centerville; Reynolds County
Design, Layout & MFG: Pewitt Monument Co.
Aryes Hudspeth, John Miller, and Moses Carty were selected in the Legislative Act of 1845 to locate and lay out a permanent county seat. After due consideration, Centerville was chosen. As specified by the General Assembly, Lesterville and the home of Joseph McNail, was used as the first meeting place for the Circuit Court and County Court until a permanent Seat of Justice was established. James George of Madison County was given the contract to build the court house, which he completed in 1849. This brick structure survived until 1863 when Colonel Timothy Reeves of the 15th Missouri Calvary (Confederate) surprised Capt. Bartlett's Co. C of the 3rd Missouri State Militia, took them captive, burned the court house with all it's records. A new court house was built after the Civil War which met with a similar fate in 1871. The structure you see today was built by John Johnston and James B. Barnes in 1872 at a cost of $8,000. Reynolds County's citizens have met and overcome many adversities in the past. They stand ready to face the challenges of the future.
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