A TIME LINE OF EVENTS FROM 1764-1940 |
|
| 1764 |
Auguste
Chouteau and thirty workers begin to build St. Louis on the banks of the Mississippi River
near the mouth of the Missouri River. Upper Louisiana passes from French to Spanish. |
| 1804 |
Ownership of Upper
Louisiana is transferred from Spain to France to the United States during this eventful
year. |
| 1805 |
Recording
of land titles awarded by foreign governments begins in St. Louis on September 16. |
| 1808 |
First issue of Missouri
Gazette published in St. Louis (first newspaper west of Mississippi River). |
| 1818 |
U.S.
public land sales in Missouri delayed until this year by New Madrid earthquakes of
1811/1812. |
| 1821 |
Missouri admitted as
24th state. |
| 1830 |
First
federal census of Missouri. |
| 1850 |
St. Louis begins
recording of deaths this year; births in 1863. There is an estimated 60% compliance. |
| 1853 |
Prior to this year,
some adoptions were made by act of the Legislature. Starting in 1853, adoptions are
handled through a county’s Recorder of Deeds. In 1917, adoption proceedings are moved
to Circuit Court, Juvenile Division. |
 |
| 1854 |
Children’s Aid Society of
New York City begins sending "Orphan Trains" to midwestern states including
Missouri. By 1929, 100,000 children have been sent to the midwest on "Orphan
Trains." |
| 1861 |
Civil War
begins; Union troops under General Lyon retain control of St. Louis Arsenal from
Confederate troops under General Frost. Many early enlistments are for 90 days because
most persons believe hostilities will be over in 90 days or less. |
| 1863 |
General Thomas Ewing issues
infamous General Order No. 11 which forces evacuation of persons from some southwestern
Missouri counties. |
|
| 1864 |
Confederate
troops under General Sterling Price invade Missouri in September; they are pushed back
into Arkansas by December. |
| 1865 |
Regular railroad
passenger service between St. Louis and Kansas City begins this year. Missouri slaves are
freed in January of this year. 
|
| 1866 |
Missouri
persons in certain occupations are required to take so-called "Test Oath" that
they never swore allegiance to Confederacy or served in its army or navy. |
| 1874 |
Kansas City records
some births and deaths during the period 1874-1909. Compliance is low and many births and
deaths go unreported. Prior to 1881, no marriage license is required in Missouri. Marriage
could be recorded in any Missouri county courthouse. After 1880, a marriage license is
required and is recorded in county where it occurred. |
| 1883 |
Births and
deaths records made mandatory by Missouri state law. The law repealed in 1893. |
| 1890 |
Special federal
census records Union veterans and their widows living in Missouri in 1890. |
| 1910 |
Missouri
Office of Vital Records begins statewide mandatory recording of births and deaths in
Missouri. |
| 1917 |
All Missouri
men born between 1873-1900 are required to register for one of several draft calls in
1917-1918. Persons living in the United States who are not yet citizens and were born in
countries hostile to the United States are required to register with Department of Justice
as enemy aliens. |
| 1940 |
Records
of soldiers who served in Missouri militia or volunteer regiments before 1940 are kept at
Missouri State Archives; records of soldiers serving in Missouri regiments after 1940 are
kept by Missouri Adjutant General. |
