Kirksville, MO

KIRKSVILLE, The county seat of Adair County, Benton township, is a flourishing town beautifully situated on the western margin of a high rolling prairie on the summit of the "Grand Divide," on the located line of the North Missouri Railroad, 216 miles from St. Louis, and 151 miles from Jefferson City.  There are five stage routes running from this place, viz: to Canton 65 miles, Macon City 85, Lancaster 25, Trenton 61, and to Shelbyville 45 miles. The chief products are corn, wheat, and potatoes; the timber, white oak, mineral, coal in abundance.  The average price of uncultivated lands, $5 per acre; cultivated, $10.  It contains four churches, viz: one Methodist, one Presbyterian, one Christian, and one Baptist; one Medical Society, one Masonic Lodge, Kirksville Lodge No. 128, one I.O.O.F., No. 96, I.O.G. Templars Lodge No. 236, one plow maker, eight attorneys at law, four blacksmiths, two boot and sho makers, three carpenters, three wagon makers, two auctioneers, one baker, one butcher, four cabinet makers, one clothier, one coal dealer, one druggist, five general stores, one gunsmith, one marble yard, two milliners, two grocers, two harness makers, two tanneries, five hotels, two painters, eight physicians, two high schools, three brick masons, three surveyors, one tailor, one newspaper, viz: Kirksville Democrat, published every Wednesday by J.D. Foster.  Population 1000.  (The Missouri State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1860)