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Local Area Info: St. Francois County, Missouri

St. Francois County is a county located in the Lead Belt region in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the population was 65,359. The largest city and county seat is Farmington. The county was officially organized on December 19, 1821. It was named after the St. Francis River. The origin of the river's name is unclear. It might refer to St. Francis of Assisi. Another possibility is that Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit who explored the region in 1673, named the river for the Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier. Marquette had spent some time at the mission of St. Francois Xavier before his voyage and, as a Jesuit, was unlikely to have given the river a name honoring the Franciscans.

The first European settlement in St. Francois County was made in the spring of 1796 at what is now known as Big River Mills by Andrew Baker, John Ally, Francis Starnater and John Andrews. They each located claims in 1794 but did not bring their families until 1796. Andrew Baker was the only one who had a house; the rest lived in camps. Baker, who built a large home along the north bank of Big River, established a community there. At one time he reportedly owned 200 slaves and was one of the wealthiest men in the area. Eventually all his children married and left the farm which consisted of 740 acres (3.0 km2). The farm was sold for taxes and later sold for $30 per acre. Several families settled that same year on Big River; among them were Elisha Baker, his son Elijah and Joseph Reed from Bois Brule Bottom. In 1798, Solomon George became the first to settle on Little St. Francois River.

A memorable circumstance occurred around March 1, 1797. Henry Fry and Rebecca Baker having concluded to be married, started, in company with Catharine Miller, Mary and Abraham Baker (two sisters and the brother of the intended bride,) and William Patterson, for Ste. Genevieve, the nearest point where anyone authorized to perform the service could be found. When they were eight or 10 miles (16 km) from home near the crossing of the Terre Bleu, they were met by the Native Americans and all, save Rebecca and Abraham Baker, were stripped of their clothing and left to find their way home in this plight; the wagon loaded with venison, intended for the wedding feast, was also robbed. This unfortunate adventure caused the postponement of the marriage for one year.