Stone County History
The Stone County area was originally controlled by the native Osage tribe who were eventually usurped by white settlers.  Their trails were valuable in navigating the hilly wilderness, especially for French trappers and Spanish traders.  Its natural beauty was often eclipsed by isolation and harsh conditions.  Eventually, self-reliant and gritty pioneers saw the potential.  Timber was abundant and the soil was deep, black, and fertile.  It would not be easy, but the early settlers had all the vital elements to forge a new life.  The Osage Trail/Trace, which extended across the northern county, evolved to serve as a portion of the Northern Route of the Trail of Tears which brought many from Appalachia, especially the Great Smoky Mountains, in search of opportunity.

The county was formed February 10, 1851 from Taney County with Galena as the county seat.  It is named for William Stone, an Englishman who was an early settler in Maryland and local pioneer who served as Taney County Judge.

Visit the Stone County Historical Museum to see artifacts from Stone County's colorful history.

Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears were routes that 60,000 Native Americans of the 'Five Civilized Tribes' (Cherokee, Chicakasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole nations) took to newly designated 'Indian Territory' as they were forcibly removed from their ancestral homelands beginning in 1830.  The National Park Service has designated the Stone County Museum as an official interpretive center where brochure/map and a 20-minute video are available.  Read more about it here - National Park Service - Trail of Tears.  Click here to view the map below in its entirety.

Butterfield Overland Mail Route
The Butterfield Overland Mail (officially, Overland Mail Company) was a stagecoach service and U.S. mail carrier operating from St. Louis and Memphis (connecting in Fort Smith) to San Francisco, 1858-1861.  On January 5, 2023 it was officially recognized as national historic trail.  Read more about it here, National Park Service - Butterfield Overland Mail Route.  Click here to view an enlarged map of the route.

The image at left is a full-scale replica of an Abbott-Downing coach used by the Overland Mail Company.  The map below shows the route through the Southwestern U.S.

Old Wire Road
In the mid-1800s, the U.S. military strung telegraph lines along the road from Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis south to Fort Smith, Arkansas, passing nearby through what is now known as Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.  The road, referred to as the Old Wire Road in Southwestern Missouri, and the telegraph lines played a critical role in the Civil War.  Learn more about it here - National Park Service - Wire Road.  Learn about conservation efforts along the Wire Road here - National Park Service - Wire Road Conservation Area. 

Down the Wire Road by Fern Angus, a long-time Stone County resident and historian, is one of the books on local history for sale at the Stone County Historical Museum.

Stone County Families
Many generous people have donated family genealogies.  We are happy to check to see if we have information on your surname(s).  Further research will have a charge of $25 up to one hour.  Each additional hour of research will be $20 per hour.  Postage will be charged for any mailed copies.  Click the button below to view a list of family surnames available in the collection.