In over 30 years of genealogical research, I have searched several families who have moved to Missouri. In the early days of Missouri statehood, (1820's) people from Madison County, KY moved to Howard County, MO. (Woods, Barnes, Crews and many others.) Reading a marriage index or deed index in Howard County, MO is like reading a tax list from Madison County, KY. People used the Missouri river for transportation and, therefore, they settled on counties that bordered the Missouri river in the early days. (1820's & 30's) Before 1850 the Thomas Lanter (married a Davis) family settled in the western part of the state in Platte County, MO. Prior to 1860 part of the Davis family migrated to Johnson County, MO. Then during the war they went back. Then, after the war, some of the Davis's went to Randolph County, MO (Albert Davis) and some went to Johnson County. (James Davis). A sister who had married a Brooks can be found in the 1880 census of Boone County, MO. She also moved back to KY before 1900. >From land prices, I think that one could sell land in Madison County for a profit and buy more land in Missouri. Families were large and there just wasn't enough of the farm to divide up among the heirs to support a family. So, they would take their inheritance money and move to Missouri, and buy enough land to support their family. The soil north of the Missouri river was very fertile, (Randolph/Howard Saline Counties) due to the glaciers that covered the earth and moved as far south as the Missouri River. I have heard that topsoil in Saline County, MO is over 3 feet deep. South of the Missouri River the land is hilly and less fertile, except for west central Missouri counties, such as Johnson, Pettis, Cass, etc. Of course, the bottom land along the Mississippi is very fertile, too. Yes, the early land patents (sales from the U.S. government) could be purchased for about $1.25 per acre. <A HREF="www.glorecords.blm.gov">www.glorecords.blm.gov</A>

[email protected] wrote: >The soil north of the Missouri river was very fertile, (Randolph/Howard >Saline Counties) > Saline County is south of the Missouri River. Certain areas in central Missouri, both north and south, have very good farmland. > I have heard that topsoil in Saline County, MO is over >3 feet deep. > On Hwy 24, between Miami & Grand Pass in Saline County, there was a sign that declared the land to be tested as the most fertile soil in the US. Like other states, the shifting boundaries sometimes makes it confusing for researchers. They call Howard Co., MO "the mother of counties" It was organized in 1816. Present day Adair; Boone; Caldwell; Carroll; Chariton; Clay; Clinton; Cole; Cooper; Daviess; DeKalb; Gentry; Grundy; Harrison; Henry; Johnson; Lafayette; Linn; Livingston; Macon; Mercer; Moniteau; Morgan; Pettis; Putnam; Randolph; Ray; Saline; Sullivan; Worth; the northern parts of Benton, Miller, and St. Clair; and possibly parts of Audrain, Monroe, and Shelby were all a part of Howard County. In fact, it was so huge, it included counties that now are in Iowa. The town of Franklin on the Missouri River was a major hub, being the eastern terminus of the Santa Fe Trail. It was washed away in the late 1820's by Missouri River flooding. Boonville, across the river in Cooper County then became a boom town. Cooper Co (directly south and across the river from Howard Co) was formed in 1818 and included areas that are now Saline, Pettis, Lafayette and Johnson Counties. Saline County wasn't formed until Missouri became a state in 1821. Hope this helps. Tammy whose family traveled the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to central Missouri. We've been here ever since. ;)