I'll try to answer your questions below. > As a benighted Kentuckian, I'm new to Missouri research. So I'd greatly appreciate help with some basic questions: > > 1) Was there ever a Missouri town, post office, or locality (rather than the county) called "Moniteau"? Having lived in Moniteau County all my life and extensively researched family (that first settled here in 1819-1820) in central Missouri for the last 10+ years, the only locality other than the county that I'm aware of is the part of Cole County that is now Montieau County was called Moniteau Township from the 1820s until 1845. Moniteau is an anglicized form of the native word Manitou meaning "Great Spirit". > 2) If so, was it in Moniteau County? > > 3) Are there Deed Books extant for Moniteau Co., between it's founding and 1850? As far as I know the courthouse in California, MO has all the original deed books from Moniteau County's founding in 1845 to the present. Prior to 1845, Moniteau County was a part of Cole and Morgan counties. Alan Sparks asparks@starband.net