Court of Common Pleas

"Sturgeon Missouri Then and Now, 1856-1981"

By an act of the Legislature approved January 10, 1860, a Court of Common Pleas was created to be held at Sturgeon. The first term convened July 16, 1860, and the first terms of Court were held in the Masonic Hall located over the Methodist Church.

Hon. Wm. A. Hall was the judge; J. T. Burnam, clerk; John R. Jacks, marshall. The first proceedings of any sort was the naturalization of Louis Burkeye as a citizen of the United States. The first civil action was on a promissory note -- 'Polly A. Fountain, plaintiff, vs. Housen Canada, James D. Patton and Archibald H. Wayne, defendants.

The jurisdiction of this court extended over portions of Boone, Audrain, Howard and Randolph counties. Its sessions were from two days to a week in length. No criminal cases were ever heard in this court. The court was abolished by the Legislature in 1949, but it had not functioned as a court since 1921.

When Thomas Carter was clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, the court reporter to Judge Waller was A. B. Chamier, father of Richard J. Chamier, associate judge of the Circuit Court of Randolph County.

Court of Common Pleas