Stone County MOGenWeb

My name is Bob Jenkins and I am the Stone County Coordinator.

We have many genealogical resources available here.
We would be appreciative of any contributions you would like to make to this
 site 

Stone County, Missouri

Stone County lies in the heart of the Ozarks, a region shaped by deep river valleys, rugged hills, and early frontier movement. Long before county formation, the area was home to Native American groups, including Delaware families who lived here in the early 1800s before being forced westward. Early European presence began with traders such as James Yocum, who established a post around 1790 at the junction of the James and White Rivers, serving both Native communities and incoming settlers.

Permanent Anglo‑American settlement accelerated in the 1830s as families from Kentucky and Tennessee moved into the Ozark plateau seeking farmland and timber. Stone County was officially organized on February 10, 1851, carved from Taney County and named for William Stone, an English‑born pioneer, War of 1812 veteran, and Taney County judge. The county seat, first called Jamestown, soon became Galena after the discovery of lead ore in the region.

During the Civil War, Stone County—though home to only a small enslaved population—saw divided loyalties and several local skirmishes. Most men who served fought for the Union, and the strategic “Wire Road” running through the county made the area a target for both armies. Border warfare left some communities, including Blue Eye, nearly deserted. Local units such as the Stone County Home Guard and the 72nd Enrolled Missouri Militia played key roles in regional defense.

The early 20th century brought renewed growth with the arrival of the White River Railway in 1904, opening the Ozarks to commerce, travel, and eventually tourism. Attractions like Marvel Cave—later the foundation for Silver Dollar City—helped shape the county’s modern identity. Today, Stone County blends historic river settlements, rural landscapes, and lakeside communities along Table Rock Lake, offering rich records for genealogists tracing Ozark families across two centuries.