Marion County, Missouri: History
Marion County was created by the state legislature in 1845 from parts of Ralls and Shelby Counties. It was settled from Virginia and Kentucky by farmers looking for cheap farmland; some owned slaves. It was named after Francis Marion, a general in the Revolutionary War. The county seat is Palmyra, which was established in 1833. Hannibal became a locally important river port on the Mississippi. By the late 1800s, the county was the center of a thriving agricultural community. Tobacco was the main crop, though cotton, wheat, barley, oats, and hay were also grown. Livestock included horses, mules, and cattle.
The best known native son is Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) born in 1835, in the village of Florida. His youthful experiences in Hannibal became the setting for the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Other prominent locals included Governor John S. Phelps, and Confederate General A.P. Morehead. The region was bitterly divided in the Civil War but Unionist elements prevailed. Palmyra was the site of a skirmish in 1862, and the county was the site of several other battles and raids. Today, Marion County continues to be primarily an agricultural county. It is home to a number of historic sites and buildings, with a major tourist industry focused on Mark Twain characters and settings.