Washington County, Missouri, USAi

Regional Level Types
Washington County	County
Missouri	State
USA	Country

Since territorial days, the Washington County area has had the distinction of being a leader in Missouri lead production. Most early lead mining was surface or shallow shaft mining, and, before the advent of the railroads, lead was hauled to Ste. Genevieve where it was transported on the Mississippi River.

"New Diggings," south of Potosi in the Mine à Breton area, was discovered in 1806. The Fourche à Courtois Mines opened in 1814 and were named for a nearby stream. These mines were in Liberty township near what came to be known as Palmer, Missouri.

Palmer, Missouri, was laid out in 1830 and, from 1830 to 1867, was a post office known as "Harmony." The village was located in Harmony township, 15 miles southwest of Potosi. The village was also known as "Webster" during this time. The site was purchased by Courtland Palmer, Jr. of New York in 1870, and it was later owned by the Palmer Lead Company. The post office was re-established under the name of Palmer on December 9, 1875. By 1876 Palmer had become a thriving mining center.

The Palmer Lead Company was a manufacturer of pig lead and a dealer in general merchandise. The company store was located in Palmer. The store's predecessors included E.T. Stickney, J. Block and Company, and J. T. Hesser and Company. The company also utilized the land they owned by engaging in farming, stock raising, horticulture, and timber sales.

The Palmer Lead Company was incorporated November 26, 1875, by Walter B. Reynolds, John J. Feazel, and brothers Donald McNair Palmer and Courtland Palmer. Donald McNair Palmer was superintendent and general manager. In 1890 J. A. Ainsworth of Toledo, Ohio, was president and treasurer of the company; A. Harrison, superintendent; and R. Cummings, secretary. The corporation was dissolved on August 1, 1899.

The Missouri and Pennsylvania Lead Company was located in "Harmony," Missouri, and had mines of lead and other ores and minerals in Washington and Crawford counties. The company was incorporated on February 11, 1864, and managed by Hugh McKittrick, William North, G. W. Chadbourne, A. A. Bassett and Jacob P. Tirrill. G. W. Garnett signed the company's time books in the 1860s and 1870s.

R. Smith and Company; Stone Manning and Company; and Manning, Smith and Company were located in "Webster", Missouri. R. Smith and F. Manning were the principals in these firms which received ore and sold general merchandise and staples. After R. Smith's death in 1840, the R. Smith and Company became the Stone Manning and Company; and, in 1845, Manning, Smith and Company.

The Renault Lead Mining Company, possibly named for Philip Renault, Director General of the Company of the West mines in the Louisiana Territory, was incorporated September 29, 1877, by David H. King, Henry L. Carver and George W. Bailey. On July 16, 1898, the Renault Lead Company was incorporated by Harry J. Cantwell, Arthur Thacher, Allan T. Simpkins, Ralph Simpkins, G. G. Polland and W. M. Chauvenet. The company's principal office was in St. Louis, Missouri; its mine was at Palmer, as was its company store. T. F. Blount was superintendent of the Renault Lead Company and the Washington Land and Mining Company in Palmer. Upon incorporation of the Renault Lead Company, promissory notes of $42,000 were executed to the Palmer Lead Company. A judgment of forfeiture was issued against the Renault Lead Company on September 23, 1912.