The History of Barry County

The History of Barry County Missouri
Barry County was formed in January, 1835, from Greene County.
An 1872 fire destroyed some of the circuit court clerk's records.

In Feb, 1835, Barry Co began operation as a  political  subdivision  of
Missouri. The newly formed county contained  the  present  counties  of
Barry, Lawrence, Dade, McDonald, Newton, Jasper, Barton and a  part  of
Cedar Co. The first county seat was at Mount Pleasant, located on Clear
Creek just west of the present day Pierce City.

By 1840 Barry Co had been pared down to what is the present  day  Barry
Co and the southern half of Lawrence Co. Also in 1840 the  county  seat
was moved to McDonald  (now  McDowell)  where  it  was  housed  in  the
residence of Samuel G Phariss, until 1845.

By 1845 Lawrence Co was formed and the county seat was no longer in the
geographic center of Barry Co, so the new seat was formed  in  what  is
now Cassville and housed in the William Kerr  residence.  William  Kerr
owned the 50 acres which encompassed the town of Cassville in 1845.
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