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The county was organized on February 27, 1855, considerably later than counties in the eastern part of the state. It was named for Colonel Miles Vernon (1786–1867), a state senator and veteran of the Battle of New Orleans.[4] This was part of the large historic territory of the Osage Nation of Native Americans.
Vernon County suffered considerable damage during the American Civil War. Guerrillas and insurgents had waged raids against Union troops and carried out personal vendettas in the county. On May 23, 1863, Union Army soldiers burned the county seat of Nevada, along with the courthouse, in retaliation. The present courthouse was completed in 1907.
Vernon County was one of four Missouri counties that were wholly depopulated by Union General Thomas Ewing's General Order No. 11 (1863), which ordered the people evacuated to end support for Confederate guerrillas operating in the area. Most of the residents would not be allowed to return to their homes until after the Civil War ended in May 1865.
Adjacent Counties
- Bates County
- St. Clair County
- Cedar County
- Crawford County, Kan.
- Barton County
- Bourbon County, Kan.
- Linn County, Kan.
Cities & Villages
- Bronaugh
- Deerfield
- Harwood
- Metz
- Milo
- Moundville
- Nevada (County Seat)
- Richards
- Schell City
- Sheldon
- Stotesbury
Townships & Communities
Amos | Arthur | Bacon | Badger | Bellamy | Blaine | Blue Mound | Bristow | Carbon Center | Center | Clear Creek | Coal | Dederick | Dover | Drywood | Ellis | Eve | Fairhaven | Fort Carondelet | Harrison | Henry | Horton | Katy | Ketterman | Lake | Metz | Montevallo | Osage | Panama | Portia | Richland | Rinehart | Swart | Virgil | Virgil City | Walker | Washington | Zodiac
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