Defiance was a community in
Worth County,
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
during the late 19th century.
Location
Defiance was located in Union Township on the west bank of the
Platte river
The Platte River () is a major river in the State of Nebraska. It is about long; measured to its farthest source via its tributary, the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which itself ...
about 4 miles west of
Isadora
Isidora or Isadora is a female given name of Greek origin, derived from Ἰσίδωρος, ''Isídōros'' (a compound of Ἶσις, ''Ísis'', and δῶρον, ''dōron'': "gift of he goddessIsis").
The male equivalent is Isidore.
The name surviv ...
.
["The History of Gentry and Worth Counties, Missouri, Containing A History of These Counties, Their Cities, Towns, Etc.", ''National Historical Company'', 1882] It was about one-half mile east of the current location of
Sheridan, Missouri
Sheridan is a city in northwest Worth County, Missouri, United States, near the Platte River. The population was 195 at the 2010 census.
History
A post office called Sheridan has been in operation since 1887. Sheridan was the name of a local fam ...
.
Early history and name
In 1865, Jacob Winemiller came to the newly formed Worth county, and purchased land in
township
A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
66, range 33,
section
Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea
* Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents
** Section sign ...
14, on the banks of the Platte river. After bringing his
family, he started a sawmill and lumber business. in 1868, John Weaver started a store
nearby, and by 1872 the town was laid out and a post office established. Winemiller was the first postmaster. The town was briefly called Riverside, but the name Defiance was adopted in 1872.
["Defiance, MO", ''Grant City Times-Tribune'', June 15, 1983]
The name comes from the fact that Weaver sold whiskey and defied people to enforce any law
against him.
"Worth County Place Names, 1928-1945", ''The State Historical Society of Missouri''
/ref>
Winemiller and Issac Davis were considered the town founders.
Characteristics
In 1876 an Independent Order of Odd Fellows
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political and non-sectarian international fraternal order of Odd Fellowship. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Evolving from the Order of Odd ...
lodge was started in Defiance. The lodge burned to the ground in 1878, but was rebuilt. By 1882 the town featured 3 blacksmiths, drug and dry goods stores, a shoemaker, carpenter
and physician. In 1882 the population was reported as 50.Hopkins
Hopkins is an English, Welsh and Irish patronymic surname. The English name means "son of Hob". ''Hob'' was a diminutive of ''Robert'', itself deriving from the Germanic warrior name ''Hrod-berht'', translated as "renowned-fame". The Robert spell ...
stopped at Defiance.["Towns and Trading Posts of Worth County, Missouri", Kimble, Mary Ellen, 1987.]
Decline
In 1887 the Chicago, St. Paul and Kansas City Railroad was built through the Platte Valley, and missed Defiance by a half mile.
Construction in the new town of Sheridan began in July, and the businesses of Defiance gradually moved west to the new town.
References
Populated places in Worth County, Missouri
Ghost towns in Missouri
{{WorthCountyMO-geo-stub