History of Platte Purchase Chapter DAR

The Platte Purchase Chapter, Daughter of the American Revolution, was organized February 24, 1952, at Platte City, Missouri, with 13 charter members.

As early as 1699 and 1700, French discoverers came down the Missouri River to St. Genevieve. Others gradually settled Cape Girardeau and New Madrid. The real immigration of pioneers to the State of Missouri did not begin until about 1804. The western part of Missouri was settled rapidly after that, and in 1818, the Territorial Legislature of Missouri petitioned Congress for admission to the Union as a state.

Northwest Missouri was settled entirely by colonists from east of the Allegheny Mountains, principally from Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina. They came by ox cart, covered wagon, and by boat up the Missouri River.

They eyed the rich territory which is now known as the Platte Purchase, and wanted to settle this territory immediately, but were refused because at that time this wedge of land was owned by Indians through a treaty with the United States government. From the time of the first settlers, it was felt that this strip of land should be included in Missouri Territory, and work was begun to negotiate with the Indian tribes to obtain a treaty whereby this might be accomplished. As a result, this land was acquired by the United States Government from the Indians by a treaty of June 2, 1825, and it was then announced this territory had been so acquired, and was at the disposal of the general government, and open for settlement.

The people of the State of Missouri then began negotiations for acquiring this land and having it become a part of their state, which would then make the Missouri River the boundary on the west, and a natural barrier between Indians and the early pioneer settlers.

Settlement of this section began immediately after the Treaty of 1825. Prior to this, there had been a trading post and a few scattered settlers. With slow means of travel and communications, it was not until 1836 that the Platte Purchase legally became a part of the State of Missouri. Out of this territory the counties of Platte, Buchanan, Andrew, Nodaway, Holt, and Atchison were formed.

Platte City became the county seat for Platte County and was the center of a trading post during the early pioneer days. A road leading from the east through Platte City to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, played an important part in the development of this section of Missouri.

Since this area played such an important role in the early history of Missouri, the chapter's organizing committee felt the fitting name for their new chapter should be Platte Purchase.