The county was officially organized December 19, 1821, from parts of Ste. Genevieve, Washington, and Jefferson counties. James Austin, George McGahan and James W. Smith were appointed by the governor as a county court, and their first meeting, held February 25, 1822, was at the house of Jesse Murphy, where they appointed John D. Peers as county clerk. The first circuit court was held at the same place, and on April 1, 1822, the Honorable N. B. Tucker was named judge and John D. Peers served as clerk. Henry Poston, John Andrews, William Alexander and James Holbert were appointed commissioners to locate the county seat, and on September 22, 1822, D. Murphy donated of land for that purpose which the county court accepted on February 27, 1823. In 1824, a stray-pen and a log jail, made double, and a brick court-house were built. At various times churches and schoolhouses were built in convenient localities; new settlers joined the pioneers, and peace and prosperity reigned. The following are some of the early citizens elected to represent St. Francois County in the Missouri House of Representatives: Henry Poston (1826); David Murphy (1828); Corbin Alexander (1830, 1832).