Princeton, MO

PRINCETON   The county seat of Mercer county on the east fork of Grand river, and on the line of the Iowa and Missouri Railroad, now in course of construction, 283 miles from St. Louis, and 175 miles from Jefferson City.  It has four stage routes, to Lancaster, Bethany, Chillicothe and to Iowa City.  It contains one Masonic Lodge, Mercer No. 35, and Princeton Lodge, No. 63, I.O.O.F., one newspaper, the "Spirit of Western Enterprise," edited by John C.W. Lindsey, six general stores, three hotels, one flouring mill and one steam saw mill.  Thornton Myers, Mayor.  John C. McClelland, Marshal, Samuel E. Michey, County Sheriff.  (Missouri State Gazetteer..., 1860)