DADE COUNTY, situated near the southwest part of Missouri. Area, 960 square miles. Face of the country undulating; soil fertile. Seat of justice, Greenfield. Pop. in 1850, 4,246. (Fanning's, 1853)
DADE, a county in the S. W. part of Missouri, has an area of 498 square miles. It is intersected by Sac river, an affluent of the Osage, and also drained by Horse and Cedar creeks, which rise within it. The surface is somewhat diversified, and consists partly of prairie; the soil is generally fertile. Indian corn, wheat, oats, hay, cattle, and swine are the staples. In 1850 this county produced 825,958 bushels of corn; 11,371 of wheat; 105,545 of oats, and 588 tons of hay. There were 223 pupils attending public schools. Population, 4246, of whom 3977 were free, and 269, slaves. (Baldwin & Thomas, A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States ... 1854)
DADE COUNTY. This county is situated in the southwest part of the State; was formed in 1841; has an area of 498 square miles, and had a population, in 1856, of 6061. In 1860 it contained 7095 inhabitants.
The face of the country is undulating, and in some portions broken—more prairie than timber—and has a healthy climate.
It is intersected by Sac River, an affluent of the Osage, and also drained by Horse and Cedar Creeks.
The soil is generally fertile, and well adapted to the various purposes of agriculture, horticulture, and stock raising.
Water power is abundant, and upon some of the streams unimproved.
Copper ore has been found upon sections 23 and 24, in township 30, range 25 west, and hematite iron ore on section 23 of the same township. Stone coal has been found in several parts of the county, but is not yet worked to any extent. Timber is abundant along the valleys—enough for all practical purposes.
The mildness of the climate, abundance of native and cultivated grasses, and of stock water, render this county well adapted to stock growing. Thousands of cattle have been driven from here to Utah and California.
House-carpenters, masons, cabinetmakers, wagon-makers, coopers, and farmers are much needed, and will find good openings for business.
There are several district schools in the county, also a college in Greenville, and an academy in Melville, both ably conducted, and promising to do great good. The principal religious denominations are Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Christians.
GREENFIELD, the county-seat, has a population of about 300, and Dadeville, 100. There is a newspaper published in Greenfield, and a good representation of business houses in the town. (Parker's Missouri as it is in 1867..., 1867)