DeKalb County Historical Society

08/22/2026

Join us on September 26 for a Voices of the Past cemetery tour in Faiport!

03/24/2026

Tomorrow is your last chance to register for our Cemetery Preservation Workshop. Class costs are $20 for members & $25 for non-members, fees include all supplies & lunch.
Register in person at the historical society or online at www.missouridchs.com

We are looking forward to a great class & hope to see you there!

03/21/2026

Our Cemetery Preservation Workshop featuring the KC Cemetery Man is in just one week!
Register online at www.missouridchs.com or in person at the DeKalb County Historical Society.
We're looking forward to a great day of education & hands-on learning & hope to see you there!

DEKALB COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ​ 116 W. MAIN ST. , P.O. BOX 467, MAYSVILLE, MO 64469 816-449-5451 ​Email: [email protected]

03/09/2026

We appreciate your support!
Pay your dues online at https://www.missouridchs.com

03/01/2026

We are ONE MONTH AWAY from our Cemetery Preservation Workshop. This year, we're so pleased to feature KC Cemetery Man and to expand the class to include techniques on headstone repair & resetting. Register at our website --> https://www.missouridchs.com/

02/27/2026

As Black History Month comes to a close, we want to honor one couple with close ties to DeKalb County. Thomas Washington Wilson & his wife Mariah were both born into slavery, and as a result, were not legally allowed to marry for many years. Born in Kentucky and eventually sold to a slave owner in DeKalb County, they were not allowed to marry until after the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
Formalizing their union served to legitimize their children, all of whom were also born into slavery, and ensure that Mariah would have property rights, should Thomas predecease her.
This image is a copy of their marriage record from 1871, naming their 5 children and stating that Thomas & Mariah were officially wed by the Justice of the Peace.
The second slide is a transcribed version of the marriage record, and the third is a photo of their son Laton, who eventually became a prominent farmer in DeKalb County until his death in 1930.

02/19/2026

Throwback Thursday...
On this day in DeKalb County history, residents were experiencing a harsh cold snap after some unseasonably warm temperatures - sound familiar? With snow in the forecast for this weekend, we might all be trying to get "even with that groundhog" in the next few days.
From the DeKalb County Democrat, published Thursday, February 19, 1903.