History of the Crawford County Coroners
Crawford County was organized in 1829, and named for Georgia Sen. W.H. Crawford. In territory ceded by Osage tribes in 1808, the county was roamed by the Delaware and Shawnee into the period of settlement by Southern pioneers in the early 1820's. Steelville, the county seat, was laid out in 1836 and named for James Steel, who sold the 40-acre townsite for $50. The first settler at the site was William Britton in 1833. Court first met at James Harrison's home in what is now Phelps County. Steelville (Presby.) Academy, chartered in 1853, closed in 1880's.
During the Civil War, guerrilla raids and troop movements devastated the area—the Southwest Br. of the Pac. R.R. (now Frisco) built through Bourbon, Leasburg, and Cuba in the county in 1860, was almost destroyed. Union Gen. Thomas Ewing's troops, escaping undetected from Fort Davidson after the battle of Pilot Knob, were overtaken by Confederate Army units at Leasburg, and a 36-hour engagement ensued, Sept. 29-30, 1864. Confederates withdrew before Union reinforcements arrived
A leading iron producer before the decline of the industry in the early 1920's, Crawford County had the first iron furnace in this central ore district of Missouri's eastern Ozarks. Near Bourbon, it was opened in 1818 by William Harrison, the first settler in the county, and Josiah Reeves. Other furnaces were Scotia in 1870's and Midland, 1874-94. Near Steelville, it used ore from the rich Cherry Valley Mines. Mining drew German and Austro-Hungarian settlers. In Steelville for a time lived J.J. Upchurch, founder of Ancient Order of United Workmen in PA., 1868.
The St. Louis, Salem & Little Rock R.R. (Frisco) reached from Cuba to Steelville and south through the county in 1873. Cuba was laid out in 1857; Leasburg had its first house in 1859; Bourbon, in 1863. Cherryville, Huzzah, Dillard, Berryman, Davisville, Cooks Sta., and Wesco are other communities.
Below is a listing of all known Coroners who have served in Crawford County, Missouri, as recorded in state archives.
| 2021 | Present | Darren L. Dake |
| 1992 | 2020 | Paul K. Hutson |
| 1988 | 1992 | Harold Halbert |
| 1977 | 1988 | Dr. Micheal Elders |
| 1973 | 1976 | Norman Hoener |
| 1969 | 1972 | Harry M. Jonas |
| 1965 | 1968 | Paul A. Shanklin |
| 1953 | 1964 | Harry M. Jonas |
| 1949 | 1952 | Paul A. Shanklin |
| 1945 | 1948 | Harry M. Jonas |
| 1941 | 1944 | L. J. Jonas |
| 1937 | 1940 | Harry M. Jonas |
| 1933 | 1936 | E. E. Long |
| 1929 | 1932 | Harry M. Jonas |
| 1925 | 1928 | William G. Henderson |
| 1921 | 1924 | L. J. Jonas |
| 1917 | 1920 | George W. Reeves M.D. |
| 1915 | 1916 | A. H. Horn |
| 1913 | 1914 | Dr. J. H. Parker |
| 1905 | 1912 | Gustravus G. A. Herzog |
| 1903 | 1904 | William A. Metcalf |
| 1901 | 1902 | none listed |
| 1899 | 1900 | none listed |
| 1897 | 1898 | Samuel W. Meineke |
| 1895 | 1896 | Louis B. Donahoe |
| 1893 | 1894 | William A. Metcalf |
| 1891 | 1892 | G. W. Cavanes |
| 1889 | 1890 | L. D. Renneax |
| 1887 | 1888 | R. E. Jamison |
| 1885 | 1886 | E. J. Johnson |
| 1883 | 1884 | J. P. Bowers |
| 1881 | 1882 | S. J. Williams |
| 1879 | 1880 | S. H. McManigle |
| 1876 | 1878 | J. T. Coffee |
