Missouri State Gazetteer and Business Directory of 1883-84 A village in Union township, Monroe  County, 18 miles southwestern of Paris, the County seat, 10 east of Moberly, its most convenient shipping point and 5 miles south of Evansville on the K.&T. division M.P. railway.  Shipments of cattle, hogs, corn & tobacco.  Land average $10 to $25 per acre.  Pop 350. Mail tri-weekly. John V. Eustace               Postmaster Ball, Robert                    Painter Bassett, Martin                Groc. Eustace, John V.               Justice of Peace Forrest, I.F.                     Physician Hull, S.T.                         Blacksmith Hunter, Mrs.                     Hotel Propr. McNutt, John                    Physician Magee, John W.                Physician Nave, S.L.                       Notary Public Nave & Stephens              Drugs & Groc. Philpot, H.                      Plasterer Quisenberry, J.B.              Physician Quisenberry, R.X.              Carpenter Snell, Mamie                     Millinery Stephens & Noll                 Dry Goods Swinney, J.H.                     Drugs & Groc. Thompson, John                 Carpenter Van Arsdale, W.C.             Wagon Maker Evansville, Formerly called Mill Grove, stage to Middle Grove 4 miles south.  Tri-weekly fare 25¢. Pop. 20.   J. M. Peoples                       Postmaster Beardsley & Ramsdell            Drugs Hill, J. A.                             Coalminer  Middle Grove was a “real little town” in those days.  Most of the people were “well-to-do” and every business in the town thrived.  Aunt Jennie confessed.  “In fact, the very bread and butter that I’m living (on) now was made in our Middle Grove store.”  But business graduates deserted the little town when the railroad and railroad shops (in) Moberly drew the business.  They retired in Moberly a short time before her husband died.  (Excerpt from the History of Monroe County Families (Aunt Jennie was (Temple) Stephens wife).