January 20, 1845 … Inaugural meeting of the first statewide historical society

Everybody, including his political opponents, liked William M. Campbell, a Missouri senator from the St. Charles district for many years. It was "Billy Campbell," who seldom remembered to collect legal fees and who could write more in one hour than an ordinary man could in three, who was one of the first to recognize Missouri's rich historical heritage. He was a leader in the movement that gave Missouri the first statewide historical society, and at the first annual meeting of this organization in Jefferson City January 20, 1845, he became its first president. The society was intimately identified with Campbell's career, flourishing while he lived and discontinuing shortly after his death.

The Missouri Historical and Philosophical Society was organized at a preliminary meeting in the capitol at Jefferson City December 18, 1844, with George W. Hough chairman. The fourteen charter members adopted a constitution and named several honorary members, including "Andrew Jackson of Tennessee." The objects of this pioneer society were virtually the same as those of historical societies today, to preserve and publish the records of Missouri history and to collect specimens for a geological museum. Authors and newspaper publishers were asked to contribute.

The society, formally incorporated by the general assembly February 27, 1845, held regular meetings each January. Jefferson City came to be the headquarters and a room on the first floor of the capitol was granted in 1847 for storing collections. Occasionally the general assembly made appropriations to the society and by 1848 there had been brought together an important collection of books, documents, newspapers, and articles of interest to Missouri historically.

By 1848 there were 102 members, including many of Missouri's most prominent men. President Campbell's death in 1849, however, seems to have removed the vital force from the organization and it was soon dissolved. Its collections were turned over to the secretary of state and deposited in the basement of the capitol. After the basement was used as a military prison during the Civil War, practically nothing remained of the files.

From the dissolution of the Missouri Historical and Philosophical Society until 1899, Missouri did not have an official State historical society. In 1898 the State Historical Society of Missouri was organized by the Missouri Press Association and the following year this organization became the official historical society of Missouri.

For primary source material see:

• Missouri Historical and Philosophical Society, Papers, 1849 (C1556)
• Missouri State Archives, 1806-1957
• Annals of the Missouri Historical and Philosophical Society no. 1 [1845-1848] [microform] at the Ellis Library Special Collections Department, University of Missouri-Columbia.