This page last modified Thursday, 10-Apr-2008 10:43:12 CDT
Gayoso
Pemiscot County, Missouri 
was formed in 1851 from New Madrid County;
the county seat is Caruthersville. | | Towns and wide places in the road
Gayoso in Pemiscot County Mo | | Gayoso - Gayoso was 4 miles northeast of Hayti, near Big Lake.
(The State of Mo., in 1904, p. 471.)
In 1859 a school-house, a little frame building, covered with oak boards, was built.
The first teacher was an Englishman, named Francis Baker.
Before that time schools had been taught in the court house.
(Hist. of Southeast Mo., Goodspeed, p. 476.)
Gayoso was an incorporated village, the seat of justice of Pemiscot County.
It was situated near the Mississippi River; it was settled about 1799, and was named in honor of Manuel Gayoso, one of the early Spanish Governors of Louisiana.
In 1852, it was laid out as a town and made the county seat.
It had a court house, public school, church, shingle factory and numerous sawmills near by.
(Encyclopedia of the Hist. of Mo., 1901, Conrad, Vol. 3, p. 15; Gazetteer of Mo., p. 419.)
Don Miguel Gayoso was Spanish Governor of Natchez in 1795.
(Our Storehouse of Mo. Place Names, 1952, Ransay, p. 48.)
Gayoso met the fate of many other river towns.
The Mississippi gradually encroached upon it until little was left.
The county seat was removed to Caruthersville and the place ceased to exist.
(Hist. of Southeast Mo., 1912, Vol. 1, p. 282, Douglas.)
NOTE: from Billie Powell
- I am writing a little article on Gayoso, MO, based on the census, family stories, and personal knowledge (stuff I learned in school, etc.).
Several of my family lines lived in Gayoso from about 1876 - 1900.
- When I finish it, I will send to be posted to the Pemiscot Co MO-AHGP site
Submitted by Billie Powell
Poster-#-33-
Towns and wide places in the road in
Pemiscot County Mo | |
