Early Days in the West – Joseph Thorp Joseph Thorp (1804-1890) and his family were among the earliest settlers in Missouri. His father, William Thorp, was born in Virginia. William became a Baptist missionary and migrated to Kentucky in 1785. In 1809, he and his family came to Missouri. They first settled at St. Charles but quickly migrated west. By 1812, Elder William Thorp had established the first church in western Missouri in Howard County. From there they moved to Ray County and by the early 1820’s the Thorp family had settled in Clay County. In 1823, Elder Thorp established the Big Shoal and Little Shoal Baptist churches in Clay County. Joseph Thorp went on to become a Justice of the Clay County Court in 1854. The reminiscences of Judge Joseph Thorp were first published in the Liberty Tribune in the 1880’s. In 1924, the Tribune published his stories of the pioneer days in Missouri in book form as “Early Days in the West.” In this book, Judge Thorp presents a vivid picture of life on the frontier. He describes the hardships and experiences of early day pioneers including battles with Native Americans, building cabins in the wilderness, growing crops and making clothing. “Early Days in the West” recounts many stories of the people and the key events associated with the initial formation of Clay County, Missouri. Included is a biography of his father, Elder William Thorp, information regarding religious worship, establishment of Fort Leavenworth, as well as the Black Hawk and Mexican wars. Thorp presents an extensive list of the early pioneers in Clay County and recounts the struggles that the Mormons faced in western Missouri. A full surname index that has been prepared by the Clay County Archives is included. Early Days in the West has been reprinted by the Clay County Archives and Historical Library with permission.