From New Madrid To Claverach, How an Earthquake Spawned a St. Louis Suburb

When the earthquakes of 1811-1812 hit the New Madrid fault along the border of Spanish and French-settled St. Louis, the Mississippi River changed not only its course, but also many lives. Due to the disaster, the state border between Missouri and Illinois shifted, so that acres of Missouri property had switched to the Illinois side of the newly coursed river. Those who lost their land were subsequently issued certificates to claim unincorporated land westward of the river. James Sherby tracks certificate number 465, from slavery-riddled farmland to St. Louis County s most highly valued property, Claverach. The development of this Clayton, Missouri neighborhood and the lives that it touched up until 1930 are detailed in this narrative along with a rich collection of photographs illustrating Claverach s rich history.