William Monks

Born on February 5, 1830, and later known as “Billy” Monks, he spent much of his life in the Ozarks and became closely identified with Howell County, Missouri. He died in West Plains, Missouri, on May 2, 1913.

Monks is remembered chiefly as the author of A History of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas, a book that draws on personal knowledge of the region and the people who settled it. The work is still noted for its detailed, direct account of early community life, the Civil War in the area, and the violence and political turmoil that followed.

Records connected with his burial also identify him as a Union Civil War veteran, serving as a captain in Company K of the 16th Missouri Cavalry. That mix of soldier, settler, and local chronicler gives his writing its distinctive tone: personal, forceful, and deeply rooted in place.