Rufus Easton was born in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, in 1774. Easton married Alby Abial Smith in 1799. He studied law in Litchfield under Ephraim Kirby before establishing a practice in Rome, New York. In the winter of 1803 1804, Easton moved to St. Louis and set up a law practice. Thomas Jefferson appointed Easton judge of the Territory of Louisiana in 1805. He also served as the first postmaster for St. Louis in the same year. During the time of the Burr conspiracy, Easton corresponded with Aaron Burr regarding the actions of Governor James Wilkinson. However, when Burr was placed on trial for his actions, Easton denied any involvement in Burr's plans. In 1814, Judge Easton was elected a delegate to Congress from the Missouri Territory and in 1821, when the state was organized, he was appointed attorney general of Missouri. Easton owned the land on which Alton, Illinois, was established. The town was named for his son, Alton R. Easton. Rufus Easton died July 5, 1834, in St. Louis. Alton R. Easton was born June 23, 1807, in St. Louis. Easton entered West Point in 1824 but resigned in 1827 to take up the study of medicine. Citing ill health, Easton abandoned his medical studies and joined the army. He was captain of the St. Louis Grays in 1833 and rose to the rank of colonel of the St. Louis Legion. During the Mexican War, Easton's company rode to the rescue of General Zachary Taylor's army in Mexico. Easton became acquainted with Elizabeth Ott, a teacher at Lindenwood College, and corresponded with Ott during his service. They were married in St. Charles upon his return. They had three children before Eliza Ott died in October 1859. In 1862, Easton married Emeline Noye with whom he had three sons. In 1853, Easton was appointed assistant treasurer of the United States by President Millard Fillmore. Between 1860 and 1865, Easton served under the County Court of St. Louis and also served as inspector general of the state during the Civil War. In 1869, President U.S. Grant appointed Easton as assessor of internal revenue. He was later appointed pension agent. Easton retired in 1877 and died in December 1893. Mary Easton Sibley was born in Rome, New York, in 1800. She married Major George Sibley in 1815. George Sibley was the Indian factor at Fort Osage along the Missouri River near Independence, Missouri. Mary lived at the fort during his service. She subscribed to the belief that all children should be educated and established a school for frontier children. Later she founded a school for African-American children. In 1853, George and Mary established a boarding school for girls in St. Charles, Missouri. The school became Lindenwood College, the first female college west of the Mississippi River. Mary remained active at Lindenwood throughout the rest of her life. She died in 1878 and is buried on the Lindenwood campus.