Republic, an incorporated town of Republic county, is located in Big Bend township on the Republican river and the Missouri Pacific R. R., 16 miles northwest of Belleville, the county seat. It was founded in March, 1878, by a town company composed of A. B. Young, H. S. Stone, Milton Grim, J. B. Pollard, Fred and William Elliott, and T. F. Marlett. The first building erected in the town was a blacksmith shop, which was put up in Oct., 1878, by E. B. Duncan. About the same time the Gomeria postoffice was removed to Republic, and in May, 1879, a man named Capers erected a business building, the town company donating him two lots for a site. In June, 1879, the town was surveyed and the first lots offered for sale. The following spring the railroad was completed and Republic began to assume a position of some importance. In 1910 it had 2 banks, a money order postoffice with three rural routes, a weekly newspaper (the News), express and telegraph offices, several good mercantile establishments, good schools and churches and a population of 450.