▁( a ▁series ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁events ). ▁They ▁are ▁believed ▁by ▁some ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁greatest ▁in ▁North ▁American ▁history . ▁ ▁The ▁Hunter ▁Memorial ▁C emetery , ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁grounds ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁Pres by ter ian ▁Church , ▁was ▁established ▁around ▁ 1 8 1 2 ▁after ▁the ▁New ▁Madrid ▁earth qu ake ▁by ▁Joseph ▁Hunter ▁II ▁who ▁served ▁under ▁George ▁Rog ers ▁Clark ▁during ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁War ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁Territ orial ▁Council ▁for ▁President ▁Mad ison . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 4 , ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Win chester ▁was ▁laid ▁out ▁about ▁one - half ▁a ▁mile ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁future ▁site ▁of ▁S ik eston . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁justice ▁for ▁New ▁Madrid ▁County , ▁but ▁after ▁the ▁county ▁seat ▁was ▁moved ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 2 ▁to ▁New ▁Madrid , ▁Win chester ▁became ▁def unct ▁and ▁abandoned . ▁ ▁The ▁Win chester ▁j ail ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 7 ▁and ▁was ▁used ▁until ▁December ▁ 1 8 2 1 , ▁when ▁Scott ▁County ▁was ▁organized . ▁ ▁The ▁land ▁for ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁S ik eston ▁was ▁first ▁owned ▁by ▁French man ▁Francis ▁Pa qu ette . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 9 , ▁the ▁city ▁site ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁the ▁St all cup ▁family . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁city ▁founder ▁John ▁S ikes , ▁who ▁had ▁married ▁into ▁the ▁St all cup