The paper traces its history to the "Warrensburg Journal", which began publishing April 17, 1865 by James Douglas Eads—seven days after the end of the American Civil War and two days after the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Warrensburg, population of 1,000 at the time, did not have a newspaper. Prior to the war Eads, a church pastor, had published the "Warrensburg Signal". In addition to his pastor and newspaper interests he was also a physician and ran a hotel.