PIKE COUNTY, Mo. —  The old adage goes that there are 114 counties in Missouri, but only one Kingdom.

Friday (Oct. 27) is the anniversary of an engaging Civil War tale that is still stirring discussion.

The story goes that by signing an agreement not to kill each other, a Union general from Pike County and a Confederate commander from Fulton created the Kingdom of Callaway.

The only undeniable truth is that time has not put an end to the good-natured, back-and-forth ribbing about the armistice.

The men in blue were led by John Brooks Henderson, a Louisiana lawyer who would go on to draft the 13th Amendment outlawing slavery. The rebel militia was led by Callaway County attorney Jefferson Franklin Jones, who after the war became a state legislator.

Proponents say the kingdom was created when Henderson agreed not to invade Callaway County if Jones and his men put down their arms. Others say it was meaningless because other Union troops invaded a few weeks later.

History buffs sought a measure of acknowledgement in 1961, when on paper they appointed an ambassador to the United States.  A flag also was created.

To this day, references to the Kingdom are numerous. There’s Kingdom City, a popular food and fuel stop along Interstate 70. Many area businesses include the name. And then there’s the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society, which holds an annual dinner and sponsors other events.

A number of years ago, a speaker at the banquet concluded that a “great many unfortunate people had the misfortune to be born elsewhere.”