Republic Map
Republic is a city in Christian and Greene counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 8,438 at the 2000 census, and 14,300 as of 2009. It is part of the Springfield, Missouri, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Republic, Missouri began its existence as a typical crossroads station during the period from 1850 to 1860. Early settlers came from various Eastern states as Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, bringing with traditions and customs peculiar to those states. Others came from New York, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan. From the North and East they came, bringing their habits, beliefs, and customs. Among the first families to settle here were the names of Ritter, Noe, White, Claiborn, Hayes, Britain, Anderson, Blades, Beal, Brooks, Criswell, Davis, House, Howard, Hagewood, Howell, Land, London, McDaniel, Mooneyham, Owen, O'Bryant, O'Neal, Pickering, Robertson, Rainey, Richardson, Short, Sparkman, Thurman, Williams, and Youngblood. Many citizens of Republic today are direct descendants of these early families.
Little is known about how Republic got its name. Some of the older residents say that Mark Ritter and his sister, Mrs. Worsefield, (the first postmaster and his assistant), named it. Still others say that Uncle Billy Cliborn gave it the name it now bears. But none of this is true, the name came from Abraham Lincoln, who was a Republican. The majority of the townsfolk were Republican, so the town's name is Republic.
Nearby cities include Halltown, Nixa, Marionville, Springfield, Willard.