History of Pike County Title Company

Pike County History - Fall foliage

The Pike County Title Company was formed in 1893 under the name of "Pike County Abstract and Real Estate Company". The principal incorporator and first president of the Corporation was J. H. Blair, a Bowling Green, Missouri Attorney, who was recognized as an expert in the field of land titles. Later the name of the Corporation was changed to "Blair Abstract Company" and continued to operate until Mr. Blair's death in 1935. After Mr. Blair's death, his wife, Edith, operated the company until 1938 when Mrs. Blair sold the company to John M. McIlroy and Edward V. Long, who already had acquired the J.V. Davis Abstract Company. The two companies were consolidated to form the Pike County Abstract Company. Edward V. Long was President of the corporation, W. T. McIlroy was Vice President and John M. McIlroy was Secretary/Treasurer. Mrs. Blair continued to work as Assistant Manager until the year of her death in 1953.

In 1958, Pike County Abstract Company purchased the Bowling Green Abstract Company, which had been formed in 1946 by James D. Clemens and Leslie J. Calvert. In 1993, the name of the company was changed to Pike County Title Company to more accurately describe the type of work the company now does. Edward V. Long sold his interest in the company in 1951 to John M. McIlroy, who was elected President of the corporation and served continually as President until 2002, when his son, William C. McIlroy, was elected President.

The company operated at 222 W. Church Street since its formation by J.H. Blair in 1893 until December 1998 when it moved across the street to 215 W. Church Street.

Mary Lavon Brown was Manager of the Pike County Abstract Company from 1958 until 1992. Shirley Meier was appointed Manager at the time and continued until her retirement in 2008. Elizabeth Summers is the current manager.

The current officers of the corporation are William C. McIlroy, President, John M. McIlroy, Jr., Treasurer, and Margaret Goodin, Secretary. Current employees are Elizabeth Summers, Examiner and Manager (11 years), Kenzie Hart, Searcher and Closer (9 years), and Teriann Parker, Closer (1½ years).

Pike County Title Company is a member of the Missouri Title Association and American Land Title Association and several of its officers and employees have held offices in the Missouri Title Association and on special committees of the American Land Title Association. The company is proud of its record for rendering outstanding title service in Pike County, Missouri and is Pike County's only title company with a plant going back to the 1800's.