Named after Benjamin Howard, the first governor of the Missouri Territory, Howard County is a small, rural community. It was once known as "The Mother of all Counties," consisting of all or parts of at least 33 other counties in Missouri and some from southern Iowa. In 1825 it was redrawn to the 463 square miles that it is today, with Fayette as the county seat. Although small and rural, Howard County has a lot of history and a lot of hard working individuals and groups making it a welcoming place to live and visit.