Historic Centaur

Historic Centaur. James MacKay settled almost 4,000 acres in this area, at the mouth of Bonhomme Creek, in 1797, which was originally known as St. Andrews. It was under the control of the Spanish government, which granted MacKay land for his service in transporting soldiers up the Missouri River to remove British troops, mapping the river, and encouraging other settlers to the area from Kentucky and Tennessee, mainly of Scottish and Irish descent. German immigrants came to the area in the 1830s. Anton Leiweke founded the Centaur Lime Company in 1891 and the community became an area of commerce due to the rich resources and transportation options the Missouri River and the Rock Island Railroad provided. [Other settlers in this area included Alexander McCourtney, William Bellew, William Coleman, Robert Coleman, John Coleman, Henry Tyler, Theodore St. Onge, Adam Kesselring, Johann Sandfoss, and Henry Kelpe.] , The Historic Centaur Area has known tragedy. On May 5, 1932, an automobile was struck by a Rock Island freight train and killed four members of the Leiweke Family, with a fifth seriously injured. Anton Leo Leiweke, 53 years old, President and Treasurer of the Centaur Lime Company, Dolores, his 11 year old daughter, Loretta his 11 years old niece, and Joseph Jr., his 10 year old nephew (children of Joseph H.C. Leiweke) were the victims. Anton's brother, Joseph H.C. Leiweke, 55 years old, Vice-President and Secretary of the Centaur Lime Company, was seriously injured. The Leiweke family was driving from their home in Centaur to Ascension Catholic Church in Chesterfield. Witnesses, Reverend McCartney, pastor of Ascension Catholic Church and St. Anthony's Church at Centaur, and Minnie Bellairs of Chesterfield, testified they were driving about 50 feet behind the Leiweke's automobile and did not hear a train whistle. They also asserted that trees and structures interfered with the train engineer's vision. This tragic accident had a profound effect on the Centaur community due to the significance and role of the Leiweke Family in this area.