In 1860 the Missouri State Gazetteer reported that Cavensville in Daviess County, MO, was first settled by Mormons. The post office was established in the winter of 1840. There was one stage line to Bethany, via Pattonsburg. The town contained one district school, three churches (Baptist, Cumberland Presbyterian and Methodist), four general stores, one ag warehouse, one carding machine, two distillers, two dry good stores, one fancy goods, one grocery, two hotels, one planing mill, and two nurseries.
