John Fletcher Darby

Biography

John Fletcher Darby (1803–1882) moved west to St. Louis as a young man of promise, becoming an influential lawyer and statesman who guided the city through formative years. He served in the Missouri legislature, as mayor of St. Louis, and in the U.S. Congress, where he advocated for infrastructure improvements that could sustain the region’s growth.

In later years he continued to counsel people in business and civic life, remembered as a steady advocate for progress and fairness, and he now rests at Calvary Cemetery.