Although Missouri became a state in 1821, the northern boundary was never properly and legally surveyed. When the territory of Iowa was subsequently created, the southern boundary was simply defined as Missouri's northern boundary, setting up potential for the later conflict. To settle the situation, Congress authorized a joint commission to survey the Missouri/Iowa line. In the 1838 report, four lines were designated as being possible boundary lines, according to the phrasing of the 1820 Missouri boundary delineated by the United States Congress.

The boundary between Missouri and the Iowa Territory soon came into dispute. Governor Lilburn Boggs ordered all officials of Missouri's northern counties to execute the laws of the state up to the northernmost designated line, using the militia if necessary. At the same time, Iowa's Governor Robert Lucas warned Missouri officials to stay out of the disputed border area. Local officials were caught in between, as was a Missouri man who cut three bee trees in the undecided border area. An Iowa territorial court issued a $1.50 fine to the man. To defend Missouri's territorial rights, Governor Boggs called out nearly 800 militiamen from Clark, Knox, and Lewis counties to assemble in Clark County. He rebuffed Governor Lucas' suggestion to let Congress establish the line, leading Lucas to then call out the Iowa militia. After a month's standoff, a committee comprised of men from both militia groups convened and arbitrated a settlement requesting the two governors to submit the boundary question to Congress and suspend military operations. A judicial settlement finally established the boundary in January 1851.

Source: Soldiers Database: War of 1812 - World War I