Mo. Rev. Stat. § 442.440: Conveyances to counties for their use — effect.

All deeds, grants and conveyances made, acknowledged and recorded as other deeds conveying lands, tenements or hereditaments to any county, or the inhabitants of any county, and their successors, or to the governor, or any person, by whatever form of conveyance, for the use and benefit of any county, shall vest in such county, in fee simple, all the right, title, interest and estate which the grantor in such deed had, at the time of the execution thereof, in the lands thereby conveyed.