Gibson Jenkins
Potter Cemetery and Early Settler
Research by Bill Landers



One of the first people to live in the Potter Cemetery area was Gibson Jenkins. A newspaper account giving his place of burial was located in the June 2, 1917 Cassville Democrat.


Henry McCary mentioned in his speech, that was reprinted in Goodspeed's, History in 1888, this family. In his writing of the centennial year he said that on Jenkins Creek - there was a man by the name of Jenkins who died in his little cabin, in the dead of winter with no one but his wife and little children there. She had to travel all the way to Sudeth Meek's, a short distance south of Washburn Prairie, to get help to bury him, and no road from the mouth of Jenkins's Creek to the John Lock place, eight or ten miles; nothing but a dear or wolf trail to guide her.


June 2, 1917, Saturday, Cassville Democrat, Barry Co., MO

County News: We learn that the citizens of Jenkins township, are taking steps to erect a monument to the memory of Mr. Jenkins in the Potter Cemetery, near Jenkins, who was among the earliest settlers of that section. This is a good move and should be done, because it is right to mark the last resting place of this man who had the nerve to suffer the hardships in blazing the way for civilization and settlement in this county.

Wm. Washburn was probably the first settler on Washburn Prairie in 1828, James Stone was the first settler on Stone's prairie, south and southeast, and southwest of Monett. Kings Prairie was first settled by George W. King. John W. Starkey first settled Starkeys Prairie in southwest part of county. Jacob Hickam is given credit for being the first settler on Hickam Prairie in the southeast portion of the county, around Golden. Cicero J. Corder entered the land including the Corder Spring, about 7 miles north and a little west of Cassville, in 1847. Wm. Kerr entered the land on which the original town of Cassville is now located. Those that entered lands in township 23, range 27, were: Bryan T. Newland in Sec. 3, in 1846; Solon B. Abernathy in Sec. 30 in 1850 and Winford G. Townsend in 1853; John B. Walker sect 21 in 1851; Wright Beakley sec. 27 in 1854 and Jas. Helms in 1852, Wm. Kerr sec. 20 in 1846. Littleberry Mason in 1851, John Logan and W. G. Townsend in 1847, Richard Jackman in 1848; Jas. E. Firgus in Sec. 30 in 1846 and Geo. K. Porter in 1847. In secs. 31 and 32 Littleberry Mason and John P. Porter in 1846; Miller Lee in Sec. 33, in 1847; Solomon Roberts and John Ireland tracts in 1848.


Gibson Jenkins meets the criteria: Early settler who lived near Potter Cemetery. Barry County Cemetery Book, Vol. 3, page 106, by Joan Kunkel, this listing is given: SHORT, Jenkins reads: "Tradition says he is buried here". The Short family was in the area of Jenkins, but I find no reference to Jenkins Short. (Bill Landers' Note: Could this be a misplaced reference to the early settler?)

From Barry County Probate Letters of Administration 1835-1854: Pages 1-3: Gibson Jenkins; John Mills, Adm.

Bond: $ 500. Thacker Vivian and Hiram Hansford, Bondsmen. 10 Sep 1835, George H. Williams Clerk, Signed John Jones.

[Greene County, MO, Tax Assessor's List 1833: Jenkins, Gibson owned one slave, 1 horse and 4 cattle Vivian, Thatcher owned 6 horses and 10 cattle

Greene County, MO, Tax Assessor's List 1834:
Jinkins, Gibson owned one slave, 2 horses and 5 cattle
Mills, John F. owned 2 horses and 4 cattle and paid no tax, remarks: crippled in the back
Vivian, Thacker owned 2 horses and 10 cattle
Jones, John owned 3 horses and 15 cattle.
Hiram Hansford owned 1 horse


Goodspeed's History of Barry County, pub. 1888, reprinted 1995, page 69, Jones Weems administered the estate of the deceased Samuel Grubbs, and John Mills the estate of Gibson Jenkins in May, 1836.

Also as given above, and from Goodspeed's, History, Henry McCary, writing in Centennial year, Jenkins Creek - (named) by a man by the name of Jenkins, who died in his little cabin, in the dead of winter, no one but his wife and little children there. She had to travel all the way to Sudeth Meek's, a short distance south of Washburn Prairie, to get help to bury him, and no road from the mouth of Jenkins's Creek to the John Lock place, eight or ten miles; nothing but a dear or wolf trail to guide her.


Barry County, MO marriages, Book ABC, Page 3 - Jenkins, Sophiato - Walton, Jacob, 21 Aug 1837, by John R. Shultz

Greene County, MO Tax Assessor's List 1834 - Walton, Jacob owned 3 horses and 5 cattle]

Bill's Research Note: I find nothing more on Jacob Walton after the marriage to (presumably) the widow of Gibson Jenkins.