The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1883-03-07
VIM. JENNINGS.
interesting Rem niscencc OF an Old
and Worthy Citizen.

| Among the very few names o
hose vet living, who participated II
the early settlement OF what IS now
Bates county is found that OF VIM
Jennings now of Walnut township
| A visit of the TINES man to his
residence put US IN possession OF the
ollowing information
He was born in East Tennessee
lin 1919. In 1888 came to Lafay-
cite county Missouri, and staid a few
months. Then settled where West
port Jackson county, now is. In
$50 or 1887 his father and himself
n company with man naned Rus
sci made trip to where Greenfield
Dade county now is, to select a To-
Ication. They went on horseback
carrying provisions and sleeping on
! the ground. His father settled in
Dade county, but William went back
to Calhoun in Henry county, and in
1877 came with others to Bates. He
took up a claim in sec. s New Home
township now known as the Schwec-
heImer farm.
Gilliland took up a claim in sec.
u Walnut township. After build
ing log cabins they returned to Cal
houn and in the spring OF '3S Gillil-
and moved his family to their new
home. The only settlers preceding
INN in Walnut township were Shell
ION on the McFenry place and Cap,
Mark West where James Thomas
now lives.
Upon the discovery of gold in
GiIliland joined the ex-
cited crowd of fortune seekers and
died IN the mines.
Mrs. Gilllland died in 1860. They
hadthrce daughters. Susan. now
Widow Bartlett lives in Cherryvale
Kansas. Mary, is Mrs. Thomas S.
Wilson Of Walnut. Nancy, is Mrs.
R. II. Thomas and lives on the old
home stead.
VIM. Jennings having no family
soon sold his claim to Mr.. Baker.
who IN turn sold his claim to Mr..
Payne. He then hired to VIM.
Waldo tor time to haul good, from
independence to Marmaton where
Waldo had a store. Feb Sth IS4I
he married Margaret Davidson, of
Dade county Missouri, moved to
Gillilands in Walnut but soon took
up claim in Mt. Pleasant town.
ship on Miama creek close to where
the bridge now is. AT that time
Charles Adams. Widow Adams,
James Ramey, John Morris, VIM.
Bryant, Mr.. English afterwards
ilrst Sheriff of Bates county, r. b.
Fisher, John Weddle John and
VIM. McCard Wekley Smith and
lgnotius Turman made up the whole
Miami creek settlement. Mr.. Jen-
n'nss met with only the usual expe-
renee of the pioneers. He lived by
the Mann ten years then bought a
place in the south part of Charlotte
near the river and there three years.
In February 1855 he moved to
section Is Walnut township and that
mas ever since been his home. He
had no trouble during the border
difficulties of 1865 to 1858. When
the civil war came on sympathized
with the south and justified the re-
nel'ion on the ground of the right of
revolution" but took no active part
IN the war.
he was on the first Grand Jury
mat ever convened at Butler.
Court was held in u little box
aouse. The Judge charged the
urand Jury, and with smile order
ca the Sheriff to take them to their
soom. He escorted them about 80
yards away into the tall grass and
ald' take seats gentlemen. They
saattrd and smoked awhile and then
adjourned.
Upon meeting again they reported
no business on hand and the Judge