Cobb-Keeton Cemetery of Shelton Hollow

Cemetery Entrance

In 1818, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, explorer, geographer and geologist, along with his assistant Levi Pettibone traveled up from the junction of Beaver Creek and the White River with two hunters who were said to be the most western settlers from there to the Rocky Mountain. On the first day of January, 1819, they reached their destination at the lead deposits on Pearson Creek which drained into the James River just east of present Springfield, Missouri. As they returned, they accidentally entered upper Bull Creek valley believing it to be Swan Creek valley. Bull Creek is another tributary of the White River. Schoolcraft’s notes of January 6th, 1819 detail the fact that they were confused and would not have entered Bull Creek valley had they not believed it to be Swan Creek. He recorded that Bull Creek valley was avoided by hunters and known to be a hilly, sterile region and considered a dangerous place in which to become lost, particularly in foggy weather when the sun cannot be seen, due to the similarity in appearance of the natural features of the terrain.

Settlement of the valley began in the early 1830’s by settlers from Kentucky and Tennessee. In 1833 James Kimberling built a water powered grist mill on Bull Creek, one of the earliest in the region. That same year marked the start of the Ozark Mail Trace Road between Springfield and the White River at the junction of Swan Creek. The first steamboat arrived in Batesville, Arkansas in 1831 and within a few years they were bringing salt and sugar to be traded for bear and beaver hides, lead ore, beeswax, cotton and bacon. This contributed to making the Mail Trace an important source of commercial traffic for the area.

Capt. John McCoy

Elizabeth McCoy

Rose Keeton Grave

Hattie Cobb Grave

Cobb-Keeton Cemetery

Further along the lane that follows the Ozark Mail Trace through the hollow.

Lane through the hollow to the Cemetery

Lane follows the Ozark Mail Trace built in 1830

The dogwoods further down the lane.

Bridge over Bull Creek 

The MK Trail

Source of above information on Bull Creek history - Robert Kipfer, Springfield, Missouri.

Jefferson Davis Memorial

Several years ago in the course of traveling across southern Kentucky on US Hwy 68/Hwy 80 from the Jackson Purchase area to Russellville, I suddenly noticed an obelisk that would look more at home in Egypt than in Kentucky. This definitely required turning around and going back to investigate.

As it turns out, the monument and surrounding park are a memorial to Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy. Jefferson Davis was born not far from this site on June 3, 1808 in what is now Fairview, Kentucky, located on the Todd and Christian County line.



The monument was conceived in 1907 at a reunion of the First Kentucky Brigade of the CSA, known as the "Orphan Brigade". The First Kentucky was formed primarily from residents of the western area of Kentucky. In 1917 construction began, then was suspended during World War I and the obelisk was finally completed in 1924. It is 351 feet tall and the fifth tallest monument in the United States. The walls are seven feet thick at the base, two feet thick at the top and it features an elevator to an observation room.

Since I recently became aware that the Civil War Sesquicentennial is being held 2011 to 2015 with numerous events taking place memorializing that period of our history, I thought it was a good time to post these photos.

A historical marker at the site is inscribed: "Here the only President of the Confederate States of America was born June 3, 1808, the son of Samuel and Jane Cook Davis. The family moved to Mississippi during his infancy."