Biographical Sketches
Early Settlers of Buckner and Sibley
Joel Franklin, known as Frank, first came to Jackson County in 1827, helping to move the families of his brothers, Richard and Christopher, to their homsteads. He returned to Kentucky and married Azubah Skinner, August 6, 1828. In 1831 he, his wife, and their two baby sons, Isaac and Neal, moved to the Six Mile area of Jackson County. They traveled by horseback although a wagon was available for their use. Their first home was a one-room log cabin. In the Fall of 1832, with the help of slaves, Frank began building their second home, a four-room structure later enlarged to ten rooms. It stood for almost 100 years before being destroyed by fire about 4:00a.m. on Nov. 11, 1924. Frank surveyed much of eastern Jackson County, including the site of Blue Mills in 1837. He established a store in Sibley and engaged in river traffic between Sibly and St. Louis. He also raised mules which were greatly needed by the westward bound pioneers. He and Azubah were the parents of 12 children, four of whom were William G., Henry Clay, Joel Franklin Jr., and Anna Azubah Chiles.
William G. (June 27, 1836 to Dec. 10, 1915) was reared on the family farm west of Sibley and at the age of 14 he went to work for Frank at the store in Sibley. He was a Confederate soldier, went to California after the Civil War, and returned to Missouri in 1870. He married Mary Emily Murfee, who died May 27, 1907, on September 28, 1870. In 1884 he was elected Judge of the County Court and then re-elected serving four years. He and his wife were the parents of six children, two of whom were Isaac C. and Graham Murfee. Isaac C. married Agnes Willard Maxwell (April 17, 1879 to March 2, 1901). She was the first of the Chiles family to be buried in the Buckner Hill Cemetery. Graham Murfee (1874-1924) married Mary Blanche McCune (1876-1959) on Nov. 17, 1897. Their children were Glen Hall (March 12, 1899 to Feb. 2, 1902), Margaret Isabel (190-1980), Emily Murfee (Nov. 11, 1903 to April 14, 1982), Dorothy Ruth (1906-1981), Mary Beall (1913-1982), and Nancy Carr Chiles (1920-1985), all of whom are buried at the Buckner Hill Cemetery. Emily married Edward V. Denton (Feb. 23, 1904-1994), who was a Buckner businessman and is pictured in the town's 125th Anniversary Book, published in 2000. Their son, John, known as "Jack", married Violet Jean Christine Posey, the daughter of Norbert and Leona Posey of Buckner. Mary Beall was the second wife of George McCune Robertson (1909-1979), the son of Dr. John Robertson (1871-1960), and his wife, Sarah "sadie" McCune (1880-1961). Nancy Carr married Edgar Hines.
Henry Clay, born May 28, 1838, made his first rrip west in charge of a wagon train in 1858. He married Julia Jane Perrin (July 29, 1847 to Dec. 10, 1899) and their large, beautiful white house is still standing today on a hill west of Buckner on US 24 Highway. It is pictured in the book, Historic Images of Fort Osage Township. Henry became a farmer and stockman, accumulating 780 acres, part of which included the Buckner "overflow" land. He installed a modern drainage system to reclaim the wetlands which had been considered a swamp. It was some of the most fertile farmland in eastern Jackson County. Henry and Julia assisted in the building of the Sibley Christian Church and gave the land for the Buckner Christian Church. They moved to Independence in 1898. One of their children was Franklin Perrin Chiles, who married Elvira Beall Hudspeth. Their children included Richard Hudspeth and Frank Perrin Chiles. Richard Hudspeth (June 22, 1899 to May 21, 1955) married Margaret Vivian Roth (Feb. 26, 1899 to May 21, 1955) of Buckner. They died in an automobile wreck and both were interred in the Buckner Hill Cemetery. Frank Perrin Chiles, Jr., married Susan Emaline Webb on Jan. 1, 1928. Their children included Frank Perrin Chiles, Jr., Joanne (Mrs. O. B. Eakin), and Patricia Sue (Mrs. John Taylor). Frank and his wife, Virginia, live near the Six Mile Baptist church; Joanne is a noted historian with many books to her credit. John, the son of Patricia Sue and John Taylor, married Kathy Hamilton, the daughter of Bob and Charlene Hamilton who live near Buckner.
Joel Franklin, Jr., (July 18, 1848 to Feb. 1, 1915) married Lucy "Lutie" Thornton (April 8, 1857 to July 17, 1937) in 1881. They and all of their children, except Elizabeth, are buried at the Buckner Hill Cemetery. In addition to Elizabeth, their other children were Phineas C. "Colly" ("Collie"), (Dec. 28, 1883 to July 24, 1967), James Thornton (Sept. 20, 1889 to May 4, 1969). Joel Franklin (Sept. 24, 1891 to Oct. 31, 1931), known as Frank, Dr. William Wallace (June 23, 1893 to Dec. 9, 1958), and Mary Sue (Sept.22, 1895 to Dec. 25, 1981) Chiles. Elizabeth married Vernon Peace Mason; they were the parents of Lucy (June 27, 1914 to July 8, 1916), who is buried at the Buckner Hill Cemetery, and Mary Margaret, who married Maurice Glennon. "Colly" married Olive E. Harrold (March 1, 1887 to Feb. 7, 1963). Their daughter, Lutie T. (Dec. 2, 1911 to April 15, 1991), a teacher at William Jewel College, is also buried at Buckner. James Thornton married Amy Crowe (Dec. 20, 1896 to April 3, 1980) and their daughter is Sarah Helen Chiles. Mary Sue wrote several articles about local history.
Anna Azubah, the daughter and youngest child of Joel and Azubah Chiles, married Samual Morton Perrin, the brother of Julia Perrin Chiles, in 1875. Her wedding dress, modeled by Anna Naples, was in a Bridal Fashion Show sponsored by Buckner 2001 and is pictured in the Town Hall section of Buckner's 125th Anniversary book. Morton and Anna settled in 1875 on what is now known as the Perrin place or Walnut Grove, but which he called "Valley View". It is located on US24 Highway west of Buckner.
They began building their home in 1875 and were able to move in by Christmas of that year. It was completed in 1875. Also in 1876 Morton planted walnut trees some of which still line the long lane leading to the house, now the home of Layne and Marjorie Perrin. Through his efforts a small Sunday school was held in the district schoolhouse; this group and several people from the Bone Hill Church founded the congregation which eventually became the First Christian Church. The site was selected in 1885 and is now occupied by the present church building. Morton and Anna were the parents of Aytchmonde Layne, Mary Margaret (Mrs. Raymond Thornton Walker), and Julia, who died in California.
Aytchmonde, known as "Aytch", married Georgia Robinson. They were the parents of Mary Ann (Mrs. Earl Hall), Layne, who married Marjorie Bowling, and Price, who married Margaret Martin.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.