John Gilbert Sr., a veteran of the Revolutionary War, was the first white man to settle on the Red Bird River at the mouth of Gilbert’s Creek after coming there to hunt and trap. This versatile pioneer surveyed and claimed much of Clay, Leslie, and Harlan counties, was an early salt maker, became a Baptist minister, and established three churches in the area. After Clay County was formed in 1807, he served as justice of the peace and tax assessor. A self-taught doctor, he ministered physically as well as spiritually. He was state senator from Clay, Knox, Harlan, and Whitley counties from 1833 to 1837 and introduced a bill for the benefit of Clay County Seminary.