Captain William Boone, nephew of Daniel Boone, is thought to have been the first white settler in Jackson County, arriving shortly after Lewis and Clark discovered Tower Rock. William Boone's son, Benningen, was the first white child born in Jackson County. Other early white settlers included Colonel James Gill, who lived with his family and slaves near Devil's Bake oven. A farmer, he also owned and operated a ferry boat that established the area as an important Mississippi River crossing point.