South of the Illinois River lies a fertile stretch of land affectionately known as "Kincheloe Valley." This area was once the location of a small farming community called "Kinchelo Community."
Kinchelo Community was named after the first pioneer who settled there, John Kincheloe. The community at one time boasted a small store, post office, school, grist mill, and a blacksmith shop. The post office was started on February 6, 1906 and was operated out of a small store owned by Ernest Watts Butler. He was the first Postmaster and the post office was given the name "Pedro." At one time it served approximately 800 people in the area.
Many families have lived in the Kinchelo Community over the years. Family names such as Martin, Carter, Osburn, Roberts, Buckmaster, Shook, Beavers, Hess, Mason, Corn, Converse, Floyd, Walker, Strain, and of course the Kincheloe family are hardy families who struggled to make a better life for themselves.
John Kincheloe, a pioneer settler of Benton Co., AR, came to the area known as the Kinchelo Community as early as 1835. He was born in 1806 inSurgoinsville, Hawkins Co., TN. He was the son of Elijah and Rachel (Coldwell) Kincheloe.
On March 16, 1835, Lorenzo D. Pollock and his wife Sarah, deeded 40 acres of land to John Kincheloe. This first land transaction is recorded in Washington Co., AR. In 1835 Washington County encompassed all of present day Benton County. In 1836, when Arkansas became a state, Benton County was formed. John Kincheloe then became a resident of that county. Some sources say that he played an important role in the formation of the southern border of Benton County, along with brother George Washington Kincheloe.
John Kincheloe married Sarah Cohea, daughter of John and Priscilla (Woolsey) Cohea. They were married on January 6, 1848 in Washington Co., AR. Sarah (Cohea) Kincheloe was born in 1816 in Randolph Co., IL. Together, she and John raised one son, John G. Kincheloe, who was born in1852 on the Kincheloe homeplace.
Although considered a farmer, John Kincheloe was quite active in county affairs. As mentioned before, he played a role in the formation of Benton County. He also served as an Attorney and Justice of Peace for his township. From 1858 to 1860, he served as County Judge of Benton Co., AR.
Of the many acres of land that John Kincheloe owned, he donated a portion for school and community use. The first schoolhouse that served the area was known as the Mt. Pleasant School, which was located east of the Kincheloe home and later became the home of Thomas Jefferson Walker. Later, another school was built, appropriately called the "Kincheloe School." It was a log school house, fashioned out of Sycamore trees. This structure is still standing today and is incorporated into the home of a local resident. Still later, as the classroom size increased, a larger school house was built. This school was financed by the Methodist Church and even boasted a bell. It was torn down after December 21, 1943 when it was consolidated with Siloam Springs district 21.
Approximately 100 feet of the where the last school once was is a small, unmarked cemetery. There is another cemetery known as the Kincheloe-Mason Cemetery, also unmarked, located on the Kincheloe homeplace. This is where John Kincheloe was laid to rest in 1886. His wife Sarah also died ca 1886 and is buried there also. There are other persons buried there, including son, John G. Kincheloe, who died in 1888 and Livona Elizabeth (Kincheloe) Harmon, daughter of Thomas Coldwell Kincheloe. Thomas was an older brother to John Kincheloe, the pioneer and was an early settler of Lawrence Co., AR.