Timeline
Labels used below:
- Documented: a county history, government record, or the National Register nomination.
- Reported: a reference work, newspaper or volunteer transcription.
- Tradition: family or oral tradition, not yet confirmed.
- Sources differ: the sources disagree; both versions are given.
| Date | Event | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 13, 1807 | Frederick Hisaw born, Cumberland County, Kentucky | Documented | S3, p. 1029 |
| c. 1830 | Frederick Hisaw marries Elizabeth Rochelle, Gibson County, Tennessee | Documented | S3, p. 1029 |
| 1836 | Hisaw settles on Capps Creek in Barry County, near the Newton County line | Documented | S3, p. 1029 |
| July 1840 | Elizabeth Rochelle Hisaw dies in Barry County | Documented | S3, p. 1029 |
| July 1840 | Elizabeth is buried in what became Jolly Bethel Cemetery, said to be its first burial | Tradition | S9 |
| Apr. 2, 1841 | Frederick Crackel obtains federal title to the future Jolly Mill site | Documented | S1, PDF p. 9 |
| July 7, 1845 | Crackel sells the mill site to Anthony Bledsoe, who resells it to Hisaw within a week | Documented | S1, PDF p. 9 |
| 1846 | Jolly (Bethel) Methodist Church said to be organized by Rev. Jeptha Kelly | Tradition | S10 |
| 1848 | Hisaw sells the mill site to Thomas D. and John Isbell for $300; Isbell's Mill (later Jolly Mill) is built | Documented | S1, PDF pp. 9, 16; S2 (Sept. 1848) |
| Undated | Frederick Hisaw gives about five acres for a cemetery, and "finally, a Methodist Church was built here" | Tradition | S9; S6 |
| By 1855 | The name "Jollification" appears in print | Reported | S2 |
| 1861 | Jollification described as having eight homes, a church, post office, stores and Isbell's Mill (recollection of Thomas Wright) | Documented (recollection) | S1, PDF p. 10 |
| May 11 and Oct. 3, 1862 | Skirmishes at Jollification; Confederates William Walker and John Riley killed | Documented | S1, PDF p. 13; S3, p. 310 |
| 1862 or c. Sept. 1863 | Jollification burned; only the mill spared | Sources differ | S1, PDF p. 3; S2 |
| 1872 | Frederick Hisaw dies: Sept. 7 per Goodspeed, Oct. 7 per headstone transcription | Sources differ | S3, p. 1029; S6 |
| By 1875 | Village briefly called "Capps Creek"; "Jolly" first appears as a place name on a map | Documented | S1, PDF p. 11 |
| Oct. 1882 | W. R. Kelly dies at Jollification | Documented | S3, p. 223 |
| May 18, 1886 | Hiram J. Cummins, former Newton County collector, dies; buried with Masonic honors in Bethel cemetery | Documented | S3, p. 824 |
| 1888 | Bethel Church, M.E. Church South: 55 members, Newtonia charge, Rev. Leslie H. Davis; "a substantial church building has been completed" | Documented | S3, pp. 282, 285 |
| 1912 | Funeral of John Benjamin Cummins held "at Jolly" | Reported | S8 |
| June 13, 1913 | William Hisaw dies; burial "in the Jolly Cemetery" | Reported | S6 |
| 1915 | Funeral of Malda Kelly at "Bethel M. E. Church," burial "in the Bethel Cemetery" | Reported | S7 |
| 1945 | Sgt. Lewis Kelly Davis (Luzon, Apr. 26) and Pvt. Thomas J. Davis (Philippines, May 26) die in World War II | Reported | S8 |
| Sept. 30, 1980 | Jolly Mill National Register nomination form dated, prepared by Juanita C. and Otis E. Hays Jr. | Documented | S1, PDF p. 4 |
| Feb. 7, 1983 | Jolly Mill Park Foundation incorporated in Missouri | Documented | S1, PDF pp. 13, 27 |
| Mar. 7, 1983 | Foundation completes purchase of the mill property | Documented | S1, PDF p. 13 |
| Oct. 13, 1983 | Jolly Mill listed on the National Register of Historic Places (ref. 83004021) | Reported | S16; S17 |
| 1995 | Hays and Hays, A History of Jolly Mill, published | Reported | S2 |
| Aug. 14, 2026 | Pat Chapman, who served on the Jolly Bethel Cemetery Board, dies; buried at Jolly Bethel | Reported | S12 |