Leeper Cemetery - Mary Smith

Recently I visited Leeper Cemetery in Livingston County, Kentucky. It is easy to find. From U.S. Hwy 60 at Smithland, turn onto Hwy. 70 (Tiline Road) and go 7.6 miles to Sugar Creek Road. Turn right onto Sugar Creek Road and go .4 miles to the cemetery on the left side of the road. The cemetery is well maintained, but there are a number of broken and fallen tombstones. The purpose of my visit was to find the tombstone of Mary Jenkins Perkins Smith. A Perkins descendant told me that some years ago he had located her tombstone under a layer of dirt and leaves. I wanted to see it for myself.

Mary Jenkins was the daughter of Bartholomew Jenkins of Caldwell County, Kentucky. Shortly before her marriage to John D. Perkins on 9 January 1827 in Livingston County, John Miller was appointed her guardian. A parent or guardian had to give consent for minors to marry in Kentucky. Miller was likely appointed guardian so that he could give consent for the marriage. Consent for John D. Perkins to marry was given by his brother and guardian, Brooks Perkins.

John D. Perkins died before 17 October 1841, when Mrs. Mary Perkins, widow, married John Smith in Livingston County.

According to the Perkins descendant, the dates of the tombstone of Mary Smith show she was born 5 September 1807 and died 19 September 1869. The broken stone is in such bad shape that it is almost impossible read anything but her name today. The stone is next to that of her husband, John Smith. No dates are visible on his tombstone.

Tombstone of Mary Smith

Tombstone of John Smith

Tombstones photographed 25 May 2012.