Pioneer of 1815

Christian Fenter and wife of German nativity came to America at an early date living for a while in Pennsylvania; thence to Ohio and next to Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Being of pioneering spirit he next came to what is now Hot Spring County 1815.He was a farmer and wheelwright or wagon maker. He became an extensive land owner, owning land here and in what is now Grant County.

Christian Fenter, John Wills and Thomas Nolan were appointed as Commissioners by Governor John Pope in 1829, to locate the seat of justice for Hot Spring County. A temporary county seat had been previously located in the residence of a Mr. Rogers near Lawrence Station, but the Commissioners established the seat of justice in Hot Springs. The county seat remained in Hot Springs until 1846 when the town of Rockport was surveyed. The county seat remained at Rockport until it was moved to Malvern in 1879.

Christian Fenter, for whom Fenter Township was named, lived to be 90 years old. Of the eight generations of Christian Fenter four lie buried at Rockport, one is buried in Spurlin Cemetery near Hot Springs and three live near Rockport. Christian Fenter and his descendants have resided continuously in Rockport.

This Tidbit in Time shared by the Hot Spring County Historical Society The Heritage, Vol. 2, p. 135+