Barber County Kansas
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Barber County Kansas |
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Bettie Ellen Drennon was born Nov. 13, 1843 at Frankfort, Kentucky. Her mother died when she was six years of age and in her early childhood she removed to Liberty, Missouri, where she made her home with her aunts. In this vicinity she grew to young womanhood and was united in marriage to John T. Jesse, who preceded her to their eternal home Jan. 8, 1905.To this union ten children were born, two of these, she survived. Charles F. departed this life in July 1907, and George, Mar. 1st, 1927. The eight who survive her are: Robert of Topeka, Kansas, Mrs. Hattie Graves of Alva, Oklahoma, Mrs. Sarah Toombs, of Los Angeles, California, John M., of Woodward, Oklahoma, Mrs. Mayme Toombs of Wamego, Kansas, Mrs. Blanche Hartley, of Lake City, Kansas, and Mrs. Bettie Mills and Mrs. Jane Kimball of Medicine Lodge. Twenty-nine grandchildren also survive her. The living children with the exception of Robert and Mrs. Sarah Toombs, were all present and ministered to her in her last illness, and were present at the funeral paying their last tribute of respect to a considerate and loving mother.
In 1879 she moved with her family to Holton, Kansas, and in 1883 to the homestead west of this city. On September 16, 1893, they joined the caravan that moved from Kansas to Oklahoma in the famous run into the Cherokee Strip, but in 1903 again returned to the old homestead in this county where she maintained her residence continuously since. On September 26th last she was stricken with her last illness and was confined to her bed continuously until October 27th, at 4:15 p.m. when her maker called her home.
35 years ago Mrs. Jesse was converted to the faith of the Seventh Day Advents. Though a strict adherent to, and advocate of that faith, she was ever tolerant with the faith of others, and this toleration was exemplified in her request that Rev. J. E. Barber of the Church of God be secured if possible to preach her funeral sermon.
Grandma Jesse was a representative of a type of citizenry that is rapidly passing. She was among those hardy pioneers who endured the trials, inconveniences and hardships of frontier life so that future generations might reap the rewards. Though permitted to remain to a ripe old age, such as she pass all too soon. Loving and dutiful as a wife, kind, considerate and affectionate as a mother, true and faithful as a friend and neighbor, those who join the stricken relatives in mourning her loss are legion. We shall miss her kindly ministrations, her counsel and her aid, yet console ourselves with the blessings she bestowed, and in humility submit to the will of him who doeth all things well. - Contributed.
The house of the John T. Jesse Family , Barber County, Kansas,
photo taken in December 2006.
The house is about 200 yards east of the John
T. Jesse burial site.
Photo courtesy of Nathan
Lee.
From the site guestbook:
Name: Clara Hoag Louthan
E-mail: louthan@giantcomm.net
Date: 2006-08-29
Comments: Thanks for posting the obit for Mrs. Jesse on the website. Aunt Hattie and I shared the same birthday. Also Bettie Mills was a close friend to my father Mitchell Hoag and Florence Graves Hoag. I would like to see Bettie Jesse Mills', Medicine Lodge Ks., obituary. I think she had a daughter?Clara
Also see:
Jesse Cemetery - family cemetery on private land west of Medicine Lodge, burial place of John T. Jesse.
Confederate Veterans Meeting, 1892, Barber County Index, May 16, 1892. (John T. Jesse was a Confederate veteran.)
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
Gravestone for John T. Jesse, Jesse Family Cemetery, Barber
County, Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Nathan
Lee.
Gravestone for John T. Jesse, Jesse Family Cemetery, Barber
County, Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Nathan
Lee.
Gravestone for John T. Jesse, Jesse Family Cemetery, Barber
County, Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Nathan
Lee.
The house of the John T. Jesse Family, Barber County, Kansas,
photo taken in December 2006.
The house is about 200 yards east of the
John T. Jesse gravesite.
John T. Jesse and Bettie
Ellen (Drennon) Jesse had 10 children.
Photo courtesy of Nathan
Lee.
The Chosen Land: Barber County, Kansas, page 251. John T. Jesse
by Jane KimballMy parents, John T. Jesse and Bettie Brennon Jesse, were born in Kentucky and became true pioneers as they made several moves toward a new frontier. My father's parents were slave owners, and as a young man he fought in the Confederate Army.
After their marriage in 1862, they moved to Dade County, Missouri. While living there, five children were born. The next move was to Jackson County, Kansas, near Holton. Here two more children were added to the family. Then about 1883 they came to Barber County and located on the farm where a sister and I were born. This was to be their home the rest of thier lives except for the time spent on the claims they got in the Famous Oklahoma Strip in 1883. Homes were maintained in both Barber County and Oklahoma for a time and many trips were made by covered wagon during this period. During these travels my father learned diplomacy in order to be friends with the Indians who occupied a large territory of Oklahoma.
While living near Holton, Kansas, our family became acquainted with the "Sockless" Jerry Simpson family. this friendship continued after the Simpson family moved to Barber County. My youngest brother and the Simpson's son, Lester, were playmates as young boys and caused Lester's mother, Jane, many unhappy moments by chewing tobacco; however, she kept a close rein on them.
My sisters and brothers all lived in Barber County so I list them as follows: Robert (Bob) Jesse, 1863-1834, never married; Harriet (Hattie) Graves, 1866-1953; Charles Jesse, 1868-1907; George Jesse, 1872-1927; Sara Toombs, 1875-1945; John Jesse, 1879-1951; Mamie Toombs, 1882-1951; Blanche Hartley, 1886-1933; Jane Kimball, 1889.
Our father was always hospitable and many a stranger on horseback found welcome food and a night's lodging at our home. My mother and sisters were not always so happy for another mouth to feed.
My brothers and sisters and I attended the Number 10 school located a couple of miles west of Medicine Lodge. The school house at that time was located a mile or two north of the present site. Some of the community entertainment consisted of "literaries" - recitations and readings by anyone who cared to take part. Also debates were held and spelling or ciphering matches with two leaders choosing up sides. Another form of pastime ws barn dancing. This was especially popular.
My own story of my life with my husband Wilbur Kimball appears elsewhere in this book, having been written by my daughter Georgia Mae Johnson.
I have made my home at Indian Hills Lodge, in Medicine Lodge, since it opened about 9 years ago.
-- The Chosen Land: Barber County, Kansas, page 251, by Jane Kimball.
Email to Nathan Lee from Judy Bales, 14 December 2006 "Thanks for the pix which I will hard copy and add to family scrapbook. The building is indeed the (John T. Jesse) home, which according to reports I heard as a child, replaced a much larger home which had been taken by a tornado. The high opening on the right was a door to the quite mysterious "upstairs". There were very steep steps and I was never allowed to go there with the adults. The adults were my aunt, Bettie Mills and my grandmother, Jane Kimball. There was said to be a china head doll among the treasures up there and I was to have it when Aunt Bettie passed away. She died when I was about 12 and I never saw the doll. I loved spending nights in that house with no electricity, wood burning stove, and a cistern near the front door as water source. There was one bedroom with a feather bed in it. That was my idea of pure luxury then. I can recall the total layout of the house, location of the outhouse, the cistern, etc. I have a complete genealogy of the Jesse family and a lot of stories which were passed along if anyone is interested. My maternal grandmother was the youngest of the eight Jesse children who grew up on that place. John T. Jesse died of skin cancer which ate away a large portion of his face. Although there is only one headstone, there are supposedly graves of two infants also. Believe they were both his grandchildren."
Email to Nathan Lee from Judy Bales, 31 July 2006 "Another Barber County cemetery or gravesite which may be of interest is that of my great grandfather and at least two infants who were buried on his home place west of Medicine Lodge. It, too, is surrounded by a wrought iron fence. The gravesites have sunken over the years. The name on the tombstone is that of my mom's grandfather, John T. Jesse. The old house, which is small and replaced one that was taken by a tornado, still was standing last time I was there. It is a beautiful piece of property."
Email to Judy Bales from Nathan Lee, 31 July 2006 I don't know why that couldn't be named the "Jesse Cemetery" and included in the Rootsweb site. I believe there must have been MANY private cemeteries, literally in the backyard, just because there are not enough graves to go with the number of people living at the time of the various censuses (censi?). People also did not have enough money to put up any sort of monument other than wood. That could explain the missing stones in the 2 cemeteries that I have looked at recently."
From the site guestbook: Name: Clara Hoag Louthan
E-mail: louthan@giantcomm.net
Date: 2006-08-29
Comments: Thanks for posting the obit. for Mrs. Jesse on the website. Aunt Hattie and I shared the same birthday. Also Bettie Mills was a close friend to my father Mitchell Hoag and Florence Graves Hoag. I would like to see Bettie Jesse Mills', Medicine Lodge Ks., obituary. I think she had a daughter?Clara
Name: Connee Assells
E-mail: cassells1@earthlink.net
Date: 2007-02-17
Comments: It was great to see the house of my great grandparents. I remember my father telling me that his grandfather was buried under a tree on the homestead. My father was John Lloyd Jesse, son of John Louis Jesse. He was the son of John T and Bettie.
Nine urban cemeteries, three still-maintained country cemeteries, and at least fifteen additional burial sites are located within Barber County boundaries... The majority of rural cemeteries were never deeded out and remain private, untended and almost forgotten burial places. Names ascribed to them were derived from the land owner or families buried therin. --The Chosen Land: Barber County, Kansas.
Also see:
Bettie Ellen (Drennon) Jesse, Obituary, The Barber County Index, November 3, 1927. (Mrs. John T. Jesse)
Confederate Veterans Meeting, 1892, Barber County Index, May 16, 1892. (John T. Jesse was a Confederate veteran.)
Thanks to Judy Bales and Nathan Lee for contributing the above information and images to this web site!
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