Jessie Bailey McChesney (1848 - 1929)

Born 23 Mar 1848 in Caldwell, Kentucky, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Eliza Catherine Morse — married 12 Jan 1870 in Princeton, Caldwell, Kentucky, United States

Died 16 Feb 1929 at age 80 in Caldwell, Kentucky, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Grace McChesney [send private message]

Biography

To understand what happened to Betty, Samuel, their son, Jesse Bailey McChesney, and Lazarus, and their children, you must look at Samuel Arnett's first wife, Betty's first husband Henry Mason, Lazarus's first wife, and their 2nd and 3rd marriages.

1. . Betty Holeman (Walter Mc Jr. and Peggy were her guardians in abt 1823 making her Samuel Arnett's "sister by guardianship").

• Betty first married Henry J. Mason, and they had a daughter together, Henry Ann Mason. Henry (husband) died in 1845. She had a 1 year old baby with no husband.

1. . Samuel Arnett's first wife Nancy Fryer died about the same time 1844, she either died in childbirth or complications after.

• Samuel was left with 5 children and no wife.

1. . As far as I can tell, Samuel A (desperate for a help-mate to care for his children) and Betty (needing a husband to support she and her baby) joined forces about 1845. I do not have a marriage certificate for Samuel and Betty, nor divorce records).

• In 1948, Samuel and Betty had a son, Jesse Bailey McChesney. The 1850 census shows Samuel, wife Betty, 5 children from 1st marriage of Samuel, 1 child from 1st marriage of Betty, and 1 child together.
• Betty may have been a wet nurse for Samuel and Nancy's baby, William S. McChesney.

1. . About 1852, Lazarus Nichol's first wife died in childbirth, leaving him with 5 children, all very young.

• Betty must have gone to help with his children, taking her first child Henry Ann, and 2nd child Jesse Bailey with her.
• Whether the children went to live with Lazarus right away or came later is not clear.
• I don't know either, if she was a wet nurse for either Samuel's baby or Lazarus's baby. Quite likely. She would have had to be a wet nurse for Lazarus's baby.
• Her daughter Henry Ann would have been 8 and Jesse would have been abt 4.
• Elizabeth "Betty" Holeman Mason then married Lazarus Nichols under the name Mrs. Elizabeth Mason; Henry A Mason (daughter) became Henry A Mason Nichols and Jesse Bailey McChesney became Jesse Bailey McChesney Nichols.
• Lazarus and Betty's first child Lucien was born in 1853, the same year that Laz. and Jane's child died. 2 other of Laz and Jane's children died between 1853 and 1860 as well.
• In 1855, a second child was born to Laz. and Betty -- Lynn Boyd Nichols.
• The 1860 Census shows Lazarus, Betty, and 6 children. Henry Ann Mason Nichols, Sarah Nichols (only surviving child of Laz. and Jane) Jesse McChesney Nichols, Lucien, Lynn and Noah. The last three being Laz. and Betty's children together.

My best guess, and it is that because I have no marriage or divorce for Betty and Sam, is that they did not formally marry. She was his "common law" wife and housekeeper, children raiser.

Sources

• "1850 United States Federal Census". Year: 1850; Census Place: District 1, Caldwell, Kentucky; Roll: 194; Page: 288b. Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8054 #16941028 (accessed 10 December 2021). Jesse S McChesney (2) in the household of Samuel A McChesney District 1, Caldwell, Kentucky, USA. Born in Kentucky.

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch, accessed 6 January 2022, J B McChesney (22) in the household of W B Hobby, Farmersville, Caldwell County, Kentucky, FHL film #004263741, image 15 of 20; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch, accessed 6 January 2021, J B McChesney and Eliza C Morse, 12 January 1870, Caldwell County, Kentucky, FHL film #005557597, image 596 of 621; citing multiple county clerks, county courts, and historical societies, Kentucky.

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch, accessed 6 January 2021, J B McChesney (32), married, head of household, farmer, Farmersville, Caldwell County, Kentucky, ED 160, FHL film #005160667. image 14 of 21; citing NARA microfilm publication T9, (National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., n.d.)

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch, accessed 6 January 2021, Jesse B McChesney (52), married, head of household, Caldwell County, Kentucky, ED 9 Magisterial District 2, Donaldson, FHL film #004118899, image 25 of 56; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852-1965". Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives; Frankfort, Kentucky. Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1222 #1245671 (accessed 7 December 2021). Name: J B Mcchesney; Gender: Male; Race: White; Birth Place: Caldwell; Death Date: 16 Feb 1929; Death Place: Caldwell, Kentucky, USA; Father: Samuel Arnett Mcchesney; Mother: Holeman.

• Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/16197962/jessie-bailey-mcchesney : accessed 08 July 2021), memorial page for Jessie Bailey McChesney (23 Mar 1848–16 Feb 1929), Find a Grave Memorial ID 16197962, citing Donaldson Baptist Church Cemetery, Farmersville, Caldwell County, Kentucky, USA ; Maintained by Find a Grave (contributor 8) .

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Anonymous. McChesney for creating WikiTree profile McChesney-367 through the import of 5 McChesney GEn 5 4.ged on Feb 7, 2013.