Jesse Perdue (1764 - 1818)

Born 1764 in Chesterfield County, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Naomi (Potts) Perdue — married 26 Feb 1794 in Montgomery, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 29 Sep 1818 at about age 54 in Charlestown, Clark County, Indiana, United States

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Jesse Perdue lived in Virginia.

Biography

Jesse was born in 1764 in Chesterfield County, Virginia to parents William Uriah Perdue Jr and Edith Morning (Hale) Powell Perdue.

Marriage: Jesse and his wife Naomi (Potts) Perdue married in 1794 in Montgomery County, Virginia. Shortly after marrying, they relocated from Virginia, briefly residing in Kentucky, then finally relocated to Clark County, Indiana by 1798. They had 7 of their 9 children in Indiana (their first two sons Nathan and Henry were born in Kentucky en route to Indiana) :

1. Nathan P Perdue (1795-1833)
2. Henry Perdue (1797-1862)
3. Elizabeth Perdue (1798-1850)
4. William Perdue (1801-1873)
5. Jesse Perdue (1809-1876)
6. Hannah Perdue (1805-1833)
7. Charles Wesley Perdue (1810-1900)
8. James Allen Perdue (1815-1850)
9. Joseph (or John) Shaden Perdue (1817-1900)

Occupation: Farmer, Miller (owner of a grist and sawmill), Supervisor of the public roads in newly-formed Clark County, Indiana

He passed away in 1818 (age 54yo) in Charlestown, Clark County, Indiana and is buried at the Old Salem United Methodist Church Cemetery in Rolling Hills, Clark County, Indiana

Research Notes

In Deed Book 5, page 194, Botetourt County, there appears this entry:
"This Indenture made upon the 20th day of May in the year of our Lord 1794 between William Beard and Susanna, his wife, of Botetourt County of the one part and Jesse Perdew of Montgomery County of the other part witness that whereas Nathan Potts deceased, died intestate and possessed of certain land and having claims to other lands in the County of Botetourt aforesaid and elsewhere which descended to his two daughters, Susanna who intermarried with the said William Beard and Mayomey [Naomi] who intermarried with the said Jesse Perdew, as co-heiresses of the estate of said Nathan Potts; and the said Jesse Perdew having paid to the said William Beard and his wife Susanna a valuable consideration to wit, the sum of (20) twenty pounds in good trade". Attested: John Beard William Beard Thomas Beard Her Martin Beard (His Mark) Susanna X Beard Mark”……excerpted

Notations for Jesse Perdue and wife, Naomi (Potts) Perdue:
“Jesse Perdue was born about 1770. He married Naomi Potts, February 24, 1794. They started west and settled in Kentucky. In 1798 they relocated to Clark County, Indiana. Jesse died September 29, 1818.”…..

“Jesse Perdue, the oldest know progenitor of our branch of the Perdue family, was born in 1765 in Virginia. He married Naomi Potts February 26, 1794 in Montgomery County, Virginia (now West Virginia). The Rev. Richard Whitt performed the ceremony. Naomi was the orphaned daughter of Nathan Potts who was killed in 1777 while defending a fort in Virginia [Nathan and his younger brother Matthew Potts drowned while crossing a river after their raft broke apart]. Naomi was born in 1777 in Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia. For many years after the Revolutionary War, the Ohio River was the prime destination of almost all westward migration. Between 1790 and 1800, 100,000 people immigrated west of the Appalachians. Most settled in Kentucky, Tennessee and the Ohio Valley. The first public land sales were opened in what is now Ohio and eastern Indiana. The Ohio valley provided fresh lands to be cleared for farming. Alter the War, the Virginia Legislature donated 150,000 acres in Ohio to General George Rogers Cl&k and his men. This was in lieu of paying them money for their service. Clark gathered troops at the Falls of the Ohio for his western campaigns against the British in 1776 and 1779. This area was also the gathering point for the start of Lewis and Clark's "Voyage of Discovery" in 1803. Jesse and Naomi, with a large family party, immigrated to Jefferson County, Kentucky (now Oldham County) and settled there, about six miles above the Falls of the Ohio. The party later split up, Jesse and Naomi and children went across the river to Indiana Territory while the others went to Tennessee. In 1798 they moved across the Ohio River to what was then Knox County, Indiana Territory. (Clark County was formed in 1801). Jesse bought 141 3A acres in Section 100 from Lt. John Swan, one of Clark's soldiers. As a Lieutenant, Swan got four 500 acre section and on fifth of another. For some reason, none of the sections given to the soldiers were contiguous. Section 100 was east of Charlestown southeast of 14 Mile Creek, and less than a mile from the Ohio River.

At that time, Knox County was covered with almost unbroken forests and huge areas of canebrake. Game was unlimited. Panthers, bear, wolves and wild hogs made it dangerous to go into the woods. Even more dangerous were the Indians. This was the land of the Shawnee, the tribe most opposed to the coming of the white man. The British at Fort Dearborn were still paying scalp money. The defeat of Tecumseh at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 resulted in the dispersal of Indians to Michigan and Indiana, and more killings. Thee was an Indian massacre close to Charlestown in 1813. Many small blockhouses were built during this time. By the Treaty of Ohent in 1814, the British abandoned their Indian allies. Indians were still in the area for another decade or more but only presented troubles of begging and petty thievery. By 1810, little land had been cultivated. Settlers farmed only a small part of their land. They used the forest to build their log houses as well as to make staves, hoops and barrels. Later, cooperage plant and hoop poles provided jobs for a number of people.

Jesse was appointed Supervisor of the public roads for Spring Hill Township during the 1801 Term of the Court of Quarter Sessions, the first term held by the newly designated Clark County. He served on a Grand Jury during the April 1802 term. In addition to his farm, Jesse was also a miller. He had one of the very first horse drawn mills. It was located half~ray between Charlestown and Sticker's Corner. The first mill in the area was built in 1784 and others soon followed. Most were water powered, but there were some horse-powered mills also. The early mills were both grist and sawmills. Stills were also very common, and helped account for the number of barrels made. Almost every farmer had a still house. Corn whiskey and brandy were the main products. Farmers couldn't keep harvest hands unless whiskey was served in the fields. As the early small individual farms were consolidated into larger, one owner farms, this practice ended.

The 1830's were a prosperous time for Clark County, especially since there was no longer a fear of Indian attacks. In 1832 Charlestown was described as being on a high plateau between Fourteen Mile Creek and Silver Creek. It was surrounded by excellent farming land in a high state of cultivation. The town had 800 inhabitants, seven mercantile stores, one tavern, six lawyers (it was the County seat at the time), four doctors, three preachers, and craftsmen of every description. The Episcopal Methodist, Reformed Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterians all had meeting houses. There were 65 brick houses and 100 built of wood. Charlestown also had a fiourmill and an oil-mill powered by steam.

The cholera epidemic of 1832 actually lasted 1832-1835. There was another, smaller, epidemic in 1849. There was a big drought in 1854 when no rain fell from July to October; 1855 was almost as bad. Jesse died near Charlestown September 29, 1818. Alter Jesse's death, Naomi, Henry and the other unmarried children apparently stayed on the farm. Nathan was already married and William married the next year. Henry gradually bought out his brother's and sisters shares of the farm for $100. each.

Naomi died 25 July 1833 of cholera. Jesse and Naomi are buried in the Old Salem Church Cemetery, Charlestown Township, along with their unmarried daughter, Hannah and an unnamed boy. Henry Perdue put up the stone. Jesse and Naomi had nine children, but the exact order is unclear. A boy died in infancy between 1801 and 1810.“….. excerpted

Children of Jesse and Naomi (Potts) Perdue:

1. Nathan P. Perdue, b abt 1795/96 in Kentucky; m Sally Whitson, who was b 31 March 1813 in Henry County, Kentucky. Nathan died 27 July 1833 in Clark County, Indiana, and is buried in Old Shiloh, Hibernia, Clark County, Indiana.
2. Henry Perdue, b abt 1797 in Kentucky; m(1) Margaret McNulty 21 April 1823 in Clark County; m(2) Mary Ann Sprowl(e) 23 January 1839, Clark County. He died 5 October 1862 in Lafayette County, Missouri.
3. Elizabeth Perdue, b abt 1798/99 in Clark County, Indiana; m Robert H. Wilson 22 February 1823 in Clark County, Indiana.
4. William Perdue, b 16 December 1800 in Clark County, Indiana; m(1) Elizabeth Anderson 5 May 1819 in Clark County; m(2) Lydia Zaring Rodman 3 November 1831 in Washington County, Indiana; m(3) Elizabeth H. Crenshaw 8 August 1842 in Jackson County, Indiana; m(4) Elizabeth Fouts Row on 3 January 1851 in Clark County, Indiana. William died 26 March 1873 in Monroe County, Indiana.
5. Jesse Perdue, b 7 October 1809 in Clark County, Indiana; m(1) Elizabeth McD. Ford 3 March 1831 in Clark County; m(2) Mary Ann Roe 27 October 1845 in Clark County. Jesse died 16 December 1876 in Clark County.
6. Hannah Perdue, b abt 1810/14 in Clark County, Indiana; probably married George Martin. She died abt 1833 in Clark County.
7. James Allen Perdue, b 18 January 1815 in Clark County, Indiana; married Elizabeth Ann Herald 1 May 1845 in Henry County, Kentucky. He died 16 October 1850 in Henry County.
8. Joseph Shadin Perdue, b 29 August 1817 in Clark County, Indiana; m Martha McCormick 5 May 1843 in Clark County. He died 22 January 1900 in Paola, Miami County, Kansas.
9. Charles Wesley Perdue, b abt 1818 in Clark County, Indiana; m (1) Sarah Ann Loving on 25 July 1839 in Jefferson County, Kentucky; m(2) Jane Martin 13 November 1850 in Lee County, Iowa.”……. Excerpted

Sources

• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVKK-KY4F : 5 August 2020), Jesse Perdue, ; Burial, Rolling Hills, Clark, Indiana, United States of America, Old Salem United Methodist Church Cemetery; citing record ID 48050160, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

• Dodd, Jordan. Virginia, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1660-1800 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997: Name: Jesse Perdue. Spouse: Neomi Potts, Marriage Date: 26 Feb 1794, Marriage Location: Montgomery County, Virginia.

• Indiana, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890 [database on-line]. Name: Jesse Perdue, State: IN, County: Clark County, Township: Voter Lists, Year: 1807, Page: 029, Database: IN 1807 State Census Index

• https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~we3sumneritesjblcsf/genealogy/faperd__.htm

• https://oldham.one-name.net/getperson.php?personID=I29336&tree=oldham