jesse S. Biography

Jesse S. Byrd

Jesse S. Byrd, the first confirmed ancestor in my Byrd family line, was born about 1811 in North Carolina. Jesse was married three times. He married Martha Elizabeth Farmer, daughter of John Farmer and Frances H. Allen, about 1837 or 1838. Martha was born about 1824 in Smith County, Tennessee and died sometime after 1880 in Tipton County. John and Frances Farmer originally came from Cumberland County, Virginia and were some of the first settlers of Tipton County, owning a large block of land near the present courthouse in Covington. Jesse was listed in the 1837 tax roll of District 3, Tipton County, in District 10 for the 1850 and District 3 for the 1860 census. Jesse and Martha divorced about 1855. Both remarried and had children from the new marriage. Jesse and Martha had seven children (William Lanley (F.), Robert Franklin, Mary Frances, Anteny Albertine (twin), Sarey (Saretany) Clementine (twin), James Henry, and Charles Chesterfield). The children lived with Martha after the divorce in the Bloomington Community around Brighton.

Jesse married Mary Margaret Williams June 14, 1855 in Tipton County. Jesse bought a 234-acre farm in District 3 from John Farmer, father of his first wife, November 29, 1855 for $600. Jesse and Mary had four children (Margaret (twin), Susan (twin), Andrew Jackson, and Christopher Columbus). Mary died after 1860 and the children lived with Abigail Williams Hartsfield, Mary's sister and widow of James Hartsfield. I believe that this farm was located in Burlison near the Smyrna Baptist Church, but have not been able to confirm this.

Jesse married Minerva Reynolds November 21, 1860 in Tipton County.

Jesse died about August 31, 1861 in Tipton County. His will was dated August 31, 1861 and was probated September 2, 1861. The will split the estate between his widow, Minerva Reynolds, and his three children from his marriage to Mary Williams. Minerva contested the will and after three court proceedings, the estate was settled. Minerva received 32-acres and 35 polls including the dwelling and other buildings, which was judged to be one-third the value of the estate. Her tract began at a stake on the south side of Covington and Randolph Road. The children received one-third and the court kept the remaining one-third.

Martha Elizabeth Farmer, Jesse's first wife, married James H. Jamison April 23, 1857 in Tipton County. James was born about 1823 in North Carolina and died after 1873 in Tipton County. They lived in the Bloomington Community near Drummonds and were listed in District 9 of the 1860 and 1870 census. On January 20, 1859, Martha and her husband James Jamison and her brother Henry Madison Farmer filed a bond in Tipton County for 25 acres of land that she had apparently inherited from her father. Martha and James had three children (Martha Donah, David D., and L. Lucy). Martha married H. W. Benson, father of Jesse C. Benson, December 17, 1873 in Tipton County. Martha was listed in the 1880 census in the household of Jesse C. Benson and Albertine Byrd Benson. The date of her death has not been found.

There were several other other Byrd families in early Tipton County, but I have not yet been able to establish any relationship between them and Jesse. Many of the Jesse Byrd's descendants settled in the southern part of Tipton County around Mason and Drummonds. My great-grandfather, James Henry Byrd, settled around Mt. Lebanon where my grandfather met his wife Lela Bringle. Many of Jesse's descendants still reside in Tipton County to this date.