JESSE MAXEY
Jesse Maxey born in 1750, son of Edward and grandson of Walter Maxey who came from Wales in the late 1600's. The family emigrated from France to America about 1725. He had five children. He died in 1808 and is buried north of Gallatin, Tennessee. William, oldest son of Jesse, was born in 1770 in Virginia. He married Mary Emily Allen in 1793 and moved to Jefferson County in 1818. He died in 1838 and is buried at Pleasant Grove. He had ten children. Those who stayed in Jefferson County and have descendants here are: Clarissa was born in 1793, married James Johnson and raised eighteen children. Elihu married Eveline Taylor and had eight children. He operated a grist mill north of Pleasant Grove Church. Hostalina, the oldest daughter, married Mervel Smith. Their children were George, Harris, Ordelia, Ellen, Thomas, and Lucy. George and Dan Smith, Virginia Smith Melton, and Eleanor Smith Tucker are grandchildren of Harris.
Harriet married Thomas M. Casey, a farmer and preacher. They had eleven children. Charles Hardy married Sally Bruce in 1824. Their children were: Caroline, Mary, Martha, Susan, and Drucilla. Mary married Joseph Burke and their children were Charles, Joseph. Bruce. John, and Orley. Maude Burke Minor is a daughter of John: Jewel Burke Mannen a daughter of Orley. Martha married Dr. Cam Frost and their children are: William, Arthur, Losia. Duff, Iva, and Angus. Oleta Frost Shafer and Erie Frost are the children of Duff Frost. Ila Mae (Whitlock) is a grand-daughter of Losia. Drucilla married James M. Swift and their children were: A.E., Lulu, Hardy, Will, Stella, Alva, Sadie'. Bertie, and Grace. Betty
(Westcott) Harlow is a granddaughter of Stella. Helen (Swift) Myers and Martha Lou (Swift) Foster are granddaughters of Hardy Swift. Joshua Cannon had two children: Martha and William T. whose daughter married William A. Piercy. Their grandchildren are Dorothy Smith, Alma Yeargin, Margaret Samons, and Rosemary Harris. William M. A. marrled Edda Owens in 1830 and one of their sons, Samuel T., married Sarah Piercy. Their children were: Edna, Mary "Buck" Swift, and olin. Fred J. Upcraft of Mt. Vernon is the son of Edna Maxey Upcraft. Burchett married Margaret Taylor in 1815. Their 10 month old son Perigan, was the first white person buried in Jefferson County. Burchett moved on to Mt. vernon with the help of Zadoc Casey he built the first jail. He also built the first house on the square. Burchett had twelve children.
James C., born in 1827, seventh son of Burchett, married Nancy Moss in 1850. Their children were: John R. who married Carrie Snodsmith; Walter S. married Almeda Hicks and Estella Wiedeman and had four children: Oliver, Oscar S. married Ella Brown and had Roy Maxey. Lucille (Jones) Caruthers. Mary (Coats) Bufkin, and Marjorie (Coats) Holleback are granddaughters of Oscar: Albion Frank married Susan Jane Davis and had James A. and Raymond whose daughter is Wilma Maxey Hanes; James Henry married May Keller and Lena Chapman and had a daughter, Helen: Lillie B. married Frank Sugg and had sons, Norman and Maxey; Moss married Lulu Swift, Winnie Tanner. then Ethel Elliott and had Dr. Hugh and Vivian Cleveland. Franklin, eleventh child of Burchett, married Susan Warren and had son
Raleigh who lives in Webber Township. Harvey Burchett's twelfth, was horn in 1840 and married Elizabeth Hook
in 1864. Their children were: Albion who married Fanny Wiggins and had Nellie who had Francis and Emory: Ray whose children are Pauline, Noble, Donald, Lucy, and Verla; Chancy had Denzil, Clyde. and Connie. Fred married Eva Redburn and their children were: Claude who had Glenadine and Mildred; Ralph had one child. June: Lena Maxey McHenry; Hazel Maxey Wood: and Lou Maxey Young who had lola, Marjoarie. Robert S.. Fred, and Ralph. Harry married Alice Webber and their children were: Charlie; Lee had a daughter, Yvonne: Grace Maxey Taylor had a son. Billie; Vern; Edd; and Floyd. Ed married Lillie Brookman and their children were: Earl who had a son. Dale: Rosetta Maxey Chase whose children were Maxey. Janette, and Virginia; Essie Maxey Esmon had Vivian: Hershel; and Libby Maxey Esmon who had
Lloyd and Maxine.Clarence married Maud Wood and one son. Clarence Jr. Orville. William Maxey. his wife, and ten children were all members of Pleasant Grove Church and all are buried there but one. When the church was organized July 2.1839, four of the seven trusteees were Maxeys and one a brother-in-law. The Maxey family furnished thirty-three soldiers to the Union cause. They have been farmers, preachers. school teachers. merchants. physicians. lawyers, and political leaders. -- Wilma Waxey Hanes 

SOURCE:Facts and Folks A History Of Jefferson County, Illinois 1978
submitted by: Misty Flannigan
Dec3, 1997 


Just an additional puzzle piece -
we believe (not fully proven yet) that Hester Maxey was a daughter of Jesse - born sometime in the early 1770's. Hester Maxey married Henry Wilkey - their oldest being Bennett Maxey Wilkey b. 1793 - who fathered 18 or so children in Moores Prairie Twp., Jefferson Co., IL. Hester came to Illinois - and probably was one of the reasons the
other MAXEY's came there -- she was there in 1816. 

Virginia Black File:
Jesse was wounded while traveling along the road near Asher's Station.  Seeing that escape by flight was impossible, he fell face downward on the ground.  His pursuers came up, scalped him, thrust a hunting knife into his throat and left him to die. We was found by his friends, carried into the fort and nursed back to life. 1788 Gallatin Tennessee.

Jesse lived another 20 years but received his nuourishment through an opening in his throat, as the scar tissue which formed over his exophegus prevented him from swallowing properly.  He was a tall, light complexioned man weighing at least 200 pounds, but later became very bent and thin as the result of his disability.  He is buried at Douglas cemetery, three miles north of Gallatin, Tennessee.