The Life of Jesse Laird

There is a description of Jesse’s life in the biography of his son David T. Laird in the 1880 volume of Eminent Men of Indiana, posted below, followed by two brief biographical references in Dearborn County histories. There are echoes of the Abraham Lincoln log cabin background as Jesse is described as a poor man with a very large family who started in Indiana with a cabin after arriving with from Pennsylvania with all he could carry on a horse. But as we move through his life with the documents and references on this page, they show he was active in politics, was elected constable, owned a reasonable amount of property, was even involved with a local railway company, and left some land to his widow and children.

The 1885 Weakley History of Dearborn and Ohio Counties has a brief section on Jesse arriving in Dearborn County with his family - the reference to moving into the county with one horse to carry his wife and worldly goods. It is posted below.

The 1915 Shaw History of Dearborn County has a brief mention of Jesse - listing when he settled on Wilson Creek, and making a mention of his descendants (Howard Laird is listed as a grandson of Jesse Laird, but he was actually a great-grandson.  Samuel Laird, son of Jesse Martin was Jesse’s grandson and Howard’s father – and lived until 1934.) still living on the land. It also has a mention that the last bear was found in the area in those early years by this property.

He lived a long life, and bridged immigration from Ireland to assimilation of his many descendants in the United States.  Many of Jesse’s children described in the accompanying two pages deserve a complete page of their own, and maybe someday I will have the time. In the meantime, I will start with a comprehensive biography of Jesse and a description of each of his seventeen children and their families.

Jesse Laird’s life story - Based on Public Record References

The story about Jesse Laird arriving in the United States from Ireland with his family ca 1800 - and coming to Western Pennsylvania - is shown on the introductory Laird page in an excerpt from a Pennsylvania county history. His father came to Pennsylvania in the 1790’s, worked until he could send the money to Ireland for the entire family to come over. Jesse, born in 1789, was in that family group who came over ca 1800.

The summary story of the next part of his life is shown in three different Indiana histories posted above. They mention that he married in Pennsylvania ca 1807 to Mary Tharp of Greene County (I have not been able to find a record of that marriage). They mention him coming to Indiana ca 1813 with a single horse to carry his family and belongings. They further mention the flooding near the Ohio River where he originally settled in Dearborn County, at a place listed above as Newton, and that he and his family moved three miles west to the Wilson Creek area in Lawrenceburg Township ca 1817 - where they lived out their lives.

The first public record I have found of Jesse Laird is his entry in the 1810 census in Donegal Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania - posted just below. The record shows Jesse “Lard” a man and woman between the ages of sixteen and twenty-six (Jesse and Mary) and a girl under the age of ten (the oldest daughter, who was the mother of Sarah Mariah Chamberlain, whose name of which I am uncertain, as I have yet to find a record in which she appears by name).

The first record I have found of Jesse Laird in Dearborn County was a land filing with the Cincinnati District of the federal court for Dearborn Co. land, dated January 8, 1817. The Weakley history (posted just below) refers to a parcel in Section 8 of Township 5, sold to Caleb Pugh in 1811, to Enoch Pugh (with whom Jesse had two property transactions in 1830, posted below) and David Rees (Susannah Sanks’ first husband) in 1815, and to Jesse Laird in 1817. The Shaw History referred to the earliest land entries in Lawrenceburgh, and listed Zebulon Pike Zebulon Pike (father of the explorer of the same name for whom Colorado’s Pike’s Peak is named) in 1816, and Jesse Laird in 1817.

I have been unable to find this record in the federal Bureau of Land Management database, nor have I been able to find an early deed of Jesse purchasing this land (a courthouse fire in 1826 destroyed some records prior to that time, and it is possible that a deed record was lost in that fire).  There is a homestead record dated 1825 during the administration of President John Quincy Adams (posted a little further below).

In 2019 I discovered the interesting article, posted below, from the May 30, 1918 edition of the Indianapolis News. I originally thought that this was the reason I could never find a document on this land transaction. The article refers to “Jesse M. Laird” rather than Jesse Laird - but does list he and his wife as the first white settlers on Wilson Creek in Lawrenceburg Township in Dearborn County.

As a result of this article, in October 2019 I wrote the Dearborn County Clerk Recorder, with a copy of the article. She searched for the recording of this deed about the time of the article, and could not find any record of such a deed at that time.

Jesse was listed in Lawrenceburgh Township in Dearborn County in the 1820 census, albeit again under the name Jesse “Lard". In that record, posted below, he was shown living with four boys under the age of ten (John, David, Levi, and George), himself between twenty-six and forty-five; and with one girl under ten (Sarah), one from ten to sixteen (the oldest, unsure of name, mother of Sarah Mariah Chamberlain), and a woman from sixteen to twenty-six (Mary Tharp Laird) - although unless Mary Tharp was thirteen when married, her age is mis-listed. The implied age on her tombstone, together with the year that the history above states she married Jesse Laird, would validate a very young age at marriage.

The first deed record I have found for Jesse Laird is the one below from 1825. In this document, I will list an abstract of each deed that involves Jesse, and then post the deed below the abstract. Dearborn Co DB E p. 266-67 - President of U. S.  to Jesse Laird.  “No. 823. John Quincy Adams, President of the United States: to all to whom these presents shall come greeting: know ye that Jesse Laird of Dearborn County having deposited in the general land office a certificate a certificate of the register of the land office at Cincinnati whereby is appears that full payment has been made for the southeast quarter of section eight, in township five of range one containing 160 acres of the lands directed to be sold at Cincinnati . . .”  By the President J. Q. Adams, Recorded in Volume 49, p. 258.  Geo. Graham, Commissioner of the General Land Office.  April 1, 1825. That deed is posted below, and was mentioned earlier on the search for Jesse’s earliest land filing in Dearborn County.

Jesse Laird is shown as a candidate for constable in his home township of Lawrenceburg in the Indiana Palladium edition of February 17, 1827, posted below. [This is the first reference on this page to the Palladium – which was published out of Dearborn County from at least 1825 to 1836. There are many references to our early family members in the newspaper, and more about Jesse Laird from the Palladium will be posted on this page.] As was shown, he was elected - and he is shown in subsequent newspaper articles as running or elected, serving official service, or in Dearborn County records as being paid for his service.

Dearborn Co DB F p. 190's or so – John Spencer, Sheriff and Collector of Dearborn County.  May 7, 1827.  Two hundred acres in Section 29 and a fraction of Section 28, Township Five, Range One.  Appears to have been the land of Thomas Dugan and that he didn’t pay various taxes for years in the 1820’s.  This sale was advertised in the Indiana Palladium.  John Spencer signed this document and it was witnessed by Isaac Spencer, James W. Hunter, and Jesse Laird. The entire deed is posted below.

Below are three articles from the Indiana Palladium relating to Jesse Laird’s service as Constable for Lawrenceburg Township. First at left below is shown Jesse Laird as a candidate for constable in the edition of March 1, 1828 [which is interesting because the race between John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson is highlighted at the top]; Second below at top right is an article showing Jesse Laird was reimbursed by Dearborn County for work as Constable, in the edition of November 15, 1828; and third, below right is Jesse Laird running for Constable again, in the edition of February 14, 1829.

Dearborn Co DB F p. 337-38 - Jesse Laird and Mary his wife of the County of Dearborn, State of Indiana to Henry Short of the same county and state.  May 17, 1829.  One hundred ninety five dollars.  Parcel of land in Dearborn County.  Land description listed, beginning at the northeast corner of the south east quarter of section eight, town five, range one, to the first right hand branch of Wilson Creek.  Bounded by lands sold Polly Burroughs.  Signed by Jesse Laird and Mary (x – her mark) Laird. Witnessed by Hiram W. Cloud and Abraham Rowland. “The said wife” [Mary] was examined separate and apart by James W. Hunter, Justice of the Peace. Jesse appears to be able to write, while Mary does not – with her signature indicated with an “x”. That deed is posted below.

Once again Jesse Laird appears in the Indiana Palladium in two articles related to his service as Constable. The first one, below left, from the edition of November 24, 1829, shows he was paid for constable duties by Dearborn County; and the second one, below right, from the edition of February 13, 1830, shows he was running for re-election.

Jesse Laird is shown in Lawrenceburgh (sic) Township in Dearborn County in the 1830 federal census. In that record, there are eleven people in his entry: a man between the ages of thirty and forty (Jesse, although future records would place his age this year as forty-one); a woman between the ages of thirty and forty (Mary); one man and one woman each between the ages of fifteen and twenty (John and Sarah); two boys boy between the ages of ten and fifteen (David and Levi); two boys between the ages of five and ten (George and Lytle - although later records place George at age eleven in this year); and one boy and one girl each under the age of five (Mary Jane and Jesse Martin). I thought that Edward William would have been born in time for this census, but he does not seem to be listed here. The oldest daughter would have married and been with Mr. Chamberlain - and not shown in this entry, as this year would have been the year of the birth of their daughter Sarah Mariah Chamberlain.

Dearborn Co DB D p. 351-53.  Jesse Laird of the County of Dearborn State of Indiana to Enoch Pugh of said County and State.  April 17, 1830.  Two hundred dollars.  Land in Dearborn County in the southwest corner of Section Eight, Town Five, Range One.  Description states that the property begins at the southwest corner of the quarter, then east with the section line to the southeast corner of the Section. Bounded by John Bullock and Samuel Saltmarsh.  Cannot find a listing for the acreage.  Signed by Jesse Laird.  Witnessed by A. St. Clair and J. W. Hunter.  Recorded April 17, 1830 by James W. Hunter, Justice of the Peace. This deed is posted below.

Dearborn Co DB E p. 243-45 - Enoch Pugh and Eliza his wife of Dearborn County, State of Indiana to Jesse Laird of said County of Dearborn.  April 17, 1830.  Four hundred dollars.  Parcel of land in Dearborn County part of the southwest quarter of Section Eight, Town Five, Range One.  Description of the land begins at the southwest corner of the quarter, east with the section line to the southeast corner of the section, to the corner of land of John Bullock, near a branch of Wilson Creek, to the lines of land owned by Samuel Saltmarsh, containing one hundred and fifteen acres.  Signed by Enoch Pugh and Eliza Pugh.  In the presence of A. St. Clair and S. W. Hunter.  Eliza examined apart from her husband.  By James W. Hunter, Justice of the Peace. Below left top is p. 243, bottom left is p. 244, and below right is p. 245.

It is unclear to me why these two transactions were necessary - dated the same day. Not being able to find the acreage for the second transaction keeps me from an absolute conclusion. The first transaction involved half the money of the second. Quite possibly it was about consolidating land, but maybe someone reading and studying these two transactions will have a better opinion.

The Indiana’s Gore Website has abstracts of the records of Dearborn County Commissioners, many of which are listings of jury service. I will list a few of the abstracts on this page. The first of the abstracts is the following one from the November 1830 session on page 163: Fines assessed by Ulysses Cooke: Daniel Crain – on complaint of Jesse Laird for an assault and battery committed on the body of George Laird – fined $1.00. Jesse’s son George would have been eleven years of age at the time.

In his role as Constable, it appears that Jesse Laird had to serve official notice to parties of court actions. The Indiana Palladium ran notices of such service and two of them are posted below, one from the Indiana Palladium edition of May 8, 1830 below left, and the second one below right from the Indiana Palladium edition of March 26, 1831.

Dearborn Co DB G p. 347-48 - Jesse Laird of the County of Dearborn State of Indiana to Edmund Archibald of said County and State.  October 27, 1831.  One hundred dollars.  Land in County of Dearborn described as beginning at the southeast corner of Section Eight, Town Five, Range One.  Containing thirteen (? – seems like this, but there was a line over the amount on the film).  Signed by Jesse Laird and Mary (x – her mark) Laird.  Witnessed by Thomas Palmer and James W. Hunter.  Mary examined separate and apart from her husband by James W. Hunter, Justice of the Peace. This deed is posted below. As mentioned with other deeds, Mary signs with her mark.

Jesse Laird Elected Trustee in Lawrenceburg Township, as shown in the Indiana Palladium edition of March 10, 1832 - posted below. Andrew Jackson is listed as the Democratic-Republican candidate in the same item.

On Page 308 of the Dearborn County Commissioner records for the May 1833 Term - abstracted on the Indiana’s Gore website - are allowances for Petit Jurors at March Term 1833. Juror Number #47 is Jesse Laird. Familiar names like Aaron B. Henry and John Saltmarsh are also listed as jurors.

On Page 25 of the Dearborn County Commissioner records for the May 1835 Term - abstracted on the Indiana’s Gore website - are the Grand Jurors for March 1836. One of them is Jesse Laird.

On Page 108 of the Dearborn County Commissioner records for the May 1836 Term - abstracted on the Indiana’s Gore website - are the Petit Jurors for the September 1836 Term, second week. One of them is Jesse Laird.

Jesse Laird appears to have been very politically involved in the 1835-1836 period. Andrew Jackson was in his last two years as President in this period, and Vice President Martin Van Buren was elected President in 1836. Jesse is shown below left in the Indiana Palladium issue of June 6, 1835 participating in a political meeting; is shown in the Rising Sun Times (of Ohio County, Indiana) of June 27, 1835 below top right, being involved on a political committee; and is shown again in the Rising Sun Times of June 4, 1836 below bottom right, again on a political committee.

[NOTE: There is an interesting reference in the article below left. Dr. Ezra Ferris is mentioned, who was an original member of the Indiana Historical Society and wrote extensively about the settlement of the Miami County in Ohio. His works there included references to the Clawson family at Covalt Station outside of Cincinnati - just after its founding - in the 1790’s. Josiah Clawson, a resident of that station, had a great-granddaughter, Edna Clawson - who married Jesse Laird’s great-grandson, Ralph Laird Sr., in 1915 in Vermilion County, Illinois. In future pages on the Clawsons in early Ohio on this website - there is bound to be a reference to Ezra Ferris.]

Jesse Laird appears in an article in the Vevay Weekly Messenger of September 17, 1836, which is posted below. Vevay is the County Seat of Switzerland Indiana, down the Ohio River about forty miles from Lawrenceburg. The County of Ohio - where Rising Sun is the County Seat (shown above) - is between them. Jesse was elected as an officer in the Lawrenceburgh and Indianapolis Rail Road.

A company selling old stock certificates on line, had one for sale for this company. As part of the sale (which included an image on the bond of a stage coach on rail being pulled by a steam engine), the following description of the company was included: “The Lawrenceburg & Indianapolis Railroad Company was incorporated in 1832. The line became the Lawrenceburg & Upper Mississippi Railroad in 1850 and later became the Indianapolis, Cincinnati, & Lafayette Railroad on December 1, 1853. The company was reorganized and purchased as the Indianapolis, Cincinnati & Lafayette Railroad in 1873.”

Mary Tharp Laird is buried in the Ebenezer Baptist Cemetery, where she is shown as Laird, Mary, wife of Jesse Laird, died May 4, 1837, "in the 43rd year of age". This would place her birth in the 1794 - 1795 period. Since it was stated she married Jesse Laird in 1807, she clearly was young when she did it - matching an early census entry about her age. A photo of her tombstone from Find-A-Grave (permission to run it given by Barbara Miroslaw who took and posted the photo) is below.

In January 1838, Jesse Laird filed in Dearborn probate court to clarify the partition of the lands of Obediah Priest - the father of Nancy Priest, who he married the same month. Jesse had purchased some of the land, and he may well have obtained Nancy’s through marriage. When I first discovered this partition record, when visiting the Dearborn County Court House in the summer of 1996, it was significant to me because it was the first major record that linked Obediah Priest to his ten children. It also was a record for Jesse Laird, and how he acquired some of his property in the Wilson Creek area. A number of records relating to the Priest family property and Jesse - all in this period - are posted below, as is a marriage record for Jesse and Nancy in the same period.

There is a deed from John (Nancy’s brother) and his wife Mary Priest to Jesse Laird, dated January 10, 1838: Dearborn Co DB O p. 198-99 - John Priest and Mary his wife of the County of Dearborn State of Indiana to Jesse Laird of the same county and state.  January 10, 1838.  Five hundred dollars.  Land in the County aforesaid in the southwest quarter of Section Nine, Township Five, Range One.  Sixty acres.  Land that went to William Priest and John Priest heirs of Obediah Priest, deceased.  References twenty acres as the dower of Rebecca Priest.  Signed by John (x – his mark) Priest and Mary (x – her mark) Priest.  Witnessed by P. J. Spooner and Isaac W. Hirsted (Winsted?).  P. J. Spooner examines said wife on January 24, 1838.  Recorded March 12, 1838.

There is a deed from Nancy’s brother Obediah Priest to Jesse Laird on January 24, 1839 (after the partition record): Dearborn Co DB P pp. 504-05.  Obediah Priest of Dearborn County to Jesse Laird of the same county. January 4, 1839.  Two hundred and fifty dollars.  Land in SW Quarter of Section Nine, Town Five, Range one west, in the said County of Dearborn with the exception of sixty acres off the south side of said quarter running east and west the whole length the south line of said quarter and to far north on the west line of said quarter and so far north on the east line of said quarter as to include sixty acres – which belongs to the part of the first past as one of the heirs of Obadiah Priest deceased late of said county [Nancy’s father] the part of said land hereby conveyed being the portion set off to the part of the first part in 1838 by commissioners who made partition of said land  by order of the probate court and also that undivided portion or part  of said which belongs to said part of the first part in reversion after  the death of Mrs. Rebecca Priest [Nancy’s mother] . . .  /s/Obadiah Priest.  Witnesses, P. L. Spooner, Isaac H. Kiested.  Recorded January 24, 1839.  Before P. L. Spooner Notary Public.

The record of the partition is below - and the partition map shows the specific location of the divided property. The partition references Jesse Laird in both the petition, but also on the map of the land. Obediah, with whom Jesse had a transaction above is listed, as is his new wife Nancy. John Priest is not listed, but Jesse likely had already purchased his portion of the property. Obviously, Nancy, John, and Obediah were all siblings.

There is a newspaper notice of this proceeding with Jesse Laird and the Obediah Priest Heirs in The Political Beacon of Saturday, January 27, 1838. It is posted below.

Dearborn County marriage records show Jesse Laird marrying Nancy Priest on January 18, 1838 - seven months after the death of Mary Tharp Laird. A copy of that marriage record is shown below (a facsimile from 1994). Nancy was the oldest known child of Obediah Priest, who died in 1833 in Dearborn County. His land was partitioned to his widow Rebecca and his children. Jesse Laird purchased some of this land, as shown above. Obediah was one of fourteen children and the oldest son of Jeremiah Priest, a Revolutionary War veteran from Culpeper County Virginia (in an area later in Shenandoah County). Jeremiah came to southwest Ohio and died in Clark County, Ohio in 1840. I have done extensive research on the Priest family and hope to post it at some point on this website.

On Page 261 of the Dearborn County Commissioner records for the March 1838 Term - abstracted on the Indiana’s Gore website - is the petition of John Powell and other freeholder for change in state road from Aurora up North Hogan Creek. Road through land of John Powell, W. V. Cheek, Henry and Amer Bruce. Signed by many people. Armer Stephenson, Jesse Laird and James Boyd appointed to view alteration.

Additionally in the May 1838 County Commission Term on p. 276, there was a listing of Grand Jurors for the April Term 1839. Then in the June 1839 Term, there was a listing of allowances for Grand Jurors from the April 1839 Term. One of those listed for an allowance was Jesse Laird.

Dearborn Co. DB P, pp. 466-67.  December 22, 1838.  Jesse Laird to Abraham Rowland, both of Dearborn County.  Three thousand twenty five dollars.  Land in Section Nine, Township Five, Range One.  Sixty-nine and a half acres.  Signed, Jesse Laird.  Witnesses, Danl. S. Major and Abijah Chamberlain.  Jesse’s oldest daughter married a Chamberlain ca 1829 and died the next year shortly after giving birth to Sarah Mariah Chamberlain. It is possible, since Abijah is in the same vicinity as Jesse, there is a relationship. The explanation about Jesse’s oldest daughter is in the adjoining website on the children of Jesse and his first wife Mary.

Dearborn Co DB P p. 503-04. Abraham and Eleanor Roland to Jesse Laird, all of Dearborn County.  December 22, 1838.  It states literally “thirty-five hundred dollars”, but that does not seem right – maybe it’s one hundred thirty-five dollars.  Land in Dearborn County, which is described by boundaries – the description beginning at a stake at the southeast corner of the northwest corner of Section Nine, Town Five, Range One.  Sixty nine and one half acres, more or less.  Signed Abraham Rowland, Eleanor Roland (sic).  The two witnesses are Danl. S. Major and Abijah Chamberlain (again). Recorded December 22, 1838, by Danl. S. Major, Notary Public.

Dearborn Co DB Q p. 284. Jesse Laird of the County of Dearborn State of Indiana to George Buell of the same place.  June 17, 1839.  One dollar.  Unclear description – the north half of the western (?) portion of the following tracts of land, to wit, the northwest quarter of section nine, and the east part of the north east quarter of section eight, township five, range one, which belonged to the estate of Deb (? – can’t be write) Elder, late of Dearborn County set off by court to widow Sarah Elder, set off by deed to George Buell and Jesse Laird by right of dower.  Sixty-nine and fifty hundreds acres.  Signed Jesse Laird and Nancy (x – her mark) Laird.  Witnessed by A. St. Clair and Levi Laird.  “Said wife” examined separate and apart by A. St. Clair, Justice of the Peace.

Dearborn Co DB Q p. 328-29. George P. Buell of the County of Dearborn State of Indiana to Jesse Laird of the same place.  June 7, 1839.  One dollar.  The south half of that certain part of land that includes the northwest quarter of section eight and the northeast quarter of section eight in township five, range one, that belonged to the estate of Dele (?) Elder, late of Dearborn County, deceased, and was set off by the order of the Dearborn Circuit Court to Sarah Elder, widow of Dele (?) Elder deceased in dower of said estate.  Fifty-nine acres and five hundredths.  Signed by G. P. Buell and Ann Buell, witnessed by J. Brownell and A. St. Clair.  Ann Buell examined separate and apart by A. St. Clair, Justice of the Peace. Once again there are deeds back and forth between the same parties at the same time.

Dearborn Co DB R p. 228.  Wrexham West to Jesse Laird, both of Dearborn County, State of Indiana.  February 21, 1840.  Two hundred dollars.  A portion of the southwest corner of Section Nine, Town Five, Range One which descended to Elizabeth Priest, one of the children and heirs of Obediah Priest, deceased, late of said county, being one tenth part of the said quarter section excepting out of the same sixty acres running off the south side of said quarter.  The next section is confusing, as it does not seem to indicate that this is sixty acres total, or sixty acres off another total.  I did not get the second page of this deed which completes the transaction, and will get it during my next trip to SLC.

[This comes two days after the following transaction: Dearborn Co DB R p. 227-28.  Elizabeth Priest of Dearborn County, Indiana to Wrexham West of the same county.  February 19, 1840.  Two hundred twenty-five dollars.  All that portion of the southwest quarter of Section Nine, Town Five, Range One in said County which descended to me and one of the children and heirs of Obediah Priest deceased late of said county being the one tenth part of the whole of said quarter section, excepting out of the same sixty acres off the south side of said quarter running east and west the whole length of the south line of said quarter and so far north on the west line of said quarter and so far north on the east line of said quarter as to include said sixty acres the portion hereby conveyed being that one tenth part of said quarter, said sixty acres excepting which was set off to me via (?) suralty (?) on partition made by decree of the Dearborn probate court on application of Jesse Laird at the Feb. Term 1838 of said Court, also my undivided one tenth part of that portion of said quarter section which was set off at same time to Rebecca (sic) Priest in dower . . .  Signed by Elizabeth (x – her mark) Priest.  Witnessed by Jeremiah Priest, P. S. Spooner, and G. H. Dunn.  Philip S. Spooner, Notary Public examined Elizabeth Priest and determined that this transaction was voluntary.]

Jesse Laird is shown in the 1840 in Dearborn County, Indiana (posted below) with eleven people in the entry. Shown are a woman between the ages of seventy and eighty, a man between fifty and sixty (Jesse), a woman between the ages of thirty and forty (Nancy), two men and a woman each between the ages of fifteen and twenty (Lytle, Mary Ann, and probably George), a boy between the ages of ten and fifteen (Jesse Martin), and two boys between the ages of five and ten and a girl between the ages of five and ten (Edward, Robert, and Sarah Chamberlain), and one girl under the age of five (Elizabeth).

Jesse’s sons John, David, and Levi Laird all were out of the house and were listed in their own entry in Dearborn County in the 1840 census. Sarah was married and out of the house this year. Jesse’s oldest daughter had married and died ten years before this entry. The entry below contains seven children of Jesse. With five other children just mentioned and not shown in the entry - that would equal twelve children, which is the number that Jesse would have had by 1840 - eleven by Mary and the first by Nancy. It also confirms that Sarah Chamberlain was living with them and being raised in this household.

The woman between seventy and eighty in this census entry in a mystery.  Jesse's mother, who would have been this age, reportedly died in 1829 in Pennsylvania. Nancy’s mother, Rebecca Priest, Obediah's widow, is shown elsewhere in Dearborn County in this census, and would have been about age fifty in this year.

Dearborn Co DB T p. 357-59.  Jesse Laird and Nancy Laird his wife of Dearborn County Indiana to William B. McCullough of the same place.  April 1, 1842.  Thirty five hundred dollars.  Land in the County of Dearborn described as beginning at a stake in the southeast corner of the north west quarter of section nine.  Appears to contain two separate parcels, one is 76.79 acres, and the second is 69.5 (?) acres.  One of the parcels is stated to include sixty acres descended to Obediah Priest, William Priest, John Priest, Elizabeth Priest, and Nancy Priest, heirs of Obediah Priest deceased being the five tenths of the said tract.  There is a reference to Elizabeth Priest widow of Obediah Priest.  There is a reference to Abraham Roland.  Signed by Jesse Laird and Nancy (x – her mark) Laird.  Witnesses, P. L. Spooner and Abm. (?) Brower.  Nancy examined separate and apart from her husband by P. L. Spooner, Justice of the Peace.  Recorded April 27, 1842.

In the June 1843 Dearborn County Commission Term, on p. 312, there was a listing for the Traverse Jury for October Term 1843, 1st week. One of those listed jurors was Jesse Laird of Lawrenceburg Township.

There was a campaign in 1847 to build Hamline Methodist Episcopal Church in Lawrenceburgh, and there was an article in the Lawrenceburgh Register of Thursday, August 17, 1922 about it - posted below - that lists both Jesse and David T. Laird as donors.

Jesse Laird is shown in the 1850 federal census in Dearborn County in Lawrenceburgh (sic) Township, in an entry taken on August 8, 1850. There are eleven people in the entry, Jesse and Nancy; seven children; one grandchild and one other person, from the neighboring Cheek family, who was likely live-in help.

Jesse is shown as 62, a farmer with a farm valued at $18,000, born in Ireland; with Nancy, 44, born in Indiana; and seven children, all born in Indiana, the oldest five in school the past year - the oldest two being Mary’s children and the remaining five being Nancy’s children - William, 20 farmer; Robert, 18, farmer; Elizabeth, 10; Henry C., 7; Nancy J., 6; Joseph, 5; and James F., 3. Also included is (Sarah) Mariah Chamberlain, 20, daughter of Jesse and Mary’s oldest child (described in the adjoining webpage on Jesse and Mary’s children); and Margaret Cheek, 18 (?), born in Germany.

Two other points about this entry. It was taken on August 8, and Jesse and Nancy’s youngest child, son Frank, was born on June 19 and is not shown in this entry. This census is also posted in the section on Jesse and Nancy’s children on an adjoining page, because it is the only known record that contains their daughter Nancy J., shown as age 6 in this record.

Jesse Laird participated in a Republican mass meeting in Lawrenceburg on August 25, 1855 and was elected as a delegate. This was reported in the Aurora Weekly Standard of August 30, 1855.

Jesse Laird was shown as part of a central committee (Republican?) in Dearborn County was shown in the Aurora Weekly Standard edition of March 12, 1856 - posted below.

In the folksy 1858 tome about Dearborn County, "Cotton's Keepsake", it is written about Wilson Creek that "my venerable friends Joshua Sanks and Jesse Laird and others reside here, loved by all who know them . . ." The cover page of the book and the brief section that mentions Jesse Laird are posted just below. The son of patriarch Jesse Laird (Joseph) and the granddaughter of patriarch Joshua Sanks (Eliza Sanks) married after Joseph Laird returned to Dearborn County after civil war service in the 7th Indiana Cavalry.

Dearborn Co DB 15 p. 10-11.  Jesse Laird and Nancy Laird his wife of Dearborn County, Indiana to Jesse Martin Laird of the same County.  October 14, 1858.  Part of Section Eight, Town Five, Range One.  Twenty acres.  Six hundred dollars.  References made to land formerly owned by Samuel Saltmarsh.  Signed by Jesse Laird and Nancy (x – her mark) Laird.  Witnessed by Theo. Gazley.  Certified by Theodore Gazley, Notary Public.  Recorded April 14, 1859. Obviously, Jesse M. Laird was the son and step-son of Jesse and Nancy.

In an 1860 plat map of Lawrenceburg Township of Dearborn County, Jesse is shown with a plot of 175 acres next to Wilson Creek. His son George is shown with 30 acres across the creek. Joshua Sanks is shown just downstream. Other families, such as the Cheeks, Daniels, and Rees, are shown nearby. The map shows where on Wilson Creek Jesse lived in relation to Lawrenceburgh. This map is also posted on the Sanks pages on this website.

In the 1860 census, Jesse Laird is shown in Lawrenceburgh Township, Dearborn County, Indiana, in an entry taken on July 3, 1860. Jesse is listed as a farmer aged 69, with land valued at $5,400 and holdings at $1,000, born in Ireland. With him is Nancy, 42, William, 28, farmer, Elizabeth, 20, Joseph, 14, James 12, and Frank, 10, all born in Indiana. Nancy’s age is twelve years less than what she was listed as in the 1850 census. Frank had not been listed in 1850, indicating he was born just after that census was taken. Nancy the daughter was not shown in this entry, indicating she had died by this year. Henry Clay Laird, whose obituary is shown on the page about Jesse and Nancy’s children, died about five weeks before this entry.

In 1863, there was a court case of Jesse Laird vs. Jacob Rees in which there was a default judgment of $9.50. The "rendition" date was October 23, 1863. It was unclear whether the case was Jesse Sr., or Jesse M., Jr.

The Democratic Register of Lawrenceburgh, in its issue of Friday, November 17, 1865, states on page three: "Jesse Laird, one of the oldest settlers in this county, died at his residence in this township Sunday last [November 12, 1865], at the advanced age of about 75 years. Thus has departed one of the earliest pioneers of this valley." This is posted on the Laird introductory page and below.

Jesse Laird was buried in the Ebenezer Baptist Cemetery, with his first wife Mary. His tombstone - a photo of which is posted below - reads, Jesse Laird, died Novembeer 12, 1865, aged 76 years, 6 months, 12 days. This would place his birth about May 1, 1789.

The religious affiliation of Jesse has been unclear. Both Jesse and Mary are buried in the Baptist Cemetery, and some family members - such as John and Levi Laird and Sarah Mariah Chamberlain - are shown in the Ebenezer Baptist church records. Jesse's father and brother are buried in a Methodist Episcopal Cemetery in Pennsylvania, and his brother was shown to be a Presbyterian. As shown in an adjoining page, there is an 1860 obituary for their son, Henry Clay Laird, in which it is mentioned that he had recently become a Methodist.

Jesse Laird signed his will, posted below, eight days before his death. Explicitly mentioned in his will are ten sons and two daughters.  His wife Nancy is also mentioned.  This seems to confirm that five of his children died before the will was prepared - the daughter who married a Chamberlain, who died ca 1830; Sarah Laird Hayburn, who died in the latter part of the 1840’s; Nancy Laird, who died between 1850 and 1860; Henry Clay Laird, who died in 1860; and Robert Laird, who died in 1863.

One of the ten sons mentioned was David Laird, who was purposely omitted from his bequest, “for the reason that I have already done enough for him”. 

Jesse Laird’s will also suggests he could not read or write, as “his mark”, an X, is drawn between his first and last name on his will.  However, on earlier deeds his name was signed in full and his wife’s was noted with “her mark”, an X.

Nancy Laird shows up in Dearborn County records in various transactions related to Jesse's death. On July 18, 1866, Nancy Laird is appointed guardian for Joseph Laird et.al.("wards", according to the records). Sale of related real estate took place on May 6, 1870, the final report was made February 16, 1869, and Jesse M. Laird was the surety.

With regard to the Jesse Laird estate, it was settled finally on August 14, 1867. It appears that there was 1964.08 in the estate, and 1898.74 in expenses, leaving 65.34 for distribution. The legatees were to receive any distribution in the following shares: Nancy Laird, "the widow", would receive one third. The remaining two-thirds would be divided into ninths, with James T. Laird, Joseph M. Laird, Aaron F. Laird, John Laird, George Laird and Edward M. Laird all entitled to a ninth, and Jesse M. Laird getting three ninths of the last two-thirds, having purchased the legacies of Levi and Lytle Laird. Three pages of the land distribution documents are posted below. The map is of particular interest.

Also, Edward W. Laird filed a claim of $500 against the estate of Jesse Laird, but dismissed the claim in the January, 1868 term of the Dearborn Circuit Court. Nancy Laird is shown in Dearborn County guardianship records in the January 1869 term of the Dearborn Circuit Court in a final settlement of the guardianship of any minor heirs and is discharged from any further liability.

Nancy Laird was involved in five real estate transactions related to lands from the Jesse Laird estate - with Jesse Laird, Jr. on July 7, 1868; James Laird on August 7, 1868; Joseph Laird on October 1, 1869; David Nevitt on August 23, 1869; and as guardian for Aaron F. Laird on April 26, 1870. There appear to be a few others , involving the lands formerly of Jesse Laird and other children of Jesse but not involving Nancy. I do not seem to have the July 7, 1868 deed with Jesse Laird Jr., but will post the other four deeds here.

Dearborn Co DB 28 p. 120.  James T. Laird of Dearborn County in the State of Indiana to Nancy Laird of Dearborn County in the State of Indiana.  Four hundred and fifty dollars.  August 7, 1868.  Land in Dearborn County beginning at the south east corner of a tract of land belonging to Frank Laird, then measures each side.  Fourteen and five hundredths acres.  Lists commissioners who made the partition on book 7, page 76 of common pleas court of said county.  Signed James T. Laird.  Done before Francis Adkinson, Notary Public on August 25, 1868.  Recorded August 27, 1868 by Alfred Brogan Record of Dearborn County.

Dearborn Co DB 27 p. 348-49. Nancy Laird of the County of Dearborn and State of Indiana to David Nevitt of the County of Dearborn and State of Indiana. Land in Dearborn County, a part of the southeast and southwest quarter of Section Eight, Town Five and Range One. Beginning at the corner of a certain tract of land set off and assigned to Martin Laird by David Nevitt, Joseph Curtis, and H. D. McMullin, Commissioners appointed to make partition of the rest estate of Jesse Laird among the legatees under his will and which partition duly entered in partition record Number One on pages 28 and 29, the first parcel containing fourteen and five hundredths acres, and the second parcel containing twenty-eight and twenty-one hundredths acres. A third parcel contained fifteen and seventy-eight hundredths acres. There appears to be a fourth parcel of fourteen and five hundredths of an acre. The total price was four thousand one hundred seventy six dollars and twenty five cents. August 23, 1869. Signed by Nancy (x – her mark) Laird. Nancy Laird appeared personally in front of F. Adkinson August 23, 1869. Recorded September 7, 1869 by Alfred Brogan, Recorder.

Dearborn Co DB 29 p. 32.  Joseph and Eliza Laird his wife of Dearborn County in the State of Indiana to Nancy Laird of Dearborn County in the State of Indiana.  October 1, 1869.  Amount left blank.  A partition of part of the south east and south west quarters of Section Eight, Town Five, Range One, recorded in Order Book (Book Number and pages left blank).  Martin Laird listed as an adjoining property owner.  Fourteen and five hundredths acres.  Signed by Joseph Laird and Eliza Laird.  Frances Atkinson, Notary Public affirmed Joseph and Eliza E. Laird, and Obediah B. Priest [Nancy Laird’s brother] was mentioned in this section.  Recorded on November 1, 1869.

Dearborn Co DB 33 p. 266. Nancy Laird Guardian for Aaron F. Laird [Frank] minor heir of Jesse Laird deceased to David Nevitt.  April 26, 1870.  Five hundred and sixty two dollars.  Real Estate in the County of Dearborn State of Indiana being a part of the south east and south west quarters of Section Eight, Township 5, Range 1.  Land set off by three men in Order Book 7, pp. 236-37.  Fourteen and five hundredths acres.  Signed by Nancy (x – her mark) Laird, Guardian.  Nancy Laird appeared in front of F. Atkinson, Notary Public on April 26, 1870.  Examined in open court on May 6, 1870 by Scott Carter, Judge.  Recorded on July ?, 1871 by F. M. Johnson, Recorder of Dearborn County.

Nancy Laird was shown in Vermilion County Illinois property records in Deedbook 21 as purchasing land in Vermilion County on September 30, 1869. She is shown as Nancy Laird of Dearborn County, Indiana. The deed was witnessed by Joseph H. Laird. The deed is posted below.  This is when the Lairds first arrived in Vermilion County, Illinois - where some descendants live to this day.

Nancy is shown in Sidell Township of Vermilion County, Illinois in the 1870 census in an entry taken on June 24. That entry was of her son Joseph, 24, a farmer born in Indiana with personal property listed at $800, his wife Eliza, 20, keeping house and born in Indiana, their son Lewis, two months, born in April in Illinois, [Lewis was the first of Joseph and Eliza’s children and my great-grandfather] and Demevus, 10, male, born in Illiana(?), and attended school in the past year. Nancy is shown as 60, born in Indiana, with property valued at $800/$2,000, cannot read. The child is a mystery, and is the same age as Kate Pratt, a granddaughter who was likely with them - but the name and gender are not correct in this entry. [Sidell Township was a largely rural township in southwest Vermilion County, not all that far from Danville.]

Vermilion County Illinois court records show that Nancy Laird died intestate about April 21, 1873. It states that she was survived by three children and one grandchild. There were originally letters of administration filed on December 10, 1873, and then a revised letter filed on April 24, 1906. Listed as survivors were Joseph, James, and Franklin Laird, and Katie Laird a grandchild. Katie married one Samuel Pratt and later joined her husband Samuel Pratt in a warranty deed dated February 15, 1883. The description of the land in the 1883 deed matches the 1869 deed where Nancy Laird of Dearborn County purchased the same land. There is a section on Katie Laird (Pratt) at the end of the section on Jesse and Nancy’s children.

Nancy Laird’s death in April 1873 ends this story of Jesse and his two wives. The story began in Donegal, Ireland - carried through Washington County, Pennsylvania and Dearborn County, Indiana, and ended in Vermilion County, Illinois. It resulted in two marriages and seventeen children - and hundreds of descendants who live across the United States today. The two adjoining pages about those children and their families continue the story - and I welcome any feedback on corrections or records I have missed.