compiled by LynnFusinato 2008

Jesse Blackwell of Goochland Co. VA married young Elizabeth “Betty”
Smith, daughter of John and Elizabeth Smith, in early 1783.  Betty’s
parents signed the marriage bond on Feb 25, 1783, in Chesterfield
Co. VA giving permission for their daughter to marry, indicating
that Betty was under 21 years old at that time.  The newlyweds setup
housekeeping in VA and produced six children between 1784 and 1798.

Apparently, there was another Jesse Blackwell living in Goochland Co.
VA around the same time who had married a Mary Crow about 1776.  
Both Jesse Blackwell families moved to Tennessee in the early 1800s.  
Unfortunately, over the years, descendants of these two families have
become confused as to which couple they are descended from.  Court
records in St. Francois County Missouri show that it was the family of
Elizabeth Smith and her Jesse Blackwell who moved to that county at the
end of 1806 or in early 1807.  It is not known exactly what happened to
Mary Crow’s husband Jesse Blackwell.  Probably, he remained in
Tennessee since some of his descendents claim that he and Mary are
buried there next to each other.

Possibly Elizabeth and Jesse moved to Tennessee around 1800 and
Elizabeth’s husband is the Jesse Blackwell found in Knox Co. TN records
of 1801 and 1802 and in Roane Co. records in 1803-1805, or possibly
those records refer to the Jesse Blackwell who married Mary Crow.  In
any case, it is thought that Elizabeth and Jesse were living in TN when
their youngest child Robert was born around 1803.  For sure they were
in TN when their daughter Sarah married Noah Stafford in Roane Co.
TN in 1806.  The Blackwells and their new son-in-law probably left
Tennessee shortly after the young couple married in October because
most people who migrated to MO back then made the trip in the winter
in order to cross the Mississippi River when it was frozen and provided an
ice bridge for their wagons (usually around Christmas or New Years’ Day).

Elizabeth and Jesse settled on land in what is now St. Francois Co. in an
area that was called Cooks Settlement after another earlier settler named
Nathaniel Cook.  Jesse’s property was adjacent to land owned by a
young man named William Holmes who had migrated to MO from PA
around 1800.  William was smitten by Jesse’s daughter Polly and they
married in the Fall of 1807 just a month after Jesse Jr. married Mary
Boring in Ste. Genevieve Co. MO.  The married children of Jesse and
Elizabeth setup housekeeping not far from their parents and began to
produce many grandchildren for the couple.

Around 1820, son-in-law William Holmes decided to move his family
about ten to twenty miles east and homestead land near the present
day town of Coffman, MO.  Land records show that in 1820, Jesse
increased the size of his farm by buying eighty-five acres of land
ajoining his farm from his son-in-law William Holmes, possibly as a
place for his son William Blackwell to establish a home for wife
Mary Ann (Halbert) and their young son.  Around the early to mid
1820s more of Jesse’s children left the nest when Jesse’s youngest
daughter Elizabeth married Charles C. Collins and his youngest son
Robert married Catherine Wysor Reyburn (the widow of James
Reyburn who was ten years older than Robert and the mother of
two children).  By the late 1820s and early 1830s most of Jesse
Blackwell’s children lived either in Ste. Genevieve Co. MO or in the
nearby counties of St. Francois, Jefferson, Madison, Washington
and Crawford County MO.

It was in 1825 that Jesse began settling his estate by transferring some
property to his children.  According to court records, Jesse sold two
slaves and part (or maybe all) of his farm in St. Francois Co. to his
son William and he apparently gave to both William and to his youngest
son Robert their inheritances.  Possibly, he gave or sold some of his
other property to his other children.  In 1828 Jesse freed one of his
slaves named Will, probably a favorite slave who had been with him for
a long time.  It is very likely that the free colored man named William
Blackwell listed in the 1840 census for St. Francois Co. was that slave
Jesse freed.

Most likely, in the early to mid 1820s Jesse began to show signs of
mental and physical deterioration which probably prompted his trying
to settle his affairs. By 1828 his mind was so far gone that Jesse’s
son-in-law William Holmes was appointed as his legal guardian and
the custodian of his estate of $2500.  Jesse and his wife Elizabeth
moved into the home their daughter Mary Holmes shared with her
husband William and the services of two slaves were hired to care
for the old man and his wife.  William Holmes reported yearly to the
St. Francois county court an expense record accounting for any
expenditures he made from the estate of Jesse Blackwell to pay for
the care of the old couple.

St. Francois County court records show that in August of 1830, Jesse’s
son-in-law Noah Stafford received $80 from William Holmes as his wife
Sarah Blackwell Stafford’s share of her parent’s estate.  Son Jesse
Junior received $200 as his share of his parents estate in late November
of 1830.  Another son-in-law Charles C. Collins received $80 from William
Holmes as his wife Elizabeth Blackwell Collins’ share of her parents’ estate
in 1833.  In 1839 William Holmes gave his brother-in-law James Blackwell
$100 as James’ share of his parents’ estate.  

Jesse died at the end of 1836.  While no will was probated, there are
many probate documents associated with his guardianship that show
what happened to his estate and who his heirs were.  They show that
the Holmes continued caring for Jesse’s wife Elizabeth and reporting
to the court a yearly expense record for her care until her death in
September 1843.  Before the death of both parents, most of the
children of Jesse and Elizabeth Blackwell took what they acknowledged
as their share of their parents’ estate.  Presumably the residue of the
estate, if any, went to son-in-law William Holmes.

Once Jesse Sr. and Elizabeth Blackwell were both dead, their oldest
son Jesse Jr. moved his wife and a number of their children from Greene
Co. MO to Texas in 1844 where they accumulated land rich in oil.  The
next son William H. Blackwell and his family moved to Crawford Co. MO
around 1832 and some years later settled in Dent Co. Missouri where he
was a very successful farmer.  It is not known what happened to son James
Blackwell.  Possibly he was the James Blackwell who lived in Jefferson Co.
MO.   The youngest son Robert Blackwell moved his family from St. Francois
Co. to Crawford Co. MO in the late 1820s and then to Ste. Genevieve Co. by
1840 where they settled near his mother who was living with William Holmes.  
The oldest daughter Mary Blackwell Holmes and her husband William
remained in Ste. Genevieve Co. until William died in the early 1850s. A few
years after her husband’s death, Mary moved to Iron Co. MO to live with
her son-in-law Allen W. Holloman’s family.  Jesse’s second daughter Sarah
Blackwell Stafford and her husband Noah settled in Crawford Co. MO where
they are both buried.  Jesse’s youngest daughter Elizabeth Blackwell Collins
and her husband moved their family from Madison Co. MO to Ste. Genevieve
Co. in the 1840s and then to Iron Co. MO in the 1850s to the very town where
her sister Mary moved after William Holmes died.  Elizabeth and her
husband are buried in the Masonic Cemetery outside of Arcadia, MO, in the
same cemetery where Mary’s daughter Lucinda and Lucinda’s Holloman
family are interred.

Where Elizabeth and Jesse Blackwell and Mary and William Holmes  
are buried is not known.  However, it  is suspected that they are buried
in unmarked graves in the Old Stone Cemetery located near Coffman
in Ste. Genevieve Co. MO.  There used to be an Old Stone Methodist
Church located next to the cemetery.  It is thought that the Holmes
and Blackwell families attended this church during the 1840s.  
Tombstones for Robert Blackwell Holmes (youngest son of Mary and
William), Robert’s wife and some of their descendents can be found in
this old cemetery.

==========================================
 
01 Jesse BLACKWELL, b. abt 1761 VA;
………………………………..d. 12/15/1836 Ste. Genevieve County MO
….+ Elizabeth SMITH, b. around 1767 VA, m. 02/25/1783 VA;
………………………………..d. abt. 09/15/1843 MO
……..02 Jesse BLACKWELL, Jr. b. 29 Jun 1784 VA;
………………………………..d. 24 May 1855 Caldwell Co., TX
………..+ Mary “Polly” BORING/BORIN, b. 1786 GA;
………………………………..d. aft 1870 TX; m. 15 SEP 1807 MO
………….03 James BLACKWELL
………….03 Laburs BLACKWELL
………….03 Mary BLACKWELL
………….03 Missouri BLACKWELL
………….03 Evaline BLACKWELL, b. 1812 MO, lived TX 1850,  
…………….+ Samuel B. TEAS, they had 6 children
………….03 William A. BLACKWELL, b. 11 Apr 1817 MO,
………………………………..d. 04 Oct 1898; 10 children  
………….03 Harriet BLACKWELL, b. 1828 MO, d. Caldwell County, TX
…………….+ Benjamin SIKES, 4 children
………….03 Jesse Thomas BLACKWELL, b. 02 Dec 1832 TX,
………………………………..d. 12 Jan 1901 Caldwell Co.,TX
…………….+ Nancy M. KEESE, b. 1837 TN, d. aft. 1920; had 9 children         
……..02 Mary BLACKWELL, b. 02/29/1788 VA, m. 04 OCT 1807 MO
………………………………..d. 07/05/1870 Iron Co. MO,  
           + William HOLMES, b. 01/23/1777 MD/PA, d. 12/28/1851 MO
………….03 James Wells HOLMES, b. 09/11/1808,  
…………….+ Sarah Couzens, b. 1811 TN, m. bef. 1845;  
………………..sister of William H. Couzens (b. 1818)
…………….04 Ann HOLMES, b. 1835 MO
…………….04 Mary HOLMES, b. 1838 MO
…………….04 Thomas HOLMES, b. 1841 MO
…………….04 Lucinda HOLMES, b. 1844 MO
…………….04 Catherine HOLMES, b. 1847 MO
…………….04 Ellen HOLMES, b. 1849 MO
………….03 Thomas E. HOLMES, b. 11/14/1810,  
…………….+ Rachel MADDEN (1st wife), b. abt.1820 MO,
………………………………..d. abt 1852 AR, m. 1839 MO
……………………………………daughter of Richard Madden, Ste. Genevieve Co. MO
…………….04 Letitia HOLMES, b. abt.1840 MO,  
                       married a BURKE, a VICK, a HOOPER and P. J. DOWNS
…………….04 Mary HOLMES, b. abt.1842 MO
…………….04 Margaret HOLMES, b. abt.1844 MO, d. 1909,  
                  + Marcus Lafayette HICKEY, m, 1865   
…………….04 James William HOLMES, b. abt.1847 AR, d. aft 1880
               + Susannah KLACKLE (2nd wife), b. abt. 1825, d. aft 1870
………………………………..born in in Bavaria Germany
…………….04 William HOLMES, b. 1858 AR, d. bef 1870?
…………….04 Thomas Edward HOLMES Jr., b. abt 1861 AR, d. aft 1920
……………….+ Ellen Orelieran LOFLIN, b. 1863
………….03 Lucinda Smith HOLMES, b. 09/18/1812, d. 01/08/1888,  
…………….+ Allan W. HOLLOMAN, b. 01-01-1805 in NC;
………………………………..d. 05-05-1895, Iron Co. MO  
…………….04 Mary Ann HOLLOMAN, b. 11-06-1831 MO;
………………………………..d. 03-22-1910 Iron Co. MO
……………….+ William Nixon GREGORY
…………….04 Sarah Emeline Cook  HOLLOMAN, b. 12-21-1833 MO;
………………………………..d. 04-05-1845 MO
…………….04 Lucinda Jane  HOLLOMAN, b. 01-19-1836 MO;
………………………………..d. 11-01-1916 MO
……………….+ William James HINCHEY   
…………….04 William Holmes HOLLOMAN, b. 05-20-1838 MO;  
………………………………..d. 08-20-1861 MO
…………….04 Allan Augustus HOLLOMAN, b. 03-16-1841 MO;
………………………………..d. 01-22-1886, unmarried
…………….04 Thomas Edmund Benton HOLLOMAN, b. 10-08-1843 MO;
………………………………..d. 03-05-1920 MO
……………….+ Precia/Pressia Matilda “Tilly” BOLLINGER, b. Mar. 1842 ;
………………………………..d. June 1918
…………….04 John Wesley HOLLOMAN, b. 08-01-1846 MO;
………………………………..d. disappeared 01-03-1903 MO
…………….04 Robert Fillmore HOLLOMAN, b. 09-09-1851 MO;
………………………………..d. 02-15-1943 MO
                  + Mary BUCKNER, b. 1854; d. Oct. 1883 MO
…………….04 Barbara Josephine “Josie” HOLLOMAN, b. 03-01-1854 MO;
………………………………..d. 12-12-1929 MO
…………….04 Joel Bugg HOLLOMAN, b. 11-18-1856 in Iron Co. MO;
………………………………..d. 04-09-1926 MO
………….03 Elizabeth (“Bettie”) Stevenson HOLMES, b. 12/20/1814,
………………………………..d. 08/08/1845
………….03 William Blackwell HOLMES,b. 1815?, d. 1816?   
………….03 William Isom HOLMES, b. 08/28/1816 MO, d. 1874 AR
…………….+ Margaret MADDEN, b. 12/15/1823 MO, d. 10/08/1899 AR,
………………………………..m. Mar. 17, 1842 MO
…………….04 Richard Madden HOLMES, b. 05/30/1843 MO,
………………………………..d. 06/25/1895 MO  
…………….04 Mary Arkansas HOLMES, b. 11/25/1845 AR,
………………………………..d. 08/02/1903 AR         <<–
……………….+ William Henry BLACKWELL, b. 1825 MO,
………………………………..d. bef. 1900, m. 11/20/1866 AR
…………….04 Thomas I. HOLMES, b. 01/22/1849 AR, d. 05/16/1892 AR
…………….04 William L. HOLMES, b. 11/21/1853 AR, d. 09/05/1892 AR   
………….03 Alexander Washington HOLMES, b. 07/03/1819;
………………………………..d. 1846, never married  
………….03 Robert Blackwell HOLMES, b. 07/11/1822, m. 05/26/1846,
………………………………..d. 03/08/1861 MO  
…………….+ Sarah C. “Carry” MCFARLAND, b. 10/18/1823 MO,
………………………………..d. 05/01/1887 MO  
…………….04 James McFarland HOLMES, b. 03/11/1849,
………………………………..d. 09/08/1850
…………….04 Elizabeth Emily HOLMES, b. 02/14/1851 MO,
………………………………..d. 05/02/1921  
……………….+ Lucian TALLEVAST b. 01/10/1843 * Normandy France,
………………………………..d. 01/30/1899 m. 06/15/1871 by Rev.
……………………………………Andrew PEACE, husband of Carry’s sister
…………….04 Charles HOLMES, b. 05/31/1853 MO,
………………………………..d. 12/07/1861
…………….04 Julia HOLMES, b. 05/19/1855 MO, d. 09/16/1881
……………….+ Mr. CLEVELAND m. 11/09/1880
…………….04 Margaret Ann HOLMES, b. 06/23/1857 MO,
………………………………..d. 07/03/1890,   
……………….+ Peter R. PRATTE m. 10/14/1879
…………….04 Flora Mary HOLMES, b. 04/27/1859 MO,
………………………………..d. 12/15/1867
…………….04 Robert Blackwell HOLMES Jr, b. 03/02/1861,
………………………………..d. 03/08/1861
…………….04 Maud HOLMES, b. 03/30/1862, d. 04/07/1862
…………….04 Clara “Carrie” HOLMES, b. 06/12/1868 MO,
………………………………..d. 11/10/1896
……………….+Henry  L. PRATTE  m. 10/26/1892       
………….03 Richard Madden HOLMES, b. 01/20/1824,
………………………………..d. 01/19/1850, m. abt 1845
…………….+ Rachael HOLLOMAN b. 01/28/1828 MO,
………………………………..d. 07/08/1883 TX
…………………………………..(daug. Allan W. Holloman and 1st wife),  
…………….04 Mary HOLMES, b. abt. 1846 MO, d. bef, 1850
…………….04 William H. HOLMES, b. abt. 1847 MO,
………………………………..d. bef. 1855
…………….04 Allan W. HOLMES, b. abt. 1849 MO, d. aft. 1871   
………….03 Polly HOLMES; d. 1851                                                 
………….03 Nancy Emeline HOLMES b. 02/1828, d. Dec. 1851  
……..02 Sarah BLACKWELL, b. 27 Feb 1790 VA,
………………………………..d. 11 Nov 1868 Keysville, Crawford Co., MO
………..+ Noah STAFFORD, m. 5 OCT 1806  married in Roane Co.,
………………………………..TN & soon migrated with her parents to MO  
………….03 Louvina STAFFORD,
…………….+ William KEY
………….03 Evaline STAFFORD,  
………….03 Matilda STAFFORD, b. 20 Oct 1810,
………………………………..d. 10 Oct 1874 Crawford Co.,MO
………….03 Richard STAFFORD, b. 1816, d. 1897
………….03 Jesse B. STAFFORD, b. 1818
………….03 James R. STAFFORD, b. 1822
………….03 Samuel Ellis STAFFORD, b. 20 Aug 1824, d. 19 Jun 1902
………….03 Robert J. STAFFORD, b. 1828
………….03 Micky Saline STAFFORD, b. 12 Sep 1828 MO,
………………………………..d. 15 Apr 1881  
……..02 William H. BLACKWELL, b. 1793 VA,
………………………………..d. 04 Sep 1856 Hawkins Bank, Dent Co., MO
………..+ Mary Ann HALBERT, children born  St. Francois Co.MO
………….03 John Smith BLACKWELL, b. 21 Feb 1819 MO,
………………………………..d. 16 Apr 1898 Salem, Dent Co. MO
………….03 James Halbert BLACKWELL, b. 15 Dec 1821 MO,
………………………………..d. 30 Jul 1866 Dent Co. MO
………….03 Harriet Elvira BLACKWELL, b. Abt. 1822 MO,
…………….+ Wiley J. ENGLAND
………….03 Jesse Allen BLACKWELL Sr, b. 29 Jun 1826 MO,
………………………………..d. aft.1870 Perry Co. AR
………….03 William H. BLACKWELL , b. 29 Jun 1826 MO,
………………………………..d. 25 Apr 1870  Dent Co. MO
………….03 Frances Ann BLACKWELL, b. 22 Jan 1828 MO,               
…………….+ Thomas B. FISHER
………….03 Mary Ann BLACKWELL, b. Abt. 1834 MO, d. Aft. 1880,  
…………….+ John Emory WATSON
……..02 James BLACKWELL, b. Abt. 1795 VA (?possibly
……………………………………………lived Jefferson Co. MO?)
……..02 Elizabeth S. BLACKWELL, b. abt 1798/1802 VA,
………………………………..d. 1863 Iron Co. MO
………..+ Charles C. COLLINS, b. abt 1795/1802 KY,
………………………………..d. 1864 Iron Co. MO, farmer
………….03 unk. daughter COLLINS, b. bet 1824-1829 MO
………………………………..(?possibly actually son George W. Collins?)
………….03 Charles H. COLLINS, b. 16 Oct 1829  MO,
………………………………..d. 4 June 1902, farmer/carpenter/merchant
…………….+ Ann E. PEASE, b. 20 Jan 1837 OH;
………………………………..m. 06 Aug 1857 Iron C. MO; d. 15 Jan 1904 MO   
…………….04 Gloria “Nettie” COLLINS, b. 1858 MO
…………….04 Sanford COLLINS, b. 1859 MO
…………….04 Mary COLLINS, b. 1864 Iron Co. MO
…………….04 William COLLINS, b. 1866 Iron Co. MO
…………….04 John COLLINS, b. 1868 Iron Co. MO  
………….03 John S. COLLINS, b. abt 1833 MO, carpenter    
……..02 Robert B. BLACKWELL, b. abt 1803 TN, d. abt 1855 MO,   
………………………………..lived Crawford Co. MO 1830;
………………………………..lived Ste. Genevieve Co 1840 & 1850
………..+ Catherine WYSOR REYBURN, b. 10/09/1790,                 
………………………………..m. 04/06/1823 St. Francois Co. MO
………………………………..d. aft 1860 MO
………….03 James M. REYBURN, b. abt 1816 (, d. 1837?);
………………………………..son of James Wysor and Catherine
………….03 Mary Elizabeth REYBURN, b. 09/07/1818 Montgomery,
………………………………..VA, daug James Wysor
………….03 William Henry BLACKWELL, b. 1825 MO, d. bef. 1900,
………………………………..m. 11/20/1866 AR    
…………….+ Mary Arkansas HOLMES, b. 11/25/1845 AR,
………………………………..d. 08/02/1903 AR       <<–
………….03 Barbara Ellen BLACKWELL, b. abt 1827 MO,  d. aft 1840
………….03 Jesse BLACKWELL, b. abt 1835 MO; d. aft 1880  
…………….+ Elizabeth CRANE, b. abt. 1835 CT; d. aft 1880
………………………………..m. 12/05/1855 Ste. Genevieve Co. MO,
………………………………..lived St. Francois, Madison Co, MO in 1860
………………………………..lived Warsaw, Hancock Co, IL in 1870
………………………………..lived Alexandria, Clark Co, Missouri in 1880
………………04 Francis W. BLACKWELL (son), b. 1857 MO,
………………………………..music teacher Stoddard Co. MO 1880     
………………04 Sarah L. BLACKWELL, b. 1858 St. Francois twp,
………………………………..Madison Co, MO; d. bef 1870
………………04 Ellen B. BLACKWELL, b. 1859 St. Francois twp,
………………………………..Madison Co, MO; d. aft 1870
………………04 Joseph BLACKWELL, b. 1862 St. Francois twp,
………………………………..Madison Co, MO; d. aft 1880
………………04 Blanche A. BLACKWELL, b. 1867 Warsaw,
………………………………..Hancock Co, IL, d. aft 1880