George W. Jesse

1832 - 1903  (71 years)

• Name	George W. Jesse  [1]
  Birth	26 Feb 1832	Strelitz, Kreis Kolmar, Posen, Prussia   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Death	13 May 1903	Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan   [3]
  Burial	Sherman Lutheran Church Cemetery, St. Joseph County, Michigan
  Notes	Also GESSE, GESS George and his sister Anna Jesse came to America on the ship "Johannes" from Hamburg arriving in New York on November 27, 1857. He was 25 and she 17. Records show their destination to be Wisconsin, although they stayed in upstate New York for at least two years. Anna did move to Wisconsin, with George instead settling in Michigan. "Germans to America" shows they were coming from W?rttemberg. A copy of the actual handwritten manifest shows Mecklenburg. Both appear to be in error. The Hamburg Passenger List, FHL #470839, shows that the "Johannes" left Hamburg on 15 October 1857. On board were George Jesse, age 25, and Anna, age 17. They were shown as coming from Strelitz, Preussen. It appears this village was in the Kreis Kolmar, Posen. In 2003, this village is known as Strzelce, Powiet Chodziez, Poland. Two years after their arrival in New York, Anna and George were both married, in an apparent double ceremony, by the Reverend Clute, pastor of a church in Byron, New York. At the time of the 1860 New York Federal Census, it appears that George Gesse was living in the home of John and Phebe Taylor of Elba, Genesee County, New York. The Taylors real estate was valued at $26,000 and there were numerous servants and laborers living in their home. The date of this census was June 20, 1860. He was listed as George Gefse, age 26, Laborer, Germany. The Klesert family, their eldest daughter Marie already married to George, lived two households away. On George's citizenship certificate, it is stated that he arrived in Michigan in January 1860. He must have arrived somewhat later than this as he was still in New York at the time of the census in June. George became a citizen of the United States at age 36. On his citzenship certificate, he was listed as George Gesse, and he solemnly swore to his intention to become a Citizen of the United States, and to renounce for ever all allegience and fidelity to each and every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty whatsoever, and particularly the King William of Prussia of whom he had been a subject. This was subscribed and sworn on the 16th day of March, 1868 in the Circuit Court of St. Joseph County, Michigan. At the time of the 1870 Michigan federal census, he was living nearby his in-laws, the Kleserts. He was enumerated on 8 July 1870 in Sherman Township, Post Office Sturgis. On the birth certificates of his two youngest children, he is listed as George Gess, and his wife as Mary Gess. The death certificate for his son lists the last name as Gessee. In a plat of Sherman Township ca 1880 supplied by Dorothy Williams, land belonging to G. Jess adjoins a larger parcel belonging to J. Klevsert. The above biography was compiled by combining the notes of Dot Williams, Jo Peck, Fern Bengelsdorf, and Melinda Strong. (Research): Census Listings: 1870 Census Michigan, St. Joseph County, Sherman Township, P.O. Sturgis Enumerated 8 July 1870 #185-185 Gesse, George 38 Farmer $1,600 340 Prussia Gesse, Mary 32 Keeping House Macklenburg Gesse, Andrew 8 Michigan Gesse, Anna 6 Michigan Gesse, Minnie 4 Michigan Gesse, Julia 2 Michigan Gesse, Sophia 6/12 Michigan On the birth certificates of his two youngest children, he is listed as George Gess, and his wife as Mary Gess. The death certificate for his son lists the last name as Gessee. 1880 Census Census Place:Sherman, St. Joseph, Michigan Source:FHL Film 1254603 National Archives Film T9-0603 Page 45 RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace George JESSE Self M M W 48 PRUS Occ:Farmer Fa: PRUS Mo: PRUS Mary JESSE Wife F M W 42 MECK Occ:Keeping House Fa: MECK Mo: MECK Andrew JESSE Son M S W 18 MI Occ:At Home Fa: PRUS Mo: MECK Anna JESSE Dau F S W 17 MI Fa: PRUS Mo: MECK Minnie JESSE Dau F S W 14 MI Fa: PRUS Mo: MECK Julia JESSE Dau F S W 12 MI Fa: PRUS Mo: MECK Augusty JESSE Dau F S W 10 MI Fa: PRUS Mo: MECK 1900 Census Michigan, St. Joseph County, Sherman Township #119-120 Jesse, George Head W M Feb 1832 68 Widowed Germany Immigrated 1858 In US 42 years Naturalized Farmer R&W, Speaks English owns farm, free of mortgage Oman, Julia Dtr W F Dec 1863 32 Wd 1 child, still living born MI parents born Germany Oman, George Gson W M Oct 1896 Mich
  Person ID	I48	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	30 Dec 2020

  
  

  Father	Andrew Jesse,   b. Bef 1815, Prussia d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Mary Bajrovik,   b. Bef 1815, Prussia d. Yes, date unknown
  Marriage	Prussia
  	The names of the children Mary and Andrew JESSE, are based on list prepared by their granddaughter, Augusta Jesse Buchholz. Augusta's granddaughter, Fern Falkenstein Bengelsdorf, has the original list, and gave a copy of it to Dorothy Ball Williams. It APPEARS that George and Anna were the oldest children, and Amelia the youngest. This seems logical since George and Anna appear to have been the first to emigrate. The birthdates of the other children are ESTIMATED based on this assumption. If they were not listed in birth order, this is likely incorrect.
  Family ID	F50	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Maria Johanna Elisabeth Klevsaat,   b. Bef 6 Jan 1838, Rosenow, Demmin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany d. 18 Aug 1890, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan (Age 52 years)
  Marriage	24 Nov 1859	Byron, Genesee County, New York
  Children	1. Andrew Charles Jesse,   b. 29 Jul 1861, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan d. 10 Nov 1937, Sturgis, St. Joseph County, Michigan (Age 76 years)   2. Anna Sophia Jesse,   b. 16 Sep 1863, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan d. 17 Jun 1957, Centreville, St. Joseph County, Michigan (Age 93 years)   3. Wilhelmina "Minnie" Johanna Friederika Jesse,   b. 27 Sep 1865, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan d. 18 Jun 1961, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan (Age 95 years)   4. Julia Jesse,   b. 22 Dec 1867, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan d. 14 Feb 1958, Sturgis, St. Joseph County, Michigan (Age 90 years)   5. Augusta Henrietta Jesse,   b. 14 Apr 1870, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan d. 3 Oct 1966, Centreville, St. Joseph County, Michigan (Age 96 years)   6. Ida Jesse,   b. 7 May 1873, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan d. 25 Aug 1873, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan (Age 0 years)   7. Charles Jesse,   b. 6 Oct 1875, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan d. 2 Aug 1876, Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan (Age 0 years)
  Photos		Jesse Family, UNKNOWNS, ca 1880-1900 Xerox of a family photo from Jo Bossert Peck. It appears that the photo was taken at the studio of Mrs. Chappell in Sturgis, Michigan, as this was embossed on the cardboard frame. Jo indicated that on the back was written "Grandpa (Andrew?) Jesse's sister, daughter and husband." Jo is not sure which of Andrew Jesse's four sisters this refers to. It had originally been assumed that this was a photo of Andrew's parents, George Jesse and his wife, Marie Klesert. However, this does not appear to be the case. PLEASE HELP US POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE PEOPLE IN THIS PHOTO.
  Family ID	F29	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	30 Dec 2020

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 26 Feb 1832 - Strelitz, Kreis Kolmar, Posen, Prussia Marriage - 24 Nov 1859 - Byron, Genesee County, New York Death - 13 May 1903 - Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan Burial - - Sherman Lutheran Church Cemetery, St. Joseph County, Michigan  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  Jesse, George, before 1900 B. 1832 Prussia D. 1903 Michigan Xerox of photo from Jo Bossert Peck

  
  

• Sources

  [S469] Williams, Dorothy Ball--Family Researcher (dotwfl@comcast.net) 3331 Southwest Villa Place, Palm City, FL 34990 ; based in part on BonnieMargaret Benkelman Jacob's unpublished typescript, THE FAMILY BENKELMAN. [S308] 1880 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005., (1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ? Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. All use is subject to the limited use license and other terms and conditions applicable to this site. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1880. T9, 1,454 rolls. This database is an index to 50 million individuals enumerated in the 1880 United States Federal Census. Census takers recorded many details including each person's name, address, occupation, relationship to the head of household, race, sex, age at last birthday, marital status, place of birth, parents? place of birth. Additionally, the names of those listed on the population schedule are linked to actual images of the 1880 Federal Census.). [S29] State of Michigan, Department of State, Division of Vital Records, Death Certificate, George W. Jessee May 13, 1903 Vol 2, Page 127, No. 106 (Reliability: 3).