Jesse Bailey 1750-1837 Corinth, VT

Jesse Bailey was born in Killingworth, CT. April 22, 1750 the son of John Bailey and Mercy Farnam. His sister Mercy Bailey, wife of Samuel Griffin, was the oldest child in the family. As a young man Jesse moved to Newport, New Hampshire to seek his fortune. Newport was a land grant founded by men from Killingworth and New London, CT. If you look at the first volume of the Newport town records you will see that the first twenty or so pages were recorded in Killingworth. In Newport Jesse met and married Sarah Thurston. If you follow the family’s history you will see her referred to in many records as, Sally. ---------- One of the prominent themes in the early history of Newport was the activity of the local Militia. Both Jesse and his brother Joel were members. Their names appear on the proclamation of war signed in Newport, ---------- “We, the Subscribers, do hereby solemnly engage, and promise, that we will, to the utmost of our Power, at the Risque of our Lives and Fortunes, with Arms, oppose the Hostile Proceedings of the British Fleets and Armies, against the United American, COLONIES.”---------- There are references to the two brothers found in the, Sons of the American Revolution, documentation. One such record comes from the family of Joel Bailey, “Joel Bailey was one of the early settlers of Newport, N.H. which was first settled by men from Killingworth, CT. Jesse Bailey a brother proceed him in going to Newport, N.H. Bothe Jesse and Joel served as privates in Capt. Samuel Wetherbee’s company of Col Isaac Wyman’s regiment.”---------- The two brothers served in two call-ups the first time for 6 months. Their service involved actions around Boston. Their most famous service was for a two-month duration in which they fought in the Battle of Bennington. Jesse’s service records noting these events are part of his pension file. A copy is posted below.---------- The Battle of Bennington was an important prelude to the war changing Battle of Saratoga. British General John Burgoyne led a large British force down from Canada with the goal of splitting the American colonies in half. In the area surrounding Bennington, VT he sent out a detachment of Hessians let by Lt. Col. Friedrich Baum to gather horses, draft animals and supplies to aid in the build up of his forces for the larger battles that were to eventually be fought. A contingent of New Hampshire militiamen under the command of General John Starks was dispatched to aid in the campaign. Counted in the ranks were brothers Jesse and Joel Bailey. A series of skirmishes between the two forces led to a general confrontation ten miles from Bennington. In anticipation of a coming clash the Hessians entrenched themselves on high ground. General Starks was determined to drive them away. He famously said,” If we fail Molly Starks will be a widow tonight.” Attacking with a determined ferocity the militiamen drove the Hessians from their position. Later in the day as British reinforcements came up the two sides clashed again. This time the New Hampshire regiments were supported by the Green Mountain Boys let by Seth Warner who threw his troops headlong into the fight. One of Seth Warner’s leading non commissioned officers was Sargent Samuel Bradley, future father in law to Samuel Griffin.---------- The result of the Battle of Bennington was the death of Col. Baum and the destruction of the British units as an effective fighting force. The lost of these units proved very costly for the British at the pivotal Battle of Saratoga.---------- As a result of his Revolutionary War service the early histories written for Newport contain a short biography for Jesse along with the other prominent men of his day. It notes his marriage to Sarah Thurston Sept. 13, 1775. It lists four children; Amanda b. Mar 25, 1777, Jesse Jr. b. Feb 9, 1779, Elizabeth b. Mar 12, 1781, Phineas b. July 13, 1783. The New Hampshire vital records contain the birth and death record for another child Mary born Feb 12, 1776 died Feb 16, 1776.--------- Sometime around the mid 1790s Jesse moved his family 70 miles west to Corinth, Vt. His life in Corinth is well documented in the Corinth town history and in land and census records. His sister Mercy lived sixty miles away in Essex, VT. I am hard pressed to believe that during those twenty plus year they both lived in Vermont they did not get together.----------- Most of what we know of Jesse’ children comes to us from the Thurston Genealogies. The Thurston family published a detailed well research family history in 1892. The volume contains a detailed entry for Jesse and Sarah Thurston Bailey.--------- “Sally b. in Straham, N.H., Feb 6, 1756; m. September 13, 1774 or 5 Jesse Bailey of Dracut Mass. He was a farmer and settled in Corinth, VT., where he died, September 5, 1837; she died Sept. 12, 1853, aged 97y. 7 m. 7 d.”--------- The reference to Dracut Mass. has been the source of a good deal of confusion over the identity of Jesse Bailey. Many genealogies list Dracut as the birthplace for his children. How or why that mistake crept into the Thurston genealogy is a mystery.--------- In addition to the children listed in the Newport history the Thurston genealogy lists; Rhoda b. Sept 26, 1785, Dolly b. April 5, 1788, Alotty b. May 26, 1790, Polly b. Aug 8, 1792, Sarah b. Dec 27, 1794, Abial b. Feb 11, 1798 and Permelia b. Aug 12, 1801. Permelia’s birth is also recorded in the Corinth, VT town records. The history of Corinth also lists another child Beriah born in 1802.--------- The families of Rhoda , Jesse Jr. Phineas and Permelia are well documented in Corinth. There is very little if anything regarding the remaining children.---------- The final documentary chapter in the life of Jesse Bailey plays out in his Revolutionary War pension files filed in Vermont. It is interesting historical journey to trace Jesse Bailey from Killingworth CT. to Newport, N.H. and then on to Corinth, VT. There are historically multiple interpretations for the journey. He has been confused with another Jesse Bailey born in Mass. the son of Ebenezer Bailey. This second Jesse was also in the Revolutionary War but his history plays out in Weare, N.H.---------- The pension records included a copy of a marriage record for Jesse Bailey and Sarah Thurston provided by the town clerk of Newport. N.H. In his testimony before the commission Jesse relates his history from his time in Newport and service in the war and subsequent move to Corinth. He also testifies, ---------- “He was born in Killingworth in Connecticut in there year 1750, where he supposes that there is a record of his age.”---------- The final documentary chapter in the Jesse Bailey story is the 1850 census taken in Corinth. In the household of James and Rhoda Bailey Southwick is the 92 years old Sally Bailey. I find it amusing that in all of the official documents she is referred to as Sarah and in census and other references she is referred to as Sally.