WEEK 2 – CHALLENGE #2

This week I started a blog post for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks for the prompt – Challenge. I laid out all the research I had on Sarah Brinson Keetley (you can read her story here) and this week I will see what I have for her husband, Jesse Edward Keetley Sr and their children.

To give some clarity, by 1930, we know that Jesse Sr. had passed away and Jesse Jr. was living with his sister Lillie and her husband, Charles Sutler.

Starting with Jesse’s headstone in Wrens Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery, Charleston County, South Carolina, we can see that he lived about 13 years longer than his wife. He died 18 March 1928. I am not sure who placed the headstones for this family, or when, but I believe the dates on both Sarah and Jesse’s are wrong.

The following death certificate is the only one I have found in any county surrounding the Charleston County area that is even remotely similar in detail to be Jesse. The certificate is filled out by Sexton Guerry so I’m not sure how knowledgeable he was on Jesse’s life. The record is still for St James Santee but in different county seat. It says he was buried March 5 somewhere in Charleston County, and his date of death is 4 March 1928.

There is no date of birth but it does say he was born in Georgetown County. It also says that he is married, although there is no evidence that he was at the time of his death. It says he was about 64 years of age (born @1864) and died of Heart Dropsy. His parents are listed as _____ Kettly and _____ Hartly. (not very helpful at all).

When looking for Jesse’s certificate I came across one for his daughter Alma/Essie. She was only 16 years old, dying on 11 November 1923. This places her birth date at about 1907. Her parents are listed as Jessie Keetley and Florence Brinson. (Jesse did not fill out the certificate so I think the informant was confused  as to the mother’s name). She is also buried in Wren’s Chapel cemetery with her parents. The date of death is correct on her headstone, although it says her middle initial is A. It lists her birth date as 15 September 1906. Her parents names are Jesse E. and Sarah A. Keetley.

From here I decided to go back to the 1920 census to see what that could tell me. I found 2 census’ for this family taken 1 week apart. Both census’ were for St James Santee, Charleston County, South Carolina.

The first census was taken 24 January 1920. Jesse was head of household, aged 55 and widowed. His daughter Lilla aged 16, Elma aged 14, Jesse Jr aged 8. All born in South Carolina, as were both their parents. Jesse was a farmer and all 3 children were in school. He was renting the farm they lived on.

The second was taken 31 January 1920. Jesse was head of household, aged 55 and widowed. His daughter Lilla aged 14, Essie aged 13, Jesse Jr aged 9. All born in South Carolina, as were both their parents. Jesse was a laborer on a farm and all 3 children were in school. He was renting the property they lived on although it doesn’t say if it was a farm.

Well, again differing information. Jesse is 55 on both census’ placing his birth at about 1865 which is consistent with his death record. Although if you look at the 1910 from my last post, it says he was 35 which places his birth about 10 years later in 1875.

Lilla is aged 16 and 14, and in 1910 she was 5. This places her birth at about 1905. Essie or Elma, depending on the day I guess, was aged 14 and 13. She was 3 in 1910 so her birth is consistent with 1906-07. Jesse Jr. was 8 and 9, so his birth year is about 1911-12.

We already know Jesse was married to someone before he married Sarah (@1902) thanks to the 1910 census but when and who remains a mystery. What happened to his first wife? Did they have children? Were they together in 1900?

Going backwards in time, there are only 3 Keetley families that appear in 1900 in South Carolina and only one of those is for a “J”. He is listed as J. A. Keetley in James Island, Charleston County, South Carolina. He was living in the J.T. Cadden household and working as a farm laborer. He is single and born in 1876. I am not sure if this our Jesse.

I found Jesse in the 1898 Charleston Directory, but again it doesn’t tell me very much other than he was working in a Cotton Mill. There are other people with similar spellings on the page too, like Mrs Laura Keightley and Theodore Keathley. Could there be a connection?

Looking at the 1880 census there are 2 Keetly families living next door to each other, James aged 51 and Harrison aged 24. Both men have families and are living in St James Santee, Charleston County, South Carolina. There is also a Harrison in the following family. They may be the same person!

Sarah Keatly	F	45	South Carolina
William J Keatly	M	20	South Carolina
Harrison Keatly	M	18	South Carolina
Jessie Keatly	M	16	South Carolina
Rachel Keatly	F	13	South Carolina
Thomas Keatly	M	8	South Carolina
Orianna Keatly	F	4	South Carolina

In 1870 there is only 1 Keatly family that I found in South Carolina and they were living in Georgetown County. This Jessie would have been born @1854, a little older than I would expect but not out of the realm of possibilities!

Are any of these people related to Jesse? I may never know!  Are you related to any of these people?  

If anyone would like to adopt our Jesse and Sarah, and find all of their relatives I’m willing to send on all information I have, including my suspicions. Then I will gladly take them off your hands again!!!! 😀