John Jessee was born about 1750 in Cobbs/Hyco Creek, Orange Co., NC, or Mecklenburg Co. and died Aug-Nov 1815 in Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA. He was the possible son of Henry Jessee and Elizabeth.  John Jessee married about 1775 in Orange County, NC to Frances "Frankey" Lea.

Frances "Frankey" Lea was the daughter of William Lea (of Cobbs Creek) and Mary "Polly".  Frances Frankey Lea was born 1752/1761 in Cobbs/Hyco Creek, Orange Co., NC, later Caswell Co NC. One opinion of parents of Frances Frankey Lea. Children of John Jessee and Frances "Frankey" Lea;

  John Jessee Jr b about 1775 Cobbs Creek, Caswell Co., NC d 1834 Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA. He is buried as Ephraim Jessee G, Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA.

John Jessee Jr m. 11 Jan 1800 Orange Co NC to Mary Polly Armstrong b 1780 Orange Co NC d before Jun 17, 1840, the date of the appraisement of her Estate. (Source).  Mary Polly Armstrong was the daughter of John Armstrong born 1733 Cumberland Co Pa and Ann Whitted (Whitehead) b about 1739.

  Archer Jessee b: 8 AUG 1776 Cobbs Creek, Caswell Co., NC

  William J. Jessee b: 9 DEC 1779 Cobbs Creek, Caswell Co., NC

  Lea Jessee b: 1781 Cobbs Creek, Caswell Co., NC

  David Jessee b: 6 MAR 1783 Cobbs Creek, Caswell Co., NC

  Elizabeth Jessee b: 20 DEC 1786/1791 Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA

  Mary "Polly" Jessee b: Abt 1787 Cobbs Creek, Caswell Co., NC

  Frances Jessee b: Abt 1787/1789 Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA

  Sarah "Sallie" Jessee b: Abt AUG 1790/1792 Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA

  Boedicia "Dicy Biddy" (Boadicea) Jessee b: 22 MAY 1792 Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA

  James Jessee b: 1794 Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA

  Rebecca Jessee b: 20 JUL 1796 Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA

  Jane Jessee b 19 Apr 1796 Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA m. 20 Jan 1814 Russell Co VA to Henry Fuller b 3 Apr 1792 Russell Co VA d before 17 Jan 1872 North Okaw Twp, Coles Co IL, s/o Abraham Fuller 1763 and Mary Sergent (aka Sargent).

  George Lea Jessee b: 1798 Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA

  Martin Jessee b: 27 JAN 1801 Reeds Valley, Russell Co., VA

More about this family from Rootsweb;

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John Jessee was a soldier living in Caswell County, NC, during the American Revolution. He was listed as musician in Yarborough's 10th Regiment, serving from April 1781-April 22, 1782, and is listed again in Pierce's Register as Revolutionary War soldier. Listed on roster of NC soldiers in NC by the NCDAR pg. 12 & 138. Also listed in the DAR Patriot Index, pg. 368 and referenced in National DAR Record Numbers 360261, 395105, 447302, 476641, 438437, 295105.

John Jessee and his father Henry owned about 600 acres of land on Hico Creek, in Caswell Co., NC. This was ostensibly near "Moravian Land" and supports the idea that the Jessees may have been part of the Moravian settlement of NC. Most of John and Frankey's family became Baptists, and there were several generations of ministers in the Baptist tradition, indicating at least influence of the protestant/baptist movement, of which the Moravians were part.

The implied marriage date of John Jessee and Frankey Lea of 1775 is based on deduction from the Bible records for Archer Jessee, showing him as their second son, born in 1776. From this we also deduce that John Jessee Jr. was born about 1775, although we have no definitive information for either assumption.

John Jessee died before Nov. 17, 1815, as this date is the date of the recorded settlement of his estate, and not his actual death date. Source: Will Book 3, p. 169, Russell Co., VA. Heirs of John Jessee all signed a deed to Archer Jessee, 7 August 1827. This is the principle source for recording all 15 of John and Frankey's children, and their spouses. Source: D.B. 8, p. 87, Russell Co., VA.

"Because the Jessees were one of the earliest families to settle in Russell County, Virginia, and because the progenitor of this Russell family had so many children, the descendants of the Jessees are extremely numerous, with few people living in the County now who cannot trace their ancestry to the pioneer John Jessee, Sr. The Jessee family played an important role in the development of Russell County, serving in prominent places in the government, military, church, education, and civic affairs."

"A common thread that seems to dominate the Jessee family lies in its talent, its gregarious nature, and its high expectations of self. It was not surprising to learn that John Jessee, Sr. was a musician, since musical ability has abounded in many descendants of that man. It was not surprising to learn that John Sr's sons and grandsons had been politicians, since so many later Jessees have held numerous political positions. Most people who are descended from the Jessee clan seem to feel a sense of pride in their ancestry."

Betty Campbell Yates