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 Life Sketch Pev. Jess# Head, * , ho Married President Lincoln*s 8ja- 
 
 rents. 
 
 In the savage-infested days of the District of Kentucky wnen the Indian 
 wigwams were often in sight, and when the roads were only paths 
 rii red wider from the existing traces, or roads, beaten down by the 
 travel of wild animals; the itinerant preacher was about in t e track- 
 less forest Proo I a?> mi nr to the settlers a salvation tnat will abide 
 until judgment day. The big hea-ted and noble pioneers were so overjoy¬ 
 ed at the coming of an itinerant preacher that when one did visit the 
 settlement and Preach a sermon from two to three hours in length, it 
 was a great occasion. 
 
 Pev. Jesse Head in the infant hours of the newly formed State, and of 
 *ashin ton County— first county formed a ter admission —encountered 
 as many dangers, and preached as realistic a gospel as any valiant 
 messenger in the service. His benevolence included tie *ood of the 
 whole human race. 
 
 These six sketches will endeavor to give the recorded events found in 
 the Washington County Court, or elsewhere, concerning Jesse Head as 
 a Magistrate, and will also review his ministerial areer as a. 
 champion for truth. Ke dispensed the decisions of law, necessary to 
 his office of Magistrate, with eminent ability and perfect justice; and 
 his amiable and ocncilitory temper enabled him to exert a substan¬ 
 tial influence in helping establish the cause of Christianity within 
 
 the confines of the newly formed State. 
 
 P it has been a far flight of time since the days when Rev. Jesse Head 
 
 . • 
 
 was protected from the murderous Indians by a sentinel aw- ©h wit-i the 
 J loin barrel flint-lock rifle; While the rood man discoursed to t! set¬ 
 tlers congregated within the fort; down to the year of 192T, and in 
 consequence of such lapse of time, tradition must be depended upon, in 
 
 s me instances, to complete a review. 
 
 The fact t v >at Pev. Jesse Head performed the carriage ceremony on June 12, 
 1806, that united President Lincoln's parents, which record of said mar- 
 
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 ria*e xas l 03 t, and not unearthed until 72 years thereafter; and .7 -0 the 
 
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world believed for over three generations that no narrlaje had in faot 
 been performed, such discovery of the renuine record by .T. Booker 
 court official, immortalized the name of Rev. Jesse Head in the riches 
 of hsitorical recital. The earliest events of record concerning rev.Jesse 
 
 Head are as follows - 
 
 Rev, Jesse ^Head was born near Baltimore, m. on Jen. 28, Wt, and at the 
 aje of 22 years was carried to ,'iss Jar.c Ramsey , > ■ county, 
 
 Perm. His children, and their Myths will be liven in the next 
 
 sketch* 
 
 Discussing Rev. Jesse Head, it appears he cane to Kentucky and first set_ 
 tied upon a farm of "BO acres of second rate land, situted on Road run" 
 some distance from Sprintfield, -Mhinrton County. This above farm of 
 Josso Head's was located in the midst of the 'Unooln's and Berry's'. 
 Rev. Jesse Head obtained the aforesaid farm from Benjamin Heroin,and 
 the latter Orlfinally was the locator of the land. Of course,the 
 •50 acres" was a portion sold off by Benjamin Hardin from a lay e 
 survey patented by Benjamin Hardin from the Commonwealth of Virginia 
 in 173-4. The aforesaid Benjamin Hardin was not 1' " la yer - nac». 
 
 iater in Ufe Rev. Jesse Head when "Most constantly elated in cabi¬ 
 net work, in deposition taking and also bavins a license to preach,much 
 of his time war, used in rollfous work, consequently he y ove from 
 his farm and took up a permanent residence in sprinsfleM. fhis removal 
 must hav- been in .'arch 1708, because la 8 Court Martial proceeding H*r 
 1708, Jesse Head beim a witness for one "John Brazelton", mentions his 
 
 (Head) residence “now in Sprinsfield f Ky B , 
 
 , n«k« Taq-e Head «ave the following assessment list: 
 
 in 1797 dnd 1799 Rev * Jes ' 8 neclu * 
 
 • April 13* 1707. 50 acres second rate land, upon :;c - ~ ™» - 
 
 patent obtained in name of Benjamin Hardin. Ho r se I". 
 
 Some wnere in these assessment lists, the exact one 1 can not state,upon 
 the line on which appears the name of "Jesse Head*, and in the col¬ 
 umn wherein is desifnated in the said asessment "hoysos or mares",some 
 person in a spirit of mischief, no aoubt, in a different ink, opposite 
 the word .mare" wrote "sra", which I take to mean that Jesse Head's 
 

 
 
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steed was a " ra»(y) mare* 
 
 "June 1, 1799, Assessment list of Jesse Head* Same 50 acres. And in 
 addition is listed " 2 torn lots, houses 2 ". The old patriot in two 
 ion years acquired "two torn lots” and an extra" horse" to his for¬ 
 tune. T venture the opinion, although unable to prove it, that the 
 extra ;, horse" was the "gray mare’s" colt* But bear in mind, he was 
 a Methodist preacher, poor in this world’s foods, but rich in the 
 
 Spirit of God* 
 
 in 1799 "Bi*rer Head" died in Washington County, and he left a wide?? 
 
 "Priscilla"• I believe "Pilfer" and "Jesse" were brothers, yet when 
 t 7 0 the fact that "Birger" left 200 acres of land and "negroes 
 
 9 «, the mind is not clear upon the point* Rev. Jesse Head was opposed 
 to slavery in all forms, and among others endeavored to get a 
 Provision in Kentucky*n Constitution, prohibiting slavery, 
 fhe various orders concerning Jesse Head found in the Washington County 
 
 Court, (! r y) rre as follows : 
 
 "Nov. 7, 1797, Ordered that the Clerk (of the court) bind Eavid Hod¬ 
 man, orphan of Alexander Hodman deceased, to Jesse Head to learn 
 the art of a cabinet maker. She said David to stay with the said 
 Head for three and a half years, and said Head to find him in vlot*- 
 uals and one pair of sloes a year, and at his freedom said Head to find 
 him a jointer, foreplane, jack and ^ smodthins plane-’. *hiie this 
 good man seemed a little short on shoes, yet a pair a year was then 
 
 the custom. 
 
 "Jan 6, 1798. Jesse Head produced in court a commission authenticated 
 so the law requires appointing the said Jesse Head a Justice of the 
 Peace for Washington (County) and took the. oath of office beiore 
 
 Trammel Hichman" (Clerk)• 
 
 (To be continued April 8 , 1921 )• 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 ^ ARTICLE IN THE LEBANON, (KY.,) ENTERPRISE, APRIL 8, 1921. 
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Jesse Head, Who Married President Lincoln's Parents 
 
 BY L. S. PENCE. 
 
 An error in the first sketch con¬ 
 cerning the birth of Rev. Jesse Head 
 calls for an exact copy as follows 
 (hand write of Rev. Jesse Head): 
 
 “Jesse Head, son of William 
 Edward Head, was born June 10, 
 1768, in Frederick county, Maryland.” 
 
 “Jane Ramsey, daughter of Robert 
 and Susanah Ramsey, born April 19, 
 1772, in Bedford county, Penn.” 
 
 “Jesse Head and Jane Ramsey 
 were married by Rev. Bruce on Jan. 
 9, 1789.” 
 
 Issue of Rev. Jesse and Jane Head: 
 
 “William Edward Head, b. Feb. 19, 
 1790, baptised by Rev. Michael Land.” 
 
 “Jane Smith Head, b. April 29, 
 1792, bap. by Rev. Simmons,” married 
 Wm. H. Linney. 
 
 “Robert Head, b. June 24, 1794, 
 bap. by Rev. Thomas Wilkerson 
 (died young). 
 
 “John Head, b. August 24, 1796, 
 bap. by Rev. Thomas Wilkerson.” 
 
 “Jesse Thompson Head, b. Decem¬ 
 ber 29, 1798, bap. by Rev. John 
 Page.” 
 
 “Susanah Ramsey Head, b. May 22, 
 1803, bap. by Rev. Wm. McKendre.” 
 
 “George McKendre Head, b. August 
 22, 1805, bap. by Rev. Wm. Burke.” 
 
 “Thomas Jefferson Head, b. Sept¬ 
 ember 5, 1807, bap. by Rev. Wm. 
 Burke.” 
 
 “Mathew Walton Head, b. Septem¬ 
 ber 11, 1809, bap. by Rev. Chas. 
 Halliday.” 
 
 “Mary Head, b. December 30, 1810, 
 bap. by Rev. Wm. McKendre.” 
 
 “Harriett Wilde Head, b. November 
 16,1812, bap. by Rev. Chas. Halliday,” 
 married VerBryke. 
 
 “Edward Bascom Head, b. June 1, 
 1817, bap. by Rev. Wm. McKendre,” 
 married Mary Minter. 
 
 The research for the grandchildren, 
 great grand children and even the 
 great great grandchildren of Rev.' 
 Jesse and Jane Head has been only 
 partially successful. In fact, to 
 accomplish the undertaking to find 
 them all would necessarily require the 
 services of a stenographer for a 
 space of weeks. In the research just 
 finished I must acknowledge the 
 politeness of all interrogated, and 
 thank each for the courtesy in giving 
 whatever facts they possessed. 
 
 I am gratified to announce that 
 Mrs. Sidney Elizabeth Brown, a 
 granddaughter of Rev. Jesse Head is 
 still alive, hale and hearty, at the 
 age of 75 years, at her home in 
 Indiana. Her father was Edward 
 Bascom Head, who was a printer and 
 located many years ago in Harrods- 
 burg, Ky., but a few years after the 
 death of his eminent father, he 
 joined the “Head hosts” in their 
 journeyings to the west. Mrs. Brown 
 was born in Harrodsburg, Ky. She 
 is the mother of four daughters and 
 two sons. Also she has several 
 grandchildren and two great grand¬ 
 children. Mrs. Brown has from her 
 girlhood days kept the faith of 
 Methodism. For the valuable aid 
 extended me by Mrs. Brown and her 
 daughters I am grateful. 
 
 It is due that I especially mention 
 two great great granddaughters of 
 Rev. Jesse Head and wife, namely: 
 Mrs. D. M. Hutton and Miss Birdie 
 Linney. The former is the wife of 
 the owner of the “Herald” at Har¬ 
 rodsburg, Ky. To Miss Linney I am 
 indebted for the information that, 
 lead to my finding the true facts 
 relative to Rev. Jesse Head. Their 
 
 father was Marcus Linney, who was 
 for many years the capable assistant 
 to Hon. John R. Proctor, State 
 Geologist. As such assistant, Marcus 
 Linney made valuable research and 
 extended the range of investigation 
 to high success in that office. The 
 State Historical Register, in its 
 Januai’y, 1921, number, published an 
 extended sketch of Marcus Linney. 
 
 Many of the children of Rev. Jesse 
 Head and wife, after the death of 
 their devoted parents, moved to 
 Illinois and Indiana. I am inclined 
 to the firm belief their purpose in 
 going west was to follow their 
 childhood friends — the Lincoln 
 children. Children of Josiah Lincoln, 
 Mordica Lincoln and Thomas Lincoln. 
 The early voices of these children 
 mingled in youthful merriment along 
 the rugged banks of “Road Run.” 
 
 It appears that Edward Bascom 
 Head, the printer son of Rev. Jesse 
 Head, is the only one of his children 
 that I have succeeded in obtaining a 
 complete list. His wife was Mary 
 Minter (married 1835) and their issue 
 follows: 
 
 (1) Sarah Jane Head, married 
 Peter Brown. (2) James Lowell 
 Head, married Laura Linney. (3) 
 Jesse McKendre Head, died unmar¬ 
 ried. (4) Robert Ferguson Head, 
 married Josephine Randall. (5) 
 Edward Bascom Head, married a 
 widow, Mrs. Carter. (6) Sidney 
 Elizabeth Head, married Nicholas 
 Brown. (7) LaFayette Marshall 
 Head, died unmarried. (8) Mary 
 Ellen Head, died unmarried. (9) 
 William Trainer Head, married 
 Elizabeth Freeman. In the foregoing 
 list I have made mention of Mrs. 
 Nicholas Brown. I shall refer 
 briefly to Rev. Edward . Bascom 
 Head, who was a presiding elder in 
 the Kentucky Methodist Conference 
 in 1881-2. He served as postmaster 
 at Harrodsburg, Ky., for.' several 
 years. He died in 1886, aged 44, 
 while attending a session of the 
 Methodist Conference at Winchester, 
 Ky. He left a son and a daughter, 
 both are living and married. ■. If it 
 could be possible, I would like to see 
 a complete family tree from Rev; 
 Jesse Head and wife until the year 
 1921. However, if any branch of 
 this family wish recognition, and will 
 furnish a true list to the writer, they 
 will be given a place at the beginning 
 of the third sketch. 
 
 The list copied at the beginning of 
 this sketch, containing the names and 
 dates of the births of the children of 
 Rev. Jesse Head and wife, was 
 written down, over a century ago, by 
 the hand of Rev. Jesse Head for the 
 information of all future generations 
 of his family. The family record 
 also shows who “baptised’ each child, 
 and today such list bespeaks 
 ministers of the Gospel that time 
 long ago erased from the face of the 
 earth. Such family record also 
 reminds the reader that Rev. Jesse 
 Head named a son “Mathew Walton” 
 after the pre-eminent Commander of 
 the 4th Regiment Kentucky Militia, 
 Colonel Mathew Walton; one of the 
 best and purest moral men of pioneer 
 days in Washington county. When 
 Washington was formed in 1792, 
 Governor Isaac Shelby established 
 Mathew Walton at the head of the 
 first court, and made him “Chan¬ 
 cellor” in equity. Many writers have 
 touched upon the splendid life of 
 
 Mathew Walton. The Rev. Jesse 
 Head knew men from every angle of 
 their worth,: and impelled by that 
 foundation of friendship and worth 
 for such an eminent commander, 
 named his son for said excellent 
 pioneer. Rev. Jesse Head was the 
 friend of every good cause, and was 
 among the many early advocates for 
 abolishing slavery in the new-born 
 State of Kentucky at its first Con¬ 
 stitutional Convention. 
 
 In the first sketch the suggestion 
 was indulged that likely “Biggar 
 Head, Sr.,” and Rev. Jesse Head were 
 brothers. Such is not the fact. In 
 the settlement of “Biggar Head’s” 
 estate (1799) the fact is shown that 
 the latter came from North Carolina 
 to “Nelson county” in 1790. We find 
 that William Edward Head died in 
 Washington county in November 
 1798; and it is probable that the 
 decedent and Rev. Jesse Head were 
 brothers, because the fact will be 
 recalled that Rev. Jesse Head’s father 
 was “William Edward Head,” and 
 it might be consistently believed that 
 the decedent, William Edward Head, 
 who died in Washington county, was 
 named for his own father (and Rev. 
 Jesse Head’s) back yonder in 
 Frederick county, Maryland. The 
 aforesaid suggestion may be re¬ 
 enforced when the record of the 
 Washington County Court on April 
 2, 1799, shows that William Edward 
 Head age (16) and Thomas Edward 
 Head (age 14), infant sons of 
 decedent William Edward Head, came 
 into the court and made “choice of 
 Jesse Head as guardian” of their 
 small estate. Said court order also 
 further reads in this language: 
 “Ordered that the clerk (of the court) 
 bind William Edward Head and 
 Thomas Edward Head, orphans of 
 William Edward Head, deceased, to 
 Jesse Head to learn the-art of a 
 cabinet maker according to law, and 
 said Jesse Head i to learn the said 
 apprentices to read' and write and 
 cipher to the rule of three, and said 
 Jesse Head is to furnish wearing 
 apparel and also find - them in 
 victuals.” As before stated, I am of 
 the opinion that Rev. Jesse Head was 
 the uncle of the aforesaid orphan 
 boys. Be it ever said to the memory 
 of/ Rev. Jesse Head as far as the 
 court orders - show that he was faith¬ 
 ful and sincere to every trust.- “Our 
 own heart, and > not , other • men’s 
 opinions, forms our true-honor.” ; > 
 
 Again Thomas Edward Head, who 
 was one of the early, jailers of 
 Washington county, had a son named 
 Richard Berry Head, and it is 
 probable that Thomas Edward Head 
 married a daughter of old man 
 Richard Berry, Sr., and the fact will 
 be brought to mind that Richard 
 Berry’s, Sr., wife was an aunt to Miss 
 Nancy Hanks, and Thomas Lincoln 
 married Nancy Hanks and Rev. 
 Jesse Head united Thomas Lincoln 
 and Nancy Hanks in the bonds of 
 matrimony (June 12, 1806), so it 
 would baffle a Phiadelphia lawyer to 
 unearth just exactly ho«r the Heads, 
 Hanks, Berrys and Lincolns were 
 intermingled in the sphere of rela¬ 
 tionship in the pioneer days of 
 Washington county. 
 
 This ends the Rev. Jesse Head 
 family research unless some branch 
 sends in the list pertaining to that 
 definite branch for the beginning of 
 the third sketch. 
 
 (To be continued May 13, 1921.) 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 >y\ 0 , ^ ' ARTICLE IN THE LEBANON, (KY.,) ENTERPRISE, MAY 13, 1921. 
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Jesse Head, Who Married President Lincoln’s Parents 
 
 BY L. S. PENCE. 
 
 Going back and taking up the 
 orders of the Washington County 
 Court where the same were left off 
 in the first sketch, these orders 
 continue as follows: 
 
 “Feb. 6, 1798. A certificate that 
 Jesse Head, Esquire, hath taken the 
 oath of office (as Magistrate) in this 
 county was returned in words and 
 figures as follows: Jan. 27, 1798. 
 Jesse Head appeared before me, a 
 Justice of the Peace for Washington 
 (county), and produced a commission 
 authenticated as the law requires, 
 appointing said Jesse Head a Justice 
 of the Peace for Washington (county) 
 and took the oath required by law 
 previous to his entering said office. 
 Given under my hand the day and 
 year aforesaid. E. Trammell Hick¬ 
 man, Justice of the Peace.” 
 
 “April 3, 1798. Ordered that Jesse 
 Head and Josiah Wilson, Esquires, 
 state and settle the accounts of 
 Samuel Grundy, sheriff of this county, 
 for the years of 1796 and 1797 and 
 make report.” 
 
 “May 2, 1798. Ordered and directed 
 that Jesse Head and Benjamin Piles, 
 Esquires, be and they are requested 
 to employ some person to erect 
 stocks, pillory and a whipping post 
 upon the public square in Springfield 
 (Ky.) for the use of this county.” 
 The above named “Benjamin Piles” 
 was peculiarly gifted to the making 
 of criminal implements in pioneer 
 days as appears thus: “Feb. 5, 1795. 
 Ordered that the sheriff pay Benjamin 
 Piles nine shillings for making a pair 
 of hand cuffs.” 
 
 “May 12, 1798. Washington 
 
 County Court of Quarter Sessions.” 
 In the appeal case of John Shackle¬ 
 ford versus John Davis, on an appeal 
 from a judgment entered by Jesse 
 Head, Magistrate, it appears that the 
 Appellate Court set aside as void the 
 judgment rendered by Jesse Head as 
 Magistrate. This is the only occasion, 
 as far as my research extends, where 
 the Appellate Court upset any judg¬ 
 ment of the old patriot. 
 
 “May 25, 1798.” Two events of 
 especial interest in the life of Rev. 
 Jesse Head are recorded at the above 
 date. In the first event he speaks 
 of his devoted wife, and this will be 
 passed until the fourth sketch, where 
 Jane (Ramsey) Head, wife of Rev. 
 Jesse Head, will be paid a tribute. 
 The second event is copied from 
 an aged book in my possession, 
 entitled: “Court Martials in Nelson- 
 Washington county,” beginning “July 
 15, 1791,” when Nelson county 
 
 included Washington, and whem 
 Virginia included all said territory. 
 After Washington county was formed 
 —and it was the first piece of 
 territory ever named for George 
 Washington—this Court Martial some 
 years later (after setting up the 
 commencement order) made the 
 following order concerning Jesse 
 Head, to-wit:— 
 
 “Page 61. At a Court Martial for 
 the assessemnt of fines for the fourth 
 regiment of Kentucky Militia at 
 Springfield (Ky.) the 25th day of 
 May, 1798. Present, Major Mathew 
 Walton, president. Richard McDon¬ 
 ald, Mordica Lincoln, Elija Faris and 
 Richard Berry, Captains. Charles 
 Hayden, Lieutenant. Jesse Rice and 
 John Hays, Ensigns.” (Ten trials 
 -then)— 
 
 “Page 62. Jesse Head returned as 
 delinquent is cleared of (off) muster 
 role, he having a license to preach 
 according to the rules of the sect to 
 
 (f 
 
 delir 
 
 which he belongs.” 
 
 The historical significance sur¬ 
 rounding this ancient order invites in¬ 
 vestigation. Like all orders written 
 in early times, while no doubt plain 
 in meaning to the pioneers, yet its 
 compactness blurs its direct under¬ 
 standing to our minds. In my judg¬ 
 ment the result of the acts performed 
 under the terms of the ancient order 
 —what said order accomplished—is 
 better calculated to unlock its true 
 meaning than the frailty of its 
 wording. Many readers who casually 
 observe the above ancient order will 
 form the conclusion that Jesse Head 
 held “a license to preach” as an 
 exhorter, that is to say, in the 
 nature of an appeal to the pioneers 
 to forsake their sins; but not in the 
 capacity of any accredited minister 
 of a recognized church. 
 
 First, therefore, let this question be 
 propounded: Did said order of “May 
 25, 1798,” in terms, undertake to 
 absolve Jesse Head from “off the 
 muster role” because he was an 
 accredited minister of some recog¬ 
 nized church? Undoubtedly so. If, 
 however, Jesse Head had held “a 
 license” merely as an exhorter it is 
 hardly consistent with sense that the 
 Court Martial would have summarily 
 ordered that Jesse Head be “cleared 
 of (off) muster role.” Webster has 
 well said: “There is nothing so 
 powerful as truth and often nothing 
 so strange.” 
 
 Second, at this date, “May 25, 
 1798,” Jesse Head was 29 years, 11 
 months and 15 days old (to be exact), 
 and had it not been for the fact that 
 Jesse Head held “a license” as an 
 accredited minister “of the sect to 
 which he belongs,” it is unquestioned 
 that the Court Martial would have 
 ordered and directed Jesse Head to 
 continuous service as a malitia-man 
 in the “Fourth Regiment of Kentucky 
 Malitia” until said “delinquent” Jesse 
 Head should attain the full age 
 limit of 50 years, at which latter age 
 all members were discharged. As an 
 example, in the trial just preceding 
 Jesse Head at bar it is there stated 
 and ordered as follows: “From the 
 oath of Anthony Stone filed showing 
 that he will be 50 years old tomorrow, 
 it is ordered and directed that he be 
 cleared of (off) muster role.” There¬ 
 fore, if Rev. Jesse Head was only 30 
 years of age upon “May 25, 1798,” 
 and had not held “a license” as an 
 accredited minister “of the sect to 
 which he belongs;” it would appear 
 inconsistent with human conduct why 
 the Court Martial should instantly 
 absolve him, “cleared of (off) muster 
 role.” 
 
 Again note carefully the beginning 
 words of this ancient order, to-wit: 
 “Jesse Head returned as delinquent.” 
 This language indicates perfectly 
 plain that Jesse Head was coerced 
 before the Court upon executed 
 process—summoned—by an officer. 
 Here is my theory concerning this 
 ancient trial. Jesse Head had re¬ 
 moved from outside the bounds (or 
 limits) of his original district where 
 his farm of “50 acres” was located on 
 “Road Run” into Springfield. Upon 
 his arrival in Springfield, and being 
 within proper age limit for Malitia 
 service, Jesse Head was cited by legal 
 process to come and serve, and in the 
 event of failure Jesse Head would be 
 fined in the sum of “nine shilling for 
 each act of delinquency.” Evidently 
 Jesse Head was within the clutches 
 of the said Court Martial. The 
 
 question arises, what saved Rev. 
 Jesse Head, who had been both cited 
 and “returned as delinquent” from 
 the infliction of fine? Exempted 
 alone by “having a license” as an 
 accredited minister “of the sect to 
 which he belongs.” 
 
 And again this idea may be ad¬ 
 vanced, that if the State Law and the 
 Governor’s commissioned officials 
 gave full recognition to Rev. Jesse 
 Head’s “having a license;” why 
 should not the State Law acquiesce 
 and approve the concurrent or har¬ 
 monizing authority to perform the 
 rites of matrimony? It did in my 
 opinion. 
 
 Third, Rev. Jesse Head with the 
 utmost fidelity toward the “license” 
 which loyally acquitted him before 
 the Court Martial, ever thereafter 
 certified the status of all marriages 
 through the official ceremony of the 
 ministry, and never feigned the office 
 of a Justice of the Peace to seal such 
 sacred and holy union. 
 
 Fourth, these Court Martial officials 
 were selected and commissioned by 
 the Governor, and all records faith¬ 
 fully kept. Like all courts of record 
 it was then and is now entitled to full 
 faith and credit. Therefore, as the 
 original book exists (in a fire proof 
 safe) which attests Rev. Jesse Head 
 as “having a license,” and by reason 
 of such fact was “cleared of (off) 
 muster role” 20 years before full age 
 limit cast him “off”; so, therefore, 
 any question at this date appertain¬ 
 ing to the existence of “having a 
 license” in behalf of Rev. Jesse 
 Head’s ministry at once relates back 
 to the said original book and duly 
 authenticates from such original 
 existing record that came from the 
 hands and hearts of the Court 
 Martial. Indeed a maxim of our law 
 reiterates a fundamental principle 
 that an ancient judgment stands un¬ 
 impeached in the full attestation of 
 its truth. 
 
 For many years the public has been 
 oppressed with disparaging remarks 
 against the ministry of Rev. Jesse 
 Head—and especially ugly stigmas 
 hurled against the status of marriage 
 in the union of Thomas Lincoln and 
 Nancy Hanks—because of false 
 rumors of a mere tradition to the 
 effect that Rev. Jesse Head was an 
 impostor, and any marriage attempted 
 to be solemnized by him void for 
 want of a minister’s license of record 
 in the Washington County Court, or 
 elsewhere in any court of record in 
 the Commonwealth. An answer to 
 such distrustful demons is this. Rev. 
 Jesse Head no doubt was given 
 adequate legal advice that as he had 
 been acquitted in this established 
 court of record and before commis¬ 
 sioned officials of the Commonwealth; 
 that it was not in accord with justice 
 to heap additional costs upon this 
 humble pioneer minister by coercing 
 him to incur costs again in recording 
 the fact of “having a license” in the 
 Washington County Court. In other 
 words one recording of a license in 
 any court of record was deemed 
 sufficient. Also in pioneer days the 
 Court Martial met frequently, while 
 the County Courts had only sessions. 
 Therefore, this recorded information 
 was of much greater publicity upon 
 the Court Martial record than if 
 actually recorded in the Washington 
 County Court. However, the “ordina¬ 
 tion” of Rev. Jesse Head by Bishop 
 Asbury on “October 3, 1805”, will 
 shortly be reached. 
 
 (To be continued June 10, 1921.) 
 

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ARTICLE IN THE LEBANON, (KY.,) ENTERPRISE, JUNE 10, 1921. 
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Jesse Head, Who Married President Lincoln’s Parents 
 
 BY L. S. PENCE. 
 
 Since the publication of the third 
 sketch, many questions have been 
 asked concerning the 123 year judg¬ 
 ment wherein Rev. Jesse Head held a 
 license as a minister of the Gospel. 
 It may be interesting to know that 
 the above-mentioned judgment is the 
 only court order where the fact is 
 established that Rev. Jesse Head 
 possessed a minister’s license. How¬ 
 ever, it may be explained at this point 
 that on “Feb. 15, 1805,” where a 
 marriage certificate containing eleven 
 couples was returned by Rev. Jesse 
 Head in the Washington County 
 Court, he signed this particular 
 certificate of marriage as follows, 
 to-wit: “Jesse Head, M. M. E. C.,” 
 meaning a “Minister Methodist 
 Episcopal Church.” This was almost 
 a year before Bishop Asbury ordained 
 Rev. Jesse Head a “deacon” in the 
 Methodist church. 
 
 The orders as contained in the 
 Washington County Court continue 
 thus: 
 
 “July 1, 1798. Benjamin Hardin 
 and others as ‘trustees of the town of 
 Springfield of the first part’ hath ‘in¬ 
 dentured’ unto ‘Jesse Head of the 
 second part,’ two certain lots situated 
 in Springfield, Ky. Rev. Jesse Head 
 had bargained for and had erected a 
 dwelling house and was living in 
 Springfield in May, 1798, some two 
 months before title as above was 
 passed.” 
 
 “July 3, 1798. Upon the applica¬ 
 tion of Abraham Hite, agent for John 
 Hunter, it is ordered that Jesse Head 
 and Benjamin Hardin be empowered 
 to take depositions, agreeable to an 
 Act of the General Assembly, and 
 also ascertain boundary of lands and 
 for all other purposes.” This 
 Benjamin was not the lawyer. I am 
 of the opinion that Benjamin Hardin 
 and Jesse Head were brothers-in-law, 
 although unable to prove such a fact. 
 It will be remembered that Benjamin 
 Hardin originally pre-empted the “50- 
 acre farm” situated next to himself 
 for Jesse Head. This was on “Road 
 Run.” Then, next, we see Benjamin 
 Hardin and others (trustees) making 
 title to Jesse Head in Springfield, 
 Ky. Benjamin Hardin’s wife bears 
 the same name as the oldest sister 
 of Rev. Jesse Head’s wife. In pioneer 
 days kinfolk settled in groups and 
 knit together a kind of uniform 
 protection from depredations of the 
 Indians. 
 
 “September term, 1798. Washing¬ 
 ton County Court of Quarter Ses¬ 
 sions.” An appeal was prosecuted by 
 Henry Lucas versus Aaron Vancleave 
 from a judgment rendered by Jesse 
 Head, Magistrate. The case was 
 affirmed upon the said appeal. 
 
 “April 7, 1799. William Head and 
 Edward Head, orphans of W. E. 
 Head, deceased, came into the court 
 and made choice of Jesse Head as 
 their guardian, which fact is ordered 
 to be recorded.” The whole estate 
 was 105 pounds, and divided among 
 8 heirs. 
 
 “Jan. 2, 1800. Ordered and directed 
 that Jesse Head and Josiah Wilson, 
 
 Esquires, state and settle the accounts 
 of the estate of Burdette Clifton, 
 deceased, and make report to the 
 court.” The above decedent was a 
 brother to Baldwin Clifton, who was a 
 pioneer minister, and died in Nelson 
 county before Washington was 
 formed. Burdette Clifton died at the 
 age of 78 years. 
 
 “April term, 1800. Washington 
 County Court of Quarter Sessions.” 
 In an appeal of James Catlin versus 
 James Whitecotton (Revolutionary 
 soldier) the judgment as rendered by 
 Jesse Head was affirmed. The suit 
 was over an old flint lock gun. 
 
 “July 8, 1800. This day came Le¬ 
 roy Smith before me, a Justice of the 
 Peace, and produced a wolf head and 
 took the oath prescribed by law in 
 such cases. Given under my hand 
 the day and year aforesaid. Jesse 
 Head, Justice of the Peace.” At this 
 date whoever killed a full grown wolf 
 was paid a sum of money. The oath 
 referred alone to the age of the wolf. 
 “Prescribed by law” meant such fact 
 of full grow r n wolf. 
 
 “May 2, 1802.” Jesse Head at this 
 date was “a trustee of the town of 
 Springfield” (Ky.). 
 
 “April 3, 1803. Jesse Head was 
 appointed “a commissioner to contract 
 with some proper person to erect 
 posts and rails around the well and 
 public spring of this town and make 
 all necessary repairs to same.” So 
 we see by Jesse Head’s energy the 
 hogs were fastened out of the town 
 spring. I suspect this was the first 
 industrial order ever put forth in 
 Springfield. Understand, may it 
 please the court, Springfield was our 
 capital at that date. 
 
 “June 1, 1803. Jesse Head and 
 John Reed were selected by the heirs 
 of full age to divide the estate of 
 Thomas Head, deceased, agreeable to 
 the law and make report to the court.” 
 The decedent was jailer of Washing¬ 
 ton county for many years. 
 
 “June 10, 1803.” Jesse Head suc¬ 
 ceeded Felix Grundy as “president of 
 the Board of Trustees of Springfield.” 
 It is interesting to know that Felix 
 Grundy was admitted to practice law 
 in Springfield—his home—on “May 8, 
 1795.” I suspect at the above date, 
 “June 10, 1803,” Felix Grundy was 
 making removal to Nashville, Tenn., 
 where he became a celebrated lawyer, 
 and some years later President Jack- 
 son appointed him Attorney General 
 of the United States. Among old 
 records once belonging to Rev. Jesse 
 Head can be seen headings: “Office 
 Attorney General United States.” 
 Likely Felix Grundy did many a 
 service of friendship for Rev. Jesse 
 Head. 
 
 “Dec. 10, 1803.” Jesse Head ren¬ 
 dered a judgment as magistrate in a 
 very complex legal question concern¬ 
 ing “Jurisdiction.” From the decision 
 •of Jesse Head an appeal was taken 
 to the “Court of Quarter Sessions” 
 and affirmed. From this last decision 
 the matter went direct to the Court 
 of Appeals of Kentucky, and finally 
 affirmed. Excuse our enthusiasm, 
 but Jesse Head was a “wheel-horse” 
 
 in legal affairs. 
 
 “May 20, 1805. Personally came 
 Patrick Morgan before me, a justice 
 of the peace, and made oath that a 
 black mare now in the possession of 
 Richard Beall as executor of Margaret 
 Beall dec’d., was given by said An¬ 
 drew Peall when it was a colt to 
 ailianl, and it was always considered 
 by her as said Morgan’s whenever 
 spoken of by decedent to deponent. 
 Given under my hand the day and 
 year above. Jesse Head, Justice of 
 the Peace.” This above order was 
 a good “stagger,” in pioneer days, to 
 our present day “Order of Delivery,” 
 as defined by the Civil Code of Prac¬ 
 tice. 
 
 “Dec. 11, 1808. Ordered that Ben¬ 
 edict Spalding sheriff be allowed one 
 dollar for two called courts, and same 
 is ordered for immediate payment.” 
 
 (Signed) “Jesse Head. J. P. W. C.” 
 
 “May 9, 1809. Ordered that Jesse 
 Head be and he is hereby appointed 
 to make and hang shutters to the 
 lower windows in the court house.” 
 
 “July 2, 1809. Ordered and direct¬ 
 ed that Jesse Head paint the window 
 frames and doors of the court house.” 
 
 “October 10, 1810.” Upon this date 
 Jesse Head as “Justice of the Peace” 
 signed the order book of the Wash- 
 ongton County Court for the last 
 time. To make sure that the above 
 date was the correct one, I invited 
 Hon. Joseph Polin, of Springfield, to 
 aid me in this research; and together 
 we confirmed that date as the closing 
 chapter in the official life of Jesse 
 Head in the Magistracy of Washing¬ 
 ton county. 
 
 In my opinion Rev. Jesse Head, in 
 the spring of 1804, left Springfield, 
 and returned to his farm on “Road 
 Run.” He was compelled to make 
 this change because of heavy expenses 
 of a large family in town. Rev. 
 Jesse Head had three “orphans” ap¬ 
 prenticed to him (likely others by 
 gift of destitute parents) besides a 
 wife and seven children to support. 
 From 1804 to “1810,” the date he 
 surrendered as Magistrate, I am con¬ 
 vinced that Rev. Jesse Head did the 
 hardest of farm labor. His signature 
 of date “October 10, 1810” attached 
 to the order book of court indicates a 
 farm hand signing; that is to say, 
 the signature was hardly readable; 
 when in actual practice Rev. Jesse 
 Head was an expert penman and an 
 able accountant. 
 
 In “1811” the name “Jessye Head” 
 was upon the Assessor’s book of 
 Washington county. Likely in the 
 fall of 1811 Rev. Jesse Head bid fare¬ 
 well to his “Road Run” farm and 
 permanently located in Harrodsburg, 
 Ky. The battle of life was always 
 fiercely waged with the old patriot. 
 On May 7, 1811, “Jesse Head” owned 
 “4 acres of land and 3 horses” on 
 assessor’s book. After Rev. Jesse 
 Head located in Harrodsburg his son’s 
 assistance no doubt was faithfully 
 pledged in the struggle to aid his 
 pioneer and patriotic father. 
 
 Jane Ramsey Head. 
 
 Wife of Rev. Jesse Head, deserves 
 
 a noble remembrance. She was of an 
 excellent family and was the young¬ 
 est of five daughters of Robert and 
 Susanah Ramsey, of Bedford county, 
 Penn. On “Jan. 9, 1789” she was 
 married to Rev. Jesse Head, by the 
 Rev. Bruce, and it is altogether prob¬ 
 able that the latter was Rev. Phillip 
 Bruce, a Methodist minister of great 
 distinction and held important duties 
 in parts of Pennsylvania and the 
 states of Maryland and Virginia. Rev. 
 W. E. Arnold, editor of the “Central 
 Methodist,” acquaints me with the 
 following facts: In the autobiog¬ 
 raphy of Rev. Jacob Young, a pioneer 
 Methodist preacher of Kentucky, he 
 says: “On Monday I left this de¬ 
 lightful neighborhood (Junction of 
 Chapline River with Beech Fork 
 River) and traveled through a broken 
 country, and put up with a gentleman 
 by name of Head. He had a very 
 large family, was a clever man, and 
 had a very pleasant wife.” These 
 words “a very pleasant wife” was 
 descriptive of this splendid pioneer 
 woman, and no doubt referred to the 
 wife of Rev. Jesse Head. I venture 
 the opinion that Jane Head had fried 
 chicken for this itinerant Methodist 
 preacher. It may be of interest to 
 inform the readers that in 1786, in 
 the Nelson County Court, that Moses 
 Crume, (one of the very earliest 
 Methodist preachers to invade the 
 District of Kentucky) by order of the 
 court was permitted to erect a grist 
 mill at the mouth of Chaplin River 
 with the Beech Fork. Moses Crume 
 was a minister in (Ky.) Dec., 1802, 
 and his second son, Ralph Crume, 
 married Miss Mary Lincoln (aunt 
 of President Lincoln) daughter of 
 Abraham Lincoln who was killed by 
 the Indians at Greer’s station. In 
 May, 1798, Rev. Jesse Head was be¬ 
 fore the Court Martial at Springfield 
 as a witness for a “delinquent” 
 named “Brazelton.” It appears that 
 Brazelton in Feb. 1798, had failed to 
 attend “muster role” because of the 
 fact stated by him: “My wife was 
 suddenly called to bed.” The delin¬ 
 quent had Rev. Jesse Head sworn as 
 a witness, and Rev. Jesse Head tes¬ 
 tified as follows: “My wife was sent 
 for at midnight to go over to his 
 wife’s aid and the weather was awful 
 bad.” Jane Head risked her life at 
 “midnight” among the perils of wild 
 beasts and savage Indians to go to 
 the aid of her sex. A grand 
 pioneer woman. Another superb 
 trait of this excellent woman was her 
 affectionate care and motherly de¬ 
 votions bestowed upon the “orphans ’ 
 sheltered in her frontier home. By 
 the Court orders three “orphans” 
 were apprenticed to Rev. Jesse Head 
 (and there might have been others 
 without any order of Court) and Jane 
 Head with her prayers ever hallowed 
 His name in behalf of said innocent 
 “orphans” that they might be useful 
 men and upright citizens in the forth¬ 
 coming Commonwealth. May the 
 blessed memory of Jane Ramsey 
 Head, like that of her eminent 
 husband, survive all ages. 
 
 (To be continued July 8, IS 
 
Yy IT ARTICLE IN THE LEBANON, (KY.,) ENTERPRISE, JULY 8, 1921. 
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Jesse Head, Who Married President Lincoln’s Parents 
 
 BY L. S. PENCE. 
 
 The first thing to be done in Sketch 
 5 is to answer a school girl who asks 
 for this information: “Please give 
 a description of Rev. Jesse Head.” 
 The University of Chicago has the 
 only drawing of Rev. Jesse Head 
 known to exist, and through the 
 courtesy of Hon. Edward A. Heney, 
 director of that noted institution, 
 valuable information concerning Rev. 
 Jesse Head is directly given. “The 
 picture is a profile. It shows a large 
 Roman nose, prominent cheek bone, 
 and slightly sunken cheek. So he 
 was evidently tall and lean. The 
 forehead is high and the hair sparse.” 
 
 Hon. E. A. Heney also interestingly 
 states: “The picture is one of several 
 hundreds which came to us with the 
 library of Colonel Reuben T. Durrett, 
 of Louisville, Ky. There is no note 
 of any sort on it except an ink note: 
 ‘Rev. Jesse Head, minister, who 
 married Thomas Lincoln to Nancy 
 Hanks.’ ” 
 
 Miss Mary A. Stephenson, of Har- 
 rodsburg, Ky., always conservative 
 and accurate in her research work and 
 well informed upon the pioneer 
 history of Harrodsburg, acquaints me 
 with the following facts found of 
 i-ecord in that historic town concern¬ 
 ing the Rev. Jesse Head: “In the 
 original trustee book of Harrodsburg, 
 dating from 1786, is contained the 
 record that Jesse Head bought a lot 
 on the site now occupied by the 
 Harrod Hotel. In March. 1810, in the 
 same book mention is made that at a 
 later date ho built a shop on this lot. 
 Jesse Head was a carpenter and a 
 cabinet maker of more than ordinary 
 skill for that era.” 
 
 Mrs. M. E. Sharp, of Mercer county, 
 has in her possession a small 
 mahogany bureau (about 18 by 24) 
 which was made by Jesse Head in 
 1836. Mrs. Sharp’s uncle obtained the 
 bureau from Jesse Head and made a 
 gift of the same to her when she was 
 three years old. , 
 
 Jesse Head’s first shop in Harrods¬ 
 burg was adjacent to an old stone 
 • house occupied by Beriah Magoffin, 
 
 Sr., father of Gov. Magoffin. Later 
 the stone house was remodeled into a 
 tavern and the Head shop presumably 
 removed to another part of the town. 
 
 On October 10, 1811, (one year 
 precise from the last signed order by 
 Jesse Head as “Magistrate” of Wash¬ 
 ington county) Jesse Head was elected 
 a trustee of Harrodsburg to fill a 
 vacancy created by the resignation of 
 George C. Thompson, a prominent 
 citizen of that period. The minutes 
 also show the fact of Jesse Head 
 serving in this capacity until 1815 
 when a trustee was elected to fill the 
 vacancy created by the resignation of 
 Jesse Head, he having removed from 
 the town. But in 1819 he is again 
 mentioned as serving in the capacity 
 of trustee. He was re-elected at 
 different times until 1827, after which 
 date his name does not appear upon 
 the records. While serving as trustee 
 Jesse Head acted as chairman of the 
 board upon frequent occasions. The 
 residence of Rev. Jesse Head for some 
 years before his death, as ascertained 
 from reliable tradition, was situated 
 on north Main street between the 
 Norfleet and Harbison property. His 
 shop was with his residence during 
 his later years. 
 
 In 1830 Rev. Jesse Head with his 
 son’s aid edited in Harrodsburg a 
 paper called “The American” (see 
 Acts 1830). Whether or not the 
 venture was a financial success does 
 
 not at this remote date seem to be 
 known. Bascome Head, Sr., (called 
 “printer,” son of Jesse Head) had a 
 long career in journalism. On 
 “March 20, 1886,” the “Harrodsburg 
 Democrat,” in speaking of the death 
 of this energetic man said: “He had 
 a career ‘at the case’ for more than 
 65 years and even in his old age he 
 was considered the swiftest com¬ 
 positor in Harrodsburg. He had 
 many warm friends among the older 
 citizens. He was a son of Jesse 
 Head, a pioneer preacher, who 
 married Thomas Lincoln to Nancy 
 Hanks.” 
 
 Miss Stephenson concludes as 
 follows: “The Rev. Jesse Head was 
 an important factor in the regulation 
 and upbuilding of Harrodsburg, 
 from the most reliable tradition. In 
 the County Court records of Mercer 
 county can be found many marriage 
 returns duly certified by Rev. Jesse 
 Head. In that early era above 
 mentioned, when death took a pioneer 
 from his toils in the community of 
 Harrodsburg, the Rev. Jesse Head 
 made the coffin and preached the 
 funeral. 
 
 Rev. Jesse Head As Minister. 
 
 Tradition says that Rev. Jesse Head 
 came over the “old wilderness” road 
 into Washington county and in a few 
 years after arriving in his frontier 
 home began preaching the doctrine of 
 Methodism to the frontiersman. How¬ 
 ever, the exact date when the ministry 
 of Rev. Jesse Head began is unknown. 
 In the first sketch the name of Rev. 
 Jesse Head was peculiarly associated 
 with that of the “itinerant” preacher. 
 This was error, for when he was 
 ordained a “deacon” by Bishop 
 Asbury it is expressly stated: “Rev. 
 Jesse Head a local preacher.” 
 
 At the early date when Rev. Jesse 
 Head preached at the various stations 
 in Washington county and adjacent 
 stations, there was no controversy 
 about “salvation by faith” or “salva¬ 
 tion by works,” for there was no 
 confusion of the meaning of the word 
 “faith.” 
 
 The Revolutionary War had pre¬ 
 viously ended and Methodist theology 
 thus fitted in exactly with the em¬ 
 phasis of an actual equality among 
 all men. Indeed not only the Metho¬ 
 dist settlers brought with them their 
 religious ideals, but the same year 
 that Kentucky was admitted into 
 Statehood, the first Roman Catholic 
 church was established within less 
 than a score of miles of Springfield, 
 and in the new county of Washington. 
 Also other denominations in this 
 section built churches. The wonderful 
 zeal of the new settlers soon had 
 churches established in various locali¬ 
 ties. In a very short time after Holy 
 Cross church was founded by Father 
 Wm. de Rohan it is worthy to note 
 that the officials of Washington 
 county had a county road opened from 
 said “chapel” (word used in the order) 
 in two directions. First, in the 
 direction of Pottinger’s creek settle¬ 
 ment and out to the “old trail” at 
 Leonard Mattingly’s, extending on¬ 
 ward to John Lancaster’s and Joseph 
 Dant’s and Francis Mudd’s planta¬ 
 tions. No locality ever enjoyed a more 
 enduring friendship or excelled in 
 religious influences than the above 
 section while Fathers de Rohan, Badin, 
 Salmon, Fournier and others piloted 
 the Roman Catholic church, and 
 stations along the Rolling Fork river; 
 and the ministers, Terah Templin, 
 Thomas Kyle, Barnabas McHenry, 
 
 John Harper and Jesse Head, who 
 piloted the faith of Protestantism 
 upon the other hand. The new 
 county of Washington—the first piece 
 of territory ever named for George 
 Washington — was cradled in an 
 atmosphere of effective influence of 
 Christianity. 
 
 While, perhaps, a little off of the 
 subject, yet I want to say this: 
 Taking the many orders of the 
 County Court of Nelson county from 
 1788 to 1792 (when Washington 
 county was formed), there was more 
 enterprise in the opening of “public 
 roads”; and more development in 
 erecting “grist mills;” and in a 
 general welfare of “improvement and 
 upbuilding” within a radius of 15 
 miles around Springfield than pre¬ 
 vailed in any other section of the new 
 Commonwealth, not excluding Har¬ 
 rodsburg and Lexington, much older 
 settlements. 
 
 Rev. Jesse Head, while in Washing¬ 
 ton county, had in his make-up as 
 much of the spirit of an apostle as 
 rested in any man wrestling to up¬ 
 build his Maker’s cause in a primitive 
 country. Rev. Jesse Head was a 
 man of “strong character and not 
 afraid to speak the truth at all times 
 and under any circumstances,” and his 
 sentiment regarding slavery in its 
 earliest agitations was pronounced 
 against such an institution. And 
 while the Assessor’s book in Wash¬ 
 ington county in 1794, and years 
 thereafter included Bigger Head, W. 
 E. Head and Priscilla Head as 
 enlisted slave owners, yet Rev. Jesse 
 Head instead of holding “slaves” had 
 “apprenticed” three “orphan boys” to 
 nurture and instruct and champion 
 toward truth and earnest manhood for 
 the new Commonwealth. 
 
 Kind readers, Rev. Jesse Head did 
 lots more good in the wilderness of 
 Washington county toward a fearless 
 denunciation of wrong doing than the 
 world in general ever gave him credit. 
 
 An amusing incident in the life of 
 Rev. Jesse Head is told from tradition, 
 how with his oddity and thoughtless¬ 
 ness he made a laughable blunder 
 while preaching a sermon at the 
 Pottenger creek settlement, almost a 
 century and a quarter ago. The 
 incident is as follows: In those days 
 pack saddles were extensively used. 
 The pack saddle was a rude contriv¬ 
 ance made of the forked branch of a 
 tree, in keeping with the primitive 
 simplicity of the times, and when 
 fastened upon a horse it became the 
 receptacle of the goods and chattels 
 to be carried. Pack saddles were 
 extensively used as a means of trans¬ 
 portation at that era. Any branch of 
 a tree which could be made into such 
 a saddle was an attractive object. 
 Upon one occasion while preaching 
 a sermon at the above named settle¬ 
 ment and when almost at the climax 
 of his subject he paused in his sermon 
 with his eyes fixed at the top of a red 
 elm tree and pointing up said: “I 
 want to remark right here that yonder 
 is one of the best forks for a pack 
 saddle I ever saw in the woods.” 
 
 By the peep of day the next morn¬ 
 ing (which was Monday) Rev. Jesse 
 Head procured the pack saddle and 
 was off on the “old gray” mare for 
 home. But with all of his blunders 
 and oddities there was never a more 
 energetic preacher to uphold good 
 morals among the settlers. He en¬ 
 deavored to raise his country by the 
 lever of religion. 
 
 (To b finished August 12, 1921.) 
 

 ■' 
 
 
 
 
 »■ 
 
 
 
 • . * 
 
 
ARTICLE IN THE LEBANON, (KY.,) ENTERPRISE, SEPTEMBER 16, 1921. 
 
 L mo i b 
 
 ife Sketches of Rev. Jesse Head, Who Married President Lincoln’s Parents 
 
 BY L. S. PENCE. 
 
 This last sketch (No. 6) of the life 
 of Rev. Jesse Head should have been 
 inserted on August 12, 1921, but on 
 account of a severe illness of the 
 writer, the concluding sketch comes 
 one month later. A review of the life 
 of this earnest and pious pioneer 
 Methodist preacher has been a 
 pleasant task among the researches of 
 Washington county’s early history. 
 
 The Rev. Jesse Head began his 
 service with the Methodist church in 
 or about the year 1798. Upon 
 “October 3, 1805” Rev. Jesse Head 
 was ordained by Bishop Francis 
 Asbury a “deacon” in the Methodist 
 Episcopal church at “Houston’s 
 Chapel in Scott county, Kentucky.” 
 In a recent publication (1920) entitled 
 “The Rise of Methodism in the West” 
 the following proceeding concerning 
 Rev. Jesse Head, at page 101, is out¬ 
 lined from the “Western Conference 
 of 1805” which reads as follows: 
 “Date of October 3, 1805. Who are 
 ordained deacons? Answer: Jesse 
 Head, a local preacher” (and eight 
 others.) Rev. Jesse Head was likely 
 a local preacher and not an itinerant 
 preacher by the fact of his having 
 such a large family. 
 
 The ordination of Rev. Jesse Head 
 as a “deacon” in the Methodist 
 Episcopal church by Bishop Asbury 
 took place one year before the famous 
 “marriage certificate” was written and 
 signed by “Rev. Jesse Head, D. M. E. 
 C.,” wherein is given the form of 
 matrimony solemnized between Thos. 
 Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. The 
 recent unearthing of the ordination of 
 Rev. Jesse Head by Bishop Asbury 
 shows an authenticated and lawful 
 right of performing the rites of 
 matrimony was conferred upon him 
 through the Methodist church. 
 
 So, therefore, at the date, “June 12, 
 1806,” when Rev. Jesse Head married 
 President Lincoln’s parents, he had 
 the Methodist church authority of a 
 “deacon” in addition to the original 
 right of a “minister.” 
 
 However, it appears from every 
 certificate signed and returned into 
 the Washington County Clerk’s office, 
 after “October 3, 1805,” that Jesse 
 Head used alone the office of “deacon” 
 in making returns upon certificates of 
 marriage. 
 
 There appears two certificates of 
 marriage purporting to have duly 
 issued and signed by Rev. Jesse Head 
 which read as follows: 
 
 “I do hereby certify that by 
 authority of license issued by the 
 Clerk’s office of Washington county I 
 have solemnized the rites of matri¬ 
 mony between Thomas Lincoln and 
 Nancy Hanks, June 12, 1806, A. D., 
 agreeable to the rites and ceremonies 
 of the Methodist Episcopal church. 
 Witness my hand. 
 
 “Jesse Head, Dn., M. E. C..” 
 
 The above certificate Miss Tarbell 
 used in her book, “Early Life of 
 Lincoln.” Both the Clerk and Deputy 
 of the Washington County Court 
 denied all knowledge regarding the 
 above certificate, when on June 28, 
 1921, I asked to inspect the said 
 alleged certificate. 
 
 The second alleged certificate reads 
 thus: 
 
 “I do certify that on the 22d day of 
 September, 1806, I solemnized the 
 rites of matrimony between Thomas 
 Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, according 
 
 to the rites of the Methodist Episcopal 
 church. 
 
 “Jesse Head, D., M. E. C.” 
 
 Also the Clerk and Deputy could 
 give no information whatever regard¬ 
 ing this last certificate when in¬ 
 terrogated at Springfield, Ky., on June 
 28, 1921. Every certificate was 
 
 examined that had been signed and 
 returned into the Washington County 
 Court by Rev. Jesse Head, but no 
 trace whatever could be found of this 
 last alleged certificate. 
 
 The marriage bond executed by 
 Thomas Lincoln reads as follows: 
 “Know all men by these presents that 
 we, Thomas Lincoln and Richard 
 Berry, are held and firmly bound unto 
 his Excellency the Governor of Ken¬ 
 tucky for the just and full sum of 
 fifty pounds current money to the 
 payment of which well and truly to be 
 made to the said Governor and his 
 successors we bind ourselves and our 
 heirs, &c., jointly and severally firmly 
 by these presents sealed with our 
 seals and dated this June 10, 1806. 
 The condition of this obligation is 
 such that whereas there is a marriage 
 shortly intended between the above 
 bound Thomas Lincoln and Nancy 
 Hanks for which a license has issued 
 now if there be no lawful cause to 
 obstruct the said marriage then this 
 obligation to be void or else to remain 
 in full force and virtue in law. 
 
 “Thomas Lincoln (Seal) 
 “Richard Berry (Seal)” 
 
 “Witness, John H. Parrott.” 
 
 Two days after the above marriage 
 bond was issued Rev. Jesse Head, at 
 the home of Richard Berry, in 
 Washington county, Ky., performed 
 the marriage that united Thomas 
 Lincoln and Nancy Hanks as husband 
 and wife. A copy of the famous 
 “marriage certificate” reads as 
 follows: 
 
 “I do hereby certify that the follow¬ 
 ing is a true list of marriages 
 solemnized by me, the subscriber, from 
 the 28th day of April, 1806, until the 
 date hereof: 
 
 “June 25, 1806, joined together in 
 the holy estate of matrimony, agree¬ 
 able to the rules of the M. E. C., 
 Morris Berry and Peggy Simms. 
 
 “November 27, 1806, David Mays 
 and Hannah Peters. 
 
 “March 5, 1807, Charles Ridge and 
 Annie Davis. 
 
 “March 24, 1807, John Head and 
 Sally Clark. 
 
 “March 27, 1807, Benjamin Clark 
 and Dolly Head. 
 
 “January 14, 1807, Edward Pile and 
 Rosannah McMahon. 
 
 “December 22, 1806, Silas Chamber- 
 lain and Betsey West. 
 
 “June 17, 1807, John Springer and 
 Elizabeth Ingram. 
 
 “June 12, 1806, THOMAS LINCOLN 
 and NANCY HANKS. 
 
 “September 23, 1806 John Cam- 
 bron and Hannah White. 
 
 “October 2, 1806, Anthony Litsey 
 and Rhoda Pirtle. 
 
 “October 23, 1806, Aaron Harding 
 and Hannah Botts. 
 
 “April 7, 1807, Daniel Payne and 
 Christine Price. 
 
 “July 24, 1806, Benjamin Clark and 
 Dolly Clark. 
 
 “May-, 1806, Hugh Haskins and 
 
 Betsey Dyer. 
 
 “September 24, 1806, John Graham 
 and Catherine Jones. 
 
 “Given under my hand this 22d day 
 of April, 1807. 
 
 “Jesse Head, D. M. C. E.” 
 
 In Washington county, Ky., from 
 1805 until September, 1810, Rev. Jesse 
 Head married some 150 couples. In 
 Mercer county he also married many 
 couples. 
 
 Twenty-two years ago I attended a 
 friend’s marriage at the Catholic 
 church in Lebanon. The excellent 
 priest, in the ceremony, stressed the 
 fact to the contracting parties that 
 God had planned their lives and 
 destinies to meet at the altar for the 
 glory of the church and usefulness of 
 the Nation. I believed the well chosen 
 words of the priest. Now I further 
 believe in the utterance I am going to 
 announce, to-wit: That Rev. Jesse 
 Head, aided and directed by Divine 
 influences, traveled over the “wilder¬ 
 ness road” from Maryland into the 
 wilds of Washington county, Ky., 
 to become a “deacon” in his selected 
 church where he officiated at the 
 marriage of Thomas Lincoln and 
 Nancy Hanks, and from the union of 
 this couple a son was born who should 
 lead a Nation from the shackles of 
 slavery and bondage to freedom; and 
 this ordained with as much certainty 
 of Divine inspiration as was the 
 mission of John Baptist. The whole 
 world joined in a spirit that the 
 American slaves should be free. 
 
 Rev. Jesse Head never lived to see 
 the achievements for humanity that 
 Abraham Lincoln, born to the parents 
 whose union was cemented as husband 
 and wife by the “deacon’s” words, 
 wrought as the Chief Magistrate in 
 the moral forces of this Nation. 
 
 Rev. Jesse Head died in March, 
 1842, years before the lustre of the 
 mighty Lincoln grew to renown and 
 fame, even in the debates with the 
 great Stephen A. Douglas. 
 
 Like the appearance of the hand of 
 God in the writing at Belshazzar’s 
 feast, we behold that twenty-three 
 years from the death of Rev. Jesse 
 Head that President Lincoln penned 
 the Declaration of Emancipation, 
 thereby carrying out the abolition of 
 slavery that was set like a flint in 
 Rev. Jesse Head’s mind. It should 
 be made clear that no conflict of 
 human obligation and of Divine will 
 ever crossed in complete fidelity to 
 the Nation’s welfare. 
 
 In 1908 Congress erected at Hodgen- 
 ville, Ky., a costly memorial to the 
 birthplace of President Lincoln. Con¬ 
 gress, however, omitted a plain duty 
 in behalf of Rev. Jesse Head in 
 failure to erect in the public square 
 at Springfield, Ky., (only a stone’s 
 throw from Hodgenville) a marble 
 slab, six feet wide at the base, ten 
 feet in height and broad enough in 
 surface to contain in full the famous 
 “marriage certificate” penned by Rev. 
 Jesse Head in Washington county, 
 Kentucky. 
 
 Rev. Jesse Head was truly one 
 included in the noble array of those 
 who, for the promotion of righteous¬ 
 ness and truth among men, did endure 
 hardness to face the trying experi¬ 
 ences of pioneer times to give positive 
 proof of love that is found in sacrifice 
 for humanity. 
 
 Rev. Jesse Head sleeps in an un¬ 
 marked grave in the cemetery at 
 Harrodsburg, Ky., but, in the words 
 of Lincoln, “His name and fame shall 
 not perish from the earth.” 
 
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