Jesse WEAVER

     Jesse WEAVER, son of Henry WEAVER Jr. and Abigail Gregg, was born on 8 March 1802 in Lexington District, South Carolina.^1,2,3 He moved with Henry WEAVER Jr. from Lexington County, South Carolina to Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, circa 1820 It is believed that Henry, Abigail and Jesse Weaver came to Alabama about 1820 in a caravan along the old Federal Road. First settlers, known as squatters, would select the land they desired, build a house and make other improvements, while awaiting allocation of lands under the Public Lands Act. Once the surveys were completed they would buy the land they occupied, paying cash at $1.25 per acre up to 640 acres.⁴

Jesse married Rebecca SANFORD, daughter of William Jasper SANFORD and Barbara Rebecca SNIDER, on 12 November 1822 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.⁵ Jesse and Rebecca lived on what was known as the "Johnston's Place" on present day Keenes Mill Road at Grimes. An old cotton gin and grist mill was located between Grimes and Olmsteads Station. The old Weaver home is near Andrews Chapel. Jesse and Rebecca are buried in the Old Salem Cemetery on the Wire Road in Tuscaloosa county. Their markers are of rough fieldstone and the letters were done by hand.⁶

Jesse WEAVER appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1830 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The household was listed as 2 males under 5, 1 male 20-30 [Jesse], 2 females under 5 [Bethany, Barbara], 1 female 20-30 [Rebecca].⁷

Jesse was issued land patents for a total of 320 acres in Tuscaloosa county between 1839 and 1858. These lands were located in sections 25, 29, and 30, township 21 south, range 8 east. This is along present day Keenes Mill Road along the Bee Branch between Grimes and Coaling.⁶

Jesse WEAVER purchased government land patents 20 September 1839 in Cottondale, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. He bought four lots of land on this date from the Tuscaloosa Land Office. The first three were in township 21-S, range 8-W, including 40.33 acres of northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 30, 80.66 acres of east half of northwest quarter of section 30, and 80.66 acres of west half of the northeast quarter of section 30. The final was 40.125 acres in the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 25, township 21-S, range 9 west..^8,9,10,11

Jesse WEAVER was named an executor in the will of Henry WEAVER Jr. dated 6 October 1842 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.

Jesse WEAVER and Rebecca SANFORD appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1 June 1850 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The household was listed as Jesse Weaver, 48, Mechanic, value of real estate $132, born South Carolina; Rebecca, 44, born South Carolina; John W., 18, born Alabama; Simon B., 16; Darkey [Dorothy], 12; Margarett B., 10; George J. H. T., 8; Dempsey J. G., 7; Esther S., 3; and Sarah J., 1 1/12. All of the children were born in Alabama. Jesse could neither read nor write.¹²

Jesse WEAVER was the executor and an heir of the estate of Henry WEAVER Jr. on 2 February 1857 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Henry had left his estate to his wife, Sophia, during her lifetime. Since she died before the estate was settled, the terms of the will directed that the estate be divided amony the living heirs. In order to divide the estate amongst the heirs, Jesse Weaver was ordered 2 Feb 1857 to sell his father's land and property. The land where Henry had lived was discribed as the west one-half of the southeast one-quarter and the southeast one-quarter of the northeast one quarter of section 31, township 21, range 8 west. It contained 120 acres. Jesse was the highest bidder and was allowed to purchase the land 10 Mar 1857 for $2.12 per acre, or $255.¹³

Jesse WEAVER purchased a government land patent 1 June 1858 in Cottondale, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Jesse bought 80.16 acres in two parcels from the Tuscaloosa Land Office, the first being the northeast quarter of the south west quarter and the second the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter, both in section 29, township 21-S, range 8 west.¹⁴

Jesse WEAVER was listed as one of the heirs to the estate of Henry WEAVER Jr. 15 November 1858 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The heirs each received a settlement of $341.07. They were listed as: Barbara Snider; Abigail Phipps; Jesse Weaver; the heirs of Elizabeth Holiman, deceased; and the heirs of Mary Lee, deceased.¹⁵

Jesse WEAVER and Rebecca SANFORD appeared as head of household on a census enumerated 1 June 1860 in Collins Beat, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The household was listed as Jesse Weaver, age 58, farmer, $1,000 real estate, $600 personal property, born South Carolina; Rebecca, age 55, seamtress, born South Carolina; Mary P. [Margaret], age 21; Geo. J. H. T., age 19; Daniel J. G., age 17; Elizabeth L. [Ester], 14; Sarah P., age 11; and Nancy J., age 8. All of the children were born in Alabama.¹⁶

Jesse WEAVER appeared as head of household on a state census enumerated 1866 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The household was listed as one male age 10-20 [Dempsey], one male age 20-30 [George], one male age 60-70 [Jesse], two females age 10-20 [Sarah, Esther], and one female age 50-60 [Rebecca].¹⁷

Jesse WEAVER died on 26 October 1867 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, at age 65. He was buried in Old Salem Cemetery, Cottondale, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.