JESSE WILSON HEARTLEY

Tap‑‑tap‑‑tap, the hammer hit the chisel chipping a stone. The year was 1867 in the Mo Ozarks as a slender, middle aged man of average height hunched over, intent upon his task. In his lifetime he had constructed beautiful fireplaces and furn=iture, but this was the most difficult task for his hands. Jesse Wilson Heartley contemplated with melancholy, yet with a certain pride, the words he had etched upon the pale gray slab of stone measuring 15 inches wide and slightly longer. He had been laboring for many hours to create this special monument to his late wife of 34 years.

The quaint etching with flourishing letters capsuled a woman's life. It read:

In Memory of Rebkey wife of J. W. Heartley born 1804 died Jan 22 1867 aged 63 years & 22 day a member of the Baptist church for 20 years remember children o remember the death of me remember that I died with a cancer

A plaintive message "Rebkey" nee Rebecca Wommack, a twin, was born on the 366th day of 1804, a leap year, in the Jersey settlement near Lexington, N. C. to Richard and Ruth (Owen) Wommack. There she grew up as did a lad named Jesse, son of Laban and Nancy Broadway Heartley. As a boy, he learned to ride a horse and excitedly made the trip to the nearby James Smith water mill on Potts Creek.

Thus the twain became one as they wed in the fall of 1832. Rebecca, 27, was 7 years older than her bridegroom which due to sexist traditions seemed to embarass her. It embarrassed her so much that in later years she subtracted 7 years from her age. One of the disadvantages of being a twin was that her sister) Anges, refused to "grow younger." This must have given rise to the suspicion that their mother had one of the longest births in human history.

The "falling of the stars" a Historic event, occurred in September 1833. Two weeks later, Rebecca gave birth to a son, Henderson Wilson and within the next 4 years, she gave birth to Sarah Angeline and Hamilton Hezekial, then an important decision was made.

Adventure beckoned‑this had been home and Davidson Co, now had a substantial population. The last census counted almost 13,000 persons, with Lexington comprising only a small hamlet. In August 1839, Jesse sold his farm on the waters of Rock Run and prepared to move. In all of the excitement, Rebecca became pregnant. The wagons rolled onward. The destination was Carroll Co., Tenn. They lived there for 4 years and two more sons, Richard Bentley and Robert were born. Then, they moved on to the Ozarks and Webster Co.

Two more children, the 4th son in a row, Daniel, and finally the last child, Mary, were born.

The years passed. The children married‑‑Rebecca died. Jesse remarried in 1867, a Widow, Rachel (Murrell) Snider. After 25 years of marriage, she died. Again a widower now in his 80ts, he did his own cooking. His specialities were corn bread, sour cream biscuits, and flacked hominy. Later, some one stayed with him especially after cataracts blinded him in 1897.

In December 1911, the earth made its 100th trip around the sun and Jesse celebrated his centennial. He attributed his old age to living as close to the Lord as he knew how to live, having became a Christian at age 23. By nature, he was an optimist. He never smoked nor chewed tobacco, and he drank coffee sparingly. He never took any medicine before the age of 50. He shunned doctors and dentists and never had false teeth. His hearing diminished in his later years, but his memory, was good and he loved reminiscing about the past. Time was important to him. His favorite possessions were a cane and 2 clocks. The cane was notched for every year of his life and he loved to hear the clocks tick and strike.

When he was 101., he humorously remarked that he was 1 year old and had 1 tooth (left). He exercised daily. Regardless of the weather he walked a half mile, putting the head of the cane over a clothesline for guidance. Tick Tock... 102,103‑104.105. He ascribed his longevity to his contentment of mind and not being intemperate in anything. A huge celebration took place as perhaps a 1000 people paid homage at a picnic and the cameras clicked. A full head of white hair framed the wrinkled face atop the slight body. In the sea of humanity he seemed frail, dwarfed by the immensity of it all.

On 22 Jan 1917 Jesse noted a half‑century had passed since Rebecca died. Eight days later he passed away in his sleep, not ill, just worm out. After 38,396 days on the planet now taking a long life's journey into the Ultimate Night‑‑a pioneer moved on to yet another frontier. His descendants changed the spelling to Hartley.