Biography of: Hon. Jesse C. Gilbert McCracken County, Kentucky Source; Biographical Sketches from, "Kentucky, History of the State" Main Author; William Henry Perrin 1887 **************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net. Submitted by: Vera Burnham vburnham@metrocast.net Date: May 11, 2002 **************************************************************************** Hon. Jesse C. Gilbert. In 1818, Joel Gilbert removed from North Carolina, his native State, to the State of Kentucky, settling near the present site of Bemton, Marshall Co., Ky. He was married to Miss Tempa Grace having a family of ten children as a result of their union. They were pioneers in the full sense of that term, and spent the remainder of their lives in the vicinity of their original settlement. Mrs. Gilbert died in 1834, and Joel Gilbert in 1852. The subject of these lines is the seventh of their family, and was born at their homestead near Benton in 1831. His boyhood and early manhood were spent on his father's farm, presenting no material constrast with the experiences of other boys of similar pioneer surrenderings. Besides the common schools of that early day he attended the Wadesboro Academy,after which he decided to become a lawyer. He accordingly entered the office of Philander Palmer one of the best lawyers in the State, where he pursued his studies until his admission to practice, in 1855. At the age of twenty one he was elected clerk of the Marshall County courts; next became county attorney, and in the lower house of the General Assembly. He served in this capacity with credit during the exciting sessions of 1861-1862, and in the year 1871 his public service was again demanded, and he was elected to the State Senatorial District, serving as a worthy member of that body until 1875. As a member of the senate he introduced and secured the passage of a resolution requiring the governor and commissioners of the sinking fund to invest in United States six percent bonds to be registered,the $1,500,000 belonging to the sinking fund which had been collected and deposited in the banks at Frankfort during a period of thirty years for the purpose of paying the State bonds, when they became due and interest on the school funds. Holders of the bonds had refused to accept payment before maturity, and this large sum had accumulated and had never been invested or loaned out. Most of it was invested as required by the resolution, yeilding to the State annually upward of $40,000. He removed to Paducah in 1874, where he still lives and with the exception of his public service he has been in active practice since his admission to the bar. In 1858, in the town of Benton, Mr. Gilbert married Miss Azelia Barry, and has a family of seven children. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member in the Masonic fraternity.