Jack County, TX - Biography - Jesse McLemore ********************************************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Dorman Holub Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************************************************** "Uncle" Jesse McLemore is the oldest man, white or black, in Jack county, being 102 years old, according to the book of his old master, Henry Jefferson. "Uncle" Jesse was born in Tennessee and at about 16 years of age was sold to a negro trader named McLemore who took him to Mississippi and sold him to Henry Jefferson, who kept a record of his age. Just before the civil war Jefferson moved to Tarrant county, Texas. "Uncle" Jesse was Mr. Jefferson's blacksmith and carpenter until freed at the close of the war, and when freed he was told that it was necessary that he choose a surname and he chose McLemore, the name of the man who took him from Tennessee to Mississippi. He is one of the old-time negroes who never forgot his early training. He came to Jacksboro in the early days of old Fort Richardson and has lived so that he has the respect and goodwill of all the people who know him. Until the last few years he worked at the carpenter trade, being able to make a good living. Since that time he has not been actively engaged in work, but his mind is clear and he talks interestingly of the early days of his life when he was taken! from Tennessee to Mississippi. He is one of the type of the good old ante-bellum negroes who is fast passing away from the Southern homes, the only country in the world where this type of negro can be found. Jacksboro Gazette Jacksboro, Texas Thursday, April 23, 1908