When James “Jesse” Keatley was born in 1787 in Monroe County, Virginia, his father, Francis Keatley, was 27 and his mother, Elizabeth, was 27. He married Lydia Sovain on May 2, 1809, in Montgomery, Virginia. They had nine children in 21 years. He died in June 1846 in his hometown at the age of 59.
From the History of Summers County:
. . . James Keatley was selling whisky at the mouth of Indian Creek.
Keatley’s Grop Shop was operating with a license from Monroe county prior to the formation of Summers County. Two men, Woodson Harvey and Til Thrasher been drinking at Keatley’s grog shop. After leaving got into a fight which resulted in Til being shot and killed. Til Thrasher was married to Mary Adaline Gore. Mary Adalline Gore was the daughter of Adaline Keatley who was James Keatley’s daughter. (Summers County has her as a neice but the records would indicate she was his granddaughter). After Til Thrasher’s death, his widow, Mary Adaline, sued James Keatley for damages for selling Thrasher the liquor. James secured some kind of settlement with Mary Adaline and the suit was dismissed but James Keatley’s daughter, Adaline Keatley never spoke to her father again. Woodson Harvey served two years as the first man convicted to the penitentiary in Summers County.
Per Jane Harmer: I found Confederate records showing all four of James Keatley’s son fought for the Confederacy. One even sold food, equipment to them. Cooking the bacon was extra. They were paid in Confederate money.
There is a James Keatley listed in 1810 US Census Monroe County, WV p.566.
West Virginia Estate Settlements, Ross B. Johnston ISBN 8063-0755-2 p. 172 list Jesse Keatley, Will with decendents that match James and the same date of death. So I’m confident the James nickname was Jesse.
The old Keatley house. (in Jesse James Will)…”on the south side of Indian Creek
near the mouth”.
| Name: | James Keatley |
|---|---|
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 21 |
| Birth Date: | 1787 |
| Marriage Date: | 2 May 1808 |
| Marriage Place: | Montgomery County, Virginia |
| Father: | Francis Keatley |
| Spouse: | Lydia Sovine |
| FHL Film Number: | 32633 |
| Reference ID: | P 122 |