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 WIFE:  Mary "Polly" Jessee #99
  bir:  1787
 mar:  8 Sep 1803                               Russell Co, Va
 mar:  AFT 1814
 dea:  1836      Russell Co, Va
 Father:  John Jessee #100
 Mother:  Frances Lea #101
 Other husbands:
 1814:  Jim Chafin #11220
 HUSBAND:  Abednego Kiser #88
  bir:  1784      Washington Co,Va     (now,Russell Co)
 mar:  8 Sep 1803      Russell Co, Va
 dea:  5 Oct 1814      Norfolk, Va
 Father:  Joseph Keyser Kiser #10
 Mother:  Susannah Stacy #11 

Individual biographical text for Mary "Polly" Jessee #99

Mary was the second of 7 daughters born to John and Frankey Lea Jessee.  (They had 15 children in all, 7 girls, 8 boys.)  So far I have only identified 2 of their children, Mary "Polly" and George L. Jessee.

"Years after Ab's death, Polly married Jim Chafin, but no children were born to them.  They lived in Reeds Valley among the Jessees.  Jim Chafin was a bad drukard, not providing for his wife and otherwise mistreating her.  Uncle Abe Childress, who married her girl Frankie, went and got her and took her home to live with them.  Her husband sobered up and went to Abe's and said:  "Cursed is he that parteth a man and his wife."  He then put his hat on and walked out.  Mrs. Chafin did not live very long after this.  She died of dropsy.  I believe she was buried at Little Arch Jesse Graveyard in Reeds Valley.  She died before I was married.  I saw her several times."  Per a letter fo E. J. Sutherland by Mahala Kiser Sutherland, ovember 20, 1924, and published in his Pioneer Recollections, page 387/388.  Mahala's parents were Joseph and Mary "Polly" Childress Kiser.

Note:  Some researchers say that Mary "Polly" and Jim Chafin had one child, John Chafin, b. about 1828.  Others say there were no children born of this marriage.  I have not found proof either way.

Additional note:  According to Joyce Kiser Logan, now deceased, Mary "Polly" Jesse was part Cherokee Indian.  However, no other researchers have come to this conclusion, and Joyce never offered any proof of her claim.

Individual biographical text for Abednego Kiser #88
 

 He lived on a farm near Carbo, Va.  He was a Baptist preacher and assisted in the organization of the Washington District Baptist Association in 1811.  This district included Western Virginia and parts of Eastern Kentucky.

 On August 2, 1814, he enlisted as a private in the War of 1812 in Capt. John Hamon's Company of the 6th Regiment of the Virginia Militia, which was commanded by Lieut. Col. Henry E. Coleman, and was sent to Norfold with his command.  There he died of disease 3 days later, and was buried in the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Norfolk.  His widow later obtained a pension for his services.

 In 1924, his niece, Rachel Kiser, the daughter of Ephriam, stated that her father had gone to the Norfolk War before he was married; that he had "loaded cannon with log chains, scrap iron and everything.  He offered to take the place of his brother Ab, who was married and had a family, but Uncle Ab said 'No brother, you've served your turn - I'll serve mine'."

 The appraisment of his property was ordered by the Russell County Court on October 15, 1814, and the appraisal list was filed by Jesse Fuller, James Sutherland, and Thomas Francis, appraisers, and John Jessee was appointed his administrator.