Vital Information
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Jesse Kirby | DAR application 511175 |
| Born | 23 Oct 1757 | DAR application 511175 |
| Birthplace | Henry County, Virginia | DAR application 511175 |
| Died | 17 Dec 1852 | DAR application 511175 |
| Death Place | Warren County, Kentucky | DAR application 511175 |
| DAR Patriot | A065510 | DAR application 511175 |
| Wife | Sophia Chise (b. 23 Sep 1760, Scotland; d. 11 Jul 1853, Warren Co, KY) | DAR application 511175 |
| Married | ~1778, Southampton, England | DAR application 511175 |
| Military | Private, Virginia Militia; enlisted 1780, Henry County, VA | Pension S*W9489 |
| Pension | Granted 22 Nov 1832; National pension #317665 | Pension S*W9489 |
| Commanded by | Colonels Faulkner, Lyon, Holcomb, Penn; Capts Waller, Terrance, Conden | Pension S*W9489 |
| DAR Chapter | Independence Pioneers, MO; verified 8/25/1965 | DAR application 511175 |
| Children | 11 (see below) | DAR application 511175 |
Children
| Name | Birth Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Myrick Kirby | 27 Jan 1779 | |
| Nancy Kirby | 23 Oct 1781 | m. William Potter |
| Lucy Kirby | 27 Nov 1783 | |
| William Kirby | 15 Feb 1784 | Major William Kirby; m. Lavinia Anderson |
| Cyrus Kirby | 20 Dec 1787 | |
| Elizabeth Kirby | 27 Jan 1790 | m. Ard Potter 29 Apr 1807 |
| Jessie R. Kirby | 6 Mar 1793 | |
| Ezekial Kirby | 5 Aug 1794 | |
| John C. Kirby | 31 Mar 1797 | |
| Polly Kirby | 26 Mar 1799 | |
| Tulip Kirby | 11 Nov 1803 |
Biography
Jesse Kirby was born 23 October 1757 in Henry County, Virginia, the son of Henry Kerby (b. after 1730, Virginia; d. ~1789, Stokes County, North Carolina) and his wife Susannah. Henry's will, proved 1790 in Stokes County, NC, names wife Susannah and seven children: Jesse, Pleasant, Sarah Davis, Edmund, Samuel, Sillia Williams, and Dorcas Cunningham, plus a granddaughter Patsy Childress. Sophia's surname appears as both "Chise" (DAR application) and "Choice" (Kirby Family Lineage book on Archive.org).
Around 1778 Jesse married Sophia Chise/Choice, a native of Scotland, in Southampton, England, and the couple eventually settled in what would become Warren County, Kentucky, where both lived to remarkable ages: Jesse died 17 December 1852 at age 95, and Sophia survived him, dying 11 July 1853. Jesse served as a Private in the Virginia Militia, enlisting in 1780 from Henry County; he served under Colonels Faulkner, Lyon, Holcomb, and Penn, and under Captains George Waller, James Terrance, and James Conden. His pension was granted 22 November 1832 as National pension #317665 (file S*W9489), and he is recognized as DAR Patriot A065510. Jesse and Sophia had 11 children; their son Major William Kirby (b. 15 Feb 1784) married Lavinia Anderson, daughter of fellow DAR Patriot Bailey Anderson (A002346), joining two documented Revolutionary War families. Jesse Kirby is the earliest proven Kirby ancestor in this line and the original patriot cited in Doris Vaughan Fulghum's 1965 DAR application.
Census Records (WikiTree Kirby-1430)
| Year | Location | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | Warren Co, KY | Present (also serving in KY state legislature 1800-1802 as confirmed by WikiTree) |
| 1810 | Warren Co, KY | Age 45+; household of 7: wife (45+), 1 male (16-25), 2 males (10-15), 1 male (<10), 1 female (10-15) |
| 1820 | Warren Co, KY | Aug 7, 1820; household of 5: 1 female (16-25), 2 females (<10), 1 female slave |
| 1830 | Warren Co, KY | "Jesse Kerby, Senior"; age 70-79, wife 70-79, 1 female (5-9), 7 slaves |
| 1840 | Warren Co, KY | "Jepe Kerly" [sic]; age 80-89, wife 80-89, 8 slaves |
| 1850 | Warren Co, KY | District 2, family #367: Jessie Kirby (b. ~1758, VA), Sophia Kirby (wife), Elizabeth Kirby (age 17) |
Note: Jesse Kirby held enslaved people, as documented in census records from 1820-1840 (1 to 8 individuals). This is consistent with slaveholding patterns among Warren County, Kentucky landowners of this era.
Will
Jesse Kirby's will was dated December 1, 1852, recorded at the Warren County Court 1st December Term 1852. He died 17 days later on December 17, 1852. Source: WikiTree Kirby-1430, citing Warren County probate records.
Additional Children (WikiTree, beyond DAR application)
WikiTree lists 16 children total (vs. 11 in the DAR application). Additional names include:
- Agnes Kirby (b. 1779)
- David Kirby (1779-1831)
- Joel Kirby (b. 1784)
- Zariah Kerby (1787-1850)
- Henry Kirby (b. 1789)
- Isaiah Kirby (1794-1879)
- Francis Marion Kirby (b. 1844)
The WikiTree list has some overlap and date discrepancies with the DAR application list. The DAR application, as a verified document, should be considered the more reliable source for the children it names.
Sophia's Origins: New Evidence
The will of Tully Choice Sr. (Henry County, Virginia, Will Book 1, pp. 117-118; dated 2 Nov 1777, proved 27 Oct 1785) names "Sophia Kirby" among his children. This primary source strongly supports the claim that Sophia was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia (b. 23 Sep 1760), daughter of Tully Choice Sr. and Ann Duff, not in Scotland as stated in DAR application 511175.
WikiTree Kirby-1430 and WikiTree Choice-3 both give Sophia's birthplace as Pittsylvania County, Virginia. The marriage date is recorded as 18 March 1778 in Henry County, Virginia (not Southampton, England as DAR application states).
Tully Choice Sr. was a surveyor who held 1,000 acres in Orange County, VA (1741 patent) and 1,570 acres in Pittsylvania County, VA. He signed an oath of allegiance on 13 September 1777, stating his age as 71. His will executors were sons Tully Jr. and William Choice, plus Samuel Bolling.
This evidence tips the Sophia birthplace discrepancy toward Virginia (Strong Signal), though the DAR application's Scotland claim remains on the record. The pension file S*W9489 may contain Sophia's own testimony on her origins.
Document Sources
| Document | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| DAR application 511175 (patriot A065510) | Membership application | Obtained; transcribed |
| Pension file S*W9489 (National pension #317665) | NARA pension/military service records | Not yet obtained (priority acquisition) |
| Mrs. A.T. Hardcastle research note, Bowling Green, KY (Aug 1952) | Private research note | Referenced |
| Kirby Family Lineage Historical Data | Published genealogy (Archive.org) | Consulted |
| Henry Kerby will, Stokes County NC (proved 1790) | Probate | Abstract in Absher (1979); not directly consulted |
| Jesse Kirby will, Warren County KY (1 Dec 1852) | Probate | Referenced in WikiTree; not directly consulted |
| Tully Choice Sr. will, Henry County VA Will Book 1, pp. 117-118 (dated 2 Nov 1777; proved 27 Oct 1785) | Probate | Names "Sophia Kirby"; available on Ancestry.com |
| U.S. Census 1800-1850, Warren County, KY | Federal census | Consulted (via WikiTree) |