In 1880, Jesse worked as a farm laborer in Williamson County, Tennessee, where he lived with his parents and many of his siblings. By 1885, he had moved to Nashville, and he worked as a blacksmith for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. In 1886, he worked as a guard at the penitentiary. He then worked for the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway; he was a boilermaker in 1888, and by 1890 he was a fireman. By 1900, he had become an engineer.
Jesse married Pauline "Lena" Hitner on 12 July 1891. They had six children: Thomas Burrell (born 2 August 1892), Jessie Pauline (born 27 March 1895), Elmer (born 3 March 1898), George Washington (born 22 February 1900), John Frederick (born 10 December 1904), and Jesse Edwin (born 17 October 1909).
On 15 September 1909, Jesse was killed in a railroad accident. On the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway, No. 4 passenger train, west bound, and No. 31 fast freight, east bound, collided one mile west of Pegram Station. Jesse was the engineer on the freight train. The engineer on the passenger train, who was also killed in the accident, was Joseph Greener Gower, my second cousin 4 times removed (through one of my other family lines).
Jesse was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery on 20 September 1909, in the Tarkington family plot, Sec. 13 Lot 75. On 16 December 1914, his body was moved to Sec. 13 Lot 275.
Jesse's youngest son, Jesse Edwin, was born a month after Jesse's death. Sadly, Jesse Edwin died on 27 October 1914 at age 5.
Marion Star, 15 September 1909
Morning Oregonian, 16 September 1909
Photo by CB - Find a Grave contributor
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