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52 Ancestors: Week 15, Jacob Lindsay and Nancy Ann (Williamson) Headley

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Jacob Lindsay Headley, son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Whitlatch) Headlee), was born in Wood County, Virginia (now West Virginia) 17 January 18571 and was murdered in Craig Township, Burt County, Nebraska 15 May 1906. He married in Wood County, West Virginia 20 April 1879, Nancy Ann Williamson,2 daughter of Eleazer and Jemima (Davis) Williamson.3,4 She was born in Monroe County, Ohio 16 February 1852 and died in Herman, Washington County, Nebraska 17 September 1910.5

Jacob spent the entirety of his early life in Wood County, West Virginia. He can be found living there with his parents in the 1860 and 1870 censuses,6,7 and with his wife and adopted son Elmer in 1880.8 At some point between 1883 and 1885, the family moved to Burt County, Nebraska. They first resided near Tekamah where they were living in 1885.9 Notably, Elmer is no longer listed in the household despite being just 14 at the time. They apparently followed Nancy's maternal family to Nebraska as their neighbors in 1885 included her uncles James A. Davis and Thomas George Davis. Their properties can be seen in Atlas of Burt County, Nebraska, 1884. By 1900, they were in Craig Township.10

Jacob was evidently a fairly successful farmer. In 1895, he participated in Burt County's farmer's institute giving a talk on potato culture.11 By the time of his death, his estate consisted of 240 acres, a large number of farming implements, and dozens of animals.12 The 160 acres of the southeast quarter of section 2, township 21, range 9 were purchased on 7 December 1901.13 The deed index does not list any deed for the remaining 80 acres located in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 11.

Jacob's body was discovered in Bell Creek in Craig Township on 9 June 1906 after he had gone missing 3 weeks prior. He appeared to have been shot with a shotgun.14 Two days later, his sons Jesse and Noah Headley were arrested in connection with the suspected murder.15 Noah was later released while Jesse plead guilty to second degree manslaughter on 13 November and was sentenced to 23 years in prison.16 Jesse had been arrested the previous year for stealing 2 of his father's horses.17 Jacob was buried in Craig Cemetery.18

Nancy continued to reside in Craig until 1910.19 She would die later that year after moving to Herman.5 She is apparently buried alongside her husband in Craig Cemetery.20

Child of Nancy Ann (Williamson) Headley, adopted by Jacob Lindsay Headley:

  1. Elmer Headley, b. Monroe Co., Ohio 20 April 1871; m. Louise Sylvia Cram.

Children of Jacob Lindsay and Nancy Ann (Williamson) Headley:12

  1. Arthur Isaiah Headley, b. Wood Co., W. V. 10 April 1882; m. Mary Christina Fensler.
  2. James A. Headley, b. Wood Co., W. V. 22 Oct. 1883; d. Craig, Ne. 5 Sep. 1904.
  3. Augusta Headley, b. Burt Co., Ne. 1 Nov. 1885; m. Jesse Bass.
  4. Jesse Lee Headley, b. Burt Co., Ne. March 1888.
  5. Noah Headley, b. Burt Co., Ne. 1 Aug. 1889; m. Carrie Estella Blackerby.
  6. Nora Headley, b. Burt Co., Ne. 1 Aug 1889; m. William Gregg Darling.
  7. Hother Elisher Headley, b. Craig, Ne. 5 May 1891; m. Josephine Mary Grandgenett.
  8. Nathan C. Headley, b. Craig, Ne. about Aug 1894; d. there 8 Feb. 1895.

  1. Hardesty's Biographical Atlas of Wood County, WV (1882), 113; digital images, FamilySearch.↩

  2. Wood County, West Virginia, Marriage Register, 1854-1886, sheet 89, Jacob Lindsay Headlee-Nancy Ann Williamson, 20 April 1879; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4130710 > image 146. Also available at WVCulture.org.↩

  3. For her ancestry, see "52 Ancestors: Week 10, James Williamson, Eleazer Williamson"↩

  4. Paternal and maternal relationships are confirmed by an autosomal AncestryDNA test match between S. D. and R. R. Their most recent common ancestors are Eleazar Williamson and Jemima Davis, the 3x great-grandparents of S. D. and great-grandparents of R. R. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 2nd cousin 2x removed, based on sharing 102 cM across 7 segments.↩

  5. "Mrs. Headley Dead," The Craig (Nebraska) News, 22 September 1910, p. 1, col. 3; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  6. 1860 U.S. census, Wood County, Virginia, population schedule, p. 226 (penned), unnamed locality, dwelling 1685, family 1681; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5171753 > image 610; citing NARA microfilm M653.↩

  7. 1870 U.S. census, Wood County, West Virginia, population schedule, p. 23 (penned), Williams Township, dwelling 167, family 160; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4268440 > image 507; citing NARA microfilm M593.↩

  8. 1880 U.S. census, Wood County, West Virginia, population schedule, enumeration district 164, sheet 323D, Williams District, dwelling 238, family 243; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5162827 > image 245; citing NARA microfilm T9.↩

  9. 1885 Nebraska state census, Burt County, population schedule, enumeration district 91, p. 32, Tekamah Precinct, dwelling 358, family 364; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4639832 > image 41; citing NARA microfilm M352, roll 5.↩

  10. 1900 U.S. census, Burt County, Nebraska, population schedule, enumeration district 30, sheet 6A, Craig Township, dwelling 105, family 106; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4120373 > image 220; citing NARA microfilm T623.↩

  11. "Farmer's Institute," The Craig (Nebraska) News, 25 Jan. 1895, p. 4, col. 4; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  12. Burt County, Nebraska, probate case file no. 791, Estate of Jacob L. Headley, Deceased; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 107918527 > images 1-503.↩

  13. Burt County, Nebraska, deed index, range 9, township 21, section 2; digital images, Nebraska Deeds Online. The deeds themselves do not appear to be available online anywhere.↩

  14. "Headley's Dead Body Found," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee, 10 June 1906, p. 3, col. 3; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  15. "Two Brothers Arrested," Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star, 12 June 1906, p. 5, col. 4; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  16. "Boy Pleads Guilty to Murder," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee, 14 Nov. 1906, p. 3, col. 5; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  17. The Oakland (Nebraska) Republican, 14 Dec. 1905, p. 4, col. 2; digital images, Newspapers.com.↩

  18. Find a Grave, memorial 109145869, J. L. Headley (17 January 1857–16 May 1906), Craig Cemetery, Craig, Burt County, Nebraska.↩

  19. 1910 U.S. census, Burt County, Nebraska, population schedule, enumeration district 24, sheet 15A, Craig Precinct, dwelling 76, family 76; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4972809 > image 253; citing NARA microfilm T624, roll 839.↩

  20. Find a Grave, memorial 109145891. No photograph of her marker.↩