My Genealogy Hound

Jesse Irby, a farmer of Caddo Township, Montgomery County, Ark., was born in Madison County, Ala., in 1840 to Dudley G. and Elizabeth (Vaughn) Irby, the former born in Virginia in 1809, and the latter in Kentucky in 1823, their marriage occurring on Blue-Grass soil. After residing some years in Alabama they returned to Kentucky, where Mr. Irby died in 1873, and his widow in 1878, she a member of the Christian Church. He was a farmer, and for four years was sheriff of Union County, having previously been county and probate judge. He was a soldier in the Florida and Mexican Wars, and was a member of the I. O. O. F. His father, William Irby, was born in Pittsylvania County, Va., served in the Revolutionary War, and died a farmer of Madison County, Ala. John Irby, his father, was born in Scotland and died at his son’s birthplace in Virginia. William Vaughn, Mrs. Irby’s father, was of German origin and died in Union County, Ky. The subject of this sketch is the eldest of seven sons and three daughters, three sons and two daughters now living, and he is the only one that resides in this county. He never received a day’s schooling in his youth, but at the age of eighteen years he left his home in Kentucky, and started out to seek his fortune, in time reaching Northeastern Arkansas, where he worked as a farm hand until the opening of the war, then returned to Kentucky, and joined Company D, Second Kentucky Cavalry, his first engagement being Sacramento, Ky. At the capture of Fort Donelson he was one who made his escape with Gen. Forrest, but in May of the same year was captured at Farmington, Miss., and was in prison at Alton, Ill., until October, 1802. He afterward joined Gen. John Morgan’s command, and was with him on his famous raid into Indiana and Ohio. He was captured at Buffington Island, Ind., and for about two months was a prisoner at Rock Island, after which he served as forage master for Gen. Breckinridge until the close of the war. In 1866 he went to Texas, but soon after returned to what is now Clay County, Ark., and in 1868 was married to Isabelle, daughter of James and Elizabeth Miller, who were born in Decatur County, Tenn., from whence they removed to Greene County, Ark., at which place Mr. Miller’s death occurred in 1865, his widow still residing there. Mrs. Irby was born in Greene County, and of the eleven children she has borne her husband, six are living. Soon after his marriage Mr. Irby returned to Texas where he lived until 1880, then moved to the Chickasaw Nation and in 1889, to his present farm of 198 acres in Montgomery County, of which he has 120 acres cleared. He was deputy sheriff and constable in Cook and Greyson Counties, Tex., and for two years served as a ranger on the frontier. During his residence in the Chickasaw Nation he was a licensed Indian trader for four years and learned to converse readily with the Chickasaws. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and belongs to the Christian Church.