My Genealogy Hound

Jesse Fitzgerald, constable and farmer of Bourbois Township, was born in St. Louis County, twelve miles from the city, in 1836, and is the fourth of eight children, four now living, born to Mason and Julia Ann (Hibler) Fitzgerald, natives of Kentucky and Maryland, respectively, the father born in 1806, and died in 1860, and the mother born in 1807, and died in 1859. They were married in St. Louis County, and died in that county. Mason Fitzgerald was an excellent farmer, and the son of Peter Fitzgerald, a native of Kentucky, and of Irish descent. Of Mr. Mason’s family the following four children are now living: Jesse, Zachary T., of Maries County, Mo.; Louisa Allen, of Greene County, Ill., and Rebecca Elizabeth Coons, of St. Louis County. Jesse Fitzgerald received very meager educational advantages for an education, not attending more than three months altogether. In 1858 he went to Washington, Franklin County, and the same year married, Fatana E., daughter of Samuel and Arminta Kalill, natives of Virginia and Kentucky, respectively. The mother died in Franklin County. Mrs. Fitzgerald was born in Washington, and the result of her marriage to Mr. Fitzgerald was the birth of four children: Virginia, wife of Henry Kinkade; Edway J. and Theattus (twins), and Samuel M. Soon after marriage Mr. Fitzpatrick removed to Gasconade County, settling in Bourbois Township, and has resided on his present fine farm of 240 acres since 1861. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, Thirty-second Missouri Volunteer Infantry, was at Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, all through the Siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Miss., and was on picket when the gun boat “Cincinnati” was sunk at Vicksburg. He was first corporal, and was mustered out as sergeant at Columbus, Ohio, in August, 1865. He was commissioned lieutenant and captain, but refused to accept the positions on account of education. Soon after the fall of Vicksburg Mr. Fitzgerald received a sun-stroke, which resulted in paralysis, and which disabled him from field service. From that time until the close of the war he was on detached service. From March until September, 1864, he was Lincoln’s body guard. He then spent one month at Albany, N. Y., from there to Indiana, and for the remainder of the service was acting orderly for Gen. Carrington, in the special detective service, etc., through Indiana and Ohio, at which work he proved very efficient, and when a warrant was placed in his hands it was certain to be executed with dispatch and care. After returning home Mr. Fitzgerald served one year as road overseer. He is now serving his third term as constable of Bourbois Township, having been elected in 1874, 1876 and 1886. He has always been a Democrat in politics, his first presidential vote being for Bell, in 1860. He is a member of the G. A. R., the A. O. U. W., and has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for about twenty years. He can remember when St. Louis was but a small, insignificant town, full of frog ponds, a little frame courthouse, and when there were many buffaloes in St. Louis County. Mr. Fitzgerald has often been solicited to accept various county offices—sheriff, county judge, etc.—but owing to his limited education has peremptorily refused.