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Mary Elizabeth Archer was born November 23, 1832, in Jacksboro, Campbell County, Tennessee. She was the daughter of John Archer and Martha D. Bridgmon.
The 1840 Campbell County census shows Elizabeth as a female 5-10 years old.
The 1850 Campbell County census shows 18 year old Elizabeth living with her parents and siblings. The Archer family moved to Holt County, Missouri about 1852.
Mary Elizabeth married Jesse Archie Jeffries on August 17, 1854, in Holt County, Missouri. Jesse Jeffries was born July 1832, in Kentucky. Some researchers believe he was the son of Michael Jeffries and Mary (last name unknown).
The 1860 Holt County census shows the family living in Lewis Township. The census shows Jesse Jeffries, 27, farmer, $2000 real property, $1430 personal property; Mary E., 27; Mary J., 5 and Martha L., 3 years old.
Jesse and Mary moved to Brown County, Kansas, about 1867.
The 1870 Brown County, Kansas census shows the family living in Claytonville Township, Hiawatha Post Office. The census shows Jessa Jeffers, 37, farmer, $3000 real property, $1950 personal property; Mary, 37; Jane, 13; Martha, 11; Julia, 7, born in Missouri and Jessie A., 1, born in Kansas. Living with the family was Mary Elizabeth's brother, John Archer, 24, laborer; Permelia Elplin, 18, born in Missouri; Nancy Watkins, 27, born in Kentucky and her son James Watkins, 3, born in Kentucky.
The 1880 Brown County census, Robinson Township, shows Jesse A. Jeffries, 47, a farmer; Mary E., wife, 47; Jesse A., son, 11; Effie M., daughter, 6; and Edward, son, 4 years old. Living with the family was Cora Hughes, niece, 9 years old, born in Arkansas. Cora was the daughter of Mary Elizabeth's sister Eliza Jane (Archer) Hughes. (Eliza Jane had died in 1878 and her husband James Hughes had died in 1872.)
The 1900 Brown County census shows the family still living in Robinson Township. The census shows J. A. Jeffries, born July 1832, 67, married 45 years, a farmer who owned his farm free of mortgage; Mary E., wife, born October 1832, 67, had given birth to 13 children, 5 children were still living at that time; Ed. C., son, born July 1876, 23, married 1 year, a farmer and Mary E., daughter-in-law, born July 1879, 20, married 1 year, born in Kansas.
Mary Elizabeth died January 13, 1901, in Brown County. Jesse died there on February 23, 1913.
Although census relates that 13 children were born to Jesse and Mary Elizabeth, only a few lived beyond infancy. We have record of the following:
Children of Jesse Jeffries and Mary Elizabeth Archer
1. Mary J. Jeffries, b. Dec 1856, Holt Co, MO; d. 1900-1910 Brown Co, KS; m. William O. Bechtel, b. Dec 1846, OH; d. 1905, Brown Co, KS. (Family settled in Brown Co, KS.) Children: (1) Solomon L. Bechtel, b. Nov 1877; (2) Ada E. Bechtel, b. Apr 1881; (3) Mary L. Bechtel, b. Aug 1887 and (4) Eva A. Bechtel, b. Dec 1891
2. Martha Lucretia Jeffries, b. June 1858, Holt Co, MO; m. John N. Groner, b. May 1859, PA. (Family settled in KS.) Children: (1) Nellie V. Groner, b. Oct 1878; (2) David Leroy Groner, b. May 1885 and (3) Jennette Groner, b. Apr 1890
3. Julia A. Jeffries, b. Jan 18, 1863, Holt Co, MO; d. Jan 29, 1875, Brown Co, KS
4. Jesse Archie Jeffries, Jr., b. Nov 1868, Brown Co, KS; d. aft 1930, Huntington Park, CA; m. Zoe ___ abt 1894, then m. Martha ___ abt 1908, then m. Maude ___ aft 1910. Children (by Zoe): (1) Effie M. Jeffries, b. Aug 1897 and (2) Jesse Clark Jeffries, b. Dec 1899
5. John R. Jeffries, b. Jan 24, 1871, Brown Co, KS; d. July 10, 1871, Brown Co.
6. Effie M. Jeffries, b. Sept 1874, Brown Co, KS; m. Emil E. Elfeldt
7. Edward Custer Jeffries, b. July 24, 1876, Brown Co, KS; d. Mar 5, 1955, Los Angeles Co, CA; m. Mary Ella Collins, b.July 13, 1879, KS; d. Jan 5, 1926, Brown Co, KS. Children: (1) Charles Jeffries, b. 1901; (2) Byran A. Jeffries, b. Dec 1902; (3) Joseph Alexander Jeffries, b. Apr 1906 and (4) Ruth Irene Jeffries, b. Dec 1909