Jesse LaFollette
Encyclopedia
Jesse LaFollette is featured in one of the limestone panels at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
in Lincoln City, Indiana
. Jesse's family lived next to the Knob Creek Farm
, Kentucky
owned by Thomas Lincoln
during Abraham Lincoln
's boyhood years. Jesse was the grandfather of Robert Marion La Follette, Sr., William La Follette
and Harvey Marion LaFollette
.
in 1781. His father, Joseph, and grandfather, Jean, were Huguenot
's who had escaped the persecution in France, traveling first to the Isle of Jersey and then to the Colonies where they homesteaded a small farm near the Wallkill River
. in northern New Jersey. Jean was killed during the French and Indian Wars
. Joseph married Phoebe Gobel of Morristown, New Jersey
, whose father's farm along with other neighboring farms in Jockey Hollow
was used by George Washington
and his troops during the winter of 1780. After serving with Count Casimir Pulaski during the Revolutionary War, Joseph and his family joined the pioneers who treked westward through the Cumberland Gap
.
.
As a young man, he homesteaded a farm in the beautiful hilly region of what is today LaRue County. This farm was adjacent to the Knob Creek Farm
of Thomas Lincoln
. Except for his service with the Kentucky Rifles during the War of 1812
, Jesse was engrossed in pioneer life on the frontier, hunting, clearing fields and farming and raising a large family. The LaFollette and Lincoln families were part of a small community and shared many adventures of pioneer life. They were involved in land sales with each other and title disputes with speculators; they served on juries together; and they were of like mind on the issue of slavery siding with the abolitionists.
, they left slavery issues behind. The 1816 constitution of Indiana explicitly banned slavery in the state. Jesse was also leaving land title disputes behind. He settled in Putnam County, Indiana
.The old soldier, Joseph, travelled with him on this trek, dying in 1834 and is buried at the James Cemetery in Putnam County. Several of Jesse's sons struck out for new territory and began farming in Primrose, Wisconsin
in the 1850s.
introduced the legislation that led to the creation of Indiana's first national park
. Early in 1962 President John F. Kennedy
signed into law the act that created the memorial. The park was formally dedicated in the summer of 1966.
Jesse LaFollette is featured in the Kentucky panel of the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
. He is standing next next to Abraham Lincoln
's father, Thomas Lincoln.
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is a United States Presidential Memorial, a National Historic Landmark District in present-day Lincoln City, Indiana. It preserves the farm site where Abraham Lincoln lived with his family from 1816 to 1830. During that time, he grew from a 7-year-old boy to a...
in Lincoln City, Indiana
Lincoln City, Indiana
Lincoln City is an unincorporated community in Carter Township, Spencer County in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana. It lies five minutes south of Interstate 64, northeast of Evansville, and approximately twenty miles north of the Ohio River. It was laid out in 1872 on the site...
. Jesse's family lived next to the Knob Creek Farm
Knob Creek Farm
Knob Creek Farm has been a noncontinuous section of the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park since 2001; prior to that date it was privately owned. From 1811 to 1816, it was the home of the future President of the United States Abraham Lincoln, who said it was his "earliest...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
owned by Thomas Lincoln
Thomas Lincoln
Thomas Lincoln was an American farmer and father of President Abraham Lincoln.-Ancestors:Thomas Lincoln was descended from Samuel Lincoln, a Puritan from East Anglia who landed in Massachusetts in 1637...
during Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's boyhood years. Jesse was the grandfather of Robert Marion La Follette, Sr., William La Follette
William La Follette
William Leroy La Follette was a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Washington. He represented the 3rd District from 1911 to 1915, and the 4th District from 1915 to 1919....
and Harvey Marion LaFollette
Harvey Marion LaFollette
Harvey Marion LaFollette was an Indiana teacher and educator who, as a young man, served two terms as Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction. He then moved to Tennessee where he established the town of LaFollette, Tennessee...
.
Early life
Jesse was born near Morristown, New JerseyMorristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
in 1781. His father, Joseph, and grandfather, Jean, were Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
's who had escaped the persecution in France, traveling first to the Isle of Jersey and then to the Colonies where they homesteaded a small farm near the Wallkill River
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
. in northern New Jersey. Jean was killed during the French and Indian Wars
French and Indian Wars
The French and Indian Wars is a name used in the United States for a series of conflicts lasting 74 years in North America that represented colonial events related to the European dynastic wars...
. Joseph married Phoebe Gobel of Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
, whose father's farm along with other neighboring farms in Jockey Hollow
Jockey Hollow
Jockey Hollow is a unit of Morristown National Historical Park in New Jersey. It was twice used as a winter encampment by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
was used by George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and his troops during the winter of 1780. After serving with Count Casimir Pulaski during the Revolutionary War, Joseph and his family joined the pioneers who treked westward through the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap is a pass through the Cumberland Mountains region of the Appalachian Mountains, also known as the Cumberland Water Gap, at the juncture of the U.S. states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia...
.
Kentucky
Jesse grew up in a pioneer community in Hardin County, KentuckyHardin County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 94,174 people, 34,497 households, and 25,355 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 37,673 housing units at an average density of...
.
As a young man, he homesteaded a farm in the beautiful hilly region of what is today LaRue County. This farm was adjacent to the Knob Creek Farm
Knob Creek Farm
Knob Creek Farm has been a noncontinuous section of the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park since 2001; prior to that date it was privately owned. From 1811 to 1816, it was the home of the future President of the United States Abraham Lincoln, who said it was his "earliest...
of Thomas Lincoln
Thomas Lincoln
Thomas Lincoln was an American farmer and father of President Abraham Lincoln.-Ancestors:Thomas Lincoln was descended from Samuel Lincoln, a Puritan from East Anglia who landed in Massachusetts in 1637...
. Except for his service with the Kentucky Rifles during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Jesse was engrossed in pioneer life on the frontier, hunting, clearing fields and farming and raising a large family. The LaFollette and Lincoln families were part of a small community and shared many adventures of pioneer life. They were involved in land sales with each other and title disputes with speculators; they served on juries together; and they were of like mind on the issue of slavery siding with the abolitionists.
Indiana
When the LaFollettes crossed into IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, they left slavery issues behind. The 1816 constitution of Indiana explicitly banned slavery in the state. Jesse was also leaving land title disputes behind. He settled in Putnam County, Indiana
Putnam County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 36,019 people, 12,374 households, and 9,119 families residing in the county. The population density was 75 people per square mile . There were 13,505 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
.The old soldier, Joseph, travelled with him on this trek, dying in 1834 and is buried at the James Cemetery in Putnam County. Several of Jesse's sons struck out for new territory and began farming in Primrose, Wisconsin
Primrose, Wisconsin
Primrose is a town in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 682 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Primrose is located in the town.-Geography:...
in the 1850s.
Memorial
In 1959 Senator Vance HartkeVance Hartke
Rupert Vance Hartke was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana from 1959 until 1977.-Early life, education, military service:...
introduced the legislation that led to the creation of Indiana's first national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. Early in 1962 President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
signed into law the act that created the memorial. The park was formally dedicated in the summer of 1966.
Jesse LaFollette is featured in the Kentucky panel of the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is a United States Presidential Memorial, a National Historic Landmark District in present-day Lincoln City, Indiana. It preserves the farm site where Abraham Lincoln lived with his family from 1816 to 1830. During that time, he grew from a 7-year-old boy to a...
. He is standing next next to Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's father, Thomas Lincoln.