Fourth Generation

155. Jesse Cleveland⁴⁸⁹ was born on 8 February 1785 in Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co., NC. Jesse died in Spartanburg, Spartanburg Co., SC on 3 November 1851 and was buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Spartanburg, Spartanburg Co., SC in November 1851 .⁴⁹⁰

Jesse Cleveland..."emigrated from Wilkes county, N. C. in 1810 and settled in Spartanburg. In the beginning and growth of said town no one was more identified with its business interests than Jesse Cleveland. He began and continued for many years the business of merchandising, and was in truth the merchant of the town. Purchasing his goods in Charleston, Baltimore, Augusta and other places, and bringing them overland in wagons to Spartanburg, he had an extensive trade and business, and was noted not only for his superior business judgment, but fair and honorable dealing.

"He married Mary Blassingame, and had children as follows: Mrs. Emily Choice, John B. Cleveland, Sr., Wm. B. Cleveland and Mrs. Mary H. Cleveland, the last named the only one surviving who resides at Greenville, S. C."

Jesse Cleveland and Mary Blassingame were married on 9 August 1814.⁸⁶ Mary Blassingame was born on 4 April 1797 in Spartanburg, Spartanburg Co., SC. Mary died in Greenville Co., SC on 4 January 1881 and was buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Spartanburg, Spartanburg Co., SC in January 1881 .⁴⁹¹

The Watchman and Southron,Sumter, SC,Feb. 5, 184, Page 1
 
A Lamented Death.
 

There has been recently in Greenville, South Carolina, the death of a lady, one of the old landmarks of Carolina, whose removal is as notable an event as the decease of Mrs. ex-Governor Herschell V. Johnson in this State.

This lady was Mrs. Mary Blassingame Cleveland, who, though dying in Greenville, was a citizen of Spartanburg. She was born April 4th, 1797, and died January 4th, 1881, and was therefore in her 87th year. Her father was General John Blassingame, who was raised on the Pedee River in South Carolina. General Blassingame, locate din Greenville, and married March 22, 1704, Miss Elizabeth Smith Easley, who came from Virginia.He was made a general in 1812. He was noted for his hospitality, was very popular and was a member of the Legislature.

The daughter, Mary Blassingame, whose demise I am noting, was married to Jessie Cleveland, August 9th, 1814.  Jessie Cleveland was a son of Robert Cleveland and a nephew of the famous hero of King's Mountain, Colonel Benjamin Cleveland. Hubert, Jesse's father, was a brother of Benjamin Cleveland, and commanded a company in his regiment at King's Mountain. All of these Clevelands were marked men, distinguished for solid judgment, practical wisdom and integrity of character.

The union of Jesse Cleveland and Mary Blassingame was a long and happy one as well as a mating of the best blood of Carolina.He died universally respected and beloved and the possessor of large means,earned by his own enterprise and business ability and honesty. Mrs. Cleveland was a noble Christian woman, a worthy help-mate to her husband, whom she survived over twenty years. She lived to a ripe old age,revered and loved by all, and lamented by a large family of descendants, dropping into the gentle peace of a beautiful death as an infant going to slumber, her life fully ripened and Heaven faithfully won as the goal of a Christian career.

Of seven children only two survived, Mrs. Cleveland, Mrs. Emily Choice, of Spartanburg, and Mrs. Mary H. Cleveland, of Greenville, who were both with her at her death, tenderly nursing her. She left nearly fifty grand children and great-grand children. The wife of Col John H. Evins, a present member of Congress from South Carolina, Mr. John B. Cleveland, a member of the last South Carolina Legislature, the wife of W. Hagood, of the family of Governor Hagood, and the wives of Mr. B. Z. Herndon and Col. I. W. Avery of Georgia, were among the grand-children of Mrs. Cleveland. Mrs. Cleveland was born and died at Greenville. In her last moments she gave a touching demonstration of her characteristic thoughtfulness of others. Her mind wandered to the past and she thought she was keeping house at her old homestead in Spartanburg, and she would often say : “I ought to go back and look after my poor negroes, I know they need me.”

Thus are the worthy ties that bind us to the best elements of the past one by one breaking.

Jesse Cleveland and Mary Blassingame had the following children: