Jesse McMahan, P. O., Arrow Rock. Mr. Jesse McMahan was born in Cooper county, Missouri, April 19, 1813. His father, Samuel McMahan, was born in Clark county, Kentucky, in 1774, and was married in Madison county, Kentucky, to Sarah Clark, daughter of Benjamin Clark, and a native of Albemarlecounty, Virginia. They had five children, three of them now living: Jesse, Thomas A., and John W. In 1810, he moved west, and with others, made a settlement in Cooper county, six miles south of Arrow Rock, and about four miles south of Arrow Rock, built a block house, or fort, called Anderson’s fort. They brought their families west in 1811. His immediate neighbors were Wm. Anderson, Andreas Anderson, George Anderson, David Jones, J. Wolfskill, Wm. Ried, and Stephen Turley. In 1813, the Indians drove them away, to Cooper’s fort, and burned Anderson’s fort, and while there, he was killed during the Christmas week. He had recrossed the river to get his cattle, and while driving them to the river, the Indians (who were on the lookout for a man named Mukchax) saw him, and opened fire on him. His horse fell, shot under him. He started to run, but hearing the voice of the chief, whom he knew, and supposed to be friendly, he halted and turned around. As he faced them the Indians shot him dead. His body, cut into several pieces and scalped, was recovered, and buried at Booneville. His widow survived him until 1872, and was buried six miles below Arrow Rock. Jesse, the youngest child, and his friend, Jesse Reid. Were the first children in that neighborhood, born south of the river. He was raised on a farm, and in 1831 he went to the Indian nation on a trading expedition and returned in August. While there, the Indians got after him, and in his efforts to spur his mule he sprained his knee so severely, that it rendered him a cripple for life. He escaped, however, and returned to Arrow Rock, where in 1834, he went into the dry goods and grocery business, which he continued until 1875. Since then he has traveled a good deal. In 1837, he was married to Miss Susan Vaughan, a native of Tennessee. They have four children, all living: Clayton, Henry T., Mrs. Nannie H. Sutherlin, and Mrs. Sallie R. Piper.
