Jessie Winstead was born 3 Sept 1886 in Garden City, Finney Co., KS. Her parents as listed on a delayed birth certificate, were John M. Winstead [born 10 Dec. 1855 in Weakley Co., TX] and Alice Smith [born 1862 Marshalltown, IA]. Her father is listed as a Deputy Sheriff and her mother a housekeeper. When Jessie was still “in infancy” something happened to her parents and she was raised by Willis Wirt Winstead and Georgia Stone Winstead in Great Bend, Barton Co., KS. Willis Winstead was the older brother of John M. Winstead and he too was a Sheriff in Great Bend, as was their father before them. We know from the 1880 census that John lived with Willis in Great Bend at that time and was single, no occupation listed.

John M. Winstead and Willis Wirt Winstead were part of a family whose parents were John C. and Susan Price Winstead. Other siblings were Louis, Abel Thomas, William S., Lucy H. and Emerson Ethridge Winstead.

I am trying to find out what happened to Jessie’s parents. A cousin recently told us Jessie's dad, John M. Winstead shot her mother, Alice Smith Winstead and this would have been around 1888-1890 and we are trying to verify the truth to this. Anyone with information on this Winstead family please get in touch. Thanks!