Age: 63 yrs.
Enlisted: US Army, 21 Jan 1944
Released: 10 Mar 1946
One of the remaining Georgia Gullahs, African slave descendants who lived in isolated communities away from the greater society. Jesse was born in the dwindling Gullah community on Sepelo Island. He served in World War II. Tried working in a yacht yard. Then came to Cumberland Island to gather fish and bait for the Candler family and stayed. He never married.
Befriended newly arrived naturalist Carol Ruckdeschel and showed her the ways of the island – fishing, where the animals live, how to listen and observe. They remained friends for the rest of his life. Ruckdeschel helped him as she could, attempting to moderate his drinking problem. As her last assistance, she located his body after the sheriff's officers gave up.
Obituary, Camden County Tribune (St. Marys, GA), 15 July 1982, Researched by Sue Saffold:
CARETAKER BAILEY DROWNS ON CUMBERLAND ISLAND
One of Cumberland Island's residents, described by friends as a man who never had an enemy in his life, drowned Saturday while apparently attempting to return his boat to shore in Christmas Creek.
Jesse Bailey, 63, who had lived on Cumberland for most of his life, was well known to visitors and residents of the island. He was frequently seen piloting his small motorboat along the shoreline or in the waters of Christmas Creek in search of fish and shellfish.
Mr. Bailey was reported missing to the National Park Service when he went to retrieve his boat after the noon meal Saturday and did not return. "Bailey had gone out for oysters in the morning on Christmas Creek around the Williams' residence. The creek level on the mud flat was so low that he couldn't get his boat back in. After lunch he went back for the boat and apparently drowned," said Deputy Ricky Sirmon of the Camden County Sheriff's Department.
Mr. Bailey's big black poodle Bushy alerted islanders to his master's disappearance when he showed up barking on the porch of George and Audra Merrow, also caretakers on the Candler estate. Bushy would not calm down, but continued to bark, so Merrow took the dog to the creek where Bushy showed Merrow the place Mr. Bailey had entered the creek. The body of the missing man was discovered about 9:40 a.m. Sunday following a search by officials of the Sheriff's Department, Department of Natural Resources and Cumberland Island Park Service, said Sirmon. Island residents Larry [Laurie] Miller and Carol Ruckdeschel found the body on an oyster bed.
Following the transfer of the body to the mainland, the cause of death was determined to be as the result of accidental drowning, said Gil Kelley, deputy county coroner.
"He was a colorful person and he will be missed," said Grover Henderson, of the man he described as his friend and the friend of everyone who met him. Henderson said that Mr. Bailey came to Cumberland Island in the 1930s from Sapelo Island to help build the Candler House at High Point and stayed on as caretaker of the house. "He knew everyone who lived on the island from the Rockefellers and Carnegies on down. Jesse was one of the few people I've known that everyone liked. He never had an enemy and that's rare in the twentieth century," said Henderson. Known to many on the island for his gifts of clams, oysters and fish to those he liked, Mr. Bailey would often barter his catch with the residents of the island, trading for the things which he needed or wanted. "He knew more about fishing on Christmas Creek than any man on the island," said Henderson.
A fishing trip with Mr. Bailey was described by the authors of Guale, the Golden Coast of Georgia, published in 1974. In a profile of Mr. Bailey, his skillful search for shellfish and lifestyle were described: "Jesse's real life is not lived in the society of men. His true home is not on land, but down in the salt marsh of Christmas Creek."
Enlisted: US Army, 21 Jan 1944
Released: 10 Mar 1946
One of the remaining Georgia Gullahs, African slave descendants who lived in isolated communities away from the greater society. Jesse was born in the dwindling Gullah community on Sepelo Island. He served in World War II. Tried working in a yacht yard. Then came to Cumberland Island to gather fish and bait for the Candler family and stayed. He never married.
Befriended newly arrived naturalist Carol Ruckdeschel and showed her the ways of the island – fishing, where the animals live, how to listen and observe. They remained friends for the rest of his life. Ruckdeschel helped him as she could, attempting to moderate his drinking problem. As her last assistance, she located his body after the sheriff's officers gave up.
Obituary, Camden County Tribune (St. Marys, GA), 15 July 1982, Researched by Sue Saffold:
CARETAKER BAILEY DROWNS ON CUMBERLAND ISLAND
One of Cumberland Island's residents, described by friends as a man who never had an enemy in his life, drowned Saturday while apparently attempting to return his boat to shore in Christmas Creek.
Jesse Bailey, 63, who had lived on Cumberland for most of his life, was well known to visitors and residents of the island. He was frequently seen piloting his small motorboat along the shoreline or in the waters of Christmas Creek in search of fish and shellfish.
Mr. Bailey was reported missing to the National Park Service when he went to retrieve his boat after the noon meal Saturday and did not return. "Bailey had gone out for oysters in the morning on Christmas Creek around the Williams' residence. The creek level on the mud flat was so low that he couldn't get his boat back in. After lunch he went back for the boat and apparently drowned," said Deputy Ricky Sirmon of the Camden County Sheriff's Department.
Mr. Bailey's big black poodle Bushy alerted islanders to his master's disappearance when he showed up barking on the porch of George and Audra Merrow, also caretakers on the Candler estate. Bushy would not calm down, but continued to bark, so Merrow took the dog to the creek where Bushy showed Merrow the place Mr. Bailey had entered the creek. The body of the missing man was discovered about 9:40 a.m. Sunday following a search by officials of the Sheriff's Department, Department of Natural Resources and Cumberland Island Park Service, said Sirmon. Island residents Larry [Laurie] Miller and Carol Ruckdeschel found the body on an oyster bed.
Following the transfer of the body to the mainland, the cause of death was determined to be as the result of accidental drowning, said Gil Kelley, deputy county coroner.
"He was a colorful person and he will be missed," said Grover Henderson, of the man he described as his friend and the friend of everyone who met him. Henderson said that Mr. Bailey came to Cumberland Island in the 1930s from Sapelo Island to help build the Candler House at High Point and stayed on as caretaker of the house. "He knew everyone who lived on the island from the Rockefellers and Carnegies on down. Jesse was one of the few people I've known that everyone liked. He never had an enemy and that's rare in the twentieth century," said Henderson. Known to many on the island for his gifts of clams, oysters and fish to those he liked, Mr. Bailey would often barter his catch with the residents of the island, trading for the things which he needed or wanted. "He knew more about fishing on Christmas Creek than any man on the island," said Henderson.
A fishing trip with Mr. Bailey was described by the authors of Guale, the Golden Coast of Georgia, published in 1974. In a profile of Mr. Bailey, his skillful search for shellfish and lifestyle were described: "Jesse's real life is not lived in the society of men. His true home is not on land, but down in the salt marsh of Christmas Creek."
Age: 63 yrs.
Enlisted: US Army, 21 Jan 1944
Released: 10 Mar 1946
One of the remaining Georgia Gullahs, African slave descendants who lived in isolated communities away from the greater society. Jesse was born in the dwindling Gullah community on Sepelo Island. He served in World War II. Tried working in a yacht yard. Then came to Cumberland Island to gather fish and bait for the Candler family and stayed. He never married.
Befriended newly arrived naturalist Carol Ruckdeschel and showed her the ways of the island – fishing, where the animals live, how to listen and observe. They remained friends for the rest of his life. Ruckdeschel helped him as she could, attempting to moderate his drinking problem. As her last assistance, she located his body after the sheriff's officers gave up.
Obituary, Camden County Tribune (St. Marys, GA), 15 July 1982, Researched by Sue Saffold:
CARETAKER BAILEY DROWNS ON CUMBERLAND ISLAND
One of Cumberland Island's residents, described by friends as a man who never had an enemy in his life, drowned Saturday while apparently attempting to return his boat to shore in Christmas Creek.
Jesse Bailey, 63, who had lived on Cumberland for most of his life, was well known to visitors and residents of the island. He was frequently seen piloting his small motorboat along the shoreline or in the waters of Christmas Creek in search of fish and shellfish.
Mr. Bailey was reported missing to the National Park Service when he went to retrieve his boat after the noon meal Saturday and did not return. "Bailey had gone out for oysters in the morning on Christmas Creek around the Williams' residence. The creek level on the mud flat was so low that he couldn't get his boat back in. After lunch he went back for the boat and apparently drowned," said Deputy Ricky Sirmon of the Camden County Sheriff's Department.
Mr. Bailey's big black poodle Bushy alerted islanders to his master's disappearance when he showed up barking on the porch of George and Audra Merrow, also caretakers on the Candler estate. Bushy would not calm down, but continued to bark, so Merrow took the dog to the creek where Bushy showed Merrow the place Mr. Bailey had entered the creek. The body of the missing man was discovered about 9:40 a.m. Sunday following a search by officials of the Sheriff's Department, Department of Natural Resources and Cumberland Island Park Service, said Sirmon. Island residents Larry [Laurie] Miller and Carol Ruckdeschel found the body on an oyster bed.
Following the transfer of the body to the mainland, the cause of death was determined to be as the result of accidental drowning, said Gil Kelley, deputy county coroner.
"He was a colorful person and he will be missed," said Grover Henderson, of the man he described as his friend and the friend of everyone who met him. Henderson said that Mr. Bailey came to Cumberland Island in the 1930s from Sapelo Island to help build the Candler House at High Point and stayed on as caretaker of the house. "He knew everyone who lived on the island from the Rockefellers and Carnegies on down. Jesse was one of the few people I've known that everyone liked. He never had an enemy and that's rare in the twentieth century," said Henderson. Known to many on the island for his gifts of clams, oysters and fish to those he liked, Mr. Bailey would often barter his catch with the residents of the island, trading for the things which he needed or wanted. "He knew more about fishing on Christmas Creek than any man on the island," said Henderson.
A fishing trip with Mr. Bailey was described by the authors of Guale, the Golden Coast of Georgia, published in 1974. In a profile of Mr. Bailey, his skillful search for shellfish and lifestyle were described: "Jesse's real life is not lived in the society of men. His true home is not on land, but down in the salt marsh of Christmas Creek."
Enlisted: US Army, 21 Jan 1944
Released: 10 Mar 1946
One of the remaining Georgia Gullahs, African slave descendants who lived in isolated communities away from the greater society. Jesse was born in the dwindling Gullah community on Sepelo Island. He served in World War II. Tried working in a yacht yard. Then came to Cumberland Island to gather fish and bait for the Candler family and stayed. He never married.
Befriended newly arrived naturalist Carol Ruckdeschel and showed her the ways of the island – fishing, where the animals live, how to listen and observe. They remained friends for the rest of his life. Ruckdeschel helped him as she could, attempting to moderate his drinking problem. As her last assistance, she located his body after the sheriff's officers gave up.
Obituary, Camden County Tribune (St. Marys, GA), 15 July 1982, Researched by Sue Saffold:
CARETAKER BAILEY DROWNS ON CUMBERLAND ISLAND
One of Cumberland Island's residents, described by friends as a man who never had an enemy in his life, drowned Saturday while apparently attempting to return his boat to shore in Christmas Creek.
Jesse Bailey, 63, who had lived on Cumberland for most of his life, was well known to visitors and residents of the island. He was frequently seen piloting his small motorboat along the shoreline or in the waters of Christmas Creek in search of fish and shellfish.
Mr. Bailey was reported missing to the National Park Service when he went to retrieve his boat after the noon meal Saturday and did not return. "Bailey had gone out for oysters in the morning on Christmas Creek around the Williams' residence. The creek level on the mud flat was so low that he couldn't get his boat back in. After lunch he went back for the boat and apparently drowned," said Deputy Ricky Sirmon of the Camden County Sheriff's Department.
Mr. Bailey's big black poodle Bushy alerted islanders to his master's disappearance when he showed up barking on the porch of George and Audra Merrow, also caretakers on the Candler estate. Bushy would not calm down, but continued to bark, so Merrow took the dog to the creek where Bushy showed Merrow the place Mr. Bailey had entered the creek. The body of the missing man was discovered about 9:40 a.m. Sunday following a search by officials of the Sheriff's Department, Department of Natural Resources and Cumberland Island Park Service, said Sirmon. Island residents Larry [Laurie] Miller and Carol Ruckdeschel found the body on an oyster bed.
Following the transfer of the body to the mainland, the cause of death was determined to be as the result of accidental drowning, said Gil Kelley, deputy county coroner.
"He was a colorful person and he will be missed," said Grover Henderson, of the man he described as his friend and the friend of everyone who met him. Henderson said that Mr. Bailey came to Cumberland Island in the 1930s from Sapelo Island to help build the Candler House at High Point and stayed on as caretaker of the house. "He knew everyone who lived on the island from the Rockefellers and Carnegies on down. Jesse was one of the few people I've known that everyone liked. He never had an enemy and that's rare in the twentieth century," said Henderson. Known to many on the island for his gifts of clams, oysters and fish to those he liked, Mr. Bailey would often barter his catch with the residents of the island, trading for the things which he needed or wanted. "He knew more about fishing on Christmas Creek than any man on the island," said Henderson.
A fishing trip with Mr. Bailey was described by the authors of Guale, the Golden Coast of Georgia, published in 1974. In a profile of Mr. Bailey, his skillful search for shellfish and lifestyle were described: "Jesse's real life is not lived in the society of men. His true home is not on land, but down in the salt marsh of Christmas Creek."
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