Jesse Sr. was born on 17 May 1890 in Blue Springs, Jackson County, Missouri. Jess Sr. lost his hearing when he was about 8 years old resulting from a fall. He was unconscious for several weeks with spinal meningitis and upon wakening, could not hear a sound although he could still speak. He learned American Sign Language and attended a deaf school at Fulton Missouri where he learned valuable trades such as carpentry, wood and metal working.