James was “of Jefferson Township”.423 He was a blacksmith and later a farmer.1616

1870 Census, Jefferson Twp., Fayette Co., PA, p. 225B
Essington, James, 56, farmer
Orpha, 53, keeping house
James, 17, farm laborer
Harvey, Lucy, 12, b. PA
Kelly, Orpha E., 6, b. PA--this appears to be their great-niece, the daughter of Joseph & Martha Kelly.

1880 Census, Jefferson Twp., Fayette Co., PA
Essington, James, 64, widowed, b. PA, father b. NJ, mother b. PA, farmer
James C., son, 27, married, b. PA, parents b. PA, farmer
Martha, wife, 29, married, b. PA, parents b. PA, keeping house
Orpha B., dau., 4, b. PA
Ross L., son, 2, b. PA
Mary E., dau., 2 months, b. PA
Nutt, Maggie, other, single, 17, b. PA, parents b. PA, servant
Simpson, Nancy, married, 60, b. PA, parents b. PA, boarder (is this Nancy, the sister-in-law of James?)

Headstone gives his age as 83 years & 7 days, which leads to a calculation of birth as March 13, 1814.397