From History of Allegheny County
Rev. Jesse Franklin Core, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of Wilkinsburg, was born at Scenery Hill, Washington county. Pa., September 15, 1846. His grandfather, John Christian Core, was a native of Maryland, and a pioneer of Monongalia county, that state. His father, Christian, was of German descent, and lived in the old red hotel on the National pike, just outside Hagerstown. He hauled in the liberty-pole that was set up in Hagerstown at the outbreak of the Revolution, and served as a soldier in that struggle.
Jesse, son of J. C. Core, was born in Virginia, and married Mary Michael, of the same state. David, father of Mary Michael, was a soldier in the war of 1812, as was also David, son of J. C. Core. Jesse F. Core settled in Washington county, where bis son, Rev. Jesse F., was born. In early life the latter worked on a farm and attended the common schools.
In 1863 he ran away and tried to join the Ringgold cavalry, but was rejected on account of his youth. Subsequently his father gave consent to his enlistment, and he joined Company F, Fourteenth P. C. This was a part of Sheridan’s force, and young Core shared in all its dangers and hardships. During one of its raids he was wounded in the face at Block Gap, and at the battle of Winchester received an injury in the right foot which laid him up in the hospital at York, Pa., for two months. After recovering he returned to and remained with the regiment until it was mustered out at Braddock, September 5, 1865. At the time of his discharge he was quartermaster-sergeant.
After leaving the army he finished his education at the Methodist college of Millersburg, Ky., and was licensed to preach by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, shortly after returning to Pennsylvania. After spending a year as supply on the Cambria mission, he joined the Pittsburgh conference in 1868, and was stationed on the Elderton circuit. He subsequently preached at Leechburg, Butler, Dayton, Greensburg, Blairsville, Smithfield Street (Pittsburgh), First Church (Johnstown), and was appointed to Wilkinsburg in 1887, having just previously served four years as presiding elder of Blairsville district; was a member of the general conference that met in New York in May, 1888.
Politically Mr. Core acts with the republican party; is a member of the I.O.O.F., G. A. R. and Masonic fraternity. He is a Union League temperance worker, and has nearly always been connected with some order devoted to temperance, such as K. of H., etc. March 8, 1871, Mr. Core married Sarah Kathrine, daughter of Daniel B. Heiner, Esq., and Mary (Graham) Heiner, of Kittanning. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Core six are living, viz.: Lorena G., Paul A. A., Karl L. W., Daniel H. St. Cyr, Birdie F. and Sarah K. N. Mary A. L. is deceased. Mr. Core had in his possession many testimonials from distinguished generals of the army, attesting his gallantry as a soldier and the esteem and confidence in which he was held by those under whom he served. He comes of a family of soldiers, and is justly proud of their military record.
Thomas Cushing, ed., History of Allegheny County, Part II. Chicago: A. Warner & Co., 1889, pp. 333–334.