His death certificate records W.M. Messer, age 83 years 8 months 4 days, born 1856 in Letcher Co., Ky, died 6 Apr 1939 in Open Fork, Rowan Co., Ky, married, husband of Almeda Messer, father Mose Messer, mother’s maiden name Margrett Stewart, both born in Ky, cause of death arteriosclerotic heart disease, informant Lyda Messer Caudill, Morehead, Ky, burial in Christon Cem.

I am not recording a middle initial of M because it is possible that this is just a way of abbreviating William. (I have seen that done rather frequently on death certificates, where the person filling out the form misunderstands the convention of using Wm to abbreviate William and spells it W.M. instead.)

1880 census of Rowan Co., Ky, Christy Creek precinct, enumerated 1 June, lists on p. 43 as family #296/318:
Messer, William, 22, farmer; Nancy J., wife, 22; Elisa M., dau, 1. All born Ky Ky Ky.

1900 census of Rowan Co., Ky, Hoggtown precinct, enumerated 5 June, lists on pp. 3B-4A as family #60:
Messer, William, 42, b. Aug 1857, farmer, second marriage; Almeda, wife, 35, b. June 1864, first marriage, married 9 years, mother of 4 children, 3 living; Lida, dau, 21, b. Jan 1879; Rosetta, dau, 11, b. Mar 1889; James A., nephew, 10, b. Mar 1890; James E., son, 7, b. July 1892; Effie G., dau, 2, b. July 1897; Nancy J., dau, 1, b. May 1899. All born Ky Ky Ky.

Rowan Co. birth records on LDS microfilm #216839 record the birth of Nancy Jane Christian on 13 Nov 1858, father J. B. Christian, mother E. Branham.

Rowan Co., Ky marriage records list the marriage on 4 April 1878 of William Messer, age 20, farmer, born in Letcher Co., father born in Perry Co., Ky, mother born in Letcher Co., Ky, to Nancy J. Christian, age 19, born in Rowan Co., Ky, both parents born in Letcher Co., Ky.