This story came to me exactly as it is presented here. Shirley Smith was the first to find it many years ago. Recently I received another copy from Amy Allen who found it among her fathers things(Dennis Michael Kesterson). Jenna Cain has worked for many years on Meriday Kesterson and Marvin Beatty has done a tremendous amount of work concerning George Washington Kesterson who we think is a descendant of Jeremia Kesterson. Supported facts and theories will follow because the validity of the legend, in some parts, is questionable. Then its right on target in others parts. As always - there is no copyright on this material but you must use it with descretion. The Authors names are given and it is dated. I present it here because these people went to a great deal of trouble to make sure this history was preserved. The people involved here are real and a lot of them are still living. I hope that if you see yourself here you will contact me. Its the early history of the legend that is questionable.

The Kesterson's came from the Norsemen, who plundered England's East Coast. From 1272-1742, they lived in England as small traders on the land. They migrated to Virginia on the Fairfax County Patomic. They later moved to Winchester, where they farmed fruit. In the Revolutionary War, they served under General Wayne at Stony Point. After this they helped to open new lands in Ohio, near Parkersburgh, West Virginia. In Ohio, they lived in Marietta, Pomeroy and Logan County. From Logan County, they went into Southern Indiana, settling near Jasper in Dubois County. They cleared land and built cabins there about 1820. Some of them went to Missouri and Oregon.
Forward By:
Joseph Hogue Nicholson
August 12, 1910 French Lick Springs, IN

Kesterson genealogy from 1762, arriving from England in the Province of Virginia. They planted farms and possibly owned slaves. They lived and prospered until 1790, when Merida and his brother Jeramia Kesterson, moved into Ohio, near Parkersburgh, West Virginia, and eventually moved on to Pomeroy, Ohio, becoming well known in these regions. Jeramia Kesterson had a son, George Kesterson, who moved to Hocking County Ohio, in 1812, through 1824, when he moved to Southern Indiana, Orange County, near French Lick Springs. His son George Franklin Kesterson, was born there in 1830. In 1858 George Franklin Kesterson, married Elizabeth Evans of Welsh descent, from Pennsylvania. They had a son named George Washington Kesterson born Aug 1861. George Franklin Kesterson, became a Union Soldier in the Civil War. He died Oct 14 1862, at the battle of Perryville, Kentucky, and is buried at the National Cemetery there. The Kesterson's were prosperous as farmers and small Tradesmen. Som of them began to read the law and practiced "petti-fogging".

When George Washington Kesterson, became of age in 1883 he owned a sizeable estate and married the daughter of Joseph Hogue Nicholson, Martha Winninger Nicholson. The Nicholson's were from North Carolina. Being Quakers, they would not bear arms, but they did haul supplies and salt to the Soldiers of General Francis Marion, "The Swamp Fox". The Nicholson's went through the Cumberland Gap to Boonsboro and across the blue grass. They crossed the Ohio River, at the falls which is now Louisville Kentucky, into DuBois County, in Southern Indiana, settling as farmers.
George Washington Kesterson and Martha Winninger Kesterson had 7 children:
1. Franklin William (Wm F) Kesterson
2. Charles Chester Kesterson
3. Ida Elizabeth Kesterson
4. Barbara Martha Kesterson
5. Harry Ingleton Kesterson
6. John Cowan Kesterson
7. James Bryan Kesterson

1.Franklin William Kesterson (Wm F) born Aug 6 1884 Cuzeo IN Dubois Co. He worked as a conductor from the Pennsylvania Railroad, Fort Wayne IN. He married Hilma (Wilma) Walters born in Sweden Dec 11 1883. They had 5 Children. 1. Marvin A Kesterson 2.Mildred Kesterson (Burhenn) 3. William Franklin (Frank) Kesterson 4. Wayne N Kesterson 5. Richard Owen Kesterson (father of the writer)

2. Charles Chester Kesterson married Catherine Scofield and had 2 Children Opal & Loween Kesterson

3. Ida Elizabeth Kesterson married Ambrose Kniffen, raised 5 Children 1. Paul Kniffen 2. Irwin Kniffen 3. Robert Kniffen 4.Evelyn Kniffen 5. Harold Kniffen (California)

4. Barbara Martha Kesterson married Albert Rosper raised 3 children Howard, Harry and Henrietta Rosper

5. Harry Ingleton Kesterson married Lovene Popp, raised 4 children 1. Thomas Kesterson 2. Charles Kesterson 3. Shirley Kesterson 4. Carol Kesterson in Fort Wayne Indiana Later moved to Palo Alto California

6. John Cowan Kesterson married May Adamson (Dead) and Elizabeth Brown 3 Children. 1. Jim Kesterson 2 Joe Kesterson 3 Bill Kesterson. They lived in Indiana

7. James Bryan Kesterson married Pearl Byers raised 1 child Betty Kesterson in Fort Wayne Indiana

Joseph Hogue Nicholson, lived April 1820 to 1912

Elizabeth Hogue Nicholson, lived 1840 PA to 1922 Dubois Co IN

Jeremia Kesterson, lived 1770 Fairfax Co VA to 1835 Ohio

Merida Kesterson, lived 1768 Winchester VA to 1852 in Indiana - married 5 times. No divorce

George Washington Kesterson, lived Aug 22 1861 to Feb 1934 in Indianapolis Indiana

Lucinda Eleanor Nicholson, lived Dec 8 1865 Dubois Co IN to Jun 24 1924 Ft Wayne Indiana

Fred Popp (Lovene's father) born 8 Dec 1867 Louisville KY was of French extraction. He died Mar 5 1940. His father Charles POPP was chef of the famous "GAULT HOUSE" in Louisville, KY. He died of blood poisoning. He is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery Louisville

Katherine Popp, was the wife of Fred POPP, 1875 in Madison IN

Katherine Simon (POPP) in 1902 moved to Louisville KY. She was buried at St Michael Cem 1940

Lovene Aloese Popp (Kesterson) was born Sep 18 1897 Louisville KY. Married Harry Ingleton Kesterson, (Pilot in World War 1), born April 28 1891 at French Lick Springs, Indiana, Harry died of Cancer on April 15 1965. Wayne & Richard Kesterson, built Harry and Lovene's house in Fort Wayne Indiana. Their 4 children were born and raised in Fort Wayne They moved to Palo Alto CA in the early 1950's 1. Thomas Kesterson born July 21 1924 Ft Wayne IN married Margaret Kelly of San Francisco 1970 2. Charles Frederick Kesterson born Jan 9 1927 Ft Wayne IN married Susan Brundage of Portland OR 3. Shirley Ann Kesterson (Smith) born Aug 27 1933 Ft Wayne IN Married George Smith of Indianaplis, IN 4. Carol Elaine Kesterson born Jan 14 1936 Ft Wayne IN. Married James Petrie of East Orange NJ

Today the Kesterson families are in Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Nebraska, Oregon, California and Arizona. Oregonians followed the Oregon Trail becoming the Northern branch of the Kesterson family. The southern branch is in Tennessee, Oklahoma and Arkansas. The family is usually associated with the lumber industry in the Northwest. In the East they are in the coal, lumber and manufacturing. Dated this day of our Lord July 11 1954 in Palo Alto CA
By: Harry Ingleton Kesterson

MERIDA/JERAMIA KESTERSON
BROTHERS SETTLING IN OHIO 1790

Jeramia's son George Washington, in 1824 moved to French Lick Springs IN

George Franklin Kesterson b 1830 married Elizabeth from PA in 1858

George Washington Kesterson born Aug 18 1861. Married Lucinda Eleanor Nicholson from NC

Franklin William (Wm.F) Kesterson moved from Ft Wayne IN 1946 to Tucson AZ. Hilma (Wilma) died Dec 1960. Franklin William (Wm.F) Died Jul 1961. They are buried at Tucson Memorial Park, Tucson Arizona

Marvin A Kesterson, born Jun 15 1904. He was a commercial artist. He married Evelyn Keenan, divorced. He died 1959 in California

Mildred Kesterson born Dec 26 1906 married Albert Burhenn - 1 son Robert Burhenn

William Franklin (Frank) Kesterson born in 1908. Married Mary Zent - they have 3 children

Richard Owen Kesterson born Aug 1 1912. He married Kathryn M Rectanus Jan 19 1946 St Patricks Catholic Church, Fort Wayne IN. Richard and Kathryn lived in Spokane WA one year after World War II. They moved to Tucson AZ 1946. They have 4 children Kathryn M Kesterson (Rectanus) is the daughter of William Harvey(Harry) Rectanus, and Alma Annabelle Rohlfing (Rectanus). William H and Alma A Rohlfing were married at St Mary's Catholic Church, Dunkirk Indiana. Aug 28 1912. They had 7 Children - Kathryn M, William Anthony, Elizabeth Anne (Died Infant), Ella Mae (Hess), Margaret Theresa (Haxby), Robert Joseph, John Patrick Robert Owen Kesterson born Dec 13 1947 Tucson AZ. Served with the 1st Marine Div in Vietnam. Received a B S degree in Business Administration, Univ of AZ. Married Kathleen Ann Martin July 15 1972 Las Vegas NV. One son Robert O Rielly Kesterson born Sept 24 1977

John Thomas Kesterson born Mar 30 1949. Single. Received a B S Degree in Business Admministration Univ of AZ 1971. Served military time 4 years in the US Air Force as Historian. He works in Construction in Tucson AZ

Nancy Alma Kesterson born Oct 4 1950. Single. Worked in Real Estate 14 Yrs Tucson AZ. Recently moved to Prescott AZ where she and Lindsey Kesterson opened a Wallpaper Plus Store

David Alan Kesterson born Aug 20 1952 Tucson Arizona. He married Mary Lindsey Smith Nov 23 1973. They have 3 children - Daniel Alan born Aug 10 1974 Tucson AZ, Ben Owen born Jan 30 1981 Prescot AZ and Lacey Lynn born Dec 1 1982 Prescott AZ

1. Jeramia Kesterson
2. George Kesterson
3. George Franklin Kesterson
4. George Washington Kesterson
5. Franklin William (Wm F)
6. Richard Owen Kesterson
7. Robert Owen Kesterson
8. Robert O Rielly Kesterson

This represents 8 generations of the Kesterson families as I know them to be. Dated Sep 23 1984

Robert Owen Kesterson (Son)
Kathryn M Rectanus Kesterson (Mother)
Tucson Arizona 85706 -85710 January 12 1995

Meriday

Jeremia