Kesterson Kollections Newsletter Vol. 27

KESTERSON KOLLECTIONS
NEWSLETTER
Volume 27 May 1 2001
Christine Walters

Hello once again. Spring is finally here and believe me I thought it would never come to us here in the Midwest. I was very close to running away when the snow and ice finally melted.

For some reason, known only to my computer, there were problems last month getting the newsletter out to everyone. I sent it to over 160 people as an "attachment" and about 50 of you had trouble either getting it at all or getting it empty or getting it garbled. I don't know what I did wrong and I don't know how it happened. I'm sorry for the confusion. Hopefully it was just a fluke and won't happen again. But, since it did happen, I'm thinking that its probably a good idea to make it part of the Website. This is what I'm doing, starting with this issue. I'll notify you of the URL and you just click it on to read. You can still save it any way you want to. Otherwise it will always be available to read anytime. As time permits I'll get the old newsletters on line. However, some of them I can't put on line, because they give home addresses of some of the old members and they might not like that information on the net. I'm playing that by ear right now. We have come so very far in the Kesterson Research and everyone needs to be congratulated. We started out with about 10 members and now there are over 150 people who have contributed. Good Job!!!

Sadly, my first order of business is to let all of you know that we have lost one of our members. Billie Jo Kesterson has passed on. Bill was 72 years old, born 11 Jan 1928. He died of an apparently sudden heart attack on Feb 7 2001. Bill was the s/o Oliver Lee Kesterson & Lena May Lindsey of Longview TX. Grandson of William David Kesterson & Josephine Forrester of Carter OK , the Great Grandson of Thomas Jefferson Kesterson & Martha Cunningham of Konawa OK and the GG Grandson of John Kesterson & Malinda Dossey/Dorsey of Sevier AR. I know that we will miss him. Bill was always helpful and he added a great deal to our research.

Sheila Brooks was incorrectly listed as Sheila Brooks "Thornton" in the last issue. So please make the necessary Corrections by dropping the name "Thornton".. Sorry Sheila.

The Death Date of Hazzard Kesterson (1787 VA-1833 TN) is no longer a mystery. This should put to rest any and all doubt as to what happened. He was in fact sent to prison and sentenced to 1 year. Hazzard died while in prison and was there just 3 months: The source is the Tennessee State Library and Archives 403 7th Ave N Nashville TN 37243: Tennessee Convicts Early Records of the State Penitentiary Vol 1 1831-1850 :: By Charles A Sherrill & Tomye M Sherrill. Publisher: Charles A Sherrill 1023 Waters Edge Circle Mt Juliet TN 37211 1997: Page 175 Name - Hazard Kesterson, age 52, born in Virginia, occupation: labourer. Convicted of Petit larceny by a court in Anderson County, and sentenced to 1 year in the Penitentiary. Received Mar. 8 , 1833 and discharged June 16, 1833. Notes: Died of Cholera. Number in ledger 86:86

Well our old and ever elusive Meriday Kesterson Sr has called out to us again. This man wants to be found and he wants his story told! I was looking into the Greene Co IN website and saw a new listing on the Greene County Prisoners list. The Greenfield Newspaper in 1896 printed the 134 prisoners and their charges, sentences and other things. I almost missed Meriday Sr- because I was reading about Merida Jr. Something made me go back and look again and this time I found what has eluded us for years. Merida Sr 'and' Jr were both arrested for Grand Larceny 20 Sep 1852. They were both sentenced to 2 years. Meriday Jr served his sentence and would have been released Sep 1854. However, Merida Sr didn't fare so well as it is reported that he died of dropsy on 5 Mar 1853. Thanks to the untiring efforts of Jenna Cain we have more info on the Prison Time. Merida Kesterson, Sr. Occupation: Laborer. Conficted in Greene Co IN. Crime: Grand Larceny sentenced to 2 years. Received: Sep 30 1852 - Discharged due to death by dropsy on March 5 1853 age 56. Height: 6' 3/4". Complexion Light, Eyes Grey, Hair Dark with mixture of grey. Nativity: SC (this is wrong). Former Character: Intemperate. Remarks: Face open and firm character, nose very long; wife and one child in Greene Co near Black Creek, No education. Of Meriday Jr they wrote: Occupation Laborer, Convicted in Greene Co IN, Crime Grand Larceny - sentenced to 2 years, received Sep 30 1852. Discharged Sep 30 1854 by expiration of Sentence. Age 27 5' 10", Sandy Complexion, Eyes Hazel, Hair Dark, Nativity Ohio. Former Character left blank. Remarks: A small scar on left arm, also one on right foot on instep about 2" long; countenance open, scar on back of head 2 or 3 inches long. No education

I recently found a couple of marriages in Madison Co AL. Turns out they were both children of David Kesterson Jr s/o David Chadwell Kesterson of Claiborne TN. The family story of David Kesterson Jr was that he lived in Claiborne TN until after the civil war, at which time he loaded his family onto a flatboat and headed for Alabama. The family never heard from him again. We have in fact find him on the 1850 and 1860 Census of Claiborne County TN, with all his children accounted for. After that I couldn't find him anywhere. From the marriages in Madison AL we can probably determine that he must have settled there and most likely he and wife Susan (Belvin) died there. The marriages were for his two younger children. Reuben Kesterson b about 1850 Claiborne TN married Maria J HANNAH (might well be Mary J) 26 Aug 1865. His sister Elizabeth born 1857 Claiborne TN m James NIPPEN 11 Dec 1879.

John Rankin, our resident Madison County AL expert, will no doubt let us know if anything turns up on this family. I'm guessing that David and Susan would have turned up in AL by 1865 or so. I have to think David Jr and Susan were on the adventurous side, to strike out on that kind of mission when they were both well into their 50's.(But young by todays standards!)

I have a couple of mysteries here and need some help: One is "John" Kesterson b about 1824 in Jefferson TN (I think). He married Sarah Elizabeth Conway 13 Apr 1848 in Johnson Co MO. This guy has been hanging around my files for awhile and then I found Patrick Day who had a "James" Kesterson hanging around in his Day family files! James married Caroline Wester 23 Feb 1854 in Johnson Co MO. Now who are these two? I think they might be brothers. Caroline was living with her parents in 1850 - right next door to John Kesterson and Sarah. Obviously James met Caroline while visiting or living with John & Sarah and eventually married her. I find John and Sarah on the 1860 Census for Johnson Co with one daughter Margaret age 1. The next time I find this family its in Atoscosa TX - Sarah E has remarried to E O'Brien and she has Margaret with her and another daughter Mary who was born in 1852. Sarah has two children with Mr O Brien ages 3 and 6 months. So its apparent that John must have died between 1852- 1857 probably in TX but I haven't found a death record. Nor have I seen a marriage record for Sarah to Mr O'Brien. What makes this interesting is that James who married Caroline must also have died young (might be in the Civil War) as Caroline is married for the 2nd time to John W Day around 1864. James and Caroline Kesterson had 4 children - Charles 1855, Martha 1856, Margaret 1858 and Catherine born between 1859. The first 3 children are born in MO - but Catherines birth shows as MO in two census reports. Caroline had several more children with Mr Day and that is Patrick Day's interest in this family since he is a descendant of that 2nd union. Somebody give me a clue - which of the Kesterson families was in Jefferson TN around this time? Part of this mystery is the fact that William Courtney who lived in Jefferson TN had a nephew in his home in 1870 - 1880. Williams nephew was Charles Kesterson born 1856 in MO. Who were Charles parents? Well I think they were James and Caroline because in the 1870 Census Caroline has no son named Charles living with her. Charles was born in MO and by 1870 he was 14 and living with Uncle William Courtney. Martha is also missing from the 1870 Census in Johnson MO. Martha was too young in 1870 to have been married already. William Courtney was married to Mary Haun but the 1870 Jefferson TN census gives his wifes name as Margaret. William had a cousin - Stephen Courtney who moved to Johnson Co MO. Stephen was living in the same township as the John Kesterson and Sarah were living. Both John and James Kesterson named a daughter Margaret. and this gives me a clue that their mothers name was Margaret - maybe? Mary Haun died in 1863 - so who was the Margaret living with William in 1870. Could she have been Margaret Kesterson the mother of John and James - if so who was their father? A complicated web is spinning here - anyone have any answers? I'm confused - how about you?

In Floyd County KY a marriage between Nancy Kesterson and Thomas Fitzpatrick occurred on 7 Feb 1837. We have absolutely no other people in Floyd County KY that I know of and I surely don't know who this Nancy Kesterson belonged to. They are on the 1850 Floyd Co KY Census enumerated 21 Aug as follows: Thomas S Fitzpatrick 41 KY Farmer, wife Nancy age 32 born in VA. The children were Jefferson 13, John 11, James M 9, Wallis 7, Daniel 3, Archibald 1 all born in KY. Virginia is given as the place of birth for Nancy - and within the childrens names there is Wallis - which might or might not be Willis but then of course it could just be "Wallace". The only Nancy I have on file close to this age - unattached - is the daughter of Hazzard Kesterson (remember that Willis was his brother) and if she was his daughter then why was she down in KY getting married? I don't know who she belonged to and if anyone has any ideas please let me know. This Nancy would have been born around 1818.

I have to take a minute here to thank Norma Kesterson and Earnestine Moore - both of Dierks AR who sent me clippings of two of the churches in the area. Norma sent me the Fellowship Baptist Chuch information and a couple of pictures. Earnestine sent me copies from Howard County Heritage on Bethany Baptist Church and offered to take pictures - which I heartily take her up on. The newer church picture will do just fine until one of the old church is found. Hurry and send me one so I can get it up on the website. Norma your pictures were really good but I tried everyway possible to get the "cars" from out of the front of it. Maybe you could try again and try to get them without the hoods of cars showing. Both write ups are on the "Kesterson Churches" page on the website. Soon as I get good pictures I'll get them up too. Thanks you so much Norma and Earnestine.

Sarajane Storm has been looking into the "Kesterson Street" I found a few months ago. So far she has found that the street is part of "Washington Manor" and built before 1940, a part of un-incorporated Alameda.

Florence and Nova Wright b abt 1900-1920, daughters of Louisa Jane Blackwood & James M Wright both married Brothers last name of Collins. If you have info on them please contact Sandra Selph-Hunter. The girls are descendants of William Blackwood/Rebecca Kesterson

NEW MEMBERS

Shonda Seymour Haggard is another Greene Co TN cousin. Shonda Seymour/Betta A Mounger (Seymour)/ Essie Mae Flannagan (Mounger)/ Sevina Alice Welch (Flannagan)/ Minnie Isabelle Kesterson (Welch)/ John / Isham Bailey / William Jr / William Sr/ John / George / Thomas

Norma Starks Johnson is a descendant of Clara Kesterson w/o Isaac Moore. Clara is thought to be the d/o Hazzard, but nothing proven as yet. Norma Starks / Mary Jane Flitcraft (Starks) / Isobelle Moore (Flitcraft)/ Clara Kesterson (Moore)

Ronald Courtney, another Greene Co TN Cousin. Ronald Lee Courtney / George Lloyd Courtney / James Filmore Courtney/ Geore Washington Courtney/ James Courtney/ George Washington Courtney/ Sarah Kesterson (Courtney)/ Wm Sr/ John / George / Thomas

Lois Clifton, joins the Arkansas group of researchers and is part of the Kesterson/Blackwood group. Lois Clifton / William Shafter Clifton / Emma Jane Stanford (Clifton) / Prudence Anderson Polk (Stanford) / Almeda Ann Blackwood (Polk) / Rebecca Kesterson & William John Blackwood.

Walter Howard Bailey has just joined the ever growing ancestors of the David Chadwell Kesterson line Claiborne Co TN. James W Kesterson one of our members gave me reason to ask around about the "BUIS" family of the same county. Walter answered my inquiry and now we have him in our web. You can find this extended family on the Family Tree Maker Site under "Descendants of David Chadwell Kesterson".. Here is the short version: Walter Howard Bailey / Lyndon Elizabeth Buis (Bailey) / Margaret Elizabet Buis (Buis) / Nancy Kesterson (Buis) / Abel Kesterson / David Chadwell Kesterson.

Edwin Johnson. We are very happy to welcom Edwin as he is the first descendant found belonging to Mary Kesterson Kimmons. Edwin Johnson / Viora L Kimmons (Johnson) / James Harvey Kimmons / James Cannon Kimmons/ Mary Kesterson (Kimmons) / William Jr/ Wm Sr/ John / George / Thomas. The Kimmons folks went to Clay Co IL when they left TN, no doubt in the company of William & Anna Stroud Kesterson.

Sue Kesterson is a descendant of Willis & Catherine (Gregory) Kesterson. I have to apologize to Sue because she should have been included in the last issue but I messed up on her email so nothing got done. Its here now , sorry it took so long! Here is Sue's line: Sue Kesterson / James William / Willie C / Sylvester V / Wm Franklin / Willis / John / John / George / Thomas

Kathy Adams. Kathys' grandfather George Allen Hawkins Jr / Eva Lee Emerick (Hawkins) / Rachel Catherine Miller (Emerick) / Ellen Kesterson (Miller) / Willis / John / John /George / Thomas

Mark McLeroy, another Fallin/Kesterson descendant. Mark McLeroy / Ethel Lenora Nelson (McLeroy) / Robert Lee Nelson / Lucy L Thornton (Nelson) / Mary Elizabeth Fallin (Thornton) / Richard Hobson Fallin / Jesse Fallin / John Hobson Fallin / Hannah Kesterson (Fallin IV) / George Kesterson / George /Thomas

(James) Ray Kesterson --- and his uncle --- Delbert Kesterson have both joined our ranks and are members of the Vincent Kesterson line. James Ray Kesterson / Donald Ray Kesterson / Alfred Ray Kesterson / George Monroe Kesterson/ Marion M Kesterson / Vincent Kesterson 1800. Delbert is of the same line - a brother to Donald Ray Kesterson. Ray is very fortunate that most of his family still lives in Benton AR.

Elizabeth (Moore) Huglett. Elizabeth is from the Caldwell KY group. Elizabeth Moore / Edward Moore / Roberta Orpha Bartlett (Moore) / Wm Riley Bartlett / Pernica Cadwell (Bartlett) / Maryanne Ware Kesterson (Cadwell) / George Sr / William Sr / John Kesterson / George / Thomas.

Kathy (Greathouse) Berigan. Always happy to welcome a cousin of my own line. Kathy Greathouse / Otis Greathouse Jr 1927 / Otis Greathouse Sr 1889 / Fannie Jane Kesterson (Greathouse) 1868/ Charles H 1881 / Peter 1800 / George 1675/ William Sr / John 1712 -1752 VA/ George / Thomas

Frances McCoin comes from another of the really OLD Virginia Allied Families. The first Tignor descendant to find us. Her line is Susan Elvira BATEY (Thorne) / Emily Ollie Tignor (Batey) / James Park Tignor/ John Tignor/Isaac Tignor/Winifred Kesterson (Tignor)/ George/ George /Thomas

William Hasty, Judith Osborn, and Tamara Rogers. These three "cousins" just feel into place like magic. William Hasty / Joyce Dean Wilkerson (Hasty) / Noble William Wilkerson 1908 / Myrtle Taylor (Wilkerson) / Jane Kesterson (Taylor)/ Andrew C 1833 KY/ George Jr/ George Sr 1765 VA / William 1735 VA/TN/ John 1712 VA / George 1674 and Thomas 1648. Tamara Miller/ Patricia Lamb (Miller)/ Charles A Lamb/ Novella Pearl Wilkerson (Lamb)/ and as above Myrtle Taylor (Wilkerson) on back. Judith Kesterson (Osborn) / Harold Clarence Kesterson 1919 Graves KY / Charles Isaac Kesterson 1875 KY/ Andrew C Kesterson 1833 KY/ George Jr on back.

Stan Myers is from the Anderson Co TN group. Stan Myers / Parents ? / Violet Christine Kesterson/ Jesse Kesterson/Thomas Armstrong Kesterson/James Roland Kesterson/ Sylvester Kesterson /John / John / George / Thomas. Jesse Kesterson is the still controversial son of Thomas Armstrong Kesterson - Adopted or natural remains the question.

Mary Howard has succeeded in coming up with a new name for us! Her line Helen E TABOURING 1905 IL-1998 IN m Wm Emery Howard / Nancy S Kesterosn 1872 Anna IL-1951 IL m John A Tabouring Union Co IL / Simon Kesterson m Martha McNeeley.

So that's all for now - There are a lot of new "Kousins" this issue so be sure and get in touch with each other. Let me hear from you -

Chris

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