KESTERSON KOLLECTIONS
NEWSLETTER
Volume 32 Aug 1, 2002
Christine Walters
Looks like I'm a little short on news this issue. Everyone seems to be busy doing other things and enjoying the summer. Although I always try to get in 6 pages we might have to reduce it for now. Have we tapped all the possible sources for the Kesterson name? There is still much more to find if its out there so we should keep on digging.
A nice man named Ron Thomas signed the Kesterson Guestbook the other day and informed us that the burial place for Inez Gomez "Mix" is beside her husband Art Mix. Art Mix is George Washington Kesterson, as you will recall, the son of George Washington Kesterson/Nancy Manker of Pike Co IL. They are both buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale CA. Ron is primarily interested in Tom Mix but visited the grave of Art Mix while he was there.
I received an Email from
Bill Porter who is a "FALLIN" Descendent. He gave me some information that is completely foreign to me so I thought I would pass this on to the other Fallin descendents and get your reaction. We have always thought that our Hannah Kesterson, born 20 Jul 1742 , daughter of George & Elizabeth Kesterson, was married to Charles Fallin IV. Bill has information that suggests that she was not married to Charles IV but was instead married to Charles Fallin the son of Tignor & Ruth (Harcum) Fallin. Tignor was the s/o Dennis & Anne Fallin who was the son of Charles I.
Bill believes that Charles IV actually married Mary Maynard instead of Hannah Kesterson. His documentation for this theory is a Deed from Charles Fallin of Lunenburg County VA to John Maynard of Amelia Co VA dated 5 Oct 1784. This was land (56 Acres) that Charles purchased from Edward Maynard and owned by his wife Mary Fallin. This deed was recorded 29 Apr 1785. I can see nothing here that indicates this was Charles IV who married Hannah. To me it just says there was another Charles Fallin in Lunenburg and that would not be unusual as the family used the name Charles over and over.
Bill has a letter from a James W Hayes in 1994 in which Mr Hayes states he is certain the Charles Fallin in Lunenburg VA is the s/o of Charles Fallin of Northumberland VA. Which we can all agree on as we have the same information. Mr Hayes ancestor is John Hobson Fallin a s/o Charles. We can all agree with this info but it says nothing about the mother of his John Hobson Fallin which in our records is Hannah Kesterson. I have to also add that John Hobson Fallin was used several times in the family. Mr Hayes says that records in Amelia Co identify the wife of Charles Fallin as Mary Maynard d/o William. Since Sarah Fallin d/o Charles married Thomas Chandler and name her son Maynard Chandler this is another reason to believe that Sarah Fallins' mother was Mary Maynard instead of Hannah Kesterson.
In 1977 Juanita Fallin Gass published an article in the Northumberland Historical Bulletin Vol 14 giving the lineage including Hannah Kesterson. She later sent a letter acknowledging her mistake saying that Hannah did not marry Charles IV. She listed the children of Hannah & Charles Fallin (s/o Tignor Fallin) as being Elizabeth 1772, Winifred 1773, Mary 1775 and John 177_ . These are the children listed in St Stephens parrish records that we have attributed to Hannah Kesterson/Charles IV. Juanita has removed them from Charles IV and given them to the other Charles because the records in St Stephens clearly say that Hannah is the mother, so she naturally can't attribute them to Mary Maynard. The rest of the children that we have listed for Hannah and Charles now go to Mary Maynard & Charles.
Our information on the Fallin family comes from the book "FALLIN FAMILY TIES" by Ruby F Weldon Parmer. I will leave it to you folks to sort this out and see if you see what I can't seem to see. I don't see a thing here to make me believe that Mary Marynard is involved here at all. Perhaps "she" is the one who married Charles the s/o Tignor and Hannah can stay married to Charles IV as we have always thought. I'm not changing my records unless all the Fallin Researchers agree that there is reason to
Who are these ladies?
While looking for some interesting material to write about I came across something involving Will Rogers and if the account is accurate Will might belong to the Kesterson Family in a roundabout way (NO BLOOD RELATION). Will is the s/o Clement Vann ROGERS s/o Sarah (VANN) & Robert Rogers/ d/o Margaret (McSWAIN) & Avery Vann/ d/o Nancy (DOWNING) & McSwain/ d/o Hannah (FALLIN) & John Downing. Hannah Fallin was the w/o Charles Fallin IV who was the nephew of John Downing/Hannah Fallin. Just thought you would want to know another uselss tidbit of Kesterson facts and fantasies.
Rosemary Reeves, a descendant of Berry A Kesterson/Julia Davis of Pike Co IL, has sent for and received the Newspaper Accounts of the murder of Berry Kesterson. She has sent them on to me so I can pass it along to all of you.
Berry Kesterson, (no doubt named for his grandfather) age 32, was shot and killed in 1935 in a Mining Feud. His friend George Fischter was also shot, but recovered. A third friend returned fire and managed to hit the killer who still got away. He was captured the next day near death and subsequently died a few days later without telling the authorities anything. Berry was born about 1903 and was married to a woman named Albertha who lived in Long Beach CA.
At the time of the murder she had not seen Berry in 3 years. He was an Interior Decorator and because of lack of work went north to the mines. The article said he had a brother George living in Huntington Park CA and other relatives in the area. Rosemary believes Berry was the son of George Lazarus Kesterson & Lizzie Sutter/Sutton. According to the articles he appears to have gone to CA around 1924. I have added another page to the Kesterson Website to cover the articles written about this murder. Just click on "Berry Kesterson Murder" from the main page. The articles are much to lengthy to put into the Newsletter so if any of you who still get the Newsletter mailed want more details just let me know and I'll tell you all about it or send you photo copies.
The story is clear that Berry had an "eviction" notice nailed to his property. There had been a lot of Dynamitings in the area who were suppose to have been done by John Weaver. So Berry and a couple of his friends went in search of Weaver to question him. Weaver ambushed them as they approached his cabin and Berry died instantly. The posse found Berry Kesterson and the wounded George Fischter the same day (September 30th) and took care of them. Night fell and they waited till morning to pursue Weaver. They found him near death the next morning and he was taken to a hospital where he died a few days later. Berry's killer never went to trial but sometimes instant Justice such as this is good. There was no doubt as to Weavers' guilt. I only wish the articles had covered Berry's family a little more. All we have is a wife named Albertha and a brother named George.
WHATS THE MYSTERY WITH "Hannah Matilda Parker Jones Kesterson"?
Mary Venable has found a marriage license in Sevier Co AR for Hannah Parker age 18 to Samuel Jones age 25. They were married 19 Dec 1861. Finally some tangible evidence that the Hannay Parker Jones who married William Kesterson, s/o John Kesterson & Malinda Dorsey, was actually married once before she married William. I'm sure that some of you might already know this but I was looking for hard proof and Mary found it for us.
So this brings me to the reason why I was looking for another marriage for Hannah in the first place. There are two additional children who seem to be born to Hannah after William died. They are Edwin S born around 1883 and Ben born around 1886. William died in 1881 according to his Tombstone. William and Hannah are on the 1870 & 1880 Census and between the two Census reports all their children are accounted for.. Then along comes the 1900 census and Hannah has two additional children listed as sons.. Ben and Edwin. In 1920 Hannah is living with her son Ben and his "brother" John is also living in the house. So there is no doubt that Ben is a son and brother. (At least in my mind). So if anyone has the true story how about sharing it with us? Where did Ben and Edwin come from? Are there any descendants of either of these two men out there anywhere? I wonder what happened to Samuel Jones - My guess is he probably died in the Civil War you think?
FYI ..... I looked on the 1860 for Hannah.. Found her as the d/o P H and Phoebe both age 50 born in KY, consistant with where Hannah says her parents were born. Also on the 1860 found Samuel Jones as the s/o John (68 VA) and Mary (58 NC).
Since Hannah is the Ancestor of a number of our Newsletter Members it would be nice to if we could find a good reason for the two extra children. We need to defend her honor it seems. There are a number of reasons why these two sons are added to the family after Williams death -maybe she took them in for another member of the family.
Mary Venable has posed this question. Does anyone know for sure where Hannah is buried. There is an unmarked grave next to William. Is she in it?
DeLana Culver Robbins , the newest cousin of the Vincent Kesterson Family has yet another Indian Story for us to ponder over. This story has been heard by other members of this family line so there might possibly be some truth to this one. DeLana's grandmother is Icy May (Cress) Culver, the daughter of Sarah Lelah (Bradshaw) Cress, was told by her mother that Martha Ann Kesterson was a Cherokee Indian by birth and was taken in and rasied by Jerome Boneparte Kesterson and his wife Sarah Pipkins. How can you doubt these stories when they are handed down like this? Hard to disbelieve them that is for sure. But in this instance the parents of Martha Ann both died very young and their 3 children (Mary, Willis & Martha), were raised by Sarah's mother, Mrs. Mary (Couch) Pipkin. Martha is suppose to have been born in 1859 - but she is not on the 1860 Census with Jerome and Sarah, while the 1st two children, Mary and Willis are listed. So apparently they didn't get Martha until after 1860. I haven't found her on the 1870 when she should be with Mary Pipkin. Martha married in Jan of 1880 so she is not with her grandmother on that census but is also not listed with her husband either. Any Ideas on this issue?
Betsy Kesterson married to Jesse Anderson 4 Nov 1832 Greene Co TN?
Lydia Kesterson married to George Easterly 18 Aug 1861 Greene Co TN?
Jeanne Montana is looking for the parents of Addie Allen Kesterson - she was born 1 Dec 1872 in Wingo, Graves Co KY and died 13 Apr 1961 in Mexia, Limestone TX. Addie married Charles HAWPE 24 Aug 1892 in Graves Co... Addie has to be a descendant of either George & Malinda (Colley) Kesterson Jr or Samuel & Catherine (Jamison) Kesterson.. They were the only two sons of George & Lettice Baker Kesterson who remained in KY when the other moved to Pike Co IL. If anyone has any information please let us both know.
Nevada (Hunt) Harvell is a new found cousin of the John Kesterson/Malinda Dorsey family. Nevada / French Bernard Hunt 1910 TX / Effie Doll Hudson 1879 TX/ Mary Malinda Ashbrook 1856 TX / Lucinda Kesterson 1833 / John Kesterson 1807
avid Kesterson is another new kousin of the John Kesterson Howard AR Line.. David / Wayne Kesterson / Clarence Curtis Kesterson 1896 AR / John Wesley Kesterson 1870 AR / Samuel Kesterson 1836 AR/ John Kesterson 1807.
Joanne (Hager) Underwood / Evelyn Poole / Nettie Balsley 1892 / Mary Jane Kesterson / Jerome Kesterson 1838 Wood WV/ John Siphon Kesterson 1817 VA / Willis Kesterson 1792 VA / John Kesterson 1742 VA/ John - George - Thomas
F "Dean" Alley s a welcome addition to the Iowa Kesterson family. Erville Mabel Stewart 1901 IA / Alice Estella Kesterson 1879 IA / Robert Hunt Kesterson 1850 MO / William Thomas Kesterson 1808 VA / Sylvester Welch Kesterson 1785 VA / John Kesterson 1742 VA / John Kesterson 1712 VA / George Kesterson 1674 VA / Thomas
Ron Ingram has found his way to us. Dona is a descendant of the Virginia Group. Dona ALLEN / Katherine KESTERSON / Bruce A KESTERSON 1899 VA / Millard Henry KESTERSON 1859 Augusta VA / Benj. A KESTERSON 1823 Augusta VA / Benjamin KESTERSON 1784 Augusta VA / John KESTERSON 1742 Northumberland VA / John KESTERSON 1712 Northumberland VA / George / Thomas
DeLana Gayle (Culver) Robbins newest cousin of the Vincent Kesterson Family. DeLana / R D CULVER 1925 / Icy Mae CRESS 1905 TX / Sarah Lelah BRADSHAW 1883 / Martha Ann KESTERSON 1861 AR / Jerome Boneparte KESTERSON 1830 AL/ Vincent
Diane M Bailey is a new cousin for the Arkansas Group.. Grandmother - Are Lee Hendrix / Louella Frances KESTERSON 1887 Sevier AR / John Franklin KESTERSON 1867 Sevier AR / Thomas Jefferson KESTERSON 1842 Sevier AR / John & Malinda