KESTERSON KOLLECTIONS NEWSLETTER VOL #8

KESTERSON KOLLECTIONS
NEWSLETTER
Volume 38 Aug 1 2004

Christine Walters
Lexington TN 38351

The Mary Jane that I've been able to find was born about 1807 and is the one who married William Kesterson. They were found on the 1850 Bath Co VA census with 3 children; Francis (male) age 16, Elizabeth 15 and John 13. In 1880 I found them in Montgomery Co VA both age 73 living with their son John Marshall Kesterson. William was also born around 1807 and we have yet to find out who his parents were.

From The Fayetteville Democrat May 5, 1882 and from the.Siloam Dispatch: Lengthy story tells of a cyclone that hit the area killing 2 people instantly and injuring many others including PORTER KESTERSON and his 80 year old mother. Mr Kesterson’s mother was near the chimney when the storm came in, was knitting and was caught under the falling chimney and lumber but was not thought to be dangerously wounded.25 houses and barns destroyed. (This would be Darcius Porterfield Kesterson the son of Nancy (Cadwell & John Kesterson. You will remember that it was Nancy Kesterson along with her brother in law William Kesterson & Family who moved out to Lawrence Co MO by 1860. The 1880 census tells us that Porter did have a daughter - who must have married a "Francis" as they have a grandson living with them, age 5 years named Airy W. Francis at that time.

Got an interesting email from James Gibbons who is the G G Grandson of Hester Ann Kesterson born 04 October 1837 OH - most likely Ross County. She married Benjamin Franklin Carpenter 10 November 1853 in Ross County and they had three children; Nancy Jane Carpenter, 8 Sep 1854, Sarah Catherine Carpenter, 1857 and George Carpenter about 1862. Benjamin died before 1867 and Hester married John/James Raypole 16 Mar 1867 in Ross Co. The first child of John and Hester was Anna Bell Raypole born 17 May 1867 only 2 months after their marriage. I am just assuming that Anna Belle was probably the daughter of Benjamin Carpenter who died before she was born. Then they had a second daughter, Mary Susan about 1869. Nancy Jane Carpenter married her stepbrother - Austin Raypole.

Hester Kesterson first appeared on the 1850 Census of Ross Co, living in the home of William Speck and his wife Catherine. We have ruled out any theory that Catherine might have been a Kesterson - her maiden name was Goddard. So Hester has remained a mystery Kesterson because we have never had any Kestersons' in Ross Co except for her. Since James' email I have found her in the 1880 as Hester Raypole born OH - parents both born in VA. Early on I had suspected that Hester would belong to the Wood Co Va line and I still believe that she is connected to them in some way because that's the only family line that used the name Hester.

There is a marriage in Meigs Co OH between Elizabeth Queen - John Kesteson which occured 14 July 1836. Since Hester was born 4 Oct 1837 it would seem fitting that they might be her parents. As I told James Gibbons, we have so many John's its hard to pin down who this one might have been.

I'm hoping that some of you Wood Co WV researchers might have some idea?

Here is the latest "interesting" story sent to me by Joanne Pezzullo. She is not a Kesterson researcher, but is looking for this mans mother as she was suppose to have been Indian from the Malungeon tribe of Hancock Co TN.

AN ODD KENTUCKIAN
The Rev. Charles Kesterson is an odd Kentuckian who has been on both sides of the law. His father was one of the early pioneers of Hancock County, Tenn., and his mother was an Indian, being a member of the tribe of famous Malungeons. The Rev. Mr. Kesterson is 7 foot 8 inches tall, though he claims when in the prime of manhood he was over 8 feet tall. His weight is 309 pounds, and he is 73 years old

When lawlessness was at its height, the Rev. Mr. Kesteson was the terror of that country. He never heard the whistle of a locomotive or say the iron monsters till a year or so aga, when he went to Knoxville. It is claimed by many of his neighbors that he has killed at least seven men. The old preacher denies this. He acknowledges the errors of his youth, but says that he never killed so many. Cincinnati Enquirer/ North Adams News Frederick MD 9-17-1898

Hattie Marie Kesterson b about 1903 daughter of John Gavin & Margaret (Johnson) Kesterson.

LANCASTER DAILY EAGLE (Lancaster, Fairfield Co Oh) 23 Nov 1917

Takes a Bridge - Does Johnny Duddleson The Well Known Greenfield Dwarf

Rev. E. M. Elsworth performs the ceremony - the bride a fair sized and comely Greenfield maiden aged 17 years.. Johnny Duddleson, the well known Greenfield Twp. dwarf, aged 22 years appeared in the probate judges office Friday afternoon accompanied by Miss Hattie Marie Kesterson and her father John Kesterson and secured a license to marry Miss Kesterson, who is a very prepossessing young woman who will tip the scales at about 125 pounds and is about 5 feet tall, while her dwarf husband is about 44 inches in height. The groom was not tall enough to stand up to the desk on which the marriage record lay to sign his name and Deputy L.V. Guyton suggested lifting him up and he replied "I'll expect you'll have to do that" but the book was laid on the window sill about 2 feet from the floor and he succeeded with some difficulty in reaching up and signing his name. The groom is a well known prosperous young farmer of Greenfield township and is a son of the late John Duddleson a well to do resident of old Greenfield. Rev. E.M. Ellsworth was selected to perform the ceremony.

** Hattie and John Duddleson had the following children from the 1930 Census: Charles W 1919, Mary L 1921, Catherine 1922, Robert L 1924, and Helen A. 1924.

Lancaster Sep 2 1935 Newark Advocate (Ohio)
Charles Duddleson 18, Lancaster and Howard Ogg 23, Perry county, pleaded guilty in Justice John Mayers' court of breaking and entering the lighting plant on the Gerken fruit farm south of Lancaster. They were bound over to the Grand Jury. Merle Berry 24, and Charles Kesterson, both of Lancaster held with Duddleson and Ogg on the same charge, pleaded not guilty and their hearing was set for Wednesday.

30 October 1935 Newark Advocate Jury Declares Three Guilty
Lancaster. Oct. 30. - The petit jury returned a verdict of guilty of grand larceny in the trial of Charles Kesterson, Charles Duddleson, and Merle Beery , charged with a having stolen lead plates from the power plant on the Gerken farm south of the city.

2 Nov 1935 Newark Advocate
Charles Duddleson, Charles Kesterson and Merle Beery all of Lancaster, convicted in connection with the theft of batteries from he Gerken residence were sentenced to from one to seven in the Mansfield Reformatory.

Charles Kesterson I believe is Hattie Maries' brother who was born about 1912,, but I'm just guessing. For some reason Howard Ogg 23 who originally pleaded Guilty - is not mentioned in the sentencing.

I got an email from Marci O'Malley who is doing some work on the Sisk Family. Here are some changes for those of you who are keeping track of all the Kesterson descendants. Lafayette Sisk/Sarah Alice Gray. Their son was named Hunley Patton Sisk (most of us had the name Patrick). He died 18 Jul 1958 Buena Vista GA. He was married to Norrine (maiden name Cotton?). Children were Fred Marlyn Sisk, Wyona and Lonita (Weld). All three died in Beuna Vista GA

"South Carolina General Index to State Grants [LDS film # 0022531]

Absolam, Andrew Hooper, and William Casterson, 500 acres Washington [district], Greenville County [SC] granted 3 Dec 1798, Book 44, page 364. " Got this information from Anne Goodwin, a Hooper Researcher. The named spelled Casterson before 1800 is a bit unusual but later in the 1800 there were plenty of them around MI and CA. This Wm. Casterson must connect to our lines somewhere? Anne wrote " In 1800, Absolum Hooper (family 1612) and Andrew Hooper (family 1613) were enumerated next to each other at the end of the Greenville County, SC census. They were doubly enumerated in Pendleton County in 1800, but were about 30 households distant from each other. All later evidence suggests Absalom (b. ca 1765) and Andrew (b. 1760-1770) were brothers. Both left SC by 1808. Andrew Hooper eventually begins appearing in east TN records, apparently reaching Cocke County by 1812. He was on the 1830 Cocke Co., census but not on 1840. Absalom Hooper had lived in Wilkes County, Georgia during the American Revolution and up to about 1793, when he moved to SC. Between 1803 and 1808, he moved from SC up to Haywood County, NC (which borders east TN) and died 1845. Mr. Casterson appears two doors from the Hoopers on the 1800 Greenville census, as William Chesterson 02101-11010-00. I can find no trace of William Casterson later in SC. Because Andrew and Absolam Hooper seem to be brothers, I have speculated that Mr. Casterson might be a brother-in-law to the Hooper brothers. But I have no data to support that hypothesis. I have been unable to determine what happened to the land, and cannot locate a deed where the Hoopers or Casterson sold the patented land."

Found another family connection for the Greene Co TN folks. Through Melanie Coomes (Daughter of Billy Jack & Rebecca (Fredericks) Kesterson, I've been able to connect James A Kesterson b 28 March 1922 d 24 Mar 1985 KY (Livingston Co) to his parents who were John Thomas & Stella Kesterson who are buried at Fairview Baptist Cemetery in Greene Co. Prior to this I had James' info but wasn't sure who his parents were. John Thomas was the son of John Thomas & Nancy (Ridenour) Kesterson and he was the son of John Thomas & Louisa Caroline (Hurley) Kesterson. I've got complete dates on most of the family - so if anyone wants them - shot me an email. See the line for Melanie down below.

Robin Kesterson Bailey found this article in the Historical Newspapers on Rootsweb. It was published in the Stevens Point Daily Journal (Wisconsin). Middlesboro KY Dec 16, 1898 " Pleas Goin, a mountain desparado who killed Hunt Kesterson and fatally wounded Fred Burk on Clinch River in Lee Co VA Tuesday was lynched Wednesday night by an infuriated mob of mountaineers. Goin was captured 12 miles from the scene of the tragedy.."

SO who is this man. It mentions Lee County VA and we know thats the part of the country that our David Chadwell Kesterson family lived in Claiborne Co TN which borders on Lee County VA. Middlesboro is in Bell Co KY which borders both Claiborne TN and Lee Co so apparently this event took place where these 3 states meet. Hunt may be a nickname? James Kesterson in Winter Haven FL is pretty much uptodate with the David Kesterson line. So James - does this story ring any bells?

Angela Meadows sent me some great old pictures of Emslay Jeffers & Nancy (Taylor) Kesterson and also one of his daughter Annislee (Kesterson) Stonecipher.. See them Here

NEW MEMBERS

Carrie Lynn (Jennings) Gladney - d/o Clarence Elra JENNINGS AR / James Elra JENNINGS 1901 MO / Jonas Oscar JENNINGS 1875 MO / Jonas Petit JENNINGS 1849 MO / Jane Emeline PETIT 1826 TN / Jane COURTNEY 1797 VA / Sarah KESTERSON 1758 VA / William KESTERSON 1735 VA / John KESTERSON 1712 VA / George 1674 / Thomas

Melanie COOMES / Billy Jack KESTERSON Greene TN / James A KESTERSON 1922 TN / John Thomas KESTERSON 1892 TN/ John Thomas KESTERSON 1865 TN / John Thomas KESTERSON 1828 TN/ Thomas KESTERSON 1798 TN / John KESTERSON 1760 VA / William KESTERSON 1735 VA / John KESTERSON 1712 VA / George KESTERSON 1674 VA Thomas KESTERSON 1648-172 VA

Carole Thomason Goodloe / Charles D THOMASON 1927 TN / Charles Briscoe THOMASON 1899-1983 TN/ Vina May WILLIAMS 1869 - 1933 TN / Charles Porter WILLIAMS 1846-1894 TN/ Mourning COURNTEY 1828-1869 TN / George Washington COURTNEY 1780 TN/ Sarah KESERSON 1758 VA/Wm KESTERSON 1735 VA / John KESTERSON 1712 VA / George and Thomas.

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