GETTING STARTED WITH THE LESTER FAMILY
Back in 2014, we made the decision to start researching our Lester family ancestry. At the time, we knew that prior research had been completed on the Lester family ancestry once before. As such, we did our best to pick up where the research left off and have now added some additional information where possible.
We start by thanking Kenneth Elmer Gibboney and Betty Jean Gibboney (née Lester) for completing the initial research in 1969 and for doing the hard work (before having the luxury of the internet!) and for uncovering a great deal of Lester ancestry in the first place.
We start by thanking Kenneth Elmer Gibboney and Betty Jean Gibboney (née Lester) for completing the initial research in 1969 and for doing the hard work (before having the luxury of the internet!) and for uncovering a great deal of Lester ancestry in the first place.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Through our research, we have concluded that there is a great deal of information available about the Lester family ancestors.
At this time, we have confirmed with confidence that Richard Lester, born in London, England in 1784, is our oldest family line ancestor. Richard was a cabinet maker by trade and also a real estate investor. His youngest child, George Alfred Lester was one of the first to immigrate to the United States (along with a brother and sister). George's wife and family immigrated in the mid 1850's but moved back and forth from the U.S to the U.K. (London). The family briefly immigrated near Ann Arbor, Michigan before settling down in Lewistown, IL. We know from the 1860 US Census that George worked as some type of Laborer / Carpenter while he and his wife Esther (aka Sarah) raised their five children.
It is important to note that there is still a wealth of family history and information to be discovered and interpreted—this is simply a starting point for our very long family history.
At this time, we have confirmed with confidence that Richard Lester, born in London, England in 1784, is our oldest family line ancestor. Richard was a cabinet maker by trade and also a real estate investor. His youngest child, George Alfred Lester was one of the first to immigrate to the United States (along with a brother and sister). George's wife and family immigrated in the mid 1850's but moved back and forth from the U.S to the U.K. (London). The family briefly immigrated near Ann Arbor, Michigan before settling down in Lewistown, IL. We know from the 1860 US Census that George worked as some type of Laborer / Carpenter while he and his wife Esther (aka Sarah) raised their five children.
It is important to note that there is still a wealth of family history and information to be discovered and interpreted—this is simply a starting point for our very long family history.
SOURCES USED
Based on Kenneth and Betty Jean Gibboney's previously discovered findings in March of 1969, we sought out a few additional sources to help us uncover even more information about the family. These sources included U.S. Census documentation and various historical websites which have been referenced.
Using these sources, we were able to help connect some additional dots on the Lester ancestry, we were able to illustrate an actual “Lester Family Tree”, which shows the relationships between family members, important dates, locations and marriage information where possible, and we were able to develop some basic descriptions about the lives some of our family members may have led. It should be noted that the family member descriptions are based on our personal knowledge (when possible), and then on information we discovered directly from a document source, or on information we deduced from a variety of document sources, and in some cases the descriptions have generic assumptions. We did our best to appropriately cite the sources used and to cite when we made assumptions.
Using these sources, we were able to help connect some additional dots on the Lester ancestry, we were able to illustrate an actual “Lester Family Tree”, which shows the relationships between family members, important dates, locations and marriage information where possible, and we were able to develop some basic descriptions about the lives some of our family members may have led. It should be noted that the family member descriptions are based on our personal knowledge (when possible), and then on information we discovered directly from a document source, or on information we deduced from a variety of document sources, and in some cases the descriptions have generic assumptions. We did our best to appropriately cite the sources used and to cite when we made assumptions.