This Official Site of The TNGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects is
James H. & Mary McCONNICO Lester, Sr.
of Giles County, Tennessee
compiled and annotated by
Giles County, TNGenWeb Researcher Nancy B. Brown
James H. LESTER, born 1790-1794; died Nov 1840, Giles County, Tennessee; married 21 Dec 1820, Williamson County, Tennessee, Mary D. McCONNICO (daughter of Garner and Mary WALKER McCONNICO), born 20 Sep 1805, died 27 May 1872, Giles County, Tennessee.
James is not on the 1812 Giles tax list. James LESTER, age 26-45, is on the 1820 Giles County census, the sole member of his household. In 1830, James H. LESTER is on page 146 of the Giles County census: 220001-01001 (1 male 30-40, 1 female 20-30, 2 males and 1 female, 5-10, 2 males 0-5). James LESTER is on the 1840 Giles County, Tennessee census, p. 136 with 1 male 50-60, 2 males 15-20 (James H., Jr. and Granville B.), 2 male 10-15 (Franklin B. and Thomas J.), 1 male 5-10, 1 male 0-5, 1 female 30-40, 1 female 10-15, 2 females 5-10, and 1 female 0-5. In 1850, his widow, Mary D. and 7 of their children are on the Giles County Census, Civil District 11, p. 868-435:
1850 Giles County, Tennessee Federal Census
Civil District 11, p. 868-435
HH412
Mary D. LESTER 45 TN $3,500
Franklin B. 23 M TN Farmer
Thomas J. 21 M TN Farmer
A. K. 18 F TN
Sarah E. 16 F TN
John C. 14 M TN student
Albert Y. 12 M TN student
Nancy C. 10 F TN student
James' and Mary's children and some of their marriages are documented by the following Giles Chancery Court records:
1871 Giles Chancery suit. File Box L-9, Case 2984. Mary D. LESTER and Others vs. Lafayette HARWELL & als. Mary D., G.B., James H., F.B., Thomas J., John C., A. Y. LESTER, Addie K. SUMNER, Catherine wife of James L. COLEMAN vs. Lafayette S. HARWELL, Cornelia wife of James RALSTON, and J.F., W.B., T.E. HARWELL (the last three minors). Mary D. LESTER owned a life estate in 2/3 of a 358-acre tract of land on which she resided one mile north of Pulaski, lying on both sides of the turnpike, adjoining the land of F.H. WILKINSON, C.N. ORDWAY on the east, lands of ORDWAY, G.W. TILLERY and J.P. MAY on the north land of F.B. and A.Y. LESTER on the West, by A.Y. LESTER on the south. F.B. LESTER was owner of the other third. The HARWELL children had an interest as children of Sicily LESTER who arried Lafayette S. HARWELL [sic]. Mary D. LESTER finances being greatly reduced because of the ravages of War, she being unable to pay lien against land and other debts against estate, land was sold. (Giles County Chancery Court, Woodruff Files A thru G, 1830-1900, Vol. I, by Elizabeth White, Pulaski, Tenn, copyright 1987, Parker and White)
1873 Giles Chancery suit. File Box L-7, Case 3207, Attachment and Injunction Bill), Granville B. LESTER & als vs. James H. LESTER & als., which includes his will (Exhibit "A"), and states that he died testate at his residence in Giles County in the year 1840, his estate bequeathed to his widow, Mary D. and ten children. The children are identified as Granville B., Thomas J., Albert Y., Adeline K., wife of ___ HUDSON, Catherine wife of James L. COLEMAN, Scicly wife of Habard HARWELL, Sallie wife of W.B. WILSON, James H., John C. and Franklin B. LESTER.
Scicily HARWELL died in 1857 leaving issue: Lafayette S., J.F., W.B., L.E. HARWELL and Cornelia A. wife of James A. RALSTON. Sallie WILSON died leaving no issue 12 Feb 1873. Cornelia HARWELL married James A. RALSTON 28 Feb 1867 at her father's residence [marriage record is extant]. Mary D. LESTER lived one mile north of Pulaski, died May 7, 1872. Nearly all personal property was destroyed during the war. All of the stock was destroyed, all property on the place was destroyed except the dwelling and furniture therein, the kitchen and one or two outhouses. At the time of James H. LESTER'S death, the family was living on Robertson Fork Creek. A few days after his death, that land was sold and a tract purchased known as the John ABERNATHY tract (340 acres on Bradshaw Creek), which was sold in 1847 or 1848, and a tract purchased from Alexander McDONALD (352 acres on Buchanan Creek), this sold in 1852, and a place was purchased one mile north of Pulaski known as the [Noah] Hancock Place. Another tract was purchased, of John C. BROWN, about 1853 or 1854 (later owned by Allen E. MAY). Mary D. LESTER sold to Samuel and Martin M. NANCE an 81 acre tract on the road leading form Pulaski to Florence, Alabama, bounded North and West by lands of Calvin A. REYNOLDS, East by J. B. SLEPP and John TOMBLIN, South by Stephen ODENEAL. James H. LESTER, Jr. owned 400 acres in partnership with T.J. HARRISON in the 2nd District at Lester Station. HARRISON died and James H. LESTER went to Colorado for his health. Mary D. LESTER was Mary McCONICO before her marriage. (ibid.)
1875: Box L-3, Case # 3437: Attachment Bill. J.D. LEWIS vs. James H. LESTER & als. J. D. LEWIS of Giles against James H. LESTER of Denver, Colorado, J. H.MORRIS, adm. of T. J. HARRISON, dec. of Giles, Granville B. LESTER of Lincoln County, Tennessee, Franklin B. LESTER and John C. LESTER of Giles, Thomas J.LESTER of Davidson County, Tennessee, Albert Y. LESTER of Texas, J. L. COLEMAN and Catherine his wife of the state of Alabama, Cornelia RALSTON and her husband James A. of Colorado, L.S., J.F., W. B., and L.E. HARWELL of Gils, mrs. Levisa E. HARRISON, Lula C. and Lindsey HARRISON, widow and heirs of T.J. deceased, of Indiana. On 28 Nov 1865 J. H. LESTER had sold undivided 1/2 of 301 acres to HARRISON, HARRISON got the E side, LESTER the W side. Land in District #2 at Lester Station on the Decatur and Nashville Railorad (Box L-1, Case #3397 shows "10 miles south of Pulaski, a station known as Lester's Station). Settlement of est. of T.J. HARRISON. (ibid.)
See Janell McCann's Henry Walker Family for ancestry of Mary D. McCONNICO Lester.
Issue of James and Mary D. McCONNICO Lester
Dr. GRANVILLE B. LESTER, physician, born ??, died ???, married 19 Dec 1867, Lincoln County, Tennessee (as Dr. Grandville LESTER), Rebecca S. C. WHITE, born ??; died ??.
During the Civil War, G. [Granville] B. Lester of Lincoln County was an assistant surgeon with the 8th Tennessee, command of Col. A. S. Fulton. In 1875, he was still residing in Lincoln. (Goodspeed's History of Lincoln County, Tennessee, Chicago, 1886, p. 776)
19 Dec 1867 Lincoln Co, Tennessee marriage records. Dr. Grandville LESTER and Rebecca S. C. WHITE
JAMES H. LESTER, attorney, born abt 1825, Tennessee, died aft 1875, of Denver, Colorado; married bef 1856, Olivia ---, born ca 1836, died ?
1860 Giles County, Tennessee Census
Lynnville (Pulaski), p. 89
HH1267-1267
E.H. McCORD 40 M TN Hotelkeeper and Farmer $7,000 - $8,000
Mary McCORD 29 F TN
Harris McCORD 8 M TN
Sissa McCORD 5 F TN
[Boarders include]
John C. BROWN 28 M TN Attorney
Calvin J. CLACK 26 M TN Attorney
James H. LESTER 37 M TN Attorney $10,000-$25,000
1870 Giles County, Tennessee Census
Lynnville (Pulaski), p. 89
HH1267-1267
James H. LESTER 45 M TN Lawyer $16,000-12,000
Olivia 34 F TN Keeping House
Bettie 15 F TN at school
Agnes 8 F TN
James C. 5 M TN
Felix 1 M TN
No marriage record has been located for James and Olivia. The 1850 Giles census includes Olivia ROGERS, 12, in the District 17 HH of James M.N. ROGERS; and Olivia C. HILL, 11, in the District 16 HH of Frank W. HILL (Not researched). James H. had removed to Denver, Arapahoe County, Denver by 1873, and a James H. LESTER is on the 1880 Arapahoe County, Denver 1st Ward Census Index. A Bettie F. LESTER married there on 20 Jan 1873 to George L. BRINKER (Arapahoe Co, CO marriage records).
MARY SICILY LESTER, born 19 Sep 1826, Tennessee, died 24 Oct 1857,* Giles County, Tennessee, married bef 1843, Harbard L. HARWELL, born ca 1815, Tennessee, died aft 1860.
*Birth and death dates from Cardin's History of Pisgah, Part III, which also lists their six children. This same source states that Harbard was the son of Raleigh HARWELL of Pisgah.
1850 Giles County, Tennessee Federal Census
Civil District 11, p. 868-435
HH403
Harbard HARWELL 35 M TN Farmer $1,500
Mary S. 24 F TN
Cornelia A. 8 F TN
John H. 5 M TN
Fayette S. 1 M TN
1860 Giles County, Tennessee Federal Census
Pisgah, p. 136
HH403
Harbard HARWELL 45 M TN Farmer $4,350-11,790
Cornelia A. 17 F TN
John H. 15 M TN Student
Lafayette S. 11 M TN Student
James F. 9 M TN Student
William B. 7 M TN Student
Thomas E. 4 M TN
Edy MOORE 65 F VA
Franklin B. LESTER, born ca 1827, Tennessee, died aft 1873, married bef 1864 Louiza ---, born ca 1850, Mississippi, died ??
According to the research of Giles County, TNGenWeb researcher Janell McCann, Franklin B. LESTER, died in 1886, having married circa 1860, Louisa BLACK, b. 2-4-1841, Giles Co, d. 9-7-1895, Giles. (See her Walker Families
1870 Giles County, Tennessee Census
District 2, p. 39
HH 291-291
Franklin LESTER 43 M TN Farmer $6,500-5,200
Louiza 30 F MS Keeps House
Lee Roy 6 M TN
Mary 5 F TN
Laurer 3 F TN
Leviar
Thomas J. LESTER, born abt 1829, died aft 1874
Adeline K. LESTER, born abt 1822, Tennessee, died ?; married (1) 2 Apr 1851, Giles County,* McHenry "Mack" SUMNER, born abt 1819, died bef 1874; (2) bef 1876, --- HUDSON, born ?, died ?
2 Apr 1851 Giles County, Tennessee Marriage Lic. McHenry SUMNER and Adeline K. LESTERm Security J.B. SUMNER (Giles County Marriages)
According to Thomas Cardin's History of Pisgah, Part II, "Miss Adeline LESTER was the teacher at this place [Pisgah], 1846. She married a preacher named SUMNER. He died and she married a man named HUDSON."
In 1860, Mack and Addie are on the Giles County, TN Census, Lynnville (Pulaski), p. 100, HH1413-1413 (adj. to her mother):
Mack SUMNER 41 M TN Farmer $3,000
Adaline K. 28 F TN
Mary 7 F TN
Sallie 6 F TN
Virginia 4 F TN
James 1 M TN
Theo STEVENSON 18 M TN Com. Laborer
Although Mack is listed as a farmer, not a preacher, Giles County marriage licenses and returns include the 16 Nov 1859 return of McHenry SUMNER, MG (Minister of the Gospel) for the marriage of Wlmina M. WARREN and Uriah BELL. (Giles Marriages)
Sarah E. LESTER, born abt 1834, died 12 Feb 1873; married W. B. WILSON, born ?, died?
JOHN C. LESTER, born abt 1836, Tennessee, died aft 1905, Tennessee
1870 Giles County, Tennessee Census
Pulaski, page 148
421-421 Thomas F. Jackson 60 M W ----- Virginia
John C. Lester 37 M W Lawyer Tennessee
Albert Y. LESTER, born abt 1838, died aft 1874
CATHERINE A. LESTER is probably the same as Nancy C. (Catherine A. vs. Ann "Nancy" Catherine?), born ca 1840, Tennessee, died ?; married 2 Oct 1856, Giles County (Lic. 1 Oct 1856, Ret'd 2 Oct 1856 by G.D. TAYLOR), Jas. L. COLEMAN, born ?, died ?
James and Catherine have not yet been located on the 1860-70 census.
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Last Updated Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Copyright 2001 Nancy B. Brown (content) and TNGenNet, Inc. (format)
