Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: 41EAC85143414BE2963643446992B8A49F20

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: 372FDCF32B574B909C1FACB5A7BA9DCE7A6B

Joe married Ruby Hudson. Ruby (daughter of Samuel Hudson and Minnie Mae Hill) was born on 1 Nov 1916; died on 14 Nov 1998 in Cleveland, Bradley, Tennessee, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: A16F962D12B04C2D96701ECE5D8D8BFE73AC

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: DD16D3990EA84DF891C4C93EBC8E7601775A

Samuel married Minnie Mae Hill. Minnie (daughter of Masten Tate Hill and Eliza Jane Dunn) was born on 29 Oct 1889 in Clinton, Anderson, Tennessee, United States; died on 1 Jan 1971 in La Follette, Campbell, Tennessee, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: 4C6567E5D7E14B12BBB885DB99DBAFF800CD
• Census: 1900, Civil District 06, Anderson, Tennessee, United States

Notes:

Per 1920 census, married to Samuel Hudson. Note: Samuel was a half brother to Mary Cox Kesterson. Minnie, his wife, was a sister to Samuel Whitson Kesterson.


Minnie may have carried the last name Pruett because her motherbriefly married a Pruett or Pruitt. JKS 11-05-07.

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: 67DA19D55C1849798E8377BDD3B5D8B0BA23

George married Elizabeth Jane Foster. Elizabeth (daughter of Joshua Bernice Foster, Sr. and Parley J. Underwood) was born on 10 Oct 1853 in East Fork Valley (Historical), Anderson, Tennessee, United States; died in in Morley, Campbell, Tennessee, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: 36499AC027A64137AA1A4112326635EEF07A
• Census: 1900, Civil District 01, Morgan, Tennessee, United States

Notes:

Per Ruth Kesterson Lackey, Jane and Link fed their two babies something as medicine that probably poisioned them. Need more information.

Stories from Mary Cox Kesterson, daughter of Elizabeth Foster Cox.
Uncle Wash took his family to Missouri in a coverd wagon. They got out there and John Brown sent him with horse and sled to get wood to burn.The wood was on the creek bank. The sled turned over, and they found him on the ice. He'd been drinking, had frozen into the ice. He was Sarah's boy, John, apparently went with them.

The snow would bank up 10 feet against the fence sometimes. John would run back and forth from the house to the barn so Jane could go to the barn to mind the cows in the barn. Janes's parents raised him.

Mary Cox didn't remember many of her cousins though she tried.

Uncle Lee's wife thought Mary was named after her and gave her a pretty piece of cloth one time with anchors on it. It was grey and red with white anchors.

Earnest was Salty Foster's father

Victor Foster was responsible for the family tree.

Joshua, brother of Jane, went to college in Middle Tennessee.

The clover threshers came and grandma said she wasn't gonna let them stay long. Jane told her "Jot may be begging (thumbing) his way through from Montana right now. You'd better let them stay." And she let them stay just because Mommy told her Jot might be on his way to come home.

jane Elizabeth married George Hudson. They had a son, Sam. Mary said of her brother: "Lord how I loved my brother. He was the greatest person in the world." "I'd go meet him at the store and he'd set me up on the counter and say "now what do you want?"." "Sunbeam Candy",I'd say. It was an oblong piece of candy wrapped up in paper tha looked like the sun--real pale, soft candy, and center, it was the only candy I loved."

Jane married (2) William Lincoln Cox. Sam's mother was married to a pruett at sometime or another. Daisy and Lizzie were Hudson's.Johnny and Fannie died before Mary was born.

Sam, Jane's brother, took Jane to parties when they were young. These were like barn dances. They'd dance togehter.

One of her brothers lived in East Fork valley and was bringing a bride in and there was a big snow on the ground. They were coming into Kingston and don't know, must have been coming on a boat. Momma and others went to meet them and her riding skirt was frozen plumb to her waist. They rode horses, whole wedding party, went to meet them. They got wet in the snow while riding. Could have been the one that married a Fox. Not sure.

About Uncle Wash: When I was 14, I spent the night with Uncle Wash--he was sick. They lived in East Fork Valley. Deal Bailey--Ruth and Granny went to see her in Oliver Springs and Ruth sneaked meat off her stove. If she knew Ruth had of been hungry, she'd given her something to eat off the table. There was a side ofbacon stacked up on a plate on the kitchen stove.

I can just see Uncle Lee (levi?) sitting in the holler when Paul was 3 or 4 (1924-1925)..He had a mustasche. We rode a buggy up there with a chestnut horse.

Bob's wife is one I was on the horse with and I fell off backwards, off the horse's end into the ground. I was 15. Was the last horse I ever rode. They hadn't been married long. It was when Uncle Wash was sick, he died after that.

Uncle Jot (Joshua B) went to college, possibly was a professor.

Cousin Lee moved to Andersonville.

Uncle Enoch worked in Branch at Coal Creek. Lost his mind. The bank went broke and he lost his mind.

Jane Foster Cox died in 1925

source for this child is 1870 US census. E.J. was not listed in 1860 census and may have been living elsewhere. At one time some of the Fosters went to Missouri to visit relatives or with the intent of living there. A male relative got drunk and fell off his horse in the creek and drowned, per Mary Cox Kesterson, daughter of Elizabeth Jane Foster Hudson Cox.

Cotula, Campbell County, was originally called Gatliff in honor of Dr. A. Gatliff, a physician of the locality. The name was changed to Cotula in 1908, when the railroad was built through the section. It is located near the central part of the county.

Jane and husband William Lincoln (Link) Cox and Mary were living in Cotula in 1910 when the census was taken. The census in 1910 still listed the area as Gatliff even if the name had been changed a few years earlier. Judy Spradlin. Census to support this is attached to William Lincoln Cox.

Died:
Believed to be buried in the White Oak cemetery, in an unmarked grave In February 2007, Jesse Kesterson, a grandson, and Judy Solis, daughter of Jesse and June Kesterson, searched for Elizabeth Foster Hudson Cox's grave. Her daughter, Mary Cox Kesterson, was unable to attend her funeral and burial because she had just given burth to a baby girl (Dorothy). Mary told Jesse where her mother was buried. No marked grave has been found. 08-2009

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: 3D81D3D8B3F34A3CBC0BDD1E49D7373FEDFD
• Census: 1900, Civil District 06, Anderson, Tennessee, United States

Notes:

From: Jas T Kesterson Sr
Subject: Masten Tate Hill
Date: Sat, 11 Jul 1998 21:45:18 -0400

I am looking for information on my grandfather, Masten Tate Hill who lived and worked on a farm in Sunbright,Morgan Co.,Tenn. around 1930.
Masten was born in Anderson Co.,Tenn.in 1855. I don't know why he went to Sunbright, because he had no relatives there. I am trying to find out if he married and had children in Morgan County,Tenn. He had 17 children by 3 different women. If any one has any information they can share I would appreciate it.
Thanks, Barbara (Hill Kesterson).

**********************************************
Jesse Kesterson and daughter Judy talked with Barbara Kesterson about2003. Barbara said that Masten married again after Harriet Dunn Hill divorced him. His wife was a Hill (Florence B.). She died and Masten put his 5-6 children from this marriage in an orphanage and left them to go somewhere else. No substantiation as of yet. J Solis 10-12-07

***************************************


RESEARCH BY BARBARA HILL KESTERSON on MASTEN TATE HILL

For more information, see Barbara's Book, " Descendants of Thomas Lambe

JAMES HILL FAMILY by Barbara Hill Kesterson

James Hill born 1770/75 Stokes Co., NC. died 4 Sept.1826 in Anderson Co., TN. married Mary Clayton born 1776 Wilkes Co., NC.died 3 Apr.1824 Anderson Co., TN.

Children:

(1) Mastin Hill born 19 Nov.1795 Stokes Co., NC. died 18 Nov.1831 Anderson Co., TN. married 15 Feb.1816 in Knox Co., TN. to Mary C."Polly"Hansard born 1798 Amherst Co., VA. died 23 Sept.1888 in Anderson Co., Tn.

(2) Edy Hill born 13 July 1798 died Oct.1841 married John Childress died Feb.1837

(3) Freely Hill born 26 Oct.1800 died 25 Sept.1860 married Washington Underwood born 11 Jan.1796 died 5 July 1864

(4) Marvel Hill born 4 Nov.1802 died 29 Aug.1870 married 18 Mar.1824 to Ann Milly Cox born 1 Jan.1806 died 22 July 1886

(5) Duly Hill born 1 May 1805 died 24 June 1887 married 26 Sept.1824 to William Loy born 31 May 1794 died 22 Jan.1879

(6) Martha Parley Hill born 27 Nov.1807 married 14 Oct. 1834 to Lewis Miller

(7) Hazy Hill born 11 Feb.1810 died 10 Sept.1829 married Jacob Loy born 1805 died 1829

(8) Eary Hill born 15 Jan.1813 died 23 Nov.1821

(9) Cander Hill born 4 Oct.1815 died 20 Sept.1820

(10) Alethea Hill born 18 Oct.1818 married George Miller born 1816 Mastin Hill born 19 Nov.1795 Stokes Co., NC., md. 15 Feb.1816 in Knox Co., Tn. to Mary C. Hansard born 1798 Amherst Co., VA. Mastin Hill died 18 Nov. 1831 Anderson Co., TN, Mary Hansard Hill died 23 Sept.1888

Children of Mastin Hill and Mary C."Polly" Hansard:

(1) Lindley D. Hill born 13 Sept.1817 in Anderson Co., TN. died 21 Apr.1889 in Anderson Co., TN., married 4 Mar.1850 in Anderson Co., TN. 1st to Eavy J. Rucker born 1820 died 7 Sept. 1854 in Anderson Co., TN. Married in 20 Oct.1855 in Anderson Co., TN.to Mariah Slaughter born 1823

(2) Martha Jane Hill born 1819 in Anderson Co., TN. died 1880 in Anderson Co., TN. married 14 Oct. 1834 in Knox Co., TN. to Gavin Miller born 1811 died 1880

(3) George Hill born 1820/1825 in Anderson Co., TN

(4) James Clayton Hill born 15 Apr.1821 in Anderson Co., TN. died 27 Jan. 1906 in Anderson Co., TN. married 24 Oct.1853 in Anderson Co., TN. to Martha Jane Beets born 18 June 1835 in Anderson Co., TN. died 21 Oct.1920 in Anderson County, TN.

(5) Lucy Steven Hill born 12 Apr.1826 in Anderson Co., TN. died 21 June 1915 in Atlanta, Georgia married 9 May 1339 in Anderson Co., TN. to James Monroe Slaughter born 9 Dec.1818 in Anderson Co., TN. died 4 Aug.1907 in Bradley Co., TN.

(6) John Goss Hill born 17 Jan. 1829 in Knox Co., TN. died 12 Oct.1902 in Anderson Co., TN. married 23 Mar. 1851 in Anderson Co., TN 1st to Janette Slaughter born 16 Feb. 1831 in Anderson Co., TN. died 18 Dec. 1886 in Anderson Co., Tn., married 2nd. on 14 Jan. 1888 in Anderson Co., TN. to Sarah Margaret Morris born Aug.1850 died 28 Mar. 1928. James Clayton Hill born 15 Apr.1821 in Anderson Co,.TN. died 27 Jan.1906 in Anderson Co., TN. married 24 Oct 1853 in Anderson Co., TN. to Martha Jane Beets born 18 June 1835 in Anderson Co., TN.

Children James Clayton Hill and Martha Jane Beets:

(1) Masten Tate Hill born 2 Dec.1855 in Anderson Co., TN., died 13 Jan.1940 in Anderson Co., TN. married 19 Dec.1878 in Anderson Co., TN. 1st Harriet Ann Dunn born 13 May 1854 born Knox Co., TN. died 22 Dec.1925 in Anderson Co., TN., married 23 Oct.1904 in Hamblen Co., TN. 2nd Florence Beatrice Hill* (maiden name Hill) born Mar.1884 in Jefferson Co., TN. died 8 may 1918 Jefferson Co., TN.

(2) John Wesley Hill born 28 Oct.1858 in Anderson Co., TN. died 30 Mar.1937 in Anderson Co., TN. married 24 Dec.1884 1st Callie Byrd born 10 Jan.1862 died 26 Feb.1892, married 3 Oct.1894 2nd Maude Maggie Ambrister born 9 Jan.1872 died 14 Oct.1955

(3) Sereptha Ann Hill born 1861 died bef.1870

(4) Sarah Elizabeth Hill born 13 Dec.1862 in Anderson Co., TN. died 21 Oct.1948 in Anderson Co., TN. married 31 Dec.1885 1st John Byrd born 16 Apr.1856 in Anderson Co., TN. died 16 Sept.1895 in Anderson Co., TN. married 14 Nov.1897 William A.Herrell born Apr.1843 in Anderson Co., TN.

(5) William Thomas Hill born 5 Oct.1865 in Anderson Co., TN. died 3 Jan.1951 in Anderson Co., TN. married 25 Dec.1889 1st Emma Belle Elliott born 1869, married 14 Apr.1894 2nd Nannie Jane Crawford born 30 Jan.1876 Anderson Co., TN. died 18 Sept.1945 in Anderson Co., TN.

(6) Nancy Jane Hill born 15 Dec.1867 in Anderson Co., TN. died 26 Feb.1899 in Anderson Co., TN. married 15 Dec.1892 Frank Flanigan born 11 June 1869 died 9 Feb.1960

(7) Mary C.Hill born 19 Dec.1870 in Anderson Co., TN. died 1947 in Colfax,WA. married 16 Nov.1890 Henry Franklin Elliott

(8) James Gideon Hill born 6 Sept.1874 in Anderson Co., TN. died 14 Nov.1943 married 4 Aug.1895 Sarah Elizabeth Hamm born 2 Jan.1876 died 27 Dec.1960 in Anderson Co., TN. Masten Tate Hill born 2 Dec.1855 died 13 Jan.1940 married 23 Oct.1904 in Hamblen Co., TN. 2nd to Florence Beatrice Hill* born Mar.1884 in Hamblen Co., TN. died 8 May 1918 in Jefferson Co., TN.,

Children of Masten Tate Hill and Florence Beatrice Hill:

(1) Oba Diah Hill born 8 Sept.1906 Jefferson Co., TN. died 20 Feb.1995 in Hawkins Co., TN. married 25 Dec.1925 to Birdie Lee Russell

(2) Orvel Lee Hill,Sr. born 16 Sept.1908 Jefferson Co., TN. married 7 July 1940 in Hawkins Co., TN. to Margaret Louise born 28 Mar.1922 in Greene Co., Tn.

(3) Cecil Beatrice Holt born 22 Apr.1911 Jefferson Co., TN. died 5 Jan.1998 in Greene Co., TN. married 25 May 1927 to Joseph Edgar Holt born 9 Apr.1898 died 15 Mar.1969

(4) Henry H.Hill born 18 June 1914 in Jefferson Co., TN. died 10 Jan.1998 in Washington Co., TN. married 24 June 1939 to Daisie Belle Burroughs

(5) Lee Hill born 20 Feb.2917 Jefferson Co., TN. married 14 Sept.1941 1st Mary Helen Harris, md. 16 Apr.1977 2nd.Phyliss Smith. Orvel Lee Hill,Sr. born 16 Sept.1908 Jefferson Co., TN. married 7 July 1941 in Hawkins Co., TN. to Margaret Louise Lamb born 28 Mar.1922 in Greene Co., TN.

Children of Orvel Lee Hill,Sr. and Margaret Louise:

(1) Barbara Jean Hill born 4 Aug.1941 md.4 Jan.1964 to James T. Kesterson born 27 Mar.1946

(2) Orvel Lee Hill,Jr. born 6 July 1943 married 15 Apr.1991 to Melanie Ann Disney

(3) James Oscar Hill born 12 Nov.1944 married to Ellen Louise Smith

(4) Caye Francis Hill born 3 June 1946 married 27 Apr.1963 to Charles Lee Manning

(5) William Edward Hill born 27 Feb.1948 married 12 May 1973 to Theresa Gail Duncan

(6) Kathy Louise Hill born 11 Dec.1950 married William Henry Carter,Sr.

(7) Don Aaron Hill born 6 Feb.1957 married 24 Mar.1972 to Lu Anna Rector

(8) Chrisann (Penny) Hill born 6 June 1959 married Robin Kelly Mayes

(9) Pamela Marie Hill born 4 Oct.1960 married 6 Oct.1979 to Ricky Myers

(10) Anthony Allan Hill born 1 Mar.1962 married 4 Apr.1983 to Lisa Annette Jackson. Barbara Jean Hill born 4 Aug.1941 Anderson Co., TN. married 4 Jan.1964 in Anderson Co., TN.to James Thomas Kesterson born 27 Mar.1946

Children of Barbara Jean Hill and James T. Kesterson:

(1) Marla Kay Kesterson

(2) James Thomas Kesterson

(3) Michael Thomas Kesterson

Marla Kay has 2 children,Torie and Nikki
James Thomas and Dawn have 1 son,
Anthony Tyler Michael has no children.

Died:
OBITUARY
Masten Hill

Clinton Courier
&
Anderson County News
Thursday-January,1940

Masten Tate Hill, 85 retired farmer of Anderson County, died at the home of his son, Oba Hill, Clinton RFD 4 last Saturday night. Mr. Hill had been a member of the Methodist Church for many years. Two daughters, Mrs.Henry Holt of Rogersville Junction and Mrs.John Hickson of Clinton; and six sons, Oba of Clinton, Henry of Midway, Orville of Rogersville Junction, Lee of Richmond,VA., Oliver and Wesley of Cincinnati, Ohio; all survive as do two sisters, Mrs.Sarah Herrell and Mrs.Frank Elllliot of Washington,D.C.; and two brothers, J.G.(Gid)Hill and W.P.Hill, both of near Clinton. Funeral services were Monday at Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. Mr. Rhyne and the Rev. Mr. Spurgeon and the Rev. K.M. Spickard officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery with Wells in charge.

NOTE: Obituary does not mention his children by Eliza Dunn nor his children by another wife, XXX Hill.

Masten married Eliza Jane Dunn. Eliza (daughter of James Chambers Dunn and Sarah Malone) was born on 11 Aug 1870 in Knox, Tennessee, United States; died on 30 Jan 1931 in Clinton, Anderson, Tennessee, United States; was buried in New Hope Cemetery, Oak Ridge, Anderson, Tennessee, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _UID: 8A7A1CBA4D1844DEB81877B9803FFBCFEA2B
• Census: 1900, Civil District 06, Anderson, Tennessee, United States
• Census: 1910, Civil District 8, Anderson, Tennessee, United States
• Census: 1920, Civil District 9, Anderson, Tennessee, United States

Notes:

Divorce Petition:
W.M. Pruett, A citizen of Knox County Tennessee, Complainant, vs ElizaPruett, a citizen of Anderson County Tennessee, Defendant. Yourpetitioner, W.M. Pruett, would most respectfully show to thishonorable court that he and the defendant were lawfully married inKnox County on the 18th day of October, 1892, and were separated onthe 3 day of November, of the same year. He would show that thedefendant willfully deserted him on the 3 day of November, 1892, inKnox county, Tennessee, and they ahve not lived together as husbandand wife since that time. He would show further than the defendantcommitted adultry with one Maston Hill in Clinton, Anderson County,Tennessee, in the month of December 1892, and your petitioner has beeninforformed and believes that she has committed adultry with said MastonHill and with divers others both before and since that time and thatshe is now living in open adultry and lewdness with the said MastonHill in Clinton, Anderson County, Tennessee. Your petitioner wouldshow further that he has been a resident of the state of Tennessee twowhole years prior to the filing of this petition. He therefore praysthat proper process issue to compell the defendant to appear andanswer this bill and that the bonds of matrimony now subsistingbetween them be dissolved. J.R. Ailor Atty.
Personally appeared before me J.R. Ailor, a notary public, W.M.Pruett, the petitioner in the foregoing bill and makes oath and saysthat the facts stated therein are true, to the best of his knowledgeinformation and belief, that his complainant is not made.
Filed on the 28th day of July 1894.

Masten Tate Hill married Harriett Ann Dunn
December 19,1878 Anderson, Tennessee james98@bellsouth.net
Masten is the blood father of Samuel Whitson Kesterson

In the 1910 Census Eliza J. Kesterson (age 42), widow, was living withher son, Sam, and daughter, Ethel. Also in the household was MargaretDunn, Elizas sister-in-law. The census shows Eliza as ?W? widowed

Maston Hill (age 41) was living with his stepmother, Margaret Hill,age 60. She was his stepmother, married or widow of his father.

Harriet A. Hill, age 54, is living with her sister, Margaret Hall, age56. The census shows Harriet as ?M? (married) and Margaret as ?W?(widowed). Harriet had 7 children, 5 of whom were living

Email from Barbara Kesterson 11/2004.
Judy:
I guess you would call Masten homeless. He stayed wherever he could.My dad did not speak very well of him. He didn't want anything to dowith him, but my dad loved his precious mother, Florence BeatriceHill, who died and left her 5 young childreren with Masten and sad tosay Masten didn't want them, so he took them to an orphanage. Mastenwasn't home with my dad and his siblings when their mother passed awayat the early age of 34 with T.B. My dad said their was an aunt takingcare of them. My dad would get up in church and talk about hismother and cry like a baby. He loved her so much. Dad was 10 years oldwhen she died.

Barbara

*********************
District 8, P17/167 D128/F128 Knox Co. TN 1870 Census:
Dunn, J.C., 57 TN Carpenter $1200/$200
Sarah 26 TN KH
Margaret E. 19 TN
Harriet A. 17 TN
James 14, TN
Julia 12 TN
Mary E. 10 TN
Joseph 6 TN
John 2 TN
Sarah must have been pregnant with Eliza Jane Dunn at this time.In the1910 Census Eliza J. Kesterson (age 42), widow, was living with herson, Sam, and daughter, Ethel. Also in the household was MargaretDunn, Eliza?s sister-in-law. The census shows Eliza as ?W? widowed

Maston Hill (age 41) was living with his stepmother, Margaret Hill,age 60. She was his stepmother. This can't be Eliza's children'sfather because he is too young.

Harriet A. Hill, age 54, is living with her sister, Margaret Hall, age56. The census shows Harriet as ?M? (married) an Margaret as ?W?(widowed). Harriet had 7 children, 5 of whom were living.

Per Masten's granddaughter, Barbara Hill Kesterson, Maston and Harrietwere divorced and Maston went to Overton(?) county and remarried aBeatrice Margaret Hill. She died at age 34 and Maston put hischildren by this wife in an orphanage. Barbara's father was 10 yearsold when his mother died of TB.
**************************************************************
Katy Sands:

Katy Sands was a friend of Eliza's and was a school teacher. They lived in Roane County. Some unscrupulous men who lived in the area near the Sands home had stolen from several neighbors and had been caught. The owners of the stolen items were asked to appear in court and testify against the thieves. Katy was one of those testifying in court after recognizing her iron skillet as one of the items stolen by the men. She told officers or family that these same men had once run their dirty hands through her freshly churned butter and contaminated her milk.

The thieves were angry with Katy for testifying against them and apparently extracted revenge.

One night Katy and her husband were preparing for a school Christmas party or program. Her husband went ahead to start a fire to warm up the building, leaving Katy to finish preparations at home.

Katy never arrived at the school. When friends and family went back to find her, they found her dead. She had been beaten in the head with a stick of firewood and stabbed in the throat with a butcher knife.

Eliza Dunn Kesterson lay on her deathbed at the time of her good friend's death--which was the winter of 1929. Eliza's house was filled with family and friends, including Johnny and Stella Joyner,who had just recently arrived. Johnny Joyner was a close friend to Eliza's son Sam. They were said to have grown up together as close as brothers. Johnny was the son of Katy Sands and had come home to attend Katy's funeral, then went to be with his friend Sam as they sat with Eliza.

No one wanted to tell Eliza about her dear friend's death, so Johnny and Stella told her they were home for the Christmas holidays. But a woman identified as a Mrs. Brummett, came in and talked about the murder where Eliza could hear her and the family had to finally tell Eliza about the loss of her friend.

The murderers were later apprehended and housed in the Roane County jail. Johnny and Sam went to the jail. Johnny was carrying a pistol and intended to kill the men responsible for his mother's death. He managed to smuggle the pistol into the jail. Sam pleaded with Johnny to abandon his mission of killing the prisoners and Johnny finally listened. They left the jail..

Eventually the murderers were convicted and executed, according to family stories. Their names are unknown.

(Source, children of Sam Kesterson.)

****************************************************************************
Per Mary Kesterson, Eliza's daughter-in-law, Eliza's mother was struck by lightning as she sat in a rocking chair beside a window watching for her husband to come home one night. The lightning didn't come through the window, instead came through the chimney and struck her mother.
NOTE: 2014--other stories on Ancestry.com say it was Mildred, not Sarah (Eliza's mother) who was killed by lightning. J SPRADLIN.

***************************************************************************
Eliza met Thomas A Kesterson after he got out of the Spanish American War in 1899. Eliza wanted to marry Thomas and Masten did not want her to marry him and told her if she did, she could not take her children with her. (Sam was living with Eliza's brother at that time; he was 7years old.) Eliza relayed Masten's message to Thomas. Thomas got his gun (one story says he strapped on his six-gun) and went with Eliza to get her children. Masten was sitting in the front yard with a shottgun when they arrived. Thomas told him that they were going to get married and she wanted her children. They had come to get them whether he liked it or not. Thomas told Masten he had better not put his hands on his shotgun because if he did, Thomas would shoot him. So Masten just sat there and they loaded up the children and left.

Another version of this story says they went after the baby, Ethel,not all the children since Sam was not there.

*********************************************************************************************************************
dunn Name Meaning and History
Irish: reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic

OBITUARY:
Eliza Jane (Dunn) Hill Kesterson died at her home Friday night Jan. 30,near Robertsville. She was born Aug. 18,1871, near Knoxville. She had been ill for some time with heart trouble. She was a member of New Hope Church and lived devoted christain and was loved by all who knew her, and will be sadly missed in the community. She leaves to mourn her death, two brothers, J. M. Dunn of Knoxville, John Dunn of Cincinnati, Ohio., one sister, Mrs. Julia Frances of Knoxville, also five children, Sam Kesterson, Mrs. Ethel White and Mrs. Cora Smith of Robertsville, Mrs. Minnie Hudson of Cotuia and Mrs, Nola Seivers of Habeshan, Tenn. and several grandchildren. She was buried at New Hope Sunday.
(Obituary donated by Susie Bullock, contributed by Angela Meadows)

Horror in Jonesville
There is usually a beginning and end to most stories but occasionally a story is not so clear and one must pick a point for both. This story will begin in the early nineteenth century when many families were leaving Virginia and heading west in search for land and a new life. Thomas Howerton Jett was one of these pioneers who along with his family would find their way to Knox County. Thomas was the oldest child of Stark Jett and Frances Howerton. Thomas parents would later cross the Clinch River into Anderson County and Thomas would marry Rebecca Bell Tillery and continue carving out a new life in Roane County around Wheat, Tn. Thomas was an industrial young man and his hard work would take the family to Morgan County to start a long career as a lumber business and the owner of a saw mill and raise a family of twelve children.
The youngest of his children was Erastus (Rassey) H. Jett who worked with his father until he married Rebecca A Love from Roane County in 1893. It

Died:
OBITUARY:
Eliza Jane (Dunn) Hill Kesterson died at her home Friday night Jan. 30,near Robertsville. She was born Aug. 18,1871, near Knoxville. She had been ill for some time with heart trouble. She was a member of New Hope Church and lived devoted christain and was loved by all who knew her, and will be sadly missed in the community. She leaves to mourn her death, two brothers, J. M. Dunn of Knoxville, John Dunn of Cincinnati, Ohio., one sister, Mrs. Julia Frances of Knoxville, also five children, Sam Kesterson, Mrs. Ethel White and Mrs. Cora Smith of Robertsville, Mrs. Minnie Hudson of Cotuia and Mrs, Nola Seivers of Habeshan, Tenn. and several grandchildren. She was buried at New Hope Sunday.
(Obituary donated by Susie Bullock, contributed by Angela Meadows)

Many of the Kesterson Family is buried in the New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery
Kesterson, Eliza Dunn 08-11-1870 / 01-30-1931 w/o Thomas A
Kesterson,
Mary A. 09-30-1896 / 11-12-1983 Mary Anna Cox wife of Samuel Whitson Kesterson

Kesterson, Samuel Luther 11-24-1938 / 11-27-1938

Kesterson, Samuel W. 07-16-1894 / 07-02-1962 (Samuel Whitson)
Kesterson

Thomas A 10-14-1853 / 03-01-1907 Pvt Co C 4 Regt TN Inf Spanish American War

Post on Kesterson Genealogy by Robert Copeland.