Madison County Biography of:

"Rev. C. J. Lester, pastor of the Antioch Church of Aurora, was born in Floyd County, Va., in 1830, on June 15, and is a son of Samuel and Nancy (COX) Lester. The father was a native of Virginia, and came to Tennessee about 1830, and from there went to Alabama, where he died in 1847. His wife was born in Virginia in 1798, and after the death of her husband settled in Missouri with her family at an early day, living there until her death in 1864. She was the mother of ten children: Mary, Sarah, Leticia, Catherine, Lorenzo D., Permelia, C. J., Louisa J., Amanda M. and Dicy C.

Our subject spent his youth with his parents, and after his marriage, in 1850, lived two years in Alabama. He then moved to Jackson County, Ark., and from there to Cape Girardeau County, Mo. He next removed to Stoddard County, and in 1870 he came to Madison County, and after living on White River eleven years moved upon his present location, on Henderson Creek, in 1882. He has 120 acres of land well cultivated, but devotes the most of his time to the preaching of the Gospel, that having been his calling since 1866.

His first wife, Winey C. (SHOEMAKER) LESTER, died in 1863, and was the mother of five children: Mary A., Nancy J., Martha C., George L. (deceased) and Richard R. (deceased). Mr. Lester married his present wife, Nancy E. (BURNS) LESTER, in 1864. She was born in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., January 5, 1846, and is the mother of the following children: Annie A., Andrew J., Eva E., Delilah L., Joseph E., Amanda E., Francis C., Rosie A. and Rachel May. Those deceased are Reecie E., Emma I. and Calvin E.

Mrs. LESTER is a member of the Baptist Church, of which her husband is the minister. Mr. LESTER is a zealous Christian, a member of the A. F. & A. M., also of the Republican party, and belongs to the Agricultural Wheel." (Goodspeeds History of NW AR…)

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