Hester Brothers in Gray ,

Sgt. William Carroll Hester, in Confederate uniform. Wrote

home April 18th. 1864 "The Yankys is as thick as black birds up hear."

(Read Sgt. Hester's wartime letter)

 

William Carroll Hester	Roland Benton Hester	Wiley Robertson Hester

Sgt. William Carroll Hester, born 14 Oct 1829 in Franklin County, Alabama; died 21 Nov 1908 Franklin County Alabama. He married 23 Sep 1852 to Jane Bolton, daughter if Benjamin Littleberry Bolton and Emoline Elizabeth Jones. William Carroll and Jane Hester are buried in Greenhil-Ezzell Cemetery, Franklin County Alabama. They were the parents of :

2. Chesley Amos Hester (b. 3 Mar 1855, d. 1 Jan 1944), married Amy Elizabeth Rickard.

3. Joseph Porter Hester (b. 17 Apr 1858, d. 26 Apr 1927), married 1st Kizya Ann Johnson, married 2nd Ann Rosetta (Massey) Tyra.

4. Druciller Victoria Hester (b. 4 Oct 1859, d. 9 Oct 1942), married Benjamin Hammon Johnson, Son of William J. and Nancy Jane Morris.

5. Lucinda Emeline Eliza Hester (b. 12 Jan 1862, d. 28 Jun 1941), married William Garrisson Brown, son of Joseph Brown and Catherine Ezzell.

6. William Jehu Hester (b. 18 Aug 1864, d. 21 Oct 1859), married Jessie Rhoda Jones.

7. Leora Etta Hester (b. 8 Jan 1867, d. 13 Apr 1959), married Levi Mitchell Rickard.

8. Roland Arthur Hester (b. 16 May 1869, d. 12 Nov 1951), married Molsey Elizabeth Flanagan, daughter of James Alexander Flanagan and Miranda King.

In 1922, William Carroll Hester's widow received a Confederate Pension from the State of Alabama. The only property listed was 145 acres she owned in Franklin County, Alabama which was then worth $1500.00. His tombstone records his service in Company G, but it is known that he enlisted Sept. 1862 in Company E and served  until surrender.

Dear beloved wife
I take my pen in hand to let you know how I am getting along
I am well as present and a doing very well   I hope when these few lines come
to hand once more we are at Hill Burrogh on the Rail Road about tenn mils from
Decatur they say there are seven thousand yankys in Decatur we saddle up this
morning to go hav a fight the yankys   went bac and did not hav any fight.   I
expect we will hav fighting to do hear we left Georgia the 6th of Aprile
and got hear the 16th all of our boys ar well  S R and R B are well and a
doing very well  I would to hear from you very well to know how your Pa was
geting along with his crop I would like to know what J A BOLTON sas a doing
I want to know what all is a going on in the contry.   I hant received but one
letter sinc I was at home   I want to see you very bad  I dont know when I
will get to come home to see you   the yankys is as thick as black birds up
hear.   my prays is for peace once more in our land so we can liv togher as we
have once before  I want you to do the same and pray to God to pardon our sins
and your Dear Husband will do the same  writ soon as no more only I remain
your tru Husband untill death
        Wm. C HESTER    the 4th Ala. Cav Co. E
                        Johns Brigade   Capt. E J Oden Company

     Roland Benton Hester was born May 20 1840 Franklin County Alabama, the fifth child of Roling Hester and Lucinda Richardson. He died 11 Oct 1900 in Hamilton, Alabama. He married 1st "Welty" (or Wealtha) Ann Malone. They had one son, Arthur McGara Hester (b. June 1 1872). After 1st wife passed away, Roland married Eva Malone, but soon Eva deceased and Roland took yet another wife, Susie Ann Cantrell (1856-1891) of Marion County, Alabama.  To this third marriage was born three sons and one daughter: Garland Benton Hester (died as an infant); Rachael Lucretia Hester (1885-1935; married 1904 to Robert Charles Duncan, Jr.); William Chesley Hester (died as infant); and Moorman Sacratus Hester (died as infant). |

     After 3rd wife, Susie Ann passed away on 28 June 1891, Roland married ( 17 Mar, 1892 Shottsville, AL) Mahala Caroline Stone (b. Mar 18, 1854-d. 1937) also of Marion Co., Alabama (daughter of John Lyle Stone).  To this 4th marriage was born two daughters, Huldah Jane Hester (1895-1914; married Phillip Edgar Ritch)and Mary Ann Hester (1897-1976; married George Madison Gann). Roland's widow, Mahala, in July 1908, received a Confederate pension for his faithful service to the Confederacy. Eight years after his death, Mahala owned 40 acres in Marion County, one mare with two colts, a cow with calfs, one hog, a clock, and a horse wagon. Total property value: $227.00.

Private Wiley Robertson Hester, was born 25 Jul 1844 Frankfort, Franklin County, Alabama, died 28 Aug 1929 Franklin county, Alabama. Wiley pension record file states in different places that he was in Company L and in another place gives company E of the 4th Alabama Cavalry. The reference to Co E (4th AL CAV) appears to be an error, since it was in Co E of the 16th Alabama Infantry that Wiley first saw action (enlisted Aug 18th 1861, Courtland, Alabama at age 17). Sometime during 1863 he transferred to Co L 4th Alabama Cavalry.

During his days in the Infantry, he saw action at the Battle of Fish Creek, Kentucky, Shiloh and at Corinth. In Corinth, he was wounded-- shot himself through the hand, due to an "accident in Camp." Wiley was discharged and paroled at Tuscumbia (also given as "Old Newport") in Spring of 1865. He married in 1868 to Mourn Christine Thompson, daughter of William J. Thompson and Elmirah Coleman. Wiley was a member of the Belgreen Methodist Church and is buried in the church cemetery. He was described as "an upright citizen and enjoyed the respect and esteem of all who knew him." They had the following children:

2. Rebecca Louella "Ella" Hester (b. 9 Feb 1872, d. 13 Nov 1940), Married James Garrison Ezzell, son of James Marion Ezzell and Sarah Ann Hunnicutt.

3. James Edward Hester (b. 21 Sep 1874, d. 12 Jun 1948), Married Mary Rebecca Sparks, daughter of Christopher Columbus Sparks and Adeline Cook.

4. Alma Jerusa Hester (b. 27 Aug 1876, d. 21 Nov 1955), Married John Lemuel Sparks, son of Christopher Columbus Sparks and Adeline Cook.

5. John Roling Hester (b. 19 Apr 1878, d. 19 Dec 1963), Married Georgia Ann Lowry, daughter of Peter Bascom and E. V. Battle.

6. Charles Fortner Hester (b. 2 Nov 1879, d. 18 Oct 1939), Married Annie Leona Britton.

7. Walter Alexander Hester (b. 17 Nov 1881, d. 27 Jul 1964), Married Jessie Florence Hooper.

8. Wiley George Hester (b.31 Mar 1883, d. 27 Apr 1968), Married Sarah Alice Bolton.

9. Roberta Eudora Hester (b. 13 Aug 1886, d. 3 Sep 1982), Married William Edgar Britton, son of Corridon Dexter Britton and Rebecca Ezzell.

10. William Herbert Hester (b. 13 Jun 1889, d. 12 Feb 1962), Married Martha Elizabeth Britton.

11. Cora Ethel Hester (b. 25 Dec 1892, d. 28 Nov 1972), Married James Dexter Britton.

In 1916, Wiley applied for a Confederate pension. On it he listed 144 acres he owned in Franklin County, Alabama which was valued at $ 6.00. Other property he had was one horse ($75); three cattle ($45); one hog ($5); one gun ($5); two watches/clocks ($2); household furniture ($50); one bicycle/vehicle ($10); and farming tools ($25).

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Sources:

Franklin County cemetery records

Hester book by Bernice Hester of Florence Alabama.

"Forefathers of Franklin County", by Richie Hester (Thanks to Andy Richardson for giving me a copy)

Malone and Allied Families, 2nd and Revised edition, by Randolph A. Malone, 1996.

Alabama Confederate Pension Records (Alabama Archives)