Notes for Nimrod Jester

Notes for Nimrod Jester

From the book "Indiana Patriots" (collected by Mrs Paul L. Ross, Richmond, Indiana)
Also listed in Soldiers of the Revolution Buried in Indiana, Records of Revolutionary Soldiers Surnames, I-J, pg. 207 (genealogy.com library)
Jester, Nimrod
Wayne County
Born: Oct 15, 1762
Married: 1841, Mary Bishop
Died: Oct 8, 1854
Buried: Mt. Zion Cemetery, Williamsburg, Wayne Co., Indiana
Service: While residing in Guilford County, North Carolina, he enlisted April, 1780, and served 3 months as a private in Capt. John McDow's NC Co. In battle of Camden. Enlisted Sept., 1780 nd served 6 weeks as a private in Capt. John Gillespie's Co. of Light Horse, Col. Daniel Gillespie's NC Regiment. Served 2 months in Capt. Philip's NC Co. Late in 1781 served 1 month in Capt. Salathiel Martin's NC Co. Enlisted 1782 and served 1 year in Capt. Charles Gordon's Co. Col Armstrong's NC Regiment. He guarded prisoners at Salsibury NC for 3 months. Proof: Pension Claim W.275999 Record contains letter written by Nimrod about his service, including information about the slight wound he recieved from a buckshot in the leg around 1782 before his discharge.

From the Nimrod Jester Family Bible:
"Jester his bible bote & Trypenia Jester and Nimrod Jester thear Bible bought in the year of our Lord 1812 Nimrod Jester. Remember when you see this ... Who Rites our names on it. We want you all to know. Remember see while you are Dwelling here, be ... ... Nimrod Jester James James ? Nimrod Jester". "1814 this Nimrod Jester Rote this himself and he is thankful that he is personally in the land of the living." "Enlisted April 12, 1780 and served 3 months in Capt John McDon's North Carolina Co., Was at Battle of Camden. In 1782, he re-enlisted and served one year in Capt. Gordon's Co.; Col. Armstrong's N.C. Regt. He was in the engagement at Bottuses Bridges, where he was wounded in the leg by buckshot."

From the 1790 Guilford Co. Census:
Nimrod Jister, also in household two free white males younger than 16, 1 white female.
Jacob Jester, also in household 1 white female
Jacob Jister, also in household, 1 free white male 16 or older, 3 white males less than 16, and 4 white females.

From the book "History of Delaware County, Indiana": (pg. 15)
Union Township, over east of Washington , Got going in the way of settlement about the same time as the latter, the river, which flows through the township also provign the incentive to early settlement. Though there were several squatters here along the river in the late 1820's there were but two formal land entries as of that township in that decade, those of Tristram Starbuck and Nimrod Jester, both entering in section 22, but the latter did not occupy his land until some years later. The first lands ever bought of the government in Union township was purchased by Nimrod Jester on the 7th day of May 1829 (80 acres), being the west half of the southwest quarterof section 22, ...Six months and six days after this purchase, or on the 13th day of November of the same year the second entry in the township was made by Tristram Starbuck, it being also 80 acres and the west half of the northwest quarter of the same section and joining Mr. Jester's entry on the north. This it will be seen that the only land entered in Union Township prior to 1830 was 160 acres, a strip one mile long, north and south and eighty rods wide, east and west, with the Mississinewa river crossing near the center.

From the notes of Charles Jester:
Nimrod's first wife was Tryphenia. Nimrod, who died in Indiana, was probably himself a Nicholite, a small sect similar to the Quakers who moved to Guilford and then to Indiana, probably because of slavery. All of the younger Jesters (including James and his son Ebenezer) in that part of Indiana were born in North Carolina. So that it certain that the Guilford County Jesters were in fact descended from the Delaware family. Ebenezer in Tennessee and James in Indiana both had daughters names Tryphena.

Letter from Charles B. Jester to Nimrod:
Spring Creek, Tenn
Feb 4 (ca. 1851)
Mr. James Jester
Indiana Wayne County
Williamsburg post office
Dear Grand Father once more I take my pen in Hand to right you a few lines to let you kno that I Still remember that parentaial cear that you extended to me when I was a child and it wold be a grate Satisfactioni to me if I cold be close enough to you to visit you And administer to you in your old age and return the kindness to your age that you sow lavished on me in youth but the distance is Sow grate that I can't have the plasure of Seeing youre ag(ed) face but have to Sit and right you a few of my thoughts in one while I right my hart Swells with gratitud that we have this method of Conversing with each other Ther has been Severel deaths in this Contery the Tyfud (Tyfoid) fever has been verey bad hear 3 yong men died in one family in less than 2 weaks thow we think that (it) has left the neigborhood for which ... to God for his love to us in pasing us by unhurt by the destroyer - I must com to a close at presant for want of Space you will xcuse me for not rigting to you or for not directing my letter to you the Corespondince was between uncle James and me My wife wants to be remembered to you my children also Sow give my love and respect to all the Conetion Sow farwell at presant
C.B. Jester
Grandfather Nimrod Jester
Pleas right Son t me and you will oblige me CBJ

Letter from Andrew Jackson Jester to Nimrod
State of Tenn
Gibson County
Febury the 2nd 1851
Dear Grand Father, Once in life I mebrace the present opportunity of answering your letter, pleas excuse me, for my delay, it was not a lack of love and regard to you but Brother Charles had roat to you and thought that I wold wait till he recvd a let.... This leaves me well and all my brothers and sisters as fur as I know thanks be to God for his goodness to us...my prayer is that these lines may find you all well and enjoying life and religion with all those comfurts. Dear Grand Father I recvd your letter that you sent last fawl but had been delay sometime on the way agreabel to the dats - It gave me grate Satisfaction to think that you still remember one that was an infant when you last saw me, it sow much delited my hart that I shold have seen you last fawl but the river was sow low that I cold not get up hit and was compeld to give it out till next fawl when if nothig prevnt I shall come and see you once in this life if you are permited to live and me. Sister Peggy has gon to Arcasas (Arkansas?), Purari (Prairie) her husband rights that that is a grate country, he has bought 160 acres of land for Sixty dollars...Sister Elizabeth Walker has moved in Henderson Conty about 20 miles from us - all is well their last account. The rest of us all still live with Brother charles we make one common stock and familey...Brother James S and Sisters Tryphena and Jane all sends their best respects to Uncle James and family and Uncle John Nicholson and family and all the Conexion...Dear Grand Father I must com to a close at present please right to me as soon as you reveve this and you shall have an answer soon...Sow ferwell
A.J. Jester
Grand Father Nimrod Jester
P.S. Direct your letters to Spring Creek Madison County Tennessee