Peter Jester

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Husband: Peter JESTER
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     Birthdate: Cir 1800 - Appoquinimink Hundred, New Castle, Delaware (1)
    Death date: 7 Nov 1852 - Appoquinimink Hundred, New Castle, Delaware
        Buried: Abt 8 Nov 1852 -Smyrna, Kent County, Delaware (1)
      Marriage: 13 Apr 1837                     Place:
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Events
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      He worked as a Farmer in 1850 in Appoquinimink Hundred, New Castle,
      Delaware (2). He worked as a Farmer in 1850 in Appoquinimink Hundred, New
      Castle, Delaware (2)

      He was buried at the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Cemetery in Smyrna, Kent
      County, Delaware about 8 Nov 1852.. He was buried at the Asbury Methodist
      Episcopal Cemetery in Smyrna, Kent County, Delaware about 8 Nov 1852.

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   Wife: Rebecca P. PRYCE
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     Birthdate: Cir 1800 - Maryland USA (3)
    Death date: 14 Feb 1855 - Appoquinimink Hundred, New Castle, Delaware
        Buried: 16 Feb 1855 -Smyrna, Kent County, Delaware (4)
        Father: Spencer PRYCE (          -          )
        Mother: Ann DAVID (1775-1841)
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Events
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      She was buried at the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Cemetery in Smyrna, Kent
      County, Delaware.. She was buried at the Asbury Methodist Episcopal
      Cemetery in Smyrna, Kent County, Delaware.

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Children
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1 M James B. JESTER
     Birthdate: 5 Jun 1838 - Appoquinimink Hundred, New Castle, Delaware
    Death date: 20 Jun 1862 - Appoquinimink Hundred, New Castle, Delaware
        Buried:
        Spouse:
    Marr. Date:
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2 F Anne Jane JESTER
     Birthdate: 1 Oct 1840 - Appoquinimink Hundred, New Castle, Delaware
    Death date: 13 Sep 1869
        Buried:
        Spouse: Robert Henry BAYNARD (1837-1875)
    Marr. Date: 7 Mar 1861 - Smyrna, Kent County, Delaware (5)
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3 M * Pennell Coombe JESTER
     Birthdate: 27 Sep 1842 - Appoquinimink Hundred, New Castle, Delaware
    Death date: 7 Dec 1911 - Chestertown, Kent County, Maryland, USA (6)
        Buried: 10 Dec 1911 - St. Pauls Church, Chestertown, Kent County,
                 Maryland, USA
        Spouse: Rachel Collgan Van TRUMP (1849-1938)
    Marr. Date: 24 Jan 1867 - Chestertown, Kent County, Maryland, USA
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General Notes: Husband - Peter JESTER
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Find A Grave Memorial# 8599709

Peter JESTER is shown enlisting in the Delaware Militia on 7 MAY 1813 as a Rank
& File soldier. He is on the muster roll of a company of detached militia
under the command of Captain Steven Redden in the service of the U.S. commanded
by Major Comegys.
He mustered on 13 JUN 1813.

He is shown to have a rank of private with a commencement of pay 7 MAY 1813 to
31 AUG 1813, a period of 3 months and 24 days. His pay rate was $10.00 per
month. He received $30.39.

He is shown as having been absent for 2 days from the Third Company in Six
Regiment for the year 1813.

Delaware Archives Military Records; Vol V. Published by the Public Archives
Commission of De. Wilmington, De.
Press of Star Publishing Co. 1916. Pgs 537, 607, 687

Since this puts his age at about 13, it is possible this is NOT my Peter
Jester. If he was born earlier, 1795 - 1799 it would be more likely.
Additional research is needed to determine just how young men were allowed to
enlist.

His grave is located in Smyrna, Delaware at North and North Delaware Streets.
This is the site of the old Asbury Methodist Church.

There is an allusion to Peter being the son of John JUSTIS. This is based on
certain court documents. See Research Notes

The census of 1840 shows his age as 45. However, many census ages are off by a
few years. In the 1830 census, he indicates he is between 30 and 40 years old.
While it is possible he was 30-35 at that time, it is more likely that he was
between 35 and 40, with the higher date being more probable based on the
tombstone finding.

There is no Coat of Arms for this family. A coat of arms would be issued to
those of title or land who served the Crown with men, money, food, arms,
horses, etc. It is good for that particular family only and is passed to the
first son.

The WORD Jester was originally Arabic, from the Sufi dervish Chisti. When the
Saracens invaded Spain in the early 700s, they brought their Holy Men with
them... in a couple hundred years, the word became chiste, (to joke or jest),
only a few hundred years later to become a French word... And a couple hundred
years later, The first known usage in the English language by Chaucer
(ca.1343-1400) in a lesser known Tale. The meaning of the WORD has been the
same: fool, joker, buffoon, harlequin. The Chisti wore patchwork robes, passed
knowledge thru jokes, stories; carried rattles, bells, juggled, also associated
with and related to troubadours and bards;

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Research Notes: Husband - Peter JESTER
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During the week of 28 July 2007, I took a trip, along with my wife and daughter
Amanda, to Delaware, to look up records for Peter Jester. Supposedly, he was
the son of one John JUSTIS.

This information is recorded on the "Births and Baptism records" card catalog
in the Delaware archives in Dover, De. The reference given for the entry is to
a court case, Chancery case #B27. According to one of the assistants, these
cards were a created during a WPA project. The cards we located showed Peter
(JESTER) JUSTIS as the son of John JUSTIS and Elizabeth (STIDHAM) JUSTIS.
Another card lists Elizabeth JESTER as the daughter of John and Elizabeth
(STIDHAM) JESTER. Both cards refer to Chancery Case #B27. John JUSTIS had a
daughter Elizabeth and a son Peter. (Will of John JUSTIS dated 11 February 1805
and duly proved before Nehemiah Tilton Register for the Probate of Wills, the
6th day of May 1805.) I also found and researched a reference to Chancery Case
B #8, which is a petition for partition filed by Elizabeth Beeson against
Ingeburg Bryan. These are all relatives of Jonas STIDHAM, Elizabeth's father.
Both cases involve some land John JUSTIS bought from Jonas STIDHAM.

To verify the information, I reviewed the actual case records, page by page.
There are over 150 pages of records in Chancery Case B #27 consisting of the
Bill of Complaint, the Interrogatories and answers to them. In every case,
Peter and his sister Elizabeth are referred to as JUSTIS. Nowhere in this
document is there any allusion to the JESTER name. In truth, I only saw one
place in the whole set of documents where there could have been any possible
mix up in the name. But, upon closer examination, it is obviously JUSTIS. There
are two documents in which the clerk doing the transcription spells the name as
JUSTICE. However, this is still phonetically correct and there can be no
mistake in the pronunciation. At the time of this case, 1804, Peter is a minor
as is Elizabeth. Based on allusions in the will, it appears that Elizabeth is
the elder of the two. By the time a second case, Chancery case #B8, is
concluded in 1816, Peter has reached his majority and Elizabeth is married to
one William French. We can deduce Peter's majority as he signs this document in
his own hand. This indicates that this Peter was born in or before 1795.

In looking at the Chancery Case #27, the name appears to written as JESTER,
JESTOR, JUSTIS and in one place, JUSTICE. Based on my reading, I believe they
all refer to the same person. The Delaware Archives, in their birth index, cite
this case for showing Peter as their son.

One of the applicable section reads, "The several answers of Jonathon Beeson,
one of the defendants to the Bill of complaint of Robert Bryan and Ingeburg his
wife late Ingeburg Stidham, Augustus Smith and William Richmond Smith and Mary
his wife, late Mary Stidham, and Sarah his wife, late Sarah Stidham; of John
Jester and Elizabeth Jester and Peter Jester by their next friend the said John
Jester,
heirs and representatives of Jonas Stidham late of New Castle County, deceased
complainants."

Peter JESTER, on the other hand, is known to be 52 at the time of his death in
1852. His tombstone, indicates his death on 7 Nov 1852 and states that he was
aged 52 years. This suggests he was born in 1800. It is very unlikely that his
wife Rebecca would have put the wrong age on the tombstone.

The census of 1840 shows his age as 45. However, many census ages are off by a
few years. In the 1830 census, he indicates he is between 30 and 40 years old.
While it is possible he was 30-35 at that time, it is more likely that he was
between 35 and 40, with the higher age being more probable based on the
tombstone finding.

There is also record which indicates that Peter JESTER JUSTIS was christened on
27 Jul 1784 at the Olde Swedes Church in Wilmington, De. We continued the trip
and went to the church where we met with the archivest. He showed me the index
they made several years ago listing all the baptisms and christenings up to the
1800's. Only the name of Peter JUSTIS is found there; no middle name. We then
looked up the reference on the mirofilm of the original book. The name is
listed as Peter JUSTUS son of John JUSTIS & _______ No mothers name is listed
on the original document.

CHRISTENING: Historical Society of Delaware. "The Records of Holy Trinity (Old
Swedes) Church, Wilmington, Del., From 1697 to 1773. Translated from the
Original Swedish by Horace burr, With an Abstract of the English Records from
1773 to 1810" 1890. Pg. 663.

The other difficulty with all this, is that this occurs in and around
Wilmington, DE. His daughter-in-law, Rachel C. Jester, puts his birth in
Appoquinimink Hundred. This is based on information from his son Pennell who
was 10 years old when his father died. Presumably, he would have known his
father and most likely his grand-parents.

So for me, I am back to square one, trying to figure out just who this Peter
JESTER is and how he managed to get Nordic DNA. It is a puzzle I may never
solve but I shall never give up the quest.

All of this indicates, to me at least, that there is no link between the JESTER
and JUSTIS families. I believe there were 2 Peter Jester's. One, as shown in
the above paragraphs living in and around the Wilmington area. The other is my
Peter Jester who was born in Appoquinimink, Delaware around 1800 and is living
in and around Smyrna in Kent County and possibly New Castle County as
Appoquinimik Hundred is close to both county lines.

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Death Notes: Wife - Rebecca P. PRYCE
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Died: Wednesday 14-Feb-1857 Smyrna, DE.

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Burial Notes: Wife - Rebecca P. PRYCE
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Burial date is approximate as no records exist.

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General Notes: Wife - Rebecca P. PRYCE
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Find A Grave Memorial# 8599712

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Research Notes: Wife - Rebecca P. PRYCE
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Since the 1850 Census indicates Rebecca was born in Maryland, the 1800 Census
for Maryland was searched. A Spencer Price was found living in Bohemia, Cecil
County, Maryland. This is close to the Delaware line. He has 1 female between
1 and 10 in the household. It is possible this is Rebecca.

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Sources
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1. Asbury Methodist Cemetary, Asbury Methodist Church (Smyrna, New Castle,
       Delaware, USA), Peter Jester monumental inscription, Personally Read and
       Photographed by Wesley M. Jester Jr., May, 2004.
2. Linda L. Green, Delaware Agricultural Census 1850-1860 Pg. 34,(Willow Bend
       Books
       Published 2006
       Heritage Books, Inc.
       ISBN 0-7884-3826-3) Peter managed or owned a farm of 290 acres of which
       200 were improved. The farm had a value of $6000.00.
       Acres Improved, Acres Unimproved, Cash Value, Value of Implements, Value of Livestock
             200            90             $6000       $75                     $250
3. 1850 U.S. census, New Castle, Delaware, population schedule, Appoquinimink
       Hundred, dwelling 406, family 413, Rebecca Jester; NARA microfilm
       publication M432, roll 54. .... 1800 U.S. census, Cecil, Maryland,
       Bohemia, p. 52, Spencer Price; NARA microfilm publication M32, roll 10.
4. Asbury Methodist Cemetary, Asbury Methodist Church (Smyrna, New Castle,
       Delaware, USA), Rebecca Pryce Jester monumental inscription, Personally
       Read and Photographed by Wesley M. Jester, Jr., May 2004.
5. Kent, Delaware, Marriage Records, 1744-1912, Baynard-Jester, 1861;
       Marriage Records, 1744-1912. Dover, Delaware: Delaware Public Archives.
       Record Group # RG 1325; Subgroup # 003; Series # 004. Record Group # RG
       1325; Subgroup # 003; Series # 004; Married by Rev. Thomas. P. Quiqley
       in Smyrna, Delaware
6. Kent, Maryland, death certificate no. 189 (1911), Pennell Coombe Jester;
       Maryland State Archives, Anaapolis.