Person:Peter Jester (1)

I would like to thank Dr. Craig for allowing me to post his message on the Jester board @rootsweb. Also, Peter's oldest son, Pennell Coombe Jester, was born 27 sept 1842. Peter has to be a reasonable age for this. If Peter was born ca 1784, that would make his age at Pennell's birth 68. Not inpossable, but.... The following is Dr. Craig's message: Dear David and Bob, David is correct that the name of "John Jester" was in fact John Justis. John Justis was born in Christiana Hundred, New Castle County, on 12 March 1750, the son of Andrew Justis and Dorothea Paulson [both Swedish]. Elizabeth Stidham was born 13 April 1756 and, on 17 Sept. 1778, at the age of 22, was married to John Justis at Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church in Wilmington. She was the daughter of Jonas Stidham and Mary Colsberg [also Swedish] They lived on Red Clay Creek on a farm which John had inherited from his father, Andrew Justis, under the terms of Andrew Justis's will of 27 February 1765, cited in New Castle County deeds, E-2:279. John and Elizabeth (Stidham) Justis had six children baptized at Old Swedes Church -- Levi, Mary, Elizabeth, Jonas, Peter and John. All but two died in their childhood. Elizabeth, wife of John Justis, died in 1795 and was buried at Old Swedes Church. Her tombstone inscription is reported in Ferris, "Origin! al Settlements on the Delaware," page 190. John Justis died 29 April 1805 and is also buried at Old Swedes Church. His tombstone reading also appears in Ferris, page 190. The will of John Justis was dated 11 February 1805 and proved 8 May 1805. His will directed that all of his real property be shared equally by his daughter Elizabeth and his son Peter until Elizabeth was 21. When she became 21, Elizabeth was to receive all property in Wilmington that was formerly his wife's -- two brick houses and lots, an unimproved lot and a 7 3/4 acre marsh in Cherry Island Marsh. When Peter became 21, he was to become sole owner of the dwelling plantation on Red Clay Creek and pay his sister Elizabeth 100 pounds. Also, Peter was required to permit his two slaves, William and his wife Polly, to remain on the plantation for the balance of their lives. The will also made both William and Polly free. He named Jacob Robinson and Aaron Paulson executors of his will. The will appears in ! New Castle County will book Q, page 81, and the original is in the New Castle County Orphans Court loose records at the State Archives in Dover. John Justis's daughter Elizabeth (Eliza) was born 20 January 1785 and married William French at Old Swedes Church on 30 December 1809. Peter Justis was baptized 27 July 1784 at Old Swedes Church. Orphans court records show the inventory of John Justis's estate was filed 22 August 1805. An accounting of the estate was filed 23 May 1807. The New Castle County guardian accounts show an account being filed by Jacob Robinson on 25 March 1809, showing 160 pounds, nine shillings and 3 pence due to Peter Justis. From Bob Diller's information, it looks certain to me that either Peter Justis or his son James changed their surname to Jester. Andrew Justis, father of John Justis, was born 9 July 1723, buried 19 April 1765, Old Swedes Church, married c. 1749 Dorothea Paulson (born 20 January 1730, daughter of Paul Paulsson and Mag! dalena Springer; buried 29 May 1761). Andrew's father Morton Justis was born in Kingsessing, Philadelphia County, 1688, died 29 May 1765, buried Old Swedes Church, married 18 October 1713 at Old Swedes Church to Brita Walraven, born 1693, daughter of Jonas Walraven, died 14 July 1747. Morton's father Gustaf Gustafsson (later Justa Justis) was born in Kingsessing in 1655, died in Kingsessing in 1722. He married c. 1681 Anna Morton, daughter of Morton Mortonsson. Justa's father Johan Gustafsson from Skaraborgs County, Sweden, came to New Sweden as a soldier in 1643 and died in Kingsessing c. 1682-83. He married c. 1654 Brita, daughter of Måns Andersson, another New Sweden settler. She was buried at Old Swedes Church in WIlmington on 22 August 1724. The next issue of the Swedish Colonial News will carry an article on Måns Andersson and his family. More information on the Justis family is also available on the Swedish Colonial Society webpage, www.ColonialSwedes.org.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Peter Jester, in Find A Grave.
2.   https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Jester-503.
3.   https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L44J-R3G.