| Notes |
- Family legend has it that when Thomas Kesterson married Eliza Dunn,they attempted to take the young children of Eliza with them to theirnew home. Harriet Dunn Hill and Maston Tate Hill refused to allow theyoungest child, Ethel, to leave with the newlywed couple. ThomasKesterson is reported to have strapped on his six-gun and went to theHill home and took the baby by gunpoint. There was no resistance fromHarriet and Maston.
From Sandy Anderson
Thomas A. Kesterson was a Pvt. in Co. 4th Regiment Tennessee Inf.Spanish American War.
Thomas Armstrong Kesterson, born 14 October 1853, in Anderson Co., TN,died 03-01-1907 in Roane TN . He was theson of James Roland Kesterson and Eliza Jane Walker. He married (1)Sararh Jane Russell July 13, 1876 in Anderson TN. She was thedaughter of Samuel Russell and Martha. He married (2) Eliza Jane DunnSeptember 30, 1900 iN Anderson TN. She was the daughter of James Dundand Mildred Malone .
Thomas and Sarah divorced February 5, 1898 although the 1900 censusrecords show him as married. Thomas then married Eliza Jane Dunn.Eliza had hever been married before but she had chidlren. Nola May1884, Cora DUNN 11 Feb 1886, Minnie May DUNN 29 Oct 1889, SamuelWhetson DUNN 16, July 1894, Ethel Frona Dunn 16, June 1896. Thefather of these 5 children was Masten Tate Hill. Masten Tate Hillmarried Harriet Ann Dunn 19 Dec 1878. They had 7 children: WalterHill, Gilbert Hill, Bertha E. Hill, John Wesley Hill, William OliverHill, Edgar Masten Hill, and Martha Jennie Hill. Harriet and ElizaDunn were sisters. Their mother wsa struck by lightning and killed. Eliza was only 12aat the time her mother died, she moved in with her sister Harriett andher husband Masten. Masten started having relations with Eliza, henceher 5 children. Eliza met Thomas A. Kesterson after he got out of theSpanish American War in 1899. Eliza wanted to marry Thomas and Mastendid not want her to marry him and told her if she did she could nottake her children with her and she told Thomas about what Masten said.Thomas got his gun and with Eliza went to get her children. Mastenwas sitting in the front yard with a shotgun when they arrived.Thomas told him that they were going to get married and she wanted herchildren and they came to get them whether he liked it or not. Theytold Masten he better not put his hands on his shotgun because if hedid, Thomas would shoot him. So Masten just sat there and they loadedup the children and left. Harriett divorced Masten 14 Oct 1903.After the divorce, Masten Tate Hill left Anderson County TN and wentto Jefferson County TN and married Florence Beatrice Hill. They weremarried October 23, 1904, and had five children: Obadiah, Orvel, Lee,Cecil Beaetrice, Henry H. and Lee. When Florence died Mary 8, 1918,Masten loaded these five children on a wagon and took them toGoGreeneville TN to an Orphanage and left them there. Then Masten cameback to Anderson County TN and tried to go back to Eliza, but she hadnothing more to do with him. Masten stayed in Anderson County TN anddied there January 13, 1940. There is a possibility that he marriedagain after he got back to Anderson Co.
Eliza married at one time a Pruitt. Deductions from reading andinterviews about hers and Masten's lives lead me to believe thatMasten would not leave her alone after she married. She left herhusband very soon after their marriage and he filed for divorceclaiming she was a lewd woman and would not stay away from MastenHill. The divorce papers are attached to Eliza.
One of Eliza's daughters went by the name Pruitt. I am not sure whythe daughter changed her name--whether she changed it because of hermother's marriage or because of a husband not yet determined.
per Bob Copeland
Thomas Armstrong Kesterson was born 14 October 1853 in Anderson Co Tennessee. He died March 1, 1907 Roane Co Tennessee. Thomas was first married to Sarah Jane Russell 13 July 1876 in Anderson County. Sarah Jane was the daughter of Samuel and Martha Russell and born about 1859 in Morgan County and died 26 January 1925 in Gatewood West Virginia buried at Pleasant View Cemetery. Thomas and Sarah had two children - Hattie Tennessee Kesterson 1886 and Jesse James Kesterson 1886, who was adopted.
Thomas and Sarah divorced 5 Feb 1898. Thomas then married Eliza Jane Dunn. Eliza had never been married before but she had children: Nola Dunn 8 May 1884, Cora Dunn 11 Feb 1886, Minnie May Dunn 29 Oct 1889, Samuel Whetson Dunn 16 Jul 1894 and Ethel Frona Dunn 16 Jun 1896. The father of these 5 children was Masten Tate HILL. Masten Tate Hill was married tp Harriett Ann Dunn 19 Dec 1878. Masten and Harriet had 7 chidren: Walter Hill, Gilbert Hill, Bertha E. Hill, John Wesley Hill, William Oliver Hill, Edgar Masten Hill and Martha Jennie Hill. Harriet and Eliza Dunn were sisters. There mother was struck by lightning and killed. Eliza was only 12 at the time her mother died, she moved in with her sister Harriett and her husband Masten. Masten started having relations with Eliza at some point and was the father of her five children.
Eliza met Thomas Armstrong Kesterson after he got out of the War in 1899. Eliza wanted to marry Thomas and Masten did not want her to marry him and told her if she did marry him, she could not take her children with her. When she told Thomas aboout what Masten had said, Thomas got his gun and with Eliza, went to get her children. Masten was setting in the front yard with a shotgun when they arrived. Thomas told him that they were going to get married and she wanted her children and theey come to get them whether he liked it or not. He told Masten he better not put his hands on his shotgun because if he did there would be a shoot out. So Masten just sat there and they loaded up the children and left. Harriett divorced Masten o on 14 Oct 1903. After the divorce, Masten Tate Hill left Anderson Tennessee and went to Jefferson County Tennessee and married Florence Beatrice Hill on 23 October 1904 and had five children with her. Obadiah, Orvel Lee, Cecil Beatrice, Henry H. and Lee Hill. When Florence died on 8 May 1918, Masten loaded these five children on a wagon and took them to Greenville Tennessee to an Orphanage. Then Masten came back to Anderson County Tennessee and tried to go back to Eliza but she had nothing more to do with him. Masten stayed in Anderson Tennessee and died there 13 Jan 1940.
Per Sam Kesterson's family.
Thomas Kesterson and Eliza married in 1900. At the time, Samuel Whitson Dunn was living with his uncle in the Beaver Creek area between Solway and Clinton Highway. Ethel, the youngest child, was living with Harriet, Masten, and Eliza. After they married, Eliza wanted her children with her and Sam moved in with them. Ethel was still at Masten Tate Hill's home (with his wife Harriett). Family legend says that Thomas Kesterson strapped on his six gun and a rifle and went to Masten annd Harriett's house to get Eliza's baby, Ethel. There was no resistance and Harriett and Masten gave the 4-year-old up to Thomas. So Sam and Ethel went to live with Thomas and Eliza Dunn Kesterson. The marriage was short---Thomas was killed in a powder mill explosion in Anderson County just 7 years after he and Eliza were married.
Eliza apparently drew a pension from Thomas. Barbara Hill Kesterson stated in 2013 that Sam and Ethel only took the Kesterson name so Elia could draw a pension on Tom. But Barbara has never provided proof that this was the case. Sam and Ethel lived with a man who treated them like his children and cared for their mother. They loved Thomas Armstrong Kesterson for this reason. Barbara Hill Kesterson, who is both a descendant of Masten Tate Hill and married to a relative of Thomas Kesterson, remains a bitter person to this day regarding her family heritage from Masten Tate Hill.
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1853 - 1907 (53 years)
Siblings
