Photo Contributed by:  Kristen Vaughn

The Kesterson Depot/Town was named for John C. Kesterson who was born in 1847 in Ray Co MO, the son of James B. & Catherine (Yoacum) Kesterson. John died 23 December 1909 in Otoe Co NE. John Kesterson was married to Miss Susie Caroline Purdy in Jefferson Co NE around 1876. Mrs. Kesterson is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and was the daughter of Benjamin L. & Susan (Meadows) Purdy. Benjamin Purdy died in Fairbury, Jefferson Co NE, July 16, 1905, his wife preceded him in 1897.

John and Susie were the parents of two children, Lon C. Kesterson born in 1881 in NE., and Marie C. Kesterson born in 1886 in NE. Lon C. Kesterson married a woman named Dollie from Iowa and they were the parents of Lavere Charles Kesterson born in 1905, who died in FL in 1995. Marie C Kesterson married William Claude Snyder and had two children; Louella in 1907 and Floyd in 1913. Marie and William were still living in Otoe Co NE in 1930.

Its not certain just when John C. Kesterson came to Jefferson Co MO, but sometime between 1870 and 1876 he located in Jefferson Co NE, where by 1876, he had married Susie Caroline Purdy. The Kesterson Depot was created out of necessity, and the little community of "Kesterson" just grew up around it for several years.

According to the 1890-91 Business Directory, Kesterson was a town of about 10 people. W.M.Copeland must have been the Station Agent/Master and it looks as though A.S. Daggett was the Postmaster. Kesterson was a station on the B. & M.R.R. in the southern part of Jefferson county - 4 miles South of the town of Fairbury. Listed in the directory were Kesterson Bros. Clothing and Kesterson & Tolleth, horse breeders. It must be noted here that John's brother James H. Kesterson out of Nuckols Co NE was well known as a horse breeder/trader. He developed many speedy standard-bred horses of the Wilkes strain, took great pleasure in racing them, and became one of Nebraska's most prominent representatives in turf events of the various racing circuits. The people living in the town of Kesterson at this time were: A. Carson, N.E. Davis, H. Drisdell and Mary Drisdell, Henry Love, J.H.B. Roads, C. K. Roods, W.L. Taylor, O. Wheeler and W.W. Wright.

In 1899 the Jefferson County Directory lists the Kesterson Brothers as clothing merchants, they were David J. and William A Kesterson, brothers of John C. Kesterson. John himself is listed as a stock dealer. The 1904 City Directory of Jefferson Co tells us that John was a farmer residing at 907 4th St. (See Residence in Photo  above).     His brother David J. was also living in Fairbury listed as residing 825 5th St. with a sister Mattie, as a housekeeper and brother William A. Kesterson, retired also living with him.

John C. Kesterson`s father was James B. Kesterson (1819 - 1885) who had migrated from Lancaster Co VA to Ray County MO by 1850. His brother William Kesterson made the trip with him and they settled in Caldwell Co MO. James B Kesterson remained in Ray Co MO for many years, but because of the hostilities of the Civil War, both James B. and his brother William re-located to Nebraska after William had been burned out of his Caldwell Co home by the Union Army. There are two theories as to the middle name of John. Some maintain it was John Channing and others believe it to be John Chowning (named for his grandmother Catherine Chowning Kesterson. Here is the lineage of John C. Kesterson back to his native land of Northumberland Co VA:

John C. Kesterson 1847 Ray Co MO - 1909 Otoe Co NE & Susie Caroline Purdy

James B. Kesterson 1819 Lancaster Co VA - 1885 Saline Co NE & Catherine Yoakum

James Kesterson 1774 Northumberland Co VA - 1820 Lancaster Co VA & Catherine Chowning

William Kesterson 1737 - 1791 Northumberland Co VA & Elizabeth Berry

George Kesterson 1710 - 1786 Northumberland Co VA & Elizabeth Kesterson

George Kesterson 1674 - 1733 Northumberland Co VA & Aquilla Fry

Thomas Kesterson 1648 - St Giles, Cripplegate England - 1720 Northumberland Co VA who arrived in the US around 1662 as an indentured servant in the service of William Wildey. Thomas earned his freedom in 1671 to become the Father of the Kesterson Family in the United States.