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Coffin plate · primary-source record

Mary J Lester

circa 10 April 1841 (computed from age at death) – 12 Aug 1891

One of 5 coffin plates transcribed on a single archive page

Editorially verified

At-a-glance facts

Record type

Coffin plate

Date of death

12 Aug 1891

Date of birth

circa 10 April 1841 (computed from age at death)

Age at death

50 years 4 months 2 days

Plate found in

New York, United States

The coffin plate

Inscription transcription

Mary J. Lester
Died. Aug. 12th 1891
Aged 50 yrs 4 mos 2 dys
Transcription from the Ancestors at Rest archive.

Researcher's notes

Provenance

These coffin plates for Mary J Lester, Volney Lester, Adele Lester and Emily A Lester were found in Auburn, New York, United States.

1880 United States Federal Census

I went and had a hunt for the Lester family in the 1880 United States Federal Census on Ancestry.com. I chose the 1880 census as from the style of the coffin plates we can tell they are all from around 1890 to 1910. I found several individuals of interest as you can see below.

NameParents or SpouseHome in 1880Est. Birth YearBirthplaceRelation
Antony LesterAuburn, Cayuga, NY1843CanadaSomething other than a direct relationship
Samuel C. LesterAuburn, Cayuga, NY1808ConnecticutSelf
Mary A. LesterAuburn, Cayuga, NY1811New HampshireSomething other than a direct relationship
Mary J. FaySamuel C. LesterAuburn, Cayuga, NY1837New YorkDaughter
Orman LesterFrancis LesterAuburn, Cayuga, NY1830New YorkSelf
Francis LesterOrman LesterAuburn, Cayuga, NY1840New YorkWife
Carrie LesterOrman Lester, Francis LesterAuburn, Cayuga, NY1863New YorkDaughter
Charles LesterAuburn, Cayuga, NY1856New YorkSomething other than a direct relationship
Charles LesterAuburn, Cayuga, NY1857New YorkSomething other than a direct relationship
Andrew LesterAurelius, Cayuga, NY1859PennsylvaniaSomething other than a direct relationship
Charles LesterAnna LesterLocke, Cayuga, NY1839New YorkSelf
Anna LesterLocke, Cayuga, NY1795ConnecticutMother
Betsey LesterLocke, Cayuga, NY1829New YorkSister
Earl LesterLocke, Cayuga, NY1863New YorkCousin
Lucy A. LesterPolly LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1841ConnecticutSelf
Polly LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1805New YorkMother
Frank LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1856New YorkSomething other than a direct relationship
Emma LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1854New YorkSomething other than a direct relationship
Paulina LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1817New YorkSelf
James LesterDebora LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1808New YorkSelf
Debora LesterJames LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1823New YorkWife
James A. LesterJames Lester, Debora LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1861New YorkSon
John A. LesterJames Lester, Debora LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1861New YorkSon
Earl LesterJames Lester, Debora LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1865New YorkSon
George LesterErsula LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1841New YorkSelf
Day LesterSusan LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1832New YorkSelf
Ersula LesterGeorge LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1844OhioWife
Susan LesterDay LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1833New YorkWife
Hattie LesterDay Lester, Susan LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1866New YorkDaughter
Eva LesterGeorge Lester, Ersula LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1869New YorkDaughter
Jay LesterDay Lester, Susan LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1858New YorkSon
Earl LesterDay Lester, Susan LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1863New YorkSon
Smith LesterDay Lester, Susan LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1868New YorkSon
Albert LesterLucy A. LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1823New YorkSelf
Lucy A. LesterAlbert LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1829New YorkWife
Alice LesterAlbert Lester, Lucy A. LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1863New YorkDaughter
Emily LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1817New YorkSister
Christina LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1841New YorkSelf
Dellie LesterChristina LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1864New YorkDaughter
Cora LesterChristina LesterMoravia, Cayuga, NY1869New YorkDaughter
B.F. LesterSylphia LesterNiles, Cayuga, NY1825New YorkSelf
Sylphia LesterB.F. LesterNiles, Cayuga, NY1838New YorkWife
Emma LesterB.F. Lester, Sylphia LesterNiles, Cayuga, NY1862New YorkDaughter
Whitford LesterB.F. Lester, Sylphia LesterNiles, Cayuga, NY1869New YorkSon
Charles LesterNiles, Cayuga, NY1848New YorkSon-in-law
Mary LesterTheodore Snyder, Elizabeth SnyderNiles, Cayuga, NY1852PennsylvaniaDaughter
Alfred LesterMary LesterOwasco, Cayuga, NY1857New YorkSelf
Mary LesterAlfred LesterOwasco, Cayuga, NY1857CanadaWife
LesterAlfred Lester, Mary LesterOwasco, Cayuga, NY1880New YorkDaughter
George LesterJane LesterScipio, Cayuga, NY1845New YorkSelf
Jane LesterGeorge LesterScipio, Cayuga, NY1843New YorkWife
Charles LesterGeorge Lester, Jane LesterScipio, Cayuga, NY1867New YorkSon
Mary A. LesterScipio, Cayuga, NY1811New JerseySelf
Edward J. LesterSusan LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1848New YorkSelf
Jefferson LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1813New YorkSelf
Susan LesterJefferson LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1850New YorkDaughter
Susan LesterEdward J. LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1855New YorkWife
Alvarettia LesterJefferson LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1858New YorkDaughter
Victoria SmithJefferson LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1842New YorkDaughter
Wayne M. LesterPheba J. LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1846New YorkSelf
Pheba J. LesterWayne M. LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1850New YorkWife
May L. LesterWayne M. Lester, Pheba J. LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1870New YorkDaughter
Dorwin LesterWayne M. Lester, Pheba J. LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1871New YorkSon
Roy B. LesterWayne M. Lester, Pheba J. LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1874New YorkSon
Jenette LesterSempronius, Cayuga, NY1829New YorkStepmother
Abie LesterSterling, Cayuga, NY1871New YorkStepdaughter
David LesterSterling, Cayuga, NY1815New YorkSelf
Lucy LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1816New YorkSelf
Fred J. LesterEva M. LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1858New YorkSelf
Henry L. LesterAnnie LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1843New YorkSelf
Elias LesterIda M. LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1842New YorkSelf
Eva M. LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1869New YorkGranddaughter
Annie LesterHenry L. LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1848New YorkWife
Eva M. LesterFred J. LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1859New YorkWife
Ida M. LesterElias LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1858New YorkWife
Morell B. LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1858New YorkSomething other than a direct relationship
Claude F. LesterFred J. Lester, Eva M. LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1878New YorkSon
Orrin LesterMary J. LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1820New YorkSelf
Edwin LesterPermelia Lester, Abigail LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1834New YorkSelf
Mary J. LesterOrrin LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1821New YorkWife
Abigail LesterEdwin LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1838New YorkWife
Ida M. LesterEdwin Lester, Abigail LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1865New YorkDaughter
Permelia LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1808New YorkMother
Volney LesterMary J. LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1821New YorkSelf
Ann LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1830New YorkSelf
Mary J. LesterEsther Smith, Volney LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1828New YorkWife
Lewis Allyn LesterVolney Lester, Mary J. LesterVenice, Cayuga, NY1867New YorkSon
Wellington LesterMartha LesterGenoa, Cayuga, NY1828New YorkSelf
Martha LesterWellington LesterGenoa, Cayuga, NY1835New YorkWife
Gaven P. LesterWellington Lester, Martha LesterGenoa, Cayuga, NY1865New YorkSon
Polly LesterGenoa, Cayuga, NY1803New YorkAunt
George LesterJulia A. LesterGenoa, Cayuga, NY1822New YorkSelf
Julia A. LesterIsaac Armstrong, George LesterGenoa, Cayuga, NY1835New YorkWife
Ellen LesterGeorge Lester, Julia A. LesterGenoa, Cayuga, NY1863New YorkDaughter

I did a little more hunting to see if I could narrow it down a little.

1880 United States Federal Census Record — Volney Lester

FieldValue
NameVolney Lester
Age59
Estimated birth year1821
BirthplaceNew York
OccupationFarmer
Relationship to head-of-householdSelf
Home in 1880Venice, Cayuga, New York
Marital statusMarried
RaceWhite
GenderMale
Spouse's nameMary J. Lester
Father's birthplaceConnecticut
Mother's birthplaceConnecticut

1880 United States Federal Census Record — Emily Lester

FieldValue
NameEmily Lester
Age63
Estimated birth year1817
BirthplaceNew York
OccupationAt Home
Relationship to head-of-householdSister
Home in 1880Moravia, Cayuga, New York
Marital statusSingle
RaceWhite
GenderFemale
Father's birthplaceNew York
Mother's birthplaceNew York

This Emily is the best contender that I could find in 1880. She is a few years too old to be our Emily but the census may be out or I may be out a few years on my dating of the coffin plate.

Note — family relationships confirmed by Roger Phillips

I have just learned that Roger Phillips of None Such Folks has lots of info and photographs on this family. He tells me that Volney and Emily were siblings. Mary Jane __ was married to Orrin Lester, Volney and Emily's brother. Volney and Mary Smith also had a daughter Emily who died in 1860 at about 10 years old.

Sources consulted

  • 1880 United States Federal Census

Record submitted by

Original contributor unknown — Was it you? Let us know

Source & citation

Source type
Original photograph
Provenance
From the Ancestors at Rest archive — founded 2004 by Brian and substantially built out across two decades by Lorine McGinnis Schulze of Olive Tree Genealogy.
Transcribed by
Ancestors at Rest archive — original contributor not recorded.
Last verified
2026-05-12
Permalink
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Image vs transcription
Both — original photograph and shared transcription on this page

Citation: "Coffin plate of Mary J Lester (12 Aug 1891)," transcribed and contributed to the Ancestors at Rest archive (https://ancestorsatrest.com/records/coffin-plates/lester-mary-j-1891/ : accessed [your access date]).

One of several separate coffin plates transcribed together on a single Ancestors at Rest archive page; see related records below for the others.

The original contributor of this record is not preserved in the archive. If you transcribed this plate, please get in touch so credit can be restored.

Related records

These coffin plates were transcribed together on one archive page. They are separate plates, not one shared plate, each with its own photograph.

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Matched automatically from the archive’s name and place indexes — research leads, not confirmed relations.

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