James Francis Lester (1889 - 1947)

Born 21 Apr 1889 in Amboy, Lee, Illinois, United States

Husband of Alice G. (Burns) Lester — married 10 Apr 1919 (to 27 Apr 1947) in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Died 27 Apr 1947 at age 58 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Terry Zimmerman [send private message]

Biography

James was born in 1889 in Amboy, Illinois. His parents were James Henry Lester (1855-1920) and Mary Amelia Mead Lester (1846-1939). ^[1] In 1900 eleven-year-old James attended school. A decade later he labored on his parents' farm.

By 1917 James, who went by "Jim," was living in Chicago. His WWI draft card recorded his occupation as streetcar conductor and indicated he was the sole support of a wife and child. He and Alice G. (Burns) Lester (1891-1968), also raised in Amboy, had two sons, Edward James Lester (1917-1954) and John Donald Lester (1918-1993) prior to their marriage in Chicago in 1919. By 1920 Jim obtained employment as a steamfitter in a Chicago factory.

The Lester family returned to Amboy, where two more sons were born, Robert C. Lester (1922-1973) and Warren F. Lester (1924-abt.1965). The U.S. Census of 1930 showed Jim to be employed as a stationary engineer with the steam railroad in Amboy. The days of steam-powered locomotives were waning as automobiles grew in popularity. Many railroads bankrupted during and following the Great Depression. Large railroad systems reinvented themselves with diesel engines and faster streamliner train service. ^[2]

It may have been that Jim struggled with employment. By 1940 three of his children in their late teens and early twenties were boarding or living with relatives. Only 15-year-old Warren remained in Amboy with his mother. Jim wasn't part of that household, nor has record of his whereabouts turned up in the U.S. Census of 1940.

In 1942 Jim registered for the WWII draft from Chicago. He was employed but the nature of his work was not described. Yet married to Alice he gave son Warren's name as next of kin. All four of Jim's sons enlisted, served honorably, and returned safely from military service.

Jim died in Chicago in 1947. Information for his death record was provided by son John D. Lester of Chicago, who had grown up in that city in the home of his maternal grandmother, Ellen E. (Carroll) Burns (1856-1944). At the time of his death Jim had been working as a waiter. Alice Lester was listed as his spouse.

Sources

1. ↑ The FindAGrave site for James F. Lester, cited below, is linked to the graves of his parents and four siblings in St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery, Amboy, Illinois. Terry Zimmerman.
2. ↑ "Railroads In The 1930's: Depression And Streamliners," by Adam Burns (https://www.american-rails.com/1930s.html : 12 January 2024). Terry Zimmerman.

• "Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1968," FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7ZP-RHM : 24 December 2023), Entry for James F. Lester, age 29, and Alice G. Burns, age 25, 10 Apr 1919, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA.

"United States Census, 1900," FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS4S-LZJ : 24 December 2023); James F. Lester, age 11, son in household of Jas H Lester, age 45, farmer, and Mary E Lester, age 50, Amboy Township, Lee, Illinois, USA.

"United States Census, 1910," FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MK6S-489 : 24 December 2023); James F. Lester, son, laborer, age 20 in household of James H. Lester, age 55, farmer, and Mary A Lester, age 66, Amboy Township, Lee, Illinois, USA.

"U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," Ancestry.com, database online (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/9709430:6482?tid=&pid=&queryId=3a033fbf-4738-4feb-8a59-23d668712cc9&_phsrc=nLq222&_phstart=successSource : 11 January 2024); James Francis Lester, dob 21 Apr 1888/Amboy, Illinois, street car conductor\sole support of wife and child, residence 6224 Evans Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

"United States Census, 1920," FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJ34-HW2 : 24 December 2023); James Lester, age 31, factory steamfitter, and Alice Lester, age 28, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA.

"United States Census, 1930," FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSYY-W7L : 24 December 2023); James F Lester, age 40, stationary engineer/steam railroad, and Alice Lester, age 38, Amboy, Lee, Illinois, USA.

"U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," Ancestry.com, database on-line, citing The National Archives, St. Louis, Missouri; World War II Draft Cards (Fourth Registration), For the State of Illinois (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/9471990:1002 : 5 January 2024); James Francis Lester, b. 21 Apr 1889, age 54, residence Chicago, IL, next of kin - Warren Lester, son, Amboy, IL.

"Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947," FamilySearch.org, database with images (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQZ7-2S1 : 24 Dec 2023), James Lester, waiter, birth 21 Apr 1889, death 27 Apr 1947/Chicago, Cook, Ilinois, burial 30 Apr 1947/St. Patrick Cemetery, Amboy, IL, parents - Jim Lester/Mary Mead, spouse Alice Lester, informant John Lester.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188511092/james-f-lester: accessed 24 December 2023), memorial page for James F. Lester (21 Apr 1889–27 Apr 1947), Find a Grave Memorial ID 188511092, citing Saint Patrick Cemetery, Amboy, Lee County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by Shirley Mitchell (contributor 47472285).

"United States Social Security Death Index," FamilySearch.org, database with images, citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database, National Technical Information Service, Alexandria, Virginia (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J1ZL-MJD : 24 December 2023); James Lester, age 58, dob 21 Apr 1889, death Apr 1947, Illinois, USA.