Esther Maria (Hollister) Kirtley (1843 - 1913)

Born 13 May 1843 in Commonwealth of Kentucky

Ancestors

Died 3 Nov 1913 at age 70 in Covington, Kenton County, Commonwealth of Kentucky

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Biography

Esther Maria Hollister was born 13 May 1843 in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. She is the daughter of Lyman Hollister and Margaret Flick.

Esther is recorded in the 1850 United States Census, enumerated 17 July, as Esther Hollister residing in the household of her parents Lyman and Margaret Hollister in District No. 2, Greenup County, Kentucky. She is seven-years-old and she had been attending school. Also residing in the household is her 17-year-old Uncle McKendrie [recorded as Kindry] Hollister. 38 years old Joseph Pollock is also residing in the household, relationship, if any, is unknown.

She was 10 years old when her father died 27 October 1853.

Esther is recorded in the 1860 United States Census, enumerated 09 June, as Esther Hollister residing in the household of her step-father Josiah Dodge and mother Margaret Dodge in the 2nd Ward Covington City, Kenton County, Kentucky. She is 17-years-old, owns real estate valued at 20,000 ($638,257.83 in 2021 dollars) and has a personal estate valued at 1000 ($31,912.89 in 2021 dollars). Also residing in the household are her seven year old sister Frances [recorded as Franka] Hollister and a servant Mary Goff and her nine year old daughter Anna.

She married Columbus Kirtley 21 July 1863 at Kenton County, Kentucky. He is the son of son of Owen Kirtley and Sarah “Sally” Graves. Esther was 20 years old and Columbus 30 years old as recorded in the Marriage Register for Kenton County, Kentucky. This was a first marriage for both Esther and Columbus, her mother and step-father gave their consent, Columbus was of age. She was a resident of Covington. Columbus was a resident of Boone County and he was a farmer from a very wealthy family. His father in 1850 owned real estate valued at 10,000 ($339,585.90 in 2021dollars) and eight slaves; in 1860 his real estate was valued at 30,000 ($957,386.75 in 2021 dollars) and he had a personal estate valued at 11,500 ($366,998.25 in 2021 dollars). There are no children of this marriage.

Esther is recorded in the 1870 United States Census, enumerated 25 August, as Esther Kirtley residing in the household of her husband Columbus Kirtley at Greenupsburg, Greenup County, Kentucky. She is 27 years old, her occupation is Keeping House and she is able to read and write. Two Domestic Servants are also residing in the home. Carrie Comer is 27 years of age born is West Virginia and Anderson J. Carter is 14 years old born in Kentucky, he attended school and is able to read but not write. After 1870 Columbus’ whereabouts are unknown until January 1900 when he was found of unsound mind and sent to the Lakeland asylum at Petersburg, Kentucky.

Esther is recorded in the 1880 United States Census, enumerated 11 June, as Esther M. Kirtley residing in the household of her cousin Mary A. Watts at Taylorsport District, Boone County, Kentucky. Esther is 37 years old, she is married and no occupation is entered for her. Also residing in the household are Mary Watts’ sons 28 year old William C. Watts, 24 year old Thomas J Watts and 17 year old Owen S. Watts and her granddaughter Sullie W. Ewing. Mary Hamilton a servant, is black, 25 years old, Kentucky is entered as her place of birth and she cannot read and write.

Esther is recorded in the 1900 United States Census, enumerated 04 June, as Esther Kirtley head of household, residing in the home she owns with a mortgage at Bullittsville District, Boone County, Kentucky. She is 57 years old, May 1843 is entered for her birth date; she has been married 36 years, is the mother of 0 children, zero of whom are living, she is able to read and write. Also residing in the home are her 60 year old brother-in-law William Kirtley, her 46 year old sister-in-law Margaret Kirtley, her two nephews eight year old James C. Kirtley and one year old Robert O. Kirtley.

Esther’s mother died 22 February 1905, her will was admitted to probate in the Kenton County Court 15 April 1905. She bequeathed her homestead and 13 acres in Kenton County to her husband, Josiah Dodge, and her daughter Frankie. If it was sold $500 was to be given to Esther and upon the death of Josiah the whole estate was to go to Esther and Frankie and ultimately to her grandchildren.

Esther was widowed when Columbus died 27 September 1900.

Esther is recorded in the 1910 United States Census, enumerated 25 April, as Esther Kirtley, residing in the home of her sister Frances E. Davis and brother-in-law Theodore T. Davis at 118 Madison Road, Magistrial District #2 Part of Sanfordtown Precinct, Kenton County, Kentucky. She is 67 years old, widowed, the mother of 0 children, zero of whom are living, no occupation is entered for her and she is able to read and write. A servant Maggie Buchan and her nine year old daughter Jessie also reside in the home.

Esther was 70 years of age when she died 03 November 1913 at Covington, Kenton County, Commonwealth of Kentucky. Her death certificate records that she was buried 05 November 1913 at Bullittsburg, Kentucky. I believe she may have been buried with Columbus at Bullittsburg Baptist Church Cemetery, Idlewild, Boone County, Commonwealth of Kentucky as there is a space on his grave marker for a spouse.

Sources

• The Hollister Family of America: Lieut. John Hollister, of Wethersfield, Conn., and His Descendants, compiled by Lafayette Wallace Case, M.D. 1886, entry 2028, pg. 275, archive.org (accessed 17 June 2015) [1].

• 1850 United States Census [database on-line]: Schedule I Free Inhabitants in District No. 2, Greenup County, Kentucky, Enumerated 17 July 1850, Dwelling Number 44, Family Number 44, Line 27, Lyman Hollister household, familysearch.org (accessed 11 April 2021) [2].

• 1860 United States Census [database on-line]: Schedule I Free Inhabitants in 2nd Ward Covington City, Kenton County, Kentucky, Page No. 87, Sheet 591, enumerated 09 June, Dwelling 506, Family 626, Line 17, Josiah Dodge household, familysearch.org (accessed 11 April 2021) [3].

• Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979 [database on-line]: Kenton County, Commonwealth of Kentucky, Marriage Record, Page 5, 01 July 1863, Esther M. Hollister and C. Kirtley, familysearch.org (accessed 12 April 2021) [4].

• 1870 United States Census [database on-line]: Schedule 1. Inhabitants in Greenupsburg, Greenup County, Kentucky, Page No. 12, Enumerated 25 August, Dwelling 81, Family 81, Line 21, Columbus Kirtley household, familysearch.org (accessed 12 April 2021) [5].

• 1880 United States Census [database on-line]: Schedule 1. Inhabitants in Taylorsport District, Boone County, Kentucky, Page No. 20D, Enumeration District No. 30, enumerated 11 June, Dwelling 172, Family 174, Line 36, Mary A. Watts household, familysearch.org (accessed 12 April 2021) [6].

• 1900 United States Census [database on-line]: Schedule No. 1, Population, Bullitsville District, Boone County, Kentucky, Page 256, Sheet 3A, Enumeration District No. 2, enumerated 04 June, Dwelling 55, Family 58, Line 49. Esther H. Kirtley household, familysearch.org (accessed 11 April 2021) [7].

• GenealogyBank [database on-line]: The Dodge Will, The Kentucky Post, Covington, Kentucky, Published Saturday, 15 April 1905, No. 4499, Page 02, Column 04, genealogybank.com (accessed 18 April 2021) [8].

• 1910 United States Census [database on-line]: Population, Magistrial District #2 Part of Sanfordtown Precinct, Kenton County, Kentucky, Sheet 6A, Enumeration District No. 125, enumerated 25 April, Dwelling 118 Madison Road, Family 120, Line 35, Thedore T. [Theodore Clark] Davis household, familysearch.org (accessed 12 April 2021) [9].

• GenealogyBank [database on-line]: Mrs. Kirtley Dead, The Kentucky Post, Covington, Kentucky, Published Monday, 03 November 1913, Number 7185, Page 03, Column 05, genealogybank.com (accessed 28 April 2021 [10].

• Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1965 [database on-line]: Covington, Kenton County, Commonwealth of Kentucky, Certificate of Death, File No. 29966, Registered No. 3237, Filed 04 November 1913, familysearch.org (accessed 11 April 2021) [11].

• GenealogyBank [database on-line]: Deaths, Kentucky Post, Covington, Kentucky, Published Tuesday, 04 November 1913, Number 7186, Page 07, Column 01, genealogybank.com (accessed 28 April 2021 [12].

• GenealogyBank [database on-line]: Covington Deaths, The Kentucky Post, Covington, Kentucky, Published Saturday, 08 November 1913, Number 7190, Page 02, Column 02, genealogybank.com (accessed 28 April 2021) [13].