Samuel Kesterson, born about 1872 was convicted of killing his stepfather Daniel Nicholson in 1889. He received a life sentence in the Indiana State Prison. The murder of Mr. Nicholson occurred on January 12, 1889 in Hillham, Dubois Co IN. John T. Kesterson, the first husband of Mary McCune, had apparently died young. She then married Daniel Nicholson 13 September 1880 Dubois Co IN, when Samuel was about 8 years old. Samuel grew up and later married Minnie Byrum 13 September 1888 in Dubois Co IN so its evident that Samuel was married and out of the parental home at the time of the murder. We can only guess as to the reason why he might have killed his step-father. A change of venue for the court and the trial was held in Orange County, Paoli Circuit Court with Judge Collins.

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF CONVICTS IN THE INDIANA STATE PRISON, AT JEFFERSONVILLE

NAME: Samuel Kesterson
OCCUPATION: Farmer
COUNTY WHERE CONVICTED: Orange
CRIME: Murder, 2nd degree
TERM: Life
WHEN SENTENCED: October 21, 1889

WHEN AND HOW DISCHARGED: July 10, 1893; escaped. Missed from place in shop about 4:45 or 5:00 P. M. No trace found. A ladder was discovered under a lumber pile but had apparently not been used. July 10, 1893.

AGE: 18? (hard to read)
HEIGHT: 5 ft. 8 1/2 in. (not positive, hard to read)
COMPLEXION: Light
EYES: Brown
HAIR: Dark
NATIVITY: Indiana
FORMER CHARACTER: Temperate
SOCIAL RELATIONS: Married; reads and writes
REMARKS: Hare lip; freckle face; indentation over left corner of mouth; prominent scar across right wrist; dark freckle on right forearm; little finger on left hand crooked; scar above right knee; scar on left foot across border of big and of second toes; two scars on lower back; uses tobacco. Wife and one child; Minnie Kesterson, William; Dubois Co., Indiana

NOTES: Escaped from prison on November 16, 1891 by scaling the wall midway between No. 293 ???, at which time wall guard Andy Wheeler fired 4 shots at him without effect. Kesterson went to schoolhouse in Ohio Falls, mounting a horse hitched to a delivery wagon, and rode the horse by Akron brick kiln, where he abandoned him and took to the woods, and was recaptured at Edwardsville in Floyd Co., and returned to prison November 18, 1891. Reward $100.00

Contributed by Jenna Cain

DIVORCE: CHANCERY NOTICE

Notice is hereby given to you, Samuel Kesterson, that Minnie Kesterson, complainant, heretofore filed her bill of complaint to the circuit court of Effingham county, Ill., for the October term, 1894, on the chancery side thereof for divorce, and summons thereupon issued out of said court against the above named Samuel Kesterson, as defendant, returnable on the first day of the said October term, 1894, of said court to be held at the court house in Effingham, Ill., on the third Monday of October, 1894, as by law required, and which suit is still presiding.
HENRY HUBRICH, Clerk, August, 1894

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