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Estes
The English Ancestry of the American Estes:
The Estes are one of the great pioneer families of the United States.
Numbered in their thousands they are to be found in most parts of the country and a
selection of their life histories would illustrate the history of America They are to be
found in the annals of the American Revolution, the expansion westwards and the Civil War
and are representative of the whole social fabric from log cabin to Whitehouse. Though not
among the great political families they produced a vice- presidential candidate in Senator
Estes Kefauver and a son-in-law on the bench to President Harrison, and they produced
their own brand of tycoon in Billie Sol Estes. They were trail blazers, slave-owners and
freers, Quakers, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Baptists. They drowned in frozen rivers
and were captured by Indians as children. They fought on both sides in the Civil War and
nursed their dying countrymen in that terrible conflict. Their traditional Biblical names
shared place with those of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson and
their family name, which is hardly known elsewhere, has become very much an American
surname. While it is known that the ancestors of the American Estes came from Kent in
England and while there is a strong belief that the family was ultimately of Italian
origin, very little has been written about the English ancestors and the English branches
or the family. Indeed, a great deal of speculation and incorrect information has been
circulated over the last hundred years, both in America and England.
Genealogical Memoir of ....The House of Este.... By C.O.Walker:
This name was not used until the family moved to Italy. A Noble Family of the Byzantine
Empire. (Later migrated to Italy, where the name was changed to d'Este; by documentary
proof, is traced 2500 years to an ancient King of Kings.) It is a matter of record that
the House of Este were blood relatives of the Royal House of Paleologus, of which, Manuel
II was the last Emperor of Constantinople; that family had ruled since 1282 and until the
year 1453 A.D. The Byzantine was created by Alexander the Great 330 years B.C In 1453 it
was invaded by the Turks, thus ended the Empire. It was, however, under Roman rule 233
B.C. to 325 A.D. Christopher Columbus was related to them, for according to records, he
said, "I am related to the Paleologus family and am a Byzantine Prince", thus
becomes a relative of the family of Este. The family of Este is traced directly to the
House of David through its descendancy from Zer' ru' babel, who is mentioned in the Bible;
this is true as records clearly show. The House of Paleologus were the heirs of not only
the Byzantine throne, but also the Kingdom of Cypress and Jerusalem. The Houses of
Gonzagas, Paleologus, Este, Bourbon, Lenox and Napier, were all descended from the House
of David; the Bourbons later ruled France. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 - all the
Royal and Noble families fled the country and became exiles or refugees and went to
various countries in Europe. The d'Este family settled in Tivoli, Italy, 40 miles east of
Rome, where they built Villa d'Este; it is today a showplace for visitors. Italicizing
their name (from Este to d'Este), they joined the Catholic faith, and one of their members
became a Cardinal: this was done to avoid persecution in a foreign land. One of the
descendants, Her Royal and most Serene Highness, the Duchess of Mantua, about 700 years
ago was married to a descendent of Genghis Khan, and became Impress of China, at which
time meat all of China, much of Asia and South Russia. Evidence has proven that Este,
d'Este and Estes are the same and no distinct nationality, but descended from the blood
lines of the Nobles of various countries of the known world of ancient times. When the
illustrious family of Este left Constantinople in 1453, the Turks held the Greeks under
bondage until 1821, at which time they fought for and won their independence as a nation.
Constantinople was once known as the Queen City of the world. It is now called Istanbul,
and the country is Turkey. In the Bible the name of Zerub'ba-bel was the great grandson of
King David; this is found in Chronicles 3:18. He had a part in the building of the first
house of worship over built in Jerusalem. In fact, Cyrus the Great gave him the money to
build this place of worship about 540 B.C.; Cyrus at that time was the King of Persia. In
the Old Testament of the Book of Ezra Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia - The Lord God hath
given me all the Kingdoms of the earth and he hath charged me to build him an house at
Jerusalem, which is in Judah"; Zerub'ba-bel built that house. Note: The Grandfather
of Zerub'ba-bel was a brother of King Solomon....Records may be seen today in Edinburgh,
Scotland, which establish descendency of the Family of Este by Zerub'ba-bel. History tells
us that when Constantinople was conquered by the Turks all government records were
destroyed by burning: however, there were means by which a further search will be made
into the lives of the House of Este. The word Easter we are informed by Webster was
derived from the name of Este in the middle ages. Constantinople was the first Christian
capitol.
Note: "Este" was taken from the town "Este" in northern Italy. (ancient "Ateste")
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