The Armitages are a fairly well documented early American family, our progenitor Benjamin Armitage having emigrated from Yorkshire to Philadelphia in 1700.
My most recent Armitage ancestor was Hester Armitage, my great-great-great-grandmother. Hester was married four times, the last to Ambrose Lenox. Their daughter Mary Catherine Lenox, married to Michael Wolfe Jr., was my ancestor. Hester's descent is as follows:
- Benjamin Armitage, born 1660/61 in Westroyds, Shepley, Yorkshire and died 28 November 1735 in Bristol, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania. He was married to Maria (Mary) Charlesworth on 25 June 1685 in Penistone, Yorkshire.
- Benjamin Armitage, born February 1697/98 in England and died on 23 December 1781 in Bristol, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania. He was married to (1) Elizabeth [--?--]) and (2) Jane Pope, on 23 August 1729 in Philadelphia. By his wife Elizabeth he had:
- James Armitage, born 1720 in Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania and died on 19 January 1805 in Franklin, Huntingdon Co., Pennsylvania. James was married to Sarah Tobey on 11 June 1746 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- John Armitage was born before 1755 in Pennsylvania and died after 1814 in Athens Co., Ohio. He was married to Nancy (Sedley?). John served in the American Revolution as a captain of privateer ships.
- William Armitage was born about 1790 in Pennsylvania. His death date is unknown. He moved from Pennsylvania to Bath Co., Kentucky, and then later to Missouri. He was married to Sarah (Sally), possibly surnamed Kephart/Kepheart.
- Hester Armitage was born about 1808 in Pennsylvania and died in about June of 1866 in Dent Co., Missouri. She was married to (1) William Kidwell on 23 June 1823 in Bath Co., Kentucky; (2) William Pace on 24 June 1836 in Callaway Co., Missouri; (3) Moses Phillips on 14 July 1844 in Cole Co., Missouri; and (4) Ambrose Lenox on 11 December 1845 in Crawford Co., Missouri.
By her four marriages, Hester Armitage had at least eight children. By Kidwell she had:
- John Quincy Kidwell, born about 1829 in Kentucky.
- Sarah Ann D. Kidwell, born October 1831 in Callaway Co., Missouri and died about 1923 in Phelps Co., Missouri; married to John Lenox on 9 February 1854 in Crawford Co., Missouri.
- Louisa Kidwell, born about 1832 in Missouri.
- Eliza Jane Kidwell, born about 1834 in Missouri; married to Peyton Parsons on 15 June 1852 in Crawford Co., Missouri.
By William Pace, she had:
- Henry Pace, born about 1838/39 in Missouri.
- William Fletcher Pace, born on 1 July 1840 in Temple, Bell Co., Texas and died on 31 August 1912 in Eureka Springs, Carroll Co., Arkansas. He was married to Sarah Jane Howell on 21 August 1866. William Pace served as a captain in the 8th Missouri (Confederate) Infantry. After the war he moved to Harrison, Arkansas, where he was a teacher and attorney. His grandson Frank Pace, Jr., served as Secretary of the Army in the Truman administration (1950-1953).
Hester had no children by Moses Phillips.
By Ambrose Lenox, Hester had two children:
- George Anson Lenox, born about 1846 in Missouri, said to have been killed in the Civil War as a teenager.
- Mary Catherine Lenox, born 7 May 1849 in Crawford Co., Missouri and died on 16 November 1914 in Dent Co., Missouri. She was married to Michael Wolfe, Jr. in 1866.