Henry Lester Sr
Henry Lester was born June 24, 1848 in St Helens, Lancaster county, England. Lancaster county would later be renamed Lancashire. Henry was born to Mary Lester daughter of John and Ann (Penketh) Lester. Henry's mother Mary would marry James Dagnall May 20, 1849 when Henry was close to one year old. Henry was raised by his mother Mary and James Dagnall in St Helens where James worked in the coal mines and Henry started working in the St Helens coal mines at about the age of 12.
Henry married Mary Watkin on January 22, 1871 at the Parish Church in the Parish of St Thomas Eccleston in the town of St Helens, England, Henry was 22 and his wife Mary was 21. Henry and Mary remained in St Helens and had six children, James, Joseph, Henry, Robert, Lucy Elizabeth, and William. In 1881 the family resided at 37 Barrow St. St Helens, Lancashire, England which is across from the Town Hall. At that time they had four children, James nine years old, Joseph seven, Henry Jr. four, and Robert ten months old. Henry's daughter Lucy Elizabeth was born in 1883 and son William was born in 1885. All where born in St Helens.
Tragically Mary died July 15, 1886 in thier home on Barrow St. Henry was at her side when she passed away, Mary was 36 years old. Henry remarried on December 25, 1886 at the Parish Church in the Parish of Prescot to a widower Mary Ellen Morley (her maiden name Chisnell). Henry along with his son James and Mary Ellen's son Fredrick Morley immigrated to the United States in 1887. They arrived in the Port of Philadelphia on October 16, 1887 and settled in Phillipsburg, Centre county Pennsylvania where they all went to work in the coal mines. Mary Ellen along with thier newborn son Richard, and Henry's sons Joseph, Henry and William followed a year later in 1888. In 1895 Henry and Mary Ellen became naturalized United States citizens and By 1900 Henry along with his wife Mary Ellen and sons William and Richard resided in Barnesboro, Cambria county Pennsylvania. The family lived at 140 Chestnut St. Henry and his 14 year old son William worked in the Lancashire mine for the Barnes and Tucker Coal Company. At the time 14 years old was the legal age to work under ground in the mines. The life of a coal miner in the late 19th and early 20th century was a hard, dangerous, and exausting existance. Henry would succumb to cancer of the stomach around 9 O'clock P.M. May 3rd 1903 in his home on Philadelphia Ave. Barnesboro, Pennsylvania. Henry left all his earthly posessions and effects to his beloved wife Mary Ellen and his will was registered at the Cambria county Court House on May 25th 1903.
