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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS
which he is a member. He also belongs to the Rotary
Club, the Country Club, the Elks, Odd Fellows
and Young Men's Christian Association. Mr. Jester
gives largely of his time and means for the
upbuilding of his city, and is one of those citizens
who car be counted upon to associate himself with
all movements for the welfare of his community.
OVERNOR GEORGE TAYLOR JESTER, one
of the best known pioneers of Navarro
County and one of the most able statesmen
in the annals of Texas history, had a
major part in the development and progress of Navarro
County and few if any citizens, have held a
higher place in the esteem of his fellow citizens
and no one has left a more poignant influence upon
the life and progress of the community in which
he lived and in which he will be long remembered
and the chronicles of Texas history will be incomplete
without a fitting tribute to a citizen whose
life was so constructive and whose career was so
worthy of emulation by those who knew and loved
him.
Governor Jester had held many an office of trust
and prominence in the gift of Texas people and
the record of his career is one of continued and unlimited
public service.
Governor Jester was born on a farm in Macoupin
County, Illinois, August 23, 1846, the son of Levi
and Diadema Jester. His father died when he was
a boy of six years of age, leaving his mother with
six children. His grandfather, Hampton McKinney,
was a pioneer of Corsicana who moved there in
1847 and built"'he first house, a log cabin on the
site now occu ied by the Navarro County court
house in the city of Corsicana. On the death of
his father, Mrs. Jester and her six children came
to Corsicana to live with her father, traveling all
the way in a two-horse wagon. Shortly afterwards
when the county commenced the construction of a
court house, the first brick building erected in this
part of the state, young George and his brother
worked on the construction of this brick building at
fifty cents per day. When a mere boy he decided
to become a lawyer and began reading law in a local
office. At the age of seventeen he enlisted in
the Confederate Army and served in Hood's 4th
Texas Regiment. After the war he returned to Corsicana
and for a time clerked in a dry goods store.
He later went into business for himself, running a
mercantile establishment. Retiring from the mercantile
business he later went into the banking business
with his brothers, C. W. and L. L. Jester. He
was for many years connected with the Corsicana
National Bank and later became president of the
First State Bank of Corsicana, which position he retained
until but a few years ago. Though prominent
and successful in business, Mr. Jester was best
known for his career of public service.
In 1890 Mr. Jester was nominated by acclamation by
the democratic convention and in the following November
was elected to the House of Representatives
of the Twenty-second Legislature. He served on
many prominent committees and in recognition of
services, he was elected by his constituents for two
terms in the State Senate in which body he distinguished
himself for his ability and zeal for constructive
legislation. He was elected Lieutenant
Governor in 1896 with Charles A. Culberson andmade a commendable record in that position. During
the absence from the state of Governor Culberson,
for a period he occupied the governor's chair.
Governor Jester was also very prominent in church
work. He was a lay delegate to the conference at
Richmond, Virginia, in 1886 that elected Bishops
Duncan, Galloway, Hendricks and Key. He was also
a delegate to the conference in St. Louis in 1889
which elected Bishops Haygood and Fitzgerald. Mr.
Jester was one of the founders of the Southern
Methodist University at Dallas and one of the first
board of directors and is looked upon as one of the
foremost benefactors of that institution. He was a
staunch supported of the local Methodist Episcopal
Church and helped erect the first church of that denomination
in Corsicana and was one of its trustees.
He was one of the fifth citizens who subscribed
$5,000.00 in a campaign for the erection of the Y.
M. C. A. building at Corsicana and has been one of
the principal supporters of that institution.
Governor Jester was first married in 1872 to Miss
Alice Bates, a native of Mississippi. Of this union
were born two children, Claude W. Jester and Alice
Jester. Mrs. Jester died in 1875. Governor Jester
was again married, December 28, 1880, to Miss Fannie
P. Gordon, a native of Aberdeen, Mississippi,
and they were the parents of four children, Chas.
Gordon Jester, Beauford H.; George T., Jr., who
died while a freshman and president of his class
at the University of Texas, and Ruby, who died when
three and a half years of age.
On the death of Mr. Jester, July 19, 1922, he
was survived by his wife and four children, Claude
Jester of New York, Mrs. Clay Johnson of Fort
Worth, Charles G. Jester and Beauford H. Jester,
a lawyer of Corsicana, and one brother, L. L. Jester
of Dallas. In the passing of Governor Jester,
Corsicana lost one of her most loved and eminent
citizens. His life was an inspiration to all who
knew him and his career was worthy of the emulation
of those who inspire to success. Of an affable
nature, liberal in his contributions, generous in his
opinions of others and a source of encouragement
and assistance to the needy, his life has made an
imperishable imprint on the memory of all who
knew him.
DGE CHARLES LEE JESTER, was born
in Corsicana, Texas, within fifty feet of
where he has his offices at the present time
(116 West Fifth Avenue), on September 17,
1871, the second child of Charles W. and Eliza R.
Jester, who was Eliza Rakestraw. The ancestors of
Judge Jester, on both the paternal and maternal
lines, were pioneers of Navarro County, Texas. The
county site "Corsicana" was founded by his great
grandfather, Rev. Hampton McKinney, in 1847. His
father, Charles W. Jester, came to Corsicana in 1858,
served through the Civil War as a Confederate soldier,
and there reared his family and spent his life in
Navarro County, and was president of the Corsicana
National Bank at the time of his death; the second
generation of this family continues to conduct a
banking business in Corsicana. Judge Jester's maternal
grandfather, G. A. Rakestraw, a well known
instructor, taught school in the county as early as
1854, and spent his declining years on his farm
south of Corsicana.
Judge Jester attended the common schools of Cor-
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The Encyclopedia of Texas (Book)
This book provides a biographical view of Texas and its history. The book uses many narratives of the individuals who helped shape Texas history. The book also includes profiles of: the public school system in Texas; banking; the public school system; the State Fair; the Cotton Industry; oil history; and histories of select towns, such as Dallas, Fort Worth, Wichita Falls, Burkburnett, Ellis County, Waco, San Antonio, Galveston, and many others.
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Davis, Ellis Arthur & Grobe, Edwin H. The Encyclopedia of Texas, book, [1921..1922]; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth21069/m1/281/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.