Mary Lester

      Mary Lester, or Leicester as was the family name at the time, was born in March 1829 to John Lester (Leicester) and Ann (Penketh) Lester in Whiston, Lancashire, England. She was baptized on March 8, 1829 at St Mary, Prescot. Mary's father John worked as a Potter and the family resided in Whiston, Lancashire, England. In 1841 the family lived in Canal Court Eccleston, Lancashire, England. Mary had five siblings all brothers, Robert, Henry, John, George, and Richard. Mary gave birth to Henry Lester on the twenty fourth of June 1848 in St Helens, England. On May 20, 1849 Mary Lester married James Dagnall in the Chapel of Rainford in the Parish of Prescot. James Dagnall was born in 1827 in St Helens, Lancashire, England and was a coal miner as was his father Charles Dagnall. Mary and James had seven children.

     Mary (Lester) Dagnall is a pivotal figure to anyone who is decended from Henry Lester Sr. For it is her surname that the family has maintained for generations. It is not very common to carry on the mothers maiden name to her son who passed it on to his sons and daughter and it is still our surname to this day. James Dagnall died in 1884 and was buried on November 9, 1884 in the St Helens Cemetery, Lancashire, England. Mary (Lester) Dagnall outlived both her husband James and her first born son Henry. Mary died in 1908 and was intered next to her husband James on April 10, 1908.

1841 British Census

1849 Marriage Certificate

1851 British Census

1861 British Census

1871 British Census

1891 British Census

1901 British Census

Mary Lesters Grave 1830-1908

Children

Henry Lester, born: June 24, 1848 St Helens, Lancashire, England

Ann Dagnall, born: abt. 1850 St Helens, Lancashire, England 

Abigail Dagnall, born: abt. 1852 St Helens, Lancashire, England

Charles Dagnall, born: abt. 1857 St Helens, Lancashire, England

Mary Dagnall, born: abt. 1859 St Helens, Lancashire, England

John Dagnall, born: abt. 1861 St Helens, Lancashire, England

Lucy Dagnall, born: abt. 1863 St Helens, Lancashire, England

James Dagnall, born: abt. 1870 St Helens, Lancashire, England