Johannes Kester and Elizabeth Cassell (Kassell)

---

---

Husband Johannes Kester

---

           Born: 12 Dec 1670 - Kaldenkirchen, Germany
     Christened: 
           Died: 1708 - Germantown, Pennsylvania
         Buried: 

---

         Father: Paulus Kuester (1640-1707)
         Mother: Gertrude Doors (Abt 1645-1707)

---

       Marriage: 31 Oct 1692 - Abington MM, Abington TWP, Pennsylvania

---

---

Wife Elizabeth Cassell (Kassell)

---

           Born: 1672 - Kresheim, Germany
     Christened: 
           Died: After 1709 - prob Germantown, Pennsylvania
         Buried: 

---

         Father: Johannes Peter Cassell (1631-      )
         Mother: Mary (      -      )

---

---

Children

---

1 M Johannes (John) Kester

---

           Born: 9 Jun 1693 - Bristol, Philadelphia or Bucks, Pennsylvania
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Elizabeth Hood (      -      )
           Marr: 25 Aug 1717 - Philadelphia MM, Pennsylvania

---

2 F Margaret Kester

---

           Born: 13 Aug 1694 - Germantown, Pennsylvania
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Cornelius DeWees (      -      )

---

3 M Paul Kester (Koster)

---

           Born: Abt 1706 - Germantown or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Ruth Kitchen (1714-      )
           Marr: 17 Sep 1730 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (FIrst Pres Ch?)

---

4 M Rynier Kuster

---

           Born: 26 May 1696 - Germantown, Pennsylvania
     Christened: 
           Died: After 20 May 1762 - Philadelphia Co, Pennsylvania
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Ann Hewitt (      -      )
           Marr: 31 Jan 1718 - Abington MM, Pennsylvania

---

5 M Hermanus Kester

---

           Born: 26 May 1696 - Germantown, Pennsylvania
     Christened: 
           Died: After 11 May 1780 - Hunterdon Co, New Jersey
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Anne Large (      -      )
           Marr: 1733 - Chesterfield MM

---

6 M Peter Koster

---

           Born: 1708 - Germantown, Pennsylvania
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

---

---

General Notes (Husband)

---

Christening (not birth) date from Kaldenkirchen Reformed Church records.

The only one of three sons who became Quaker (the others became Mennonite).

Johannes Kuester/ Kester bp 12/12/1670 Kaldenkirchen Reformed, Kaldenkirchen, Germany. m Elizabeth Cassell 10/31/1692 Abington MM, Abington TWP, PA. A brother of Johannes' was ancestor to General Custer, of Custer's Last Stand. Johannes d aft 1709, PA. or, from probate records,
before 10/23/1708, when Elizabeth Custers, widow of Germantown, with Arnold Cassell of Phildelphia as one of the bondsmen, appointed to administer his estate.

He and Elizabeth lived in Bristol, PA in 1693. Returned to Germantown, he served as constable there, since the people realized one was needed, as people were getting abusive w each other, borrowing horses w/o permission, and letting their animals run through fences. (ha, ha. For who was doing that, see the Op den Graeff family.) He was also in charge of inspecting fences. He and Hermanus bought 200 acres of land in Skippack in 1704. Johannes a burgess of GErmantown 1707. He died in Germantown Fall 1708.

He was a surveyor for Penn (I think that is why he was in Bucks Co.) A family tradition survives that he was rewarded with land, a sizable quantity, which was lost by the family due to the heir at the time was orphaned and raised by others and didn't learn of it until it was too late to claim it, others of the family have followed up on it since and didn't get very far.

Had a large estate in or nearPhiladelphia, which was lost because a grandson was raised by others and the property forfeited by the time he learned of it. White thinks this was his son John. He bef 10/23/1708 when his wife was among those appointed to administer his estate.

Johannes pretty consistently signed his name on documents, "Kosters", his descendants used "Kester". Descendants of his brother Hermanus pretty much used Custer, descendants of Arnold called themselves everything imaginable.

Will Phladelphia Register of Wills, Book B p 70 shows 10/23/1708 Elizabeth Custers widow of Germantown, w ARnold Cassell of Philadelphia Co and Thomas and Peter Schumaker of Germantown as bondmen adminstrator s of his estate, Inventory 95 pounds.

Johannes Kuster bp 12/12/1670 Kaldenkirchen Reformed d 1708 Germantown, PA m Elizabeth Cassell 10/31/1692 Abington MM, Abington TWP, PA She b Kresheim, Germany, d aft 1709, PA Philadelphia Register of Wills, Book B, p 70 shows that 10/23/1708 "Elizabeth Custers" widow of Germantown w ARnold Cassell of Philadelphia Co and Thomas and Peter Shoemaker of Germantown as bondsmen appointed to administer the estate of "Johannes Custers". Inventory amtng to 95 pounds. White provides a copy of his signature; he could write, but not very well. His brother, ARnold, had exactly the same skill at writing. They spelled their name differently.

Johannes joined the Religious Society of Frends (Quakers) after arriving in Germantown.

---

General Notes (Wife)

---

b Kresheim, Germany, to a prominent Mennonite family of weavers there. Kresheim was not far from
Krefeld. I have a bunch of information on this family but have not yet been through it.

---