William H Lester
Abt 1815 - 1878 (63 years)-
Name William H Lester Birth Abt 1815 Gender Male Death 12 Jul 1878 Person ID I69857 Stewartsny Last Modified 2 Dec 2025
Family Mary, b. Abt 1817 d. 14 Feb 1874 (Age 57 years) Children 1. Henry C Lester d. 11 Jul 1849 [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 2. Frances A Lester, b. Abt 1841 d. 22 Jan 1894 (Age 53 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 3. Rhoda E Lester, b. Abt 1843 d. 16 Jun 1874 (Age 31 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 4. Susan R Lester, b. Abt 1844 d. 9 Mar 1854 (Age 10 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 5. Amanda J Lester, b. Abt 1849 d. 19 Jun 1878 (Age 29 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 6. William H Lester, b. Abt 1852 d. 9 Feb 1888 (Age 36 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] Family ID F23311 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 2 Dec 2025
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Notes - Newspaper Obituary - Thursday, January 17, 1878 Pulaski Democrat - Pulaski, New York - Suicide - Shortly after one o'clock in the afternoon of Saturday last, the news was rapidly circulated through the village that William H. Lester, a man long a resident here and known by nearly every man in this part of the county, had committed suicide and only a few moments before been found dead in his bed. Hastening to his residence, a glance of the room and its contents fully confirmed this theory. The facts connected with this sad affair are these, as nearly as could be ascertained. Since the death of his wife, Mr. Lester has been heard to repeatedly say that life had no attraction to him, that he had outlived his usefulness, and had no desire to live. More recently, and within a few days of the tragedy, he remarked to John Preston, Esq., that he did not care to live and wanted to die. On Friday evening, the night before his death, he had a cigar which he said he preferred to smoke then as he might not need to smoke it in the morning. This is in evidence that the deed was contemplated beforehand. The deceased was seen to leave the Salmon River House in the evening, where he had _for over two years and start for his room in his house on North Street. According to the testimony before the coroner, the next scene of the unfortunate man was by Charles Halsey, who, while driving past the house about seven o'clock on Saturday morning, saw a bright light in Mr. Lester's room and the man himself seated on the edge of the bed leaning over with his head resting on his hands. At one o'clock, the wife of W. H. Lester, Jr., went to the room with cleaning cloth, intending to care for the apartment, when she discovered her father-in-law and bed, lying upon his back, covered up nicely as though asleep, and dead. Mrs. L. J. Macy, a daughter of the deceased, a lady who has been in feeble health for a short time and for whom the sympathies of the public are particularly aroused, was among the first to arrive at the scene, when she was borne half fainting away, overcome by the terrible site. The room where the deceased was found was comfortably and neatly furnished and everything he had been left in good order. At the head of the bed, were the pants of the dead man upon a chair, and upon them was a pocket knife belonging to the deceased with a small blade open and covered with blood. A receptacle with a quantity of blood in and about it on the floor was to be seen, and bloody finger marks were observable upon the white bedspread. A bloody collar was found upon the floor with one buttonhole torn out and the neck button still attached to the collar. On the table was a pitcher containing water, an empty tumbler and by its side and upon the table spread was discovered some morphine. This was purchased of G. W. Fuller & Son A few days previous. Upon further search to notes were found, once sealed and directed to his son, W. H., Jr., and the other, written upon the back of an advertising bill was without direction, date or signature. It read as follows: "If I am not dead when you find me, did not try to restore me as I have decided not to live." When the room was first entered the lamp was still burning. An examination of the deceased by Coroner Caldwell and Drs. F. S. and A. S. Low, revealed five punctures in the neck, one of whom had wounded the internal jugular. In the opinion of these gentlemen death was caused by loss of blood and syncope. The jury summoned by the coroner, viewed the body and then adjourned until Monday morning, at which time the inquest was held in Dr. Caldwell's office, and the facts, substantially as above narrated where it elicited. The witnesses sworn were, W. H. Gray, John Preston, Charles Halsey, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Lester, Jr., Edward Gray, Adelbert Bushnell, Drs. F. S. and A. S. Low, and Mrs. S. Mason and daughter. The jury returned a verdict of the following effect: That deceased came to his death by a wanted the right side of the neck, severing the internal jugular vein, causing hemorrhage, which, with the use of a dose of morphine, produced fatal syncope, and that said wound was deliberately inflicted by his knife in his own hand with suicidal intent. [signed[ H. W. Caldwell, Coroner; J. W. Shea, Foreman, J. W. Cross, D. B Meacham, George W. Fuller, L. A. Gaylord, A. N. Beadle. The funeral was held from the residence of Mr. L. J. Macy, a son-in-law, on Tuesday last, and the services were conducted by the Rev. J. B. Longstreet.
Newspaper Obituary - Thursday, January 17, 1878 Pulaski Democrat - Pulaski, New York - Died - Lester - In Pulaski, January 12th, 1878, William H. Lester, aged _ years.
- Newspaper Obituary - Thursday, January 17, 1878 Pulaski Democrat - Pulaski, New York - Suicide - Shortly after one o'clock in the afternoon of Saturday last, the news was rapidly circulated through the village that William H. Lester, a man long a resident here and known by nearly every man in this part of the county, had committed suicide and only a few moments before been found dead in his bed. Hastening to his residence, a glance of the room and its contents fully confirmed this theory. The facts connected with this sad affair are these, as nearly as could be ascertained. Since the death of his wife, Mr. Lester has been heard to repeatedly say that life had no attraction to him, that he had outlived his usefulness, and had no desire to live. More recently, and within a few days of the tragedy, he remarked to John Preston, Esq., that he did not care to live and wanted to die. On Friday evening, the night before his death, he had a cigar which he said he preferred to smoke then as he might not need to smoke it in the morning. This is in evidence that the deed was contemplated beforehand. The deceased was seen to leave the Salmon River House in the evening, where he had _for over two years and start for his room in his house on North Street. According to the testimony before the coroner, the next scene of the unfortunate man was by Charles Halsey, who, while driving past the house about seven o'clock on Saturday morning, saw a bright light in Mr. Lester's room and the man himself seated on the edge of the bed leaning over with his head resting on his hands. At one o'clock, the wife of W. H. Lester, Jr., went to the room with cleaning cloth, intending to care for the apartment, when she discovered her father-in-law and bed, lying upon his back, covered up nicely as though asleep, and dead. Mrs. L. J. Macy, a daughter of the deceased, a lady who has been in feeble health for a short time and for whom the sympathies of the public are particularly aroused, was among the first to arrive at the scene, when she was borne half fainting away, overcome by the terrible site. The room where the deceased was found was comfortably and neatly furnished and everything he had been left in good order. At the head of the bed, were the pants of the dead man upon a chair, and upon them was a pocket knife belonging to the deceased with a small blade open and covered with blood. A receptacle with a quantity of blood in and about it on the floor was to be seen, and bloody finger marks were observable upon the white bedspread. A bloody collar was found upon the floor with one buttonhole torn out and the neck button still attached to the collar. On the table was a pitcher containing water, an empty tumbler and by its side and upon the table spread was discovered some morphine. This was purchased of G. W. Fuller & Son A few days previous. Upon further search to notes were found, once sealed and directed to his son, W. H., Jr., and the other, written upon the back of an advertising bill was without direction, date or signature. It read as follows: "If I am not dead when you find me, did not try to restore me as I have decided not to live." When the room was first entered the lamp was still burning. An examination of the deceased by Coroner Caldwell and Drs. F. S. and A. S. Low, revealed five punctures in the neck, one of whom had wounded the internal jugular. In the opinion of these gentlemen death was caused by loss of blood and syncope. The jury summoned by the coroner, viewed the body and then adjourned until Monday morning, at which time the inquest was held in Dr. Caldwell's office, and the facts, substantially as above narrated where it elicited. The witnesses sworn were, W. H. Gray, John Preston, Charles Halsey, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Lester, Jr., Edward Gray, Adelbert Bushnell, Drs. F. S. and A. S. Low, and Mrs. S. Mason and daughter. The jury returned a verdict of the following effect: That deceased came to his death by a wanted the right side of the neck, severing the internal jugular vein, causing hemorrhage, which, with the use of a dose of morphine, produced fatal syncope, and that said wound was deliberately inflicted by his knife in his own hand with suicidal intent. [signed[ H. W. Caldwell, Coroner; J. W. Shea, Foreman, J. W. Cross, D. B Meacham, George W. Fuller, L. A. Gaylord, A. N. Beadle. The funeral was held from the residence of Mr. L. J. Macy, a son-in-law, on Tuesday last, and the services were conducted by the Rev. J. B. Longstreet.