WILLIAM A. KESTER

William A. Kester, who devotes his attention to the pursuits of farming and stock-raising, is the owner of a highly improved and valuable farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 15, Springdale township. His birth occurred in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, on the 12th of May, 1859, his parents being Hiram and Mary (Musgrave) Kester, who were likewise natives of that place and spent their entire lives on a farm in Columbia county. Their children were four in number, as follows: Sarah Elizabeth, who died in infancy, passing away the same year in which the parents were called to their final rest; Aaron, whose demise occurred in 1907 at Chicago, where he had resided since 1880; Clark, who has made his home in Audubon county, Iowa, since 1883; and William A. of this review.

The last named, who was but three years of age when his parents died, was reared by friends of the family until a youth of eighteen and worked by the month as a farm hand until the time of his marriage. He remained a resident of his native county until the summer of 1880, when he came to Cedar county, Iowa, here working on a farm by the month for a year. On returning to Pennsylvania he was married and during the following two years carried on agricultural pursuits in the Keystone state. In 1883 he removed to Audubon county, Iowa, and purchased a farm, devoting his time and energies to its operation until 1889.

In the fall of the latter year Mr. Kester once more came to Cedar county and has here resided continuously since. During the first two years following his arrival he cultivated a rented farm near Springdale but at the end of that time he sold his property in Audubon county and purchased the place which he had been operating as a renter. There he sucessfully carried on his agricultural interests until 1901, when he disposed of the property and bought his present place of one hundred and sixty acres, comprising the southwest quarter of section 15, Springdale township. This is known as the Joseph Ball farm, Mr. Ball having been its second owner and having improved the property. In 1864-5 he built the rock home which is still standing on the farm and which was one of the first stone residences in Cedar county. It is a three-story structure containing fourteen large rooms and is an interesting landmark. The stones used in its construction were hauled from the vicinity of the Cedar river and one man was busily engaged in hauling them for an entire year, working nearly every day including Sundays. Four masons labored almost a year before the building was completed and eight thousand dollars were expended in its construction. There are also six commodious and substantial outbuildings on the farm, providing ample shelter for grain and stock. Mr. Ball operated the place as a stock farm, and Mr. Kester likewise raises high grade stock in addition to cultivating the cereals best adapted to soil and climate. The appearance of the farm indicates that its owner is progressive and up-to-date in his methods and the success which he today enjoys indicates clearly the business ability and good management which he has displayed.

On the 30th of December, 1880, Mr. Kester was united in marriage to Miss Anna Hayman, who was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of February, 1863, her parents being Peter and Anna (Mather) Hayman. They spent their entire lives in Columbia county and the death of the mother occurred when Mrs. Kester was still but an infant. Mr. and Mrs. Kester have two children, namely: Clark, a resident of North Dakota, who wedded Miss Olive Wright, by whom he has a son, Earl; and Edith, who is the wife of Lon Hutchinson and lives east of Springdale, Iowa.

Mr. Kester is a member and one of the trustees of the Congregational church at Centerdale and assisted in its erection. At all times he has been true to the obligations and responsibilities that have devolved upon him in every relation of life and therefore well merits the esteem and good will which are uniformly accorded him.