James Allen Lester, Sr.

3rd Ward Justice of the Peace, West Carroll Parish

police juror, deputy sheriff, and levee board member

Senior Warden, Oak Grove Lodge No. 284

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1900 US Census, Wards 3-5, West Carroll, Louisiana, United States

James A Luster Head M 38 Louisiana, parents b. TN, GA, farmer

Lizzie S Luster Wife F 35 Louisiana, both parents b. LA

James P Luster Son M 12 Louisiana, both parents b. LA, at school

Eddie Luster Son M 10 Louisiana, both parents b. LA, at school

Linnie May Luster Daughter F 8 Louisiana, both parents b. LA, at school

Thomas M Luster Son M 6 Louisiana, both parents b. LA

Nina Vera Luster Daughter F 2 Louisiana, both parents b. LA

Joseph W Webb Hired man M 20 Mississippi, parents b. MS, GA, farm laborer

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSPN-YLP

1910 US Census, Police Jury Ward 3, West Carroll, Louisiana, United States, taken May 4, 1910

James A Lester Head M 47 widowed Louisiana, parents b. TN, TX [sic], farmer, house farm

Ed H Lester Son M 20 Louisiana, parents b. LA, TX, farmer, working

Lunie L Lester Daughter F 18 Louisiana, parents b. LA, TX

Mansfield Lester Son M 16 Louisiana, parents b. LA, TX

Nina Lester Daughter F 12 Louisiana, parents b. LA, TX

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPBN-VSS

1920 US Census, Police Jury Ward 3, West Carroll, Louisiana, United States

James A Lester Head M 57 Louisiana, parents b. TN, AL [sic], farmer, general farm

Clara Lester Wife F 38 Mississippi, both parents b. MS

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVWH-FS2

son Edd lives nearby.

1930 US Census, Police Jury Ward 3, West Carroll, Louisiana, United States

James A Lester Head M 68 Louisiana, parents b. TN, AL, grain farmer, grain farm

Clara Lester Wife F 48 Mississippi, both parents b United States

James A Lester Jr. Son M 7 Louisiana, parents b. LA, MS

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMTX-GM9

1940 US Census, Police Jury Ward 3, West Carroll, Louisiana, United States

Gem Lester Head M 78 Louisiana

Clara Lester Wife F 57 Mississippi

Jame Lester Son M 17 Louisiana

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYR9-3GL

son Edd Lester lives next door.

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Louisiana Deaths Index

Name James Allen Lester

Event Type Death

Event Date 26 Sep 1952

Event Place Oak Grove, West Carroll, Louisiana

Gender Male

Age 90

Race White

Birth Year (Estimated) 1862

Birthplace Oak Grove, Louisiana

Father's Name A J Lester

Mother's Name Elizabeth Cummings

Spouse's Name Clara

Certificate Number 12256

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3M3-Z91

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Miscellaneous:Jesse James Wasn't Assassinated

Submitter: Carolyn P. Avery Nov 2000

Source: West Carroll Gazette March 8, 1951

http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/westcarroll/newspapers/jamesj.txt

Copyright. All rights reserved.

http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm

OLDEST PARISH NATIVE CONTENDS JESSE JAMES WASN'T ASSASSINATED

Was Jesse James actually shot by Bob Ford?

Maybe history will never reveal the answers conclusively but, J.A. Lester, West Carroll's oldest living native, who celebrated his 89th birthday Sunday, won't hesitate to tell you that "Bob Ford never shot Jesse"

Mr. Lester, who has been living on the same farm in what is now Briggs Community for the past 86 years, is doubtless the last living person in West Carroll who saw Jesse James, Frank James and their cousins, Cole and Bob Younger, alive.

"I don't remember just what time of year it was, but my father and I were going along the old lane (east of the present road) one afternoon when four horsemen rounded the bend headed north. They rode two abreast and wore slickers and rain caps and were carring rifles and had six-guns strapped to their saddles."

"I was only eight (it was in 1872) and they scared me. After they passed, my father asked if I was scared and when I said yes, he told me 'why, that was only Jesse and Frank James and Cole and Bob Younger'." the bright eyed, alert old-timer declared.

Mr. Lester then explaned that the four were returning north after a visit with Tom Jarrett and his wife, a cousin of the James brothers,"right down the road there on the old Johnson place." The farm is now owned by Louis Fowler.

Mr. Lester, a former police juror, deputy sheriff, magistrate and levee board member, bases his contention that Jesse James was not shot by Bob Ford on the fact that " about 15 years ago, I talked to a man who came to Oak Grove with a show claiming to be Jesse James. He must have been for he answered questions that only Jesse could have known the answeres."

Among these were accurate descriptions of places where Tom Jarrett and Bill Dickerson had lived. Both were well known residents of West Carroll and were friends of the James boys from the days of the home guards. Mr. Lester's strongest point of contention is that the land- marks and spots described had at the time of the questioning been obliterated "for years".

"That man was Jesse James, for how else could he have known the answers to those questions," Mr. Lester declared.

The active elderly man was in fine spirits except for complain- ing of a little arthritis in his neck. He took pride in displaying his muzzle-loading shotgun and telling of its great accuracy with two types of shot-buckshot and b.b.'s.

Contrasting with the age represented in the muzzle-loading gun (80 years) was a modern radio located in another corner of the room. A tintype of Mr. Lester's parents hangs in the hall of the rambling old farm home. Albert Jackson Lester and his bride, Elizabeth Cummins Lester, moved to northeast Louisiana, (around Floyd community) in 1857.

They saw Yankees wilfully destroy dwellings and other property at Oak Grove and Floyd. Amoung the many Civil War experiences related to Mr. Lester by his father was one concerning the attempt of the yankees to burn out Floyd, then the parish seat. "The Yankees burned the jail at Floyd but were chased away by the home guards before they could set fire to the courthouse," the aged native stated.

He knew nothing of a report that a band of Quantrelle's guerrillas, under the leadership of Jesse James aided in driving the Yankees from Floyd.

The Lester home was purchased by Mr. Lester's father from "the Widow Parmer" in 1867 and has remained in the Lester family the past 86 years.

Mr. Lester has five living children, Ed, Mansfield and J.A., all living on the home place, Mrs. Lindy Webb and Mrs. Nina McVey, both of Shreveport, nine grandchildren and seven great-grand children.

Whether or not Jesse James was killed by Bob Ford will probably never be conclusively decieded, but there is one man who will always contend "It was a plot to collect the $50,000 reward by Bob and Jesse."

--J.A. Lester, who lived when the laughing, dancing, gun-toting James and Younger Clan paid regular visits to West Carroll Parish for rest.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26587248/part_1/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26587299/part_2/

"The West Carroll Story"

[excerpt]

During the Civil War, a band of Quantrelle's guerrillas were active in Carroll. A story is told of how they aided the home guards, under the leadership of Jesse James, in preventing the Yankees from destroying Floyd a few days after the fall of Vicksburg, Miss. This particular version is not substantiated. However, J. A. Lester, Briggs community, the parish's oldest native citizen, verifies the fact that the Yankees burned the jail at Floyd "but were chased away by the home guard before they set fire to the courthouse." Mr. Lester's father recounted this brief bit of history for him and was quoted in an interview in The Gazette as saying such. But the well-known tales of the visits of the celebrated outlaws Jesse and Frank James and the Younger brothers following the war are well verified. However, even though Jesse James did serve with a detachment of Quantrelle's guerrillas during the Civil War he probably was not in a position of leadership with that organization. It is likely that he may have been with the detachment that aided the Carroll home guards and in that way became acquainted with the remoteness and security offered by the Carroll area. Tales of their visits to Carroll for refuge following periods of bandit activity in the north central states are well circulated even today. There is no record of the desperadoes committing any of the crimes for which they were notorious in the Carroll area. Mr. Lester also recounted a visit of the James brothers to their cousin, Tom Jarrett, and a friend, Bill Dickinson, well-known former residents of the parish.

The West Carroll Gazette (Oak Grove, Louisiana)

15 Mar 1951, Thu • Page 5

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27163716/the_west_carroll_gazette/

J. A. Lester, 90, died at his residence In Oak Grove Saturday. Funeral services will be conducted at a p.m. today at the Catron-Gay Chapel with the Rev. J. D. Cheetham officiating. Interment will follow at the Oak Grove cemetery with a Masonic service at the grave side.

He is survived by his wile Glara [sic: Clara] Lester, three sons, Edward, Thomas and James, all of Oak Grove; two daughters. Mrs. J. W. Webb and Mrs. W. H. McVay, both of Shreveport; one sister, Mrs. M. L. Alexandria [sic: Alexander], Forrest; nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and one great-great, grandchild.

Mr. Lester was the oldest native of West Carroll, a charter member of the Oak Grove Masonic lodge, an Odd Fellow, and a member of the Knights of Pythias. He was a member of the police jury for four terms, member of the Levee Board for two terms, justice of the peace for eight years and deputy sheriff of West Carroll pariah for two terms.

Monroe Morning World, Monroe, Louisiana, September 28, 1952, page 16-A

https://newspaperarchive.com/monroe-morning-world-sep-28-1952-p-32/