Notes:

Peter Lester was born in Leicestershire, ENG EST 1660. Peter died ABT 1742.

He married twice. He married Mary Duncalf aft Aug 6. 1685 in Chester County, PA, USA.(918) (Mary Duncalf is #1020.) Mary was born. Mary(919) was the daughter of Thomas Duncalf and Margaret Taylor. Mary died before 1740. She became engaged to Pet er Lester August 6, 1685. He married Sarah Scott 1740 in Abington MM, PA.

Peter immigrated to Chester County, or Philadelphia, PA 1682. He became engaged to Mary Duncalf August 6, 1685. "Peter Lester, the founder of the family of that name in Pennsylvania and a pioneer of the Richland Settlement, came to Pennsylvani a about 1682 with William Penn's group from Leichestershire, England. He was first given 1 square lot of land on Market St. by William Penn in Philadelphia. He sold this for 30 pounds.

He was a member of the Society of Friends and declared intentions of marriage at Chester Monthly Meeting with Mary Duncoff, 6 mo. 6, 1685. He was accompanied to this country by at a probable brother, as the will of George Lester, probated at Phi ladelphia Dec. 14, 1695, mentions him as a kinsman and makes him executor." A William Lester who dies in 1691 lists Peter as a cousin and George as a Kinsman.

He purchased 316 acres of land in 1699 in the Manor of Moreland, Philadelphia (now Montgomery County) where he lived until 1712. He sold his land and then moved his family to the Great Swamp on a 600 acre farm in Richland, purchasing that land o n June 24, 1712. He and his family were amongst the first to settle in Richland County, PA. His own property was called, "Friends in the Swamp," later being named Richland. Monthly Meetings where they participated included Abington and Gwynedd . Abington was a distance from where they lived in Richland, so when Gwynedd was finally formed in 1716, they received certificates of removal to join the new closer meeting at that time. Soon after this meeting was formed several other familie s moved to the area, including two son-in-laws that bought property next to his, Abraham Griffith and John Ball. His wife died by 1739. He married again in the Gwyned Monthly Meeting to Sarah Scott. He probably died about 1742, although no deat h records were preserved for that area at that time.
The name Lester is a phonetic spelling of Leicester where the family is from in England. Another possible relative/brother to this Peter is Thomas. He came to America in 1689. He returned three years later to Scotland, married, had 16 childe eeturned to Pennsylvania with several of these children. They lived in PA, NC, and possibly Virginia.

Peter married Mary Duncalf\Duncoff on 6 Jun 1685 in Chester County, PA. Mary (daughter of Thomas Duncalf and Margaret Taylor) was born about 1664 in Philadelphia County, PA; died in 1742 in Richland, Bucks County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Martha Lester was born about 1719; died about 1797 in Bush River, Newbery County, SC.