Hesler Family - May 1909

Brief History of the Hesler Family

Taken from a letter written by Alfred J. Hesler

     The ancestor of the Hesler family was William Hesler, born in the province of Hesse, near Wiesbaden, Germany. Like all other ambitious youngsters, he wanted to come to America since many of his fore bearers had been coming since the first English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, l607 -- Then too, he wanted to escape military service-- as time passed on, the 13 original colonies declared their independence July 4, 1776.

     War was declared, George III was King of England, and it was not a popular move in England, for the reason the English did not want to fight relatives, and friends who had already settled in America.  King George III had the happy idea that troops could he hired from Germany. The deal was made. The province of  �Hesse� was selected to furnish the Hessian soldiers -- Father William being a young and ambitious man, took a change, hired out poor Hesse Castle and came to America to fight the Colonist.

     Incidentally,  while visiting Germany, after World War II, I found a great number of Heslers in the Wiesbaden phone directory.  Then too, the name was spelled with two s'-- Hessler  our name was and is spelled the same way-- only  one �s� has been dropped for convenience.

     After grandfather was here a short time, he fled to the America side of the war -- and became a baker in the army -- Later he settled in New York state. He had a son,  George, who came to Ohio, --then some of the family moved to or near Flemingsburg, Kentucky -- there are a number of Hesler�s there -- a spot called "Hesler�s Knob" is not far from Flemingsburg. Uncle Pleasant stayed in Ohio. Uncle David came with grandfather Jacob to Indiana. He settled in Parke County near Judson. There are many Heslers in that area. Uncle Pleasant from Ohio would come to Indiana and he and my grandfather, James Washington Hesler, would drive down to Parke County for apples.  A brother John, came here also and settled in Cayuga, Indiana.  There are a number of Heslers down in that section.  Another brother, Fleming, went to Iowa. Many are there and have drifted into Chicago as well as Indianapolis.

     When grandfather Jacob came, he had married a Lightfoot, a relative of Harry Lightfoot Lee, of Virginia.  I've visited his mansion in the  'Tidewater territory" of Virginia.  Uncle Jimmie Lightfoot is buried in the Sterling graveyard I'm told. He settled north of the Will Hesler home north of New Liberty church -- grandfather settled 1/4 mile north of New Liberty church. Here he raised his family  by Celia Lightfoot. She died and then he married Hannah Henderson, the mother of your grandfather, Big Jake Hesler and Ezra, who was killed in the Civil war.  Of course you know Big Jake Hesler, your grandfather was a soldier, too and married Lydia Davis. He fought in the Civil War and brought her back as his bride. She was a cousin of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy.

Home   Jacob Hesler   George C. Hesler   August Hesler   Henry Hesler   Reports   Tom Hesler   Mail List

Author is a Member of

I am proud to be a

Site Last Modified Thursday, 29 January, 1998

Site Designed by Tom Hesler