Andrew/1 Lester perhaps came from County Cheshire, England . 1 He married (1), by 1642, Barbara (–?–) , with whom he had 4 children. 2 His name first appears in New England in the 1642 birth record of his child Daniel at Gloucester, Massachusetts . 3 Andrew Lester was appointed constable of Gloucester, 7 Jan 1643, and admitted a freeman of the colony 10 May following. 4 , 5 He was licensed by the county court, 26th of 2d mo. 1648, to keep a house of entertainment. 6      19 Oct 1650, Andrew Lester and seven other Gloucester men had grants of land at New London, Connecticut. "Mr. Richard Blinman had been the minister of Gloucester, for eight years, and was now engaged to become the minister of the Pequot plantation (New London). The others were a party of his friends, who purposed to remove with him, and came on to make preparatory arrangements." 7      Andrew Lester sold his Gloucester property in 1651 to Clement Colden, and left town with the company that went to Pequot. "In the early part of that year, the Cape Ann Company opened up a new street named Cape Ann Lane, containing nine lots, of which Hugh Calkins owned No. 1; Hugh Roberts, No. 2; a Mr. Coit, No. 3; and Andrew Lester, No. 4. In April 1651, a company of promoters, then termed 'undertakers,' consisting of Hugh Calkins, Mr. Denison, John Elderkin and Andrew Lester, took over a tract of lowland bordering Alewife Cove, with a view of reclaiming it." 8      "During the winter of 1651-2 the common lands upon the Great Neck, consisting of all the old ground between the town and Alewife Brook, were laid out and divided by lot … The waste marsh generally overflowed, was given to a company of undertakers, viz., Mr. Denison, Hugh Caulkins, John Elderkin and Andrew Lester, who undertook to drain it, and were to have all the land 'now under water forever.' It was added: 'The undertakers have liberty to make a weare. They are to leave it open two nights every week for the coming up of the alewives. The town to have freedom to take what they please at the usual place or to buy them at the weare at 20 alewives for a penny for their eating.'
     "The salt marshes were esteemed as the first class of lands by the planters. Those near the harbor's mouth were known by the Indian name of Quaganapoxet and were mostly granted to the settlers from Gloucester, as a kind of bonus to induce them to remove, and as furnishing a ready-made food for the cattle they brought with them. They are often referred to as 'the marshes given to Cape Ann men. 9 '" Andrew Lester was an early resident on the west side of Jordan Cove, known as Bruen's Neck. 10      Andrew Lester's wife Barbara died at New London 2 Feb 1653/54, "the first death of a woman on record in the plantation." 2 He married (2), Joanna/2 Willey , daughter of Isaac/1 Willey and Joanna (–?–) , and widow of Robert Hempstead, who died before 1660, "no children mentioned." 11 , 12 He married (3), as her 2d husband, by 1662 at New London, Hannah/2w Brooks (Ann or Anna in CT recs.), daughter of Henry/1w Brooks and (–?–) (–?–) , and widow of Thomas/1 Fox, with whom he had 3 children. 6 , 12      "On 3 September 1663, Andrew Lester acted as attorney to Thomas Fox, Mary Lester, and Hanna Fox, plaintiffs, against Tobiah Colls, defendant, in an action of defamation to the damage of £50 withdrawn in Court. Andrew1 Lester's three wives were Barbara, who died on 2 February 1653[/4?] at New London, Connecticut, Joan (----) Hempstead (widow of Robert1), who died on 7 January 1669/70, also at New London, and Ann (Brooks) Fox (widow of Thomas). Andrew2 Lester was born at Gloucester on 26 December 1644. That would make him just shy of 19, young to be acting as an attorney. It is more likely that this is Andrew1 and that Mary is his daughter Mary2 Lester, who married Thomas Clark by 1666." 12      In a list of ministry rates for 1664, containing 105 names, 13 men had estates valued in excess of £150, including Andrew Lester, Sen., £170. 13 He was constable and collector at New London in 1668, and died there 7 Jun 1669. 6 His widow Hannah married (3) Isaac/1 Willey , whom she survived, and died at New London in 1692. 14 , 15

Children with Barbara (–?–) :
	Daniel/2 Lester + 3 b. 16 Apr 1642 Sgt. Andrew/2 Lester 16 b. 26 Dec 1644 Mary/2 Lester 17 b. 26 Dec 1647, d. say 1683 Anne/2 Lester 18 b. 21 Mar 1650/51

Children with Hannah/2w Brooks :
	Timothy/3w Lester + 19 b. 4 Jul 1662 Joseph/3w Lester + 20 b. 15 Jun 1664 Benjamin/3w Lester + 21 b. 1666, d. before 25 Sep 1739

Source Citations/Notes:

1. [ S1190 ] J.W. Lester, The Lesters , 9-10.
2. [ S562 ] Barbour Collection, New London, Barbara Lester d.
3. [ S700 ] Gloucester VR, 1:429, Daniell Lister b.
4. [ S1190 ] J.W. Lester, The Lesters , 9, 11.
5. [ S222 ] Paige, "Massachusetts Freemen," 20, Andrew Lister.
6. [ S908 ] Caulkins, Hist. New London , 286-87.
7. [ S908 ] Caulkins, Hist. New London , 67.
8. [ S1190 ] J.W. Lester, The Lesters , 11.
9. [ S908 ] Caulkins, Hist. New London , 81-82.
10. [ S908 ] Caulkins, Hist. New London , 95.
11. [ S908 ] Caulkins, Hist. New London , 273, 287, 310.
12. [ S121 ] TAG, Martin E. Hollick, "Mary2 Lester, Wife of Thomas2 Clark(e) of Hartford, Connecticut," 83:1 (Feb-Apr 2008), 68.
13. [ S908 ] Caulkins, Hist. New London , 151-52.
14. [ S106 ] NEHGR, 29:153–157, "Brooks Family of Woburn, Mass.": aft. 1679.
15. [ S908 ] Caulkins, Hist. New London , 1, 287: "after 1670."
16. [ S700 ] Gloucester VR, 1:429, Andrew Lister b.
17. [ S700 ] Gloucester VR, 1:429, Marie Lister b.
18. [ S700 ] Gloucester VR, 1:429, Anne Lister b.
19. [ S562 ] Barbour Collection, New London, Timothy Lester b.
20. [ S562 ] Barbour Collection, New London, Joseph Lester b.
21. [ S1190 ] J.W. Lester, The Lesters , 20.