Hester-Nicholas (Nichols) family gathering

An open house for the Hester and Nicholas, also “Nichols,” families will take place Thursday, Oct. 26 from 4 - 9 p.m. at the Russellville Community Church.

The event will feature a 1924 picture of the Hester - Nicholas family reunion. Attendees will have a chance to identify as many of the 155 people in the picture as possible, so bring your old photos.

The Hester - Nicholas Family Reunion picture includes the families associated with the many descendants of John Hester (1765-1843) and Margaret Gilbert and Charles Nicholas (1795-1873) and Ruth Dixon.

Adam Hester (1799-1882), son of John and Margaret, and Charles Nicholas were friends in Kentucky before coming to Indiana. They owned property adjacent to each other in Montgomery County and Putnam County west of Parkersburg.

The two families not only were friends, there were at least two marriages of descendants of the two families, most predominant was that of Amanda Hester and James Milton Nicholas. Those two are buried in the Nicholas Cemetery on the old Nicholas farm in Putnam County.

The picture was made available by John “Butch” Dale, who found it in a sale of the contents from a photographer’s studio in Darlington. The picture says it was taken by Rettinger of Darlington. The family believes it was taken at the old Parkersburg Christian Church, and it is labeled as being taken on Aug. 31, 1924.

For those who would like a copy of the picture, a digital copy is available for those who bring a thumb drive with them. There will also be copies of the latest edition of the Hester family history for those attending.