Lester was the oldest child of Thomas Leadbetter and Anna Rowley. Lester had no brothers, but had five sisters (Anna, Nancy, Almira, Laura, and Arabella).

Lester and his wife Chestina (Wilcox) moved to Broome County in the township of Lisle before 1820. A few years later, Lester and Chestina moved closer to Binghamton by moving to East Maine, NY.

Lester and Chestina had 9 children (4 boys / 5 girls)

- William Lester Leadbetter m. Catherine A. Barnum
- Chestina Rosella Leadbetter
- Thomas Leadbetter
- Sylvester Leadbetter
- Charlotte M. Leadbetter
- Mortimer Leadbetter
- Jane Leadbetter
- Thelma E. Leadbetter
- Pluma Leadbetter

It would appear that Lester and Chestina divorced (or split up without a divorce) and that Lester was living with a young girl as indicated by the 1850 census when the census shows that Chestina is living alone as head of the family with Sally, Jane, and Thelma "Sedbetter" (sic) and in the 1860 census, Chestina is shown living with her son Mortimer, his wife and three children, as well as with her daughters, Jane and Pluma. It was most likely the original Leadbetter homestead with Lester moved out and Mortimer and his family moving in and running the farm.

Lester is shown as 62 yrs old in the 1855 State Census and living with Pamelia Scoville, age 40 (listed as "concubine"), and their 13 year old daughter Matilda Leadbetter. There is another record of an older daughter (Aurelia Leadbetter) who was born of the Lester and Pamelia (Permelia / Parmelia) union in 1839. At some point, Lester married Pamelia, or at least Pamelia had taken his last name. After Lester's death, Pamelia lived with her daughter Aurelia and Aurelia's husband, Charles M. Bliss.

I don't think it is any stretch of the imagination to assume that Lester and his "concubine" had much to do with the split up of Lester and Chestina. It would appear that Pamelia had lived with the family for at least ten years and had already given birth to a couple of children fathered by Lester before Chestina moved out (this is based on census records). I have no doubt this was a troubling situation that caused considerable angst within the family.

The 1860 Census indicates that Lester was 68 years old at that time and that Pamelia is now listed as "Pamela Ledbetter (sic)", age 42, and daughter Matilda Ledbetter age 18. Pamelia is no longer using the last name "Scoville" and is shown as Lester's "wife", not "concubine". No record has been found of an official marriage.

Although Lester and Chestina no longer lived together, they were interred together and share a common headstone in the East Maine Cemetery. The gravestone is broken in half with Chestina's name and dates sunk into the ground.

Descendants of Lester Leadbetter can trace their roots back to two Mayflower Passengers (Edward and Ann Fuller)

The lineage: Lester Leadbetter Anna Rowley (wife of Thomas Leadbetter) Col. Aaron Rowley Moses Rowley IV Moses Rowley III Moses Rowley II Elizabeth Fuller (wife of Moses Rowley Sr.) Capt. Mathew Fuller Edward and Ann Fuller

[Alternative that includes a third passenger (Samuel Fuller), but line is not yet accepted by Mayflower Society until Mary Fuller's parentage can be proven] Lester Leadbetter Anna (Rowley) Leadbetter Col. Aaron Rowley Mary (Fuller) Rowley dau. of Josiah Fuller and Anna Rowley Barnabas Fuller Samuel Fuller Edward and Ann Fuller

Descendants of Lester Leadbetter and Chestina Wilcox can also trace their ancestry to five Revolutionary War Soldiers:

Israel Leadbetter (DAR no. A211145) and Col. Aaron Rowley (DAR no. A099301) through Lester's ancestral line. And Rufus Wilcox (DAR no. A126421), Lieut. John Adams (DAR no. A000587), and Capt. Sylvanus Wilcox (DAR no. A126437) through Chestina's ancestral line.