Keturah was born at Everett's Corner in what was then called Lawrence Station, West Windsor Twp. She was the sixth of her parents' ten children, named for her aunt, Keturah Evans Everett (1820-1899). She attended school locally through the 8th grade.
During the Civil War, when she was a teenager, Keturah's older brother Isaac Everett served in New Jersey's 21st Infantry with Joseph 'Joe' Pierson of Lawrence Twp. When the two young men returned from the war, Isaac introduced Joe to his sister. On 9 Jan. 1867, a few days after her 18th birthday, Keturah and Joe were married at her parents' home by Rev. Robert Manning, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton Square. Ten months later, to the day, their first child was born--a son whom she named James Everett 'Jim' Pierson in honor of her father.
Her father, James H. Everett, was a very prosperous farmer and land-owner in West Windsor. According to tradition, he and his wife Rachel gave each of their eight children who lived to adulthood a farm as a wedding gift. Various land transactions between James and Rachel Everett and their children confirm this tradition. On 14 Mar. 1867, two months after Joe and Keturah were married, James H. Everett purchased 71.9 acres on the northeast corner of Carter and Rosedale roads, in Lawrence Twp. This property is now part of or adjacent to the campus of the Educational Testing Service (E.T.S.). Keturah and Joe presumably occupied the farm at the time of or soon after her father's purchase of it. In 1870, her parents deeded it to Joseph Pierson. Then in Nov. 1886, Joe and Keturah deeded it back to her father, who reconveyed it to only Keturah a month later.
In all, eight children were born to Keturah and Joe in Lawrence Twp. The last was an son born 11 Sep. 1886, who survived just one day. Keturah was listed in census and other records as a housewife. Joe was a drover and farmer.
About 1888, the family moved from Rosedale into Hopewell Borough, where Joe conducted a livery business. After residing at a couple of locations in town, on 9 Oct. 1889 Keturah purchased a 3/10-acre property, now 29 Blackwell Ave., at the corner of Railroad Ave., for $275. Keturah and Joe would remain there for more than three decades while several of their children settled in town nearby. Their son Theodore 'Dory' A. Pierson bought the house next door, 25 Blackwell Ave. Daughter Rachel Braunworth lived for a time around the corner on Railroad Ave. About 1910, Rachel and her husband purchased Dory's house when he moved up to Broad St.
Between 1897 and 1915, Keturah and Joe Pierson suffered through the deaths of three more of their children. Daughter Louie died at 19 in 1897. Son Jim, their oldest child, died in 1909 at the age of 41. And daughter Margaret died at 34 years of age in 1915. After their son Jim died, they took in grandson James E. Jr. for a time. (He was called Everett, but given the nickname Butch while living there or with the Braunworth family next door.)
The death of Keturah's husband was also a shock to the town. He died suddenly of a heart attack while visiting neighbors on their front porch on 17 Sep. 1922. Then, less than two months later, on Nov. 17th, the extensive barns behind 29 Blackwell Ave., which had been used for her late husband's livery business, burned down.
Following Joe Pierson's death, Keturah applied and qualified for a federal pension for the remainder of her life as the widow of a Civil War soldier. In 1930 and 1940, she was living with her daughter Carolyn Race on Blackwell Ave.
Mrs. Keturah Pierson died at the age of 96 years on 22 July 1945 (the 36th anniversary of her son Jim's death). She was the oldest resident of Hopewell Borough and the oldest member of the First Presbyterian Church and the Women's Missionary Society and Sewing Circle. She was survived by 4 of her 8 children, 13 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
During the Civil War, when she was a teenager, Keturah's older brother Isaac Everett served in New Jersey's 21st Infantry with Joseph 'Joe' Pierson of Lawrence Twp. When the two young men returned from the war, Isaac introduced Joe to his sister. On 9 Jan. 1867, a few days after her 18th birthday, Keturah and Joe were married at her parents' home by Rev. Robert Manning, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton Square. Ten months later, to the day, their first child was born--a son whom she named James Everett 'Jim' Pierson in honor of her father.
Her father, James H. Everett, was a very prosperous farmer and land-owner in West Windsor. According to tradition, he and his wife Rachel gave each of their eight children who lived to adulthood a farm as a wedding gift. Various land transactions between James and Rachel Everett and their children confirm this tradition. On 14 Mar. 1867, two months after Joe and Keturah were married, James H. Everett purchased 71.9 acres on the northeast corner of Carter and Rosedale roads, in Lawrence Twp. This property is now part of or adjacent to the campus of the Educational Testing Service (E.T.S.). Keturah and Joe presumably occupied the farm at the time of or soon after her father's purchase of it. In 1870, her parents deeded it to Joseph Pierson. Then in Nov. 1886, Joe and Keturah deeded it back to her father, who reconveyed it to only Keturah a month later.
In all, eight children were born to Keturah and Joe in Lawrence Twp. The last was an son born 11 Sep. 1886, who survived just one day. Keturah was listed in census and other records as a housewife. Joe was a drover and farmer.
About 1888, the family moved from Rosedale into Hopewell Borough, where Joe conducted a livery business. After residing at a couple of locations in town, on 9 Oct. 1889 Keturah purchased a 3/10-acre property, now 29 Blackwell Ave., at the corner of Railroad Ave., for $275. Keturah and Joe would remain there for more than three decades while several of their children settled in town nearby. Their son Theodore 'Dory' A. Pierson bought the house next door, 25 Blackwell Ave. Daughter Rachel Braunworth lived for a time around the corner on Railroad Ave. About 1910, Rachel and her husband purchased Dory's house when he moved up to Broad St.
Between 1897 and 1915, Keturah and Joe Pierson suffered through the deaths of three more of their children. Daughter Louie died at 19 in 1897. Son Jim, their oldest child, died in 1909 at the age of 41. And daughter Margaret died at 34 years of age in 1915. After their son Jim died, they took in grandson James E. Jr. for a time. (He was called Everett, but given the nickname Butch while living there or with the Braunworth family next door.)
The death of Keturah's husband was also a shock to the town. He died suddenly of a heart attack while visiting neighbors on their front porch on 17 Sep. 1922. Then, less than two months later, on Nov. 17th, the extensive barns behind 29 Blackwell Ave., which had been used for her late husband's livery business, burned down.
Following Joe Pierson's death, Keturah applied and qualified for a federal pension for the remainder of her life as the widow of a Civil War soldier. In 1930 and 1940, she was living with her daughter Carolyn Race on Blackwell Ave.
Mrs. Keturah Pierson died at the age of 96 years on 22 July 1945 (the 36th anniversary of her son Jim's death). She was the oldest resident of Hopewell Borough and the oldest member of the First Presbyterian Church and the Women's Missionary Society and Sewing Circle. She was survived by 4 of her 8 children, 13 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
Keturah was born at Everett's Corner in what was then called Lawrence Station, West Windsor Twp. She was the sixth of her parents' ten children, named for her aunt, Keturah Evans Everett (1820-1899). She attended school locally through the 8th grade.
During the Civil War, when she was a teenager, Keturah's older brother Isaac Everett served in New Jersey's 21st Infantry with Joseph 'Joe' Pierson of Lawrence Twp. When the two young men returned from the war, Isaac introduced Joe to his sister. On 9 Jan. 1867, a few days after her 18th birthday, Keturah and Joe were married at her parents' home by Rev. Robert Manning, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton Square. Ten months later, to the day, their first child was born--a son whom she named James Everett 'Jim' Pierson in honor of her father.
Her father, James H. Everett, was a very prosperous farmer and land-owner in West Windsor. According to tradition, he and his wife Rachel gave each of their eight children who lived to adulthood a farm as a wedding gift. Various land transactions between James and Rachel Everett and their children confirm this tradition. On 14 Mar. 1867, two months after Joe and Keturah were married, James H. Everett purchased 71.9 acres on the northeast corner of Carter and Rosedale roads, in Lawrence Twp. This property is now part of or adjacent to the campus of the Educational Testing Service (E.T.S.). Keturah and Joe presumably occupied the farm at the time of or soon after her father's purchase of it. In 1870, her parents deeded it to Joseph Pierson. Then in Nov. 1886, Joe and Keturah deeded it back to her father, who reconveyed it to only Keturah a month later.
In all, eight children were born to Keturah and Joe in Lawrence Twp. The last was an son born 11 Sep. 1886, who survived just one day. Keturah was listed in census and other records as a housewife. Joe was a drover and farmer.
About 1888, the family moved from Rosedale into Hopewell Borough, where Joe conducted a livery business. After residing at a couple of locations in town, on 9 Oct. 1889 Keturah purchased a 3/10-acre property, now 29 Blackwell Ave., at the corner of Railroad Ave., for $275. Keturah and Joe would remain there for more than three decades while several of their children settled in town nearby. Their son Theodore 'Dory' A. Pierson bought the house next door, 25 Blackwell Ave. Daughter Rachel Braunworth lived for a time around the corner on Railroad Ave. About 1910, Rachel and her husband purchased Dory's house when he moved up to Broad St.
Between 1897 and 1915, Keturah and Joe Pierson suffered through the deaths of three more of their children. Daughter Louie died at 19 in 1897. Son Jim, their oldest child, died in 1909 at the age of 41. And daughter Margaret died at 34 years of age in 1915. After their son Jim died, they took in grandson James E. Jr. for a time. (He was called Everett, but given the nickname Butch while living there or with the Braunworth family next door.)
The death of Keturah's husband was also a shock to the town. He died suddenly of a heart attack while visiting neighbors on their front porch on 17 Sep. 1922. Then, less than two months later, on Nov. 17th, the extensive barns behind 29 Blackwell Ave., which had been used for her late husband's livery business, burned down.
Following Joe Pierson's death, Keturah applied and qualified for a federal pension for the remainder of her life as the widow of a Civil War soldier. In 1930 and 1940, she was living with her daughter Carolyn Race on Blackwell Ave.
Mrs. Keturah Pierson died at the age of 96 years on 22 July 1945 (the 36th anniversary of her son Jim's death). She was the oldest resident of Hopewell Borough and the oldest member of the First Presbyterian Church and the Women's Missionary Society and Sewing Circle. She was survived by 4 of her 8 children, 13 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
During the Civil War, when she was a teenager, Keturah's older brother Isaac Everett served in New Jersey's 21st Infantry with Joseph 'Joe' Pierson of Lawrence Twp. When the two young men returned from the war, Isaac introduced Joe to his sister. On 9 Jan. 1867, a few days after her 18th birthday, Keturah and Joe were married at her parents' home by Rev. Robert Manning, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton Square. Ten months later, to the day, their first child was born--a son whom she named James Everett 'Jim' Pierson in honor of her father.
Her father, James H. Everett, was a very prosperous farmer and land-owner in West Windsor. According to tradition, he and his wife Rachel gave each of their eight children who lived to adulthood a farm as a wedding gift. Various land transactions between James and Rachel Everett and their children confirm this tradition. On 14 Mar. 1867, two months after Joe and Keturah were married, James H. Everett purchased 71.9 acres on the northeast corner of Carter and Rosedale roads, in Lawrence Twp. This property is now part of or adjacent to the campus of the Educational Testing Service (E.T.S.). Keturah and Joe presumably occupied the farm at the time of or soon after her father's purchase of it. In 1870, her parents deeded it to Joseph Pierson. Then in Nov. 1886, Joe and Keturah deeded it back to her father, who reconveyed it to only Keturah a month later.
In all, eight children were born to Keturah and Joe in Lawrence Twp. The last was an son born 11 Sep. 1886, who survived just one day. Keturah was listed in census and other records as a housewife. Joe was a drover and farmer.
About 1888, the family moved from Rosedale into Hopewell Borough, where Joe conducted a livery business. After residing at a couple of locations in town, on 9 Oct. 1889 Keturah purchased a 3/10-acre property, now 29 Blackwell Ave., at the corner of Railroad Ave., for $275. Keturah and Joe would remain there for more than three decades while several of their children settled in town nearby. Their son Theodore 'Dory' A. Pierson bought the house next door, 25 Blackwell Ave. Daughter Rachel Braunworth lived for a time around the corner on Railroad Ave. About 1910, Rachel and her husband purchased Dory's house when he moved up to Broad St.
Between 1897 and 1915, Keturah and Joe Pierson suffered through the deaths of three more of their children. Daughter Louie died at 19 in 1897. Son Jim, their oldest child, died in 1909 at the age of 41. And daughter Margaret died at 34 years of age in 1915. After their son Jim died, they took in grandson James E. Jr. for a time. (He was called Everett, but given the nickname Butch while living there or with the Braunworth family next door.)
The death of Keturah's husband was also a shock to the town. He died suddenly of a heart attack while visiting neighbors on their front porch on 17 Sep. 1922. Then, less than two months later, on Nov. 17th, the extensive barns behind 29 Blackwell Ave., which had been used for her late husband's livery business, burned down.
Following Joe Pierson's death, Keturah applied and qualified for a federal pension for the remainder of her life as the widow of a Civil War soldier. In 1930 and 1940, she was living with her daughter Carolyn Race on Blackwell Ave.
Mrs. Keturah Pierson died at the age of 96 years on 22 July 1945 (the 36th anniversary of her son Jim's death). She was the oldest resident of Hopewell Borough and the oldest member of the First Presbyterian Church and the Women's Missionary Society and Sewing Circle. She was survived by 4 of her 8 children, 13 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
Gravesite Details
Heartfelt thanks to Anne West for creating this memorial and to cousin Bob Gantz for the great pics.
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