LASTER
History
While most of our ancestors had the surname Laster, their original surname was Lassiter, which is a habitational name from Leicester, itself from an Old English term meaning "Roman town". Our own line can be traced to North Carolina in the 1800s, but the name has been used since at least the 11th century.
George Laster
1827 - 1885
It's likely that George was born with the surname Lassiter, but all records of him as an adult spell it Laster, and he gave his children the name Laster as well. George was born in North Carolina in 1827 to unknown parents. In 1855 he married Malona Riddle, and the couple had eight children, born in North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas, indicating that the family moved around quite a bit. George was a farmer, as well as a Private in the Civil War. He passed away in 1885.
George and Malona's children:
Sources:
George and Malona's children:
- Jesse Laster, b. 1856
- Joseph Laster, b. 1860
- Mary Emeline Laster, b. 1866
- Sarah Laster, b. 1868
- Cora Laster, b. 1870
- George Alexander Laster, b. 1872, d. 1950
- Rebecca Jane Laster, b. 1876
- Walter Laster, b. 1878
Sources:
- Military Record
- 1870 & 1880 Census
- North Carolina Marriages
- Gravestone
Rebecca Laster
1876 - Unknown
Rebecca was born in Missouri in 1876, the second youngest child of George and Malona. Both of her parents died before she was grown, and at 17, she married Robert King. The two had three children. It is unclear whether Robert passed away or if the two divorced, but in 1905, Rebecca married Sylvester Trowbridge. They settled in Arkansas and had four children.
My grandfather recalls his grandmother Rebecca (who preferred to be called "Toby" - she was said to have hated the name Rebecca, but it's unclear where Toby came from) as a fiercely independent woman who outlived two husbands, raised her children often on her own, and helped raise him in his early years. She developed Alzheimer's later in life, and was cared for by both her daughter Marie and an Oklahoma nursing home, where she passed away.
Rebecca and Robert's children:
For information on Rebecca and Sylvester's children, please visit the Trowbridge page.
Sources:
My grandfather recalls his grandmother Rebecca (who preferred to be called "Toby" - she was said to have hated the name Rebecca, but it's unclear where Toby came from) as a fiercely independent woman who outlived two husbands, raised her children often on her own, and helped raise him in his early years. She developed Alzheimer's later in life, and was cared for by both her daughter Marie and an Oklahoma nursing home, where she passed away.
Rebecca and Robert's children:
- Neona King, b. 1895, d. 1946
- Howard King, b. 1897
- Robert King, b. 1899
For information on Rebecca and Sylvester's children, please visit the Trowbridge page.
Sources:
- 1880-1930 Census Records
- Arkansas Marriage Index
- Missouri Marriage Index
- Family Information