Norman Lester Best

NOT A DIRECT ANCESTOR N. Lester Best is not in my direct ancestry. The Best family of Salem Twp., Clarion County, PA. is linked by marriage to the family of David Beels. The Beels family is possibly distantly related to our Jacob Bealsfamily. No relationship has been established, and the Beels family believe there is none.

	Date	Location	Notes	Sources
Birth	~1891
Marriage	30 Nov. 1910		To Nellie E. Kline (born~ 1894)
Death
Burial

Ancestry chart segment

   Generation 2              Generation 3           Generation 4                    
                                              +-- Reuben E. Best                 
                                              |                                         
                        +-- N. Lester Best ---+                         
                        |                     |                               
                        |                     +-- Mary Femlee
    Eugene Kline Best --+                                    
                        |                     +--George Kline              
                        |                     |
                        +-- Nellie E. Kline --+
                                              |
                                              +-- Olive
                                              
     
 
Sources:

Children

Name	Gender	Date of Birth	Birthplace	Spouse	Notes	Sources
Ralph O. Best	M	~1911	Richland Twp., Venango Co., PA
Mary O. Best	F	~1926	Richland Twp., Venango Co., PA
Eugene Kline Best	M	~(Jan ?) 1928	Richland Twp., Venango Co., PA

Places of Residence

Location	Dates	Notes	Sources
Beaver Twp.,Clarion Co. PA	by 1900
Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA	by 1910-1930

Photos

Lester Best as a child

Best family farmhouse, Nickleville,Venango Co. PA

Early image, Best family home, Nickleville, Venango Co. PA

Nellie E. Kline as a child

Mary Femlee as young woman

Mary Femlee (Best) as elderly woman

Sources

Ref. Num.	Description	Image of original
1	1900 U.S.Federal Census, Beaver Twp., Clarion Co. PA, Lower Precinct, Enumeration District 3, Pg. 9. Date of census: 13 & 14 June. Lines 2-5: Reuben E. Best age 38, born May 1862, married 18 yrs; wife Mary M. age 35, born Nov. 1864, married 18 yrs, mother of 2 children, both living; daughter Bertha M., age 18, born Dec. 1881; son Norman C. (sic), age 9, born Feb. 1891. All, and all parents, born in PA. In the previous household (Pg. 8, Lines 97-100 and pg. 9, Line 1) is Godlieb Best, age 60, born Mar. 1840, married 33 yr; wife Elizabeth age 57, b. Nov 1842, married 33 yr, mother of 8 children, 5 living; daughter Sarah F. age 20, born Sept 1879; daughter Laura C. age 17, b. Feb. 1883. All, & all parents, born in PA.
2	1910 U.S.Federal Census,Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA, Enumeration District 0141, pg. 7 ancestry.com, date of census 21-22 April 1910. Lines 46-48: Ruben Best, head,age 49, first marriage, 28 years, owns farm, with mortgage; Mary M., wife, age 44, first marriage, 28 years, 2 children born, 2 living. Lester, son, age 19, farm labor, home farm, attended school; Mattie May Goughler, niece, 9, attended school. All and all parents born in PA; all speak, read & write English. Lines 42-45: Perry Wile, head, 30, 1st mar. 3 years, driller, oil wells, rents house; May, wife, 28, 1st mar. 3 years, 2 children born, 2 living; Eugene, son, 2; Helen, dau., 4 months. , All and all parents born PA. Adults can read, write and speak English.
3	1920 U.S.Federal Census, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA, Enumeration District 139, pg.22 ancestry.com, date of census 23 Feb 1920. Lines 9-12: Ruben Best, head,age 56, owns farm; wife Mary age 52. son Lester age 28; daughter-in-law Nellie age 26. All born in PA; all read & write.
4	1930 U.S.Federal Census, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA, Enum. Distr. 61-40, p. 15 ancestry.com. Date of census: 19 Apr. 1930. Lines 16-22: Ruben E. Best, head, age 67, married at age 25, owns home, farm, owns radio. farmer, general farming. Mary M, wife, age 65, age 23 at marriage. Lester N., son, age 38, age 19 at marriage. Nellie E., daughter-in-law, age 36, age 17 at marriage. Ralph O., grandson, 19; Mary O., granddaughter, 4 1/2; Eugene K., grandson, 2yr & (3?) mos. (part of age is smudged)
6	Marriage Permit and Certificate of N. Lester Best and Nellie E. Kline. N. Lester Best 19 years of age and never herertofore married and consent of Father filed and nellie E. Kline 16 years of age and never heretofore married and consent of mother filed, 30 Nov. 1910. I, Ref. A. M. Himes hereby certify that on the thirtieth day of November (1910) at Lamartine, Penna, N. Lester Best and Nellie E. Kline were by me united in marriage in accordance with License issued by the Clerk of the Orphans Court of Clarion County, PA, numbered 5816. Signed Rev. A. M. Himes
7	Eugene Kline Best and Donna Mae Beels (Best) interviews, June 2007 and June 2008, by E. W. Williams. Information included family members' names in various generations; photo portrait copies; a scrap book of obituaries, etc. Reuben Best married Mary Femlee (or Mary Wiegraff(?) buried at Salem, lower drive, Reuben to left, son Lester to right. Children of Reuben & Mary: Mae Best married a Wile; Lester Best married in 1910 Nellie Kline, daughter of George Kline & Olive "Ollie" unknown (George & Olive buried at Salem, front). Lester & Nellie Best were parents of Eugene Kline Best & Tom Best.

Source Notes

• 1900 census: this appears to be Reuben & Mary Best, parents of Mae and N. Lester Best. The Godlieb Best living next door is of an age to be Reuben's uncle or father.
• Ralph, son of Lester & Nellie Kline Best, does not appear in the 1920 census, although born ~1911.