Beginning in 1840, John H. Lester of Brooklyn manufactured Woodworth planers for which buyers could get a license from the Woodworth patent cartel. He also made a variety of other products, including steam engines, boilers, and metalworking machinery. So far as we can tell, his business had slowed down or disappeared by 1857, the Woodworth patent having expired in 1856. It is known that the other makers of Woodworth planers, Schenck Machine Co. and John Gibson, were resented by their customers because of the behavior of the Woodworth planer syndicate, and saw their business virtually disappear as soon as the patent expired; it seems that Lester suffered the same fate.

Lester planing machine from the 1856 book, "The Historical Picture Gallery, Vol. V", by John R. Chapin

Following the disappearance of the planer business—which undoubtedly also reduced the steam-engine sales as well—Lester began making sewing machines. At some point before 1860 he relocated his business to Richmond, Virginia, under the name of Lester Manufacturing Co. That name changed to Union Sewing Machine Co. in 1860.

When the Civil War began, Lester found himself on the Confederate side of the front lines. He signed a pledge of loyalty to the Confederacy and manufactured machines that were used to make guns. He used his manufacturing activities to obtain a certificate of exemption from service in the Confederate army. Sometime before 1864, and probably before the Civil War began, Lester moved to Richmond, Virginia. He attempted to return in 1864, but was arrested, court-martialled and convicted of "things alleged to have been done by him in Confederate States". He was sentenced to ten years hard labor with ball and chain but was released after almost 14 months. By 1866 he had a business making lubricating oil. In 1871 he was granted a sewing-machine patent but we do not know if he ever manufactured his design. In 1889 he sued the general who had had him arrested and court-martialled, but lost in court.

Information Sources

• The 1856 book The Historical Picture Gallery, Vol. V, by John R. Chapin, 1856, has several pages from a John H. Lester catalog.
• The patent record is a bit confusing. We assume that our John H. Lester of Brooklyn is not connected to any of the similarly name people who were granted or assigned patents while living in other places. There was an 1846 stave-dressing patent granted to a John H. Lester of New London, CT. J. H. Lester of Boston was assigned some 1866 patents. A January 1866 patent was granted to John H. Lester of Brooklyn, and covered a method of making a lubricating oil for machinery. The patent was reissued in December of that year, and the reissue was assigned to the Lester Oil Manufacturing Co. of New York. A John H. Lester of Niantic, CT, was granted an 1871 patent for a refrigerator; Our Brooklyn Lester received an 1871 sewing-machine patent. Finally, a John Henry Lester of New York was granted an 1871 patent for a milk can.
• Transactions of the American Institute for the year 1850, including awards for that year's Fair of the American Institute: John H. Lester, 192 Fulton-street, for an excellent revolving cutter wood planing machine. Silver medal.
• Ad in 1850-06-29 Scientific American: "JOHN H. LESTER—Manufacturer of Wood worth's Planing Machines, Steam Engines, and Boilers, Sugar Mills, Slide Lathes, Iron Planing Machines, Iron and Brass Castings of every descriptions. Planing Machines of all sizes and with all the latest improvements constantly on hand or made to order at the shortest notice, with Steam Engines, Boilers, Shafting, and every kind of machinery necessary to fit up planing, sugar or saw mills. Orders by mail or otherwise will receive prompt attention. Office 192 Fulton st., N. Y. Factory and Foundry at Hastings upon the Hudson, 20 miles from the city by H. H. Railroad."
• Ad in 1852-07-31 to 1852-08-21 Scientific American: "WOODWORTH'S PLANING MACHINES, on hand and manufactured to order, of superior quality, at reduced prices; warranted perfect. Also steam engines and other machinery, by JOHN H. LESTER, 57 Pearl st., Brooklyn, L. I."
• Article in the 1853-05-16 New York Times:

  FIRE—About 1 o'clock yesterday morning a fire broke out in the Foundry, in Pearl street near Plymouth, owned and occupied by JOHN H. LESTER. The building was totally destroyed, together with most of the contents, principally in machinery and patterns. From this the flames spread to the house on the corner of Plymouth street... The whole loss is estimated at $25,000. Mr. Lester is the greatest sufferer, but is nearly covered by insurance in several New York offices. Loss $10,000.... The buildings were all of them two stories high and built of wood. The Fire Department and Police turned out promptly and worked nobly.

• Ad in 1854-10-07 to 1854-11-11 Scientific American: "WOODWORTH'S PATENT Planing, Tonguing and Grooving Machines—Double machines plane both sides, tongue, and groove at one and the same time, saving one half of the time when lumber is required to be planed on both sides. Large assortment constantly on hand. Warranted to give entire satisfaction to purchasers. JOHN H. LESTER, 57 Pearl st., Brooklyn, L. I."
• Ad in 1855-07-14 Scientific American: "WOODWORTH'S PLANING MACHINES of all kinds and prices. Large assortment always on hand at reduced prices and unsurpassed in quality. Manufactured at the old place by JOHN H. LESTER, 57 Pearl street, Brooklyn, L. I., New York."
• Ad in the 1855-11-07 Oswego Daily Palladium:

  LESTER'S IRON WORKS, For the manufacture of Woodworth's Planing Machines, and Steam Engines.

  57 Pearl St, Brooklyn, N. Y., opposite New York City.

  The subscriber having been engaged for the past 15 years in the almost exclusive manufacture of this most important invention, Woodworth's Planing, Grooving and Tonguing Machine, has recently completed the large addition to his already extensive Iron Works, will exercise with despatch all orders in the above line to an unlimited extent. The universally acknowledged superiority of Woodworth's Planing Machines, manufactured by him, over all others, requires no reservation.

  In the manufacture of STEAM ENGINES, we claim a superiority for power and speed, beauty of construction and form; and also guarantee the Engine to transmit 10 per cent, more power for the same money then can be furnished by any other manufacturer, and more than 100 per cent saving in wear and tear, as well as a large saving in the consumption of fuel.

  References to parties having the Steam Engine now in use: Pardee & Morgan, New Haven, Ct.; S. W. Slocum, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Timory Babal, Astoria, L. I.; Lyons & Curtis, Bridgeport, Ct.; Stamford Manufacturing Co., Stamford, Ct.; John C. Sanford, New Haven, Ct.; Hollin Sanford, N. York City; Charles F. Loosey, Austrian Consul General.

  References to parties having the Woodworth Planing Machine now in use. G. B. Sloat, Kensington, Philadelphia, Pa.; Kidder & Martin, Wilmington, N. C.; A. L. Clapp & Co., Montgomery, Ala.; G. A. Sanford, New Orleans, La.; Hickle, Guille & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio; Fess & Brothers, Chicago, Ills.; J. B. Smith, Milwaukee, Wis.; P. B. & I. L. Eaton, Buffalo, N. Y.; Forward & Smith, Oswego, N. Y.; John Snarr, Toronto, C. W.

  Orders and proposals received by mail or otherwise, from all parts of the United States, Canada, South America and Europe, will be promptly attended to by Agents who are traveling in all sections of the country. Letters by mail address JOHN H. LESTER, 57 Pearl St., Brooklyn, N. Y.

• Ad in 1856-11-29 Scientific American: "WOODWORTH'S PATENT PLANING Tonguing, and Grooving Machines, double and single. The largest assortment to be found in the United States, varying in price from $300 to $3,000, and each machine guaranteed to give entire satisfaction to the purchaser. JOHN H. LESTER, No. 57 Pearl st., Brooklyn. N. Y."
• From The New England magazine. / Volume 5, Issue 30, April 1887, "Historical Record": "GENERAL BUTLER has been sued for $100,000 damages for imprisoning John H. Lester in Fort Hatteras during the war. He pleaded his own case and won it." An article in the New York Times makes clear that this was indeed the John H. Lester of Brooklyn. The article reports that Lester had gone South from Brooklyn—with his family—to enter into business at Richmond. On January 25, 1864, Lester passed through the lines to take the oath of allegiance under Lincoln's amnesty proclamation. Apparently General Butler suspected that Lester had $180,000 in his possession, and when Lester denied this he was put in prison. Lester alleged that gold worth $12,000 was seized from his wife when she crossed the line and was given a receipt for only $6,000. In any event, Lester was court-martialled and convicted for "things alleged to have been done by him in Confederate States before he took the oath, and also upon charges of having taken that oath fraudulently." The sentence was ten years hard labor, complete with ball and chain. He served a bit less than 14 months. More lawsuit details , Part 2 and Part 3. Related articles: General Butler falls; Butler's injuries are serious.
• A sewing-machine history site provided the information on Lester's manufacture of sewing machines in Brooklyn, the move to Richmond, and the two company names that he used.
• 1851-11-15 vol VII no. 9 p. 66 Scientific American Improved Planing Machine. We learn by the Philadelphia Ledger that two new machines of the Woodworth patent "have recently been put up at the mill of Henry R. Wilson, Hamilton street, west of Broad, Philadelphia, which for rapidity of operation and fine work surpass any other machines of this patent. They are wholly of iron. and one weighs about four tons. This was made by John H. Lister [sic], of Hastings, West Chester County, New York, with various improvements suggested by Mr. Wilson. It now turns out boards planed on both sides, and tongued and grooved, at one operation, at the rate of twenty thousand feet per day. It is capable of being changed to a flooring-board machine, that is, planing but one side, by changing the strap and displacing the under cylinder by raising the bed-plate, which requires but a minute to effect. In planing flooring-boards, it has been worked at the rate of eighty feet per minute. The other machine was made by S. B. Schenck, of Mansfield, Mass., and has all the above improvements. There are now sixteen of the Woodworth planing machines in active operation at the mills of H. R. Wilson, Jacob P. Wilson, and George B. Sloat, working, on an average, about twelve million feet per annum.