Jane
Chester

Jane Chester was a freedom seeker before her arrival, refusing to be defined by the chains of her enslavement. She worked as a maid in Dauphin County and met her husband while running errands in Harrisburg. The couple had 12 children, most notably, Thomas Morris Chester and Eliza Zedricks. They lived above their successful restaurant on the corner of Third and Market Street. Jane was known for her catering services as well as her hospitality for all. The Chesters were active abolitionists, fighting against the system that Jane was formally a part of. She was able to buy her own home with her success and also made financial contributions to the Capital Presbyterian Church. "Aunty" Jane passed away in 1894, but her legacy lives on through her family name.