Justina (Kersting) Nickles Overton, 1862–1945

Justina Kersting was born 31 March 1862 in St. Louis, Missouri, to Richard Kersting and Adolphina Billmeyer. Both of her parents were born in Germany. In the 1880 census, she was listed as a servant in the home of Jacob G. Nickles in St. Louis. Jacob G Nickles, age twenty-one, was listed in the same household.

Justina married Jacob George Nickles on 10 August 1882 in St. Louis. Justina and Jacob’s first child, Jennie, was born 13 October 1882 and died 11 February 1893 of diphtheria. On 18 April 1885, Jacob suffered an injury to his right leg when it was crushed by the cars at Evanston Wyoming Territory. Jacob did not survive his injuries and died 4 May 1885. He was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

Justina married John Sutcliffe Overton on 11 December 1889. He was an Englishman who worked as a stationer. Justina and John lived at 2118 Waverley in St. Louis. He was reputed to be a half-brother to James Overton, the husband of Justina’s sister Bertha. John died 24 July 1910 in St. Louis, and is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery.

The 1920 census reports that Justina was a widow and the owner and head of household at the 2118 Waverley property. Also living at the Waverley property were Justina’s sister Bertha Overton and her brother Joseph H. Kersting.

Justina’s passport application in 1922 described her as sixty years old, five feet, five inches tall, with a high forehead, hazel eyes, regular nose, small mouth, round chin, blonde hair, fair complexion, and oval face. In her application, she indicated that she wanted to travel to Germany, England, France, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Switzerland. The passport was issued 18 April 1922.

By 1930, Justina was a sixty-eight-year-old widow who owned and lived in the property at 2218 Waverley. Her brother, Joseph H. Kersting, was a real estate salesman and lodger in his sister’s household.

Justina passed away 6 February 1945 in St Louis and is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery.

Written by Beth Davis
June 2025

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Last Modified: 26-Dec-2025 18:09