Rufus E. Lester

Rufus Ezekiel Lester (December 12, 1837 – June 16, 1906) was a U.S. Representative from Georgia.

Rufus Ezekial Lester
Rufus Ezekiel Lester taken by C. M. Bell Studios
40th Mayor of Savannah, Georgia
In office 1883–1889
Preceded by	John Wheaton
Succeeded by	John Schwarz
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 1st district
In office March 4, 1889 – June 16, 1906
Preceded by	Thomas M. Norwood
Succeeded by	James W. Overstreet
Personal details
Born	(1837-12-12)December 12, 1837 Near Waynesboro, Georgia, U.S.
Died	June 16, 1906(1906-06-16) (aged 68) Cairo, New York, U.S.
Cause of death	Falling through skylight
Resting place	Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic

Born near Waynesboro, Georgia, Lester graduated from Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, in 1857. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar in Savannah, Georgia, and commenced practice in 1859. He entered the military service of the Confederate States Army in 1861 and served throughout the Civil War. He resumed the practice of law in Savannah. He served as member of the Georgia State Senate in 1870–1879 and served as president of that body during the last three years. He served as mayor of Savannah from 1883–1889.

Lester was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-first and to the eight succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1889 until his death in Washington, D.C., on June 16, 1906. He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of State (Fifty-second and Fifty-third Congresses).

He died after an accident in which he fell through a skylight on the roof of the Cairo apartment house, where he resided. Lester went to the roof to look for his two young grandchildren and apparently missed his footing, and fell about 30 feet through the skylight, and landed on the building's eleventh floor. He broke both legs and sustained internal injuries which proved fatal.[1]

He was interred in Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia.

Frontispiece of 1907's Rufus Ezekiel Lester, Late a Representative.