Jesse Casbon was the fourth surviving child of Thomas and Emma (Scruby, 1811–1870) Casbon, and the last one born before their departure for America. Jesse was born November 23, 1843 and baptized May 26, 1844 in Meldreth.[1],[2]
Detail of Meldreth Parish register, baptisms, 1844. (Click on image to enlarge)
Jesse would have been less than 3 years old when the family boarded the Parkfield, so he probably remembered little, if any, of the voyage. His earliest memories would be of the family homes in adjacent Wayne and Holmes counties, Ohio. The 1850 census shows 7-year old Jesse along with the rest of the family in Clinton Township, Wayne County.[3]
Detail from 1850 U.S. Census, Clinton Township, Wayne County, Ohio. (Click on image to enlarge)
This small section of the census is a great example of how valuable information can be gleaned, and connections made, from limited census data. We see from the marks in column 11 that Jesse and his two older brothers attended school within the past year. Had they remained in England this might not have been possible. On line 2 of the census form we see the name Rachel Paine, age 20, living in the household of Emmett Eddy (he is listed on the previous page of the census). We met Rachel in “From England to Indiana, Part 8,” where we learned that she was Emma (Scruby) Casbon’s niece, who traveled from England to Ohio with Thomas Casbon and his family. Her story is interesting, and worth reading in the earlier post.
The name Eddy is also significant. The History of Porter County, Indiana tells us that Thomas Casbon, after arriving in Wayne County, “bought eighty acres of land near Wooster on the Columbus road at the village of Eddyville, where the stages between Cleveland and Columbus then changed horses.”[4] Eddyville cannot be found on maps today, but it may well be the site of “Eddy’s Inn,” established by Emmett Eddy’s father in 1830 along the Cincinnati to Cleveland stagecoach line.[5]
One final note about this page of the 1850 census: the last name shown is that of James Wing, misspelled as “Ying,” age 26. I used this same census entry in “From Labourer to Landowner” and explained how Thomas Casbon and James Wing jointly bought their first parcel of Ohio land in 1850. Who sold them the land? Emmett Eddy![6]
I’ve gotten off track from the subject of today’s post, so it’s time to get back to Jesse. After his older brothers Sylvester and Charles moved to Porter County, Indiana, Jesse remained at home with his parents and sister Emma. He was 17 years old when the American Civil War broke out in April 1861. Jesse enlisted for one year of service in September 1864.[7] He was assigned to the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 178th Regiment, Company D.
Detail of roster, Ohio Infantry, 178th Regiment, Company D. The roster gives Jesse’s age as 19. He would have really been 20 in September 1864. (Click on image to enlarge)
The 178th Regiment was sent to Tennessee, going first to Nashville, then Tullahoma, and then Murfreesboro.[8] They helped defend the town during the siege of Murfreesboro, and during that time participated in the Battle of Wilkerson’s Pike.[9] In March 1865, the regiment fought in the Battle of Wyse Fork.[10] Afterwards, they joined General Sherman’s advance towards Raleigh, N.C..[11] Following the surrender, the unit was assigned to garrison duty in Charlotte, N.C. until they mustered out June 29, 1865.[12] The regiment’s losses were relatively light: 2 killed in combat and 63 died of disease.[13]
Jesse’s father Thomas bought his first land in Porter County, Indiana, in January 1865 while Jesse was still serving in the Army.[14] Jesse must have joined him in Indiana shortly after the war. He bought 80 acres adjacent to his father’s farm in 1867.[15] Although a landowner and farmer in his own right, he was still single and living in his parents’ house when the 1870 census was taken.[16]
This situation changed when he married Emily Price in April 1872.[17] Jesse was 28 years old and Emily was 16 or 17. Emily probably became an orphan in her childhood or early teen years; her father died when she was about 8 years old, and I haven’t found any records of her mother after the 1860 census.[18],[19] In the 1870 census, 15-year old Emily was living with her married older sister in Pleasant Township, just east of Porter Township, where Jesse lived.[20]
Jesse and Emily had one son, who died in infancy, and four daughters: Maude Elma (1873–1962), Anna Mae (1876–1957), Lillian E. (1880–1967), and Edna (1885–1957).[21] In 1879, Jesse bought about 160 acres in Center Township, just southwest of Valparaiso, and relocated there with his family.[22]
Detail of 1895 plat map, Center Township, Porter County, Indiana, showing Jesse’s land.
(Click on image to enlarge)
He was widowed and left with daughters ranging from 8 to 20 years old after Emily died in 1893.[23] Daughter Anna Mae married (John) Newton Kitchel in 1898.[24] Maude married Myron Dayton in 1901.[25] Lillian and Edna remained spinsters and lived with Jesse until his death on January 24, 1934.[26]
Jesse’s obituary reflects his Civil War service and summarizes much of what I have described above.[27]
Jesse’s obituary – from The (Valparaiso) Vidette-Messenger, August 25, 1934.
(Click on image to enlarge)
Jesse and Emily are buried in Maplewood Cemetery, Valparaiso.[28] Even though they only had daughters, the Casbon surname lives on today in their branch of the family, owing to the fact that Anna Mae divorced Newton Kitchel, and had her name, and that of her two sons, legally changed to Casbon.
[1] “Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011,” Jessie Casbon, 24 Jan 1934, Valparaiso, Porter, Indiana; image copy, Ancestry Library Edition (accessed through participating libraries : accessed 13 December 2016); citing Indiana State Board of Health. Death Certificates, 1900–201, microfilm, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
[2] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Register of Baptisms in the Parish of Meldreth in the County of Cambridge [1813–67],” p. 59, no. 469, Jesse Casbon, 26 May 1844; accessed as “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” browsable images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/film/007567609?cat=210742 : accessed 28 April 2017); citing Family History Library (FHL) microfilm 1,040,542, item 5.
[3] 1850 U.S. Census, Wayne County, Ohio, population schedule, Clinton Township, p. 2 (written), dwelling 8, family 8, Thos. Casban; image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-XHRS-K7M?i=1&cc=1401638 : accessed 4 July 2016); citing NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 739.
[4] “Sylvester Casbon,” History of Porter County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1912), 2: p. 483; online image, Hathi Trust Digital Library (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89067919191;view=1up;seq=139 : accessed 13 June 2017).
[5] Ben Douglass, History of Wayne county, Ohio, from the days of the pioneers and the first settlers to the present time (Indianapolis, Indiana: Robert Douglass, Publisher, 1878), p. 787; online image, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028848765#page/n825 : accessed 13 Jun3 2017).
[6] Wayne County, Ohio, “Deed books, v. 34, 36 1850-1852,” v. 34, pp. 293-4, Emmett Eddy to Casbon & Wing entry, 2 November 1850; browsable images of FHL microfilm 420,933, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/film/007900918?cat=295246 : accessed 26 November 2016), images 164-5.
[7] Ohio Roster Commission, Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866 (Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Press, 1889),” 9: 584; image copy, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/stream/ohiowarroster09howerich#page/584 : accessed 28 October 2016).
[8] “178th Ohio Infantry,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/178th_Ohio_Infantry : accessed 14 Jun 2017), rev. 24 Sep 16, 19:52.
[9] “178th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry,” Ohio Civil War Central (http://ohiocivilwarcentral.com/entry.php?rec=488 : accessed 14 June 2017).
[10] “178th Ohio Infantry,” Wikipedia.
[11] “178th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry,” Ohio Civil War Central.
[12] “178th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry.”
[13] “178th Ohio Infantry.”
[14] Porter, Indiana, “Deed records, 1836-1901,” Deed Index Grantee, Casbon Thos from S.O.M Lee, 15 Jan 1865; Family History Library (FHL) microfilm 1,703,895, item 4.
[15] Porter, Indiana, “Deed records, 1836-1901,” Deed Index Grantee, Casbon Jesse from David Jones, 1 Apr 1867; FHL microfilm 1,703,895, item 4.
[16] 1870 U.S. Census, Porter County, Indiana, population schedule, Porter Township, p. 7 (written), dwelling 52, family 52, Jessie Casbin in household of Thomas Casbin; image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D5GG-R5?i=6&cc=1438024 : accessed 14 June 2017); citing NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 351.
[17] “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007,” Porter, 1871–1875, p. 89 (stamped), no. 173, Jesse Casbon & Emma Price, 23 Apr 1872; online image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDH3-54P : accessed 20 Jul 2016), image 78; citing Porter County Clerk’s office.
[18] Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=70625904 : accessed 17 June 2017), memorial page for William W. Price (1822–1863), memorial no. 70625904, created by “Jackie & Ralph”; citing Spencer Cemetery, Kouts, Porter, Indiana.
[19] 1860 U.S. Census, Porter County, Indiana, population schedule, Pleasant Township, p. 110 (written), dwelling 838, family 818, Mary Price (age 36) in household of Henry M. Rose; image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GB9J-S8M2?i=7&wc=7QK5-RG3%3A1589426070%2C1589426630%2C1589423641&cc=1473181 : accessed 14 June 2017); citing NARA microfilm publication M653.
[20] 1870 U.S. Census, Porter County, Indiana, population schedule, Pleasant Township, p. 14 (written), dwelling 103, family 102, Emely Price (age 15) in household of William Carr; image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D5GG-RL?i=13&cc=1438024 : accessed 14 June 2017); citing NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 351.
[21] “Jesse Casbon, War Vet, Dies at Age of 90,” The (Valparaiso, Indiana) Vidette-Messenger, 25 Jan 1934, p. 1, col. 3; online archive, Newspaper Archive (accessed through participating libraries : accessed 22 August 2016).
[22] Porter, Indiana, “Deed Index 6, Grantee, Mar 1876—Dec 83,” Casbon Jesse from John T Derrit, 20 Mar 1879; FHL microfilm 1,703,896; citing Recorder’s Office, Porter, Indiana.
[23] Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=109806539 : accessed 14 June 2017), memorial page for Emily Price Casbon (d. 26 Apr 1893), memorial no. 109806539, created by Alana Knochel Bauman; citing Maplewood Cemetery, Valparaiso, Porter, Indiana.
[24] “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007,” Porter, 1895–1899, vol. 11, p. 430 (stamped), Newton Kitchell & Anna Casbon, 9 Jul 1898; online image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R15-4M4?i=253&cc=1410397 : accessed 18 June 2017), image 24; citing Porter County Clerk’s office.
[25] “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007,” Porter, 1898–1901, vol. 12, p. 504 (stamped), Myron R. Dayton & Maud E. Casbon, 23 Oct 1901; online image, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9R15-CL4?i=319&wc=Q83F-4HT%3A963055701%2C963108501&cc=1410397 : accessed 18 June 2017), image 320; citing Porter County Clerk’s office.
[26] “Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011,” Jessie Casbon, 24 Jan 1934, Valparaiso, Porter, Indiana; image copy, Ancestry Library Edition (accessed through participating libraries : accessed 13 December 2016); citing Indiana State Board of Health. Death Certificates, 1900–201, microfilm, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
[27] “Jesse Casbon, War Vet, Dies at Age of 90.”
[28] Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=109806484 : accessed 13 Jun 2017), memorial page for Jesse Casbon (1843–1934), memorial # 109806484, created by Alana Knochel Bauman; citing Maplewood Cemetery, Valparaiso, Porter, Indiana
Interesting twist at the end with the continuation of the Casbon surname!