James Wing – Our Casbon Journey

The Obituary of Mrs. William Biederstadt

February 15, 2019April 15, 2020 admin4 Comments

I rely on the internet so much that it’s easy to forget that there are other ways to get information. Sometimes all it takes is a phone call. Do you remember when we used to look up numbers in the phone book?

In this case, I happened to be browsing the web site of the Michigan City Public Library. Michigan City is in La Porte County, Indiana, right next to Porter County, my ancestral home. When I opened the “Genealogy” link on the web site, I saw that they have an obituary search index and decided to give it a try. I recalled that Margaret “Maggie” Casbon had married William Biederstadt and died in Michigan City. Maggie has always been somewhat of a mystery to me, so I’m always happy to find something new about her. I typed in her information and, lo and behold, this is what popped up.

Detail from Michigan City Public Library search. https://www.mclib.org/

The library had a copy of Maggie’s obituary on file!

I noticed that for five dollars I could get a copy of the obituary, and the phone number was right there, so I dialed the number and was almost immediately connected to the reference librarian. She took the information and promised she would get to it right away. A short time later an email arrived with the obituary. How easy was that?

The Michigan City Dispatch, 7 May 1903, page 8, column 6. (Click on image to enlarge)

I really enjoy finding obituaries because they often contain a lot of information about the deceased and their families. In this case, we get a capsule summary of Maggie’s life. I’m not sure any of the information is new, but it is still interesting and is revealing for what is said and for what is left unsaid.

Although the date is not given, Maggie died on Thursday, April 30, 1903.^[1] I already knew that she died of cancer of the uterus—such a shame for a relatively young woman (thirty-nine). It’s interesting that the obituary says she died “at the home of her husband.” Why doesn’t it say “at her home” or “at the home she shared with her husband”? It probably doesn’t signify anything, but still makes me wonder. Contrary to what is written, she came to the United States from England when she was six years old. Little mistakes like these are common—she wasn’t the one giving the information to the newspaper, after all. The statement that Maggie came to Michigan City “five or six years ago” is also interesting. It has a certain amount of vagueness to it that matches my overall impression of Maggie. She has been hard to pin down. She had been married to William Biederstadt for less than four years. Why was she in Michigan City before that? We really don’t know.

There are some interesting omissions as well. Yes, her parents were both dead—father James in 1884 and mother Mary (Jackson) sometime before 1876. But her husband was not the only one to survive her. The obituary fails to mention her stepmother, Mary (Payne), who died in Boone Grove less than two weeks after Maggie’s death.^[2] There’s an oral tradition that she did not have a good relationship with her stepmother. Nor does it mention her brother Amos or sister Alice, both of whom were married and living in Porter County. Does this signify some distance in their relationships, ignorance on her husband’s part, or simply the editorial decisions of the newspaper?

Maggie never had children, so there are no descendants to honor her memory. She had a tumultuous life and much of it remains a mystery. I would like to think that her almost four-year marriage to William Biederstadt finally brought some peace and stability to her life. But, I’ll never really know.

^[1] Indiana, State Board of Health, Certificate of Death, Michigan City, La Porte County, record no. 54, Maggie Biederstedt, 30 Apr 1903; imaged as “Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011,” database with images, Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60716 : 5 December 2017), Certificate >1903 >06 >image 2083 of 2771; Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis.
^[2] Indiana, State Board of Health, Certificate of Death, Porter County, no. 39, Mary P Carbon, 10 May 1903; “Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011,” Ancestry (cited previously: accessed 27 April 2018), Certificate >1903 >10, image 339 of 2788.

Children of Thomas Casbon (1803–1888): Jesse

June 20, 2017April 15, 2020 admin1 Comment

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

From Labourer to Landowner

January 6, 2017April 15, 2020 admin2 Comments

When Thomas Casbon, my third great grandfather, left England in 1846, he was an Agricultural Labourer – a general term that applied to the majority of the population, and meaning someone who worked for wages in various kinds of agricultural settings. [1] Within half a dozen years of arriving in Ohio he realized the immigrant’s dream of owning land and working his own farm. I’ve recently come across records that show when and where he purchased land in Ohio.

In earlier posts, “From England to Indiana” parts 3 and 4, I described how Thomas sailed from England and settled in Ohio. I don’t know how Thomas was able to afford the voyage, nor how he supported his family in the early years after his arrival. Perhaps he was able to save enough of his wages to pay for passage to America, or maybe others loaned him the money. After arriving in Ohio, it’s likely that he received some kind of temporary support, financial or otherwise, from his brother in law, James Scruby, who lived in Wayne County, Ohio.

As to how he supported his family, I suspect he initially sought work as a farm laborer until he could save enough to purchase his own land. Or maybe he was able to rent some property. At any rate, his first few years in America probably involved some hardship and a lot of hard work.

By 1850, Thomas was able to make his first land purchase. In this deed, Emmett Eddy and his wife Mary sold 80 acres to Thomas and another man, James Wing, for the sum of two-thousand dollars. [2] The land was described as the east half of the northeast quarter of section 8, township 18, range fourteen. This is located about 11 miles southwest of Wooster, Ohio.

Record copy of deed for land sale to Thomas Casbon and James Wing, October 1st, 1850, Wayne County, Ohio (Click on image to enlarge)

Why did Thomas and James Wing buy the land jointly? My guess would be that it was difficult for them to raise the necessary funds individually.

Thomas and James were well acquainted – the 1850 census shows them living under the same roof! [3]

Detail from 1850 census showing Thomas Casbon and his family, with James Wing listed in same household. (Click on image to enlarge)

According to the census record, James was 26 years old; a farmer; and like Thomas, from England. On March 13, 1852, he sold his portion of the land to Thomas for four hundred dollars, giving Thomas sole possession of the 80 acres. [4] James disappears from sight after this. There are no records of subsequent land transactions involving him in Wayne or nearby Holmes county. Maybe he decided to seek his fortune elsewhere.

So, by 1852 Thomas was sole owner of an 80-acre farm. An index of deeds for Wayne County also shows that Thomas purchased some additional land in the county in 1853. [5] I don’t have access to that deed, so I don’t know the details other than general location.

Detail of Wayne County, Ohio, map, showing approximate locations of Thomas Casbon’s land purchases. Source: Baker’s map of Wayne Co., Ohio (Philadelphia: Baker & Gager, 1856); digital image, Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/item/2012592397/ : accessed 6 January 2016) (Click on image to enlarge)

Thomas’ land purchases in Wayne County open up a mystery – when did he sell his property? I know that he began to purchase land in adjacent Holmes County in 1855 (a subject for a future post). By the time of the 1860 census, he was living in Holmes County. [6] I have scoured the index of deeds for Wayne County up to about 1883 or so, long after he moved to Indiana, and haven’t found a single record for land sold by Thomas.

[1] “Agriculture and the Labourer,” Cambridgeshire History (http://www.cambridgeshirehistory.com/People/agriculturallabourers.html : accessed 5 January 2017).
[2] 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.
[3] Ohio, Wayne County 1850 U.S. census, population schedule. Database with images. FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX78-W2P : accessed 4 July 2016).
[4] Wayne County, Ohio, “Deed books, v. 37-38 1852-1853,” v. 37, pp. 233-4, James Wing to Thomas Casbon entry, 15 March 1852; browsable images of FHL microfilm 420,934, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/film/007900919?cat=295246 : accessed 26 November 2016), images 28-9.
[5] Wayne County, Ohio, “Deed index, v. 1 ca. 1813-1863,” p.111, Geo W. Riffle to Casbin Thomas entry, 1853; browsable images of FHL microfilm 420,913, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/film/007900915?cat=295246 : accessed 6 January 2017), image 117.
[6] Ohio, Wayne County 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. Database with images. FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCG3-1MD : accessed 12 August 2016).