Reuben – Our Casbon Journey

Color!

March 26, 2020 admin6 Comments

At this moment, most if not all of my readers are practicing some form of “social distancing” because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. I hope you are all staying well and coping with the difficulties associated with this historic situation.

With today’s post, I have a suggestion that will hopefully lift your spirits and alleviate any boredom you might be experiencing. The suggestion comes courtesy of the MyHeritage genealogy website. Back in February (it seems so long ago!), MyHeritage introduced MyHeritage in Color™, a feature that automatically colorizes black and white photographs. As an introductory offer, users could upload and colorize up to ten photos. Once the limit was reached, a user would need a paid subscription to continue using the feature. I tried it out and was impressed with the results. However, I did not opt for the paid subscription.

A few days ago, I was surprised to receive this email message from MyHeritage.

Yes, they are offering “free and unlimited access” to this feature. I took them up on the offer and went through my collection and colorized about 200 photos. More importantly, if you have old photos stashed away, you might want to try it out yourself. It’s a good way to stay active if you’re stuck at home. This shows what a photo looks like before and after colorization.

Sylvester and Mary (Mereness) Casbon, with Sylvester’s descendants; about 1905,
Valparaiso, Indiana; author’s collection (Click on image to enlarge)

The results are impressive. The process uses artificial intelligence (AI) to decide which colors to use and where to place them. The computer algorithms are very good, but not perfect. If you look carefully at the photo above, you’ll see that the right hand of the girl standing in the front row is still gray. The AI failed to identify it as a body part. You can see a more extreme version of this in this detail from a photograph of Amos and Carrie Casbon’s family.

Detail from photograph of Amos and Carrie (Aylesworth) Casbon’s family and
home near Boone Grove, Indiana, about 1911; courtesy of Ron Casbon

The AI has missed two of the children altogether, making them look like clay sculptures.

On the other hand, some of the results are amazing. The AI seems particularly good at producing flesh tones, hair color, and vegetation. In most cases, it seems to do a good job with clothing as well. I would think that better quality scanned images are more likely to fare well, but I’ve had good results with poor quality originals.

Jesse John II and Elizabeth (Ryan) Casbon, Cocoa Beach, Florida; adapted
from an iphone photo of the original; courtesy of John N. Casbon

You can also see that the MyHeritage logo gets added to the colorized image—a small price to pay, in my opinion.

Do you have old black and white family photos or snapshots? I encourage you to try this out. Visit https://www.myheritage.com/incolor, where you’ll need to sign up for a free account. You’ll need to scan your black and white photos to make digital copies so you can upload them to the web page. I suggest you use a scanning resolution of 300 dots per inch or better.

Here are some of the favorites from my collection.

Left: Sylvester and Mary (Mereness) Casbon, courtesy of Ilaine Church;
Right: Reuben and Elizabeth (Neyland) Casben, courtesy of Phil Long

Lawrence and Kate (Marquart) Casbon and family; seated on the horse, L to R, are Lynnet, Loring and Leslie; about 1898 near Hebron, Porter County, Indiana; courtesy of Don Casbon (Click on image to enlarge)

Left: James Casbon; Right: Amos and Carrie Belle (Aylesworth) Casbon; both courtesy of Ron Casbon

Left: Donald Glen Casbon (L) and Herbert Aylesworth (R) Casbon, undated; courtesy of Michael J. Casbon;
Right: L to R—Herman, Harriet, and Floyd Casbon; courtesy of Claudia Vokoun (Click on images to enlarge)

Lynnet Casbon and an unidentified man delivering a refrigerator in
Valparaiso, Indiana, about 1940; courtesy of Dave Casbon

Margaret (Donovan) Casban (second from left), her daughter Nell (third from left),
and others, hops picking in Sussex, England, early 1930s; courtesy of Alice Casban

Croydon

December 2, 2018April 15, 2020 admin2 Comments

“You never get away from that thing in your hometown that it has over you. You don’t outgrow where you come from.” – Brian Fallon

As a child of a military family, I never had a hometown. We moved every few years to a variety of locations in and out of the United States. The closest things to hometowns were the cities my parents came from: Racine, Wisconsin, and Valparaiso, Indiana. I’ve mentioned Valparaiso before, because it is the seat of Porter County, where my Casbon ancestors settled in the 1860s. It’s where my father grew up. We visited Valparaiso from time to time to see grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. It was the only place in the world that I knew where other Casbons existed. I’ve only gone there a couple of times as an adult, but when I go, it still has a special place in my heart.

I’m pretty sure the same feeling applies to many of the Casbans in England, except they would say their home town^* is Croydon, Greater London. A couple of the Casbans from Croydon have been kind enough to correspond with me and share some of their stories.

What makes a place a hometown? In the simplest sense, it’s the place where you grew up or come from. But in a broader sense it implies something more than just a place. It embodies the ideas of permanence, relationships, and familiarity. When people talk about their hometowns, they might also be talking about their families, childhood friends, favorite foods or familiar places. For many, a hometown is a place they feel comfortable and secure. For some, it is a place they can’t wait to get away from.

So, how did Croydon become the home town for the Casbans? It all started with Samuel Clark Casban (1851–1922). Samuel was the third son of William (~1805–1877) and Ann (Clark, ~1812–1869) Casbon, and grew up in Meldreth, Cambridgeshire. Like his father and brothers, he went to work at an early age, being listed as a labourer in the 1861 census.^[1] Samuel (with surname spelled Casban) married Lydia Harrup in 1872,^[2] and the couple had four children while still living in Meldreth: Anne, 1872;^[3] Samuel Clark, 1874;^[4] Margaret Alice, 1875;^[5] and Elizabeth Emma, 1879.^[6]

Elizabeth died in 1879, within months of her birth,^[7] and sometime within the next several months, Samuel and his family moved to Croydon. His move was probably influenced by the fact that his sister Mary Ann, and two brothers, John and Reuben, had lived in the environs of London since the 1860s. More importantly, his brother-in-law, John Harrup, had been working for the Brighton and South Coast Railroad since 1874, and was presumably able to help Samuel secure employment there in January, 1880.^[8]

Detail from London, Brighton & South Coast Railway employee records, 1880, showing entries for John Harrup and Samuel Casban. This is the earliest record showing Samuel in Croydon. (Click on image to enlarge)

Croydon was originally a town in Surrey, about ten miles south of London.^[9] Due to its position between London and the South Coast of England, and the arrival of the railroads, Croydon became an important transportation hub, and experienced a 23-fold increase in population between 1801 and 1901.^[10] When Samuel arrived in 1879–80, Croydon was still an independent entity from London. As London expanded, Croydon soon became a part of the London metropolitan area, and in 1965 became a borough of London and no longer part of Surrey.^[11] Croydon is now the most populated borough in London, with a population of 363,378 in 2011.^[12] It is a city within a city.

Detail from 1901 map of Outer London (pink shading).^[13] Numerous rail lines converge or pass through the vicinity of Croydon, which is located near the bottom, center. (Click on image to enlarge)

Contemporary map showing the Borough of Croydon (shaded). (Google Maps)

Samuel and Lydia’s family continued to grow in Croydon. William was born in 1880; Elizabeth Emma (“Lizzie”), 1881; Florence Edith (“Florie”), 1884; Albert Edward (“Bertie”), 1885; Leonard, 1887; Ernest Charles, 1890.^[14] Anne, Samuel, Alice, Lizzie, and Bertie married and raised their families in or near Croydon. William never married, but remained in Croydon. Florie died in 1904.^[15] Leonard and Ernest were killed in the first World War.^[16] (Ernest had married in 1913 and had a daughter, who died in 1915.^[17]) Some of Samuel and Lydia’s great-great-grandchildren and at least one third-great-grandchild have been born in Croydon. Thus, six generations of Casbans lived or were born in Croydon, establishing a strong sense of permanence and identity with the place.

Lorna Thomas (neé Casban) shared these interesting facts about Croydon with me. The London Croydon airport was the first major international airport in England and remained so until Heathrow was developed in the late 1940s. Amy Johnson departed from there on a historic solo flight to Brisbane, Australia in 1930.^[18] The international “Mayday! call was invented there.

Photo of ‘Hengist’ plane flying over Croydon Airport. Courtesy of Local Studies Library & Archive and the Museum of Croydon, http://www.museumofcroydon.com.

A quick search on 192.com shows that only a handful of Casbans live in Croydon today. This is not surprising, given the ease of transportation and mobility within our society. However, I’m sure that many still consider Croydon to be their home town. Are you a “Croydon Casban”? I would love to hear from you, either in the “Leave a Reply” section or through the “Contact” link!

^*In preparing this post I learned that the single word hometown is more common in American English and home town – two words – more common in British English.

^[1] 1861 England Census, Cambridgeshire, Meldreth, p. 24, schedule 133, William Carston; imaged on findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1861%2f0005027198 : accessed 23 March 2017); citing [The National Archives], RG 09, piece 815, folio 64, p. 24.
^[2] “England Marriages, 1538–1973 ,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NVCX-8N1 : accessed 2 August 2016), Samuel Casban and Lydia Harrup, 02 Nov 1872; FHL microfilm 1,040,541.
^[3] General Register Office (GRO), “Search the GRO Online Index,” database, HM Passport Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp : accessed 7 November 2017), search on births, “Harrup,” 1872, Annie Harrup, J[un] qtr, 1872, Royston, vol. 3A/325.
^[4] Ibid., search on birth, “Casban,” 1874, Samuel Casban, M[ar] qtr, 1874, Royston, vol. 3A/316.
^[5] Ibid., search on birth, “Casban,” 1875, Margaret Casban, D[ec] qtr, 1875, Royston, vol. 3A/320.
^[6] Ibid., search on births, “Casban,” 1879, Elizabeth Emma Casban, M[ar] qtr, 1879, Royston, vol. 3A/369.
^[7] Ibid., search on deaths, “Casban,” 1879, LIzzie Casban, J[un] qtr, 1879, Royston, vol. 3A/220.
^[8] London, Brighton & South Coast Railway: General Manager’s Register of Staff Commencing 1880, p. 87, Croydon Goods Station, John Harrup, Feb 1874, and Samuel Casbon, Jan 1880; imaged as “UK, Railway Employment Records, 1833-1956,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1728 : accessed 20 September 2018), London, Brighton and South Coast >1838-1884 Traffic Appointments >image 119 of 452.
^[9] “Croydon,” British History Online (https://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-environs/vol1/pp170-201 : accessed 2 December 2018).
^[10] “Croydon,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croydon : accessed 2 December 2018), rev. 28 Nov 18, 16:19, paras. 20-21.
^[11] “London Borough of Croydon,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Borough_of_Croydon : accessed 2 December 2018), rev. 24 Nov 18, 18:33, para. 2.
^[12] “London Borough of Croydon,” Wikipedia, para. 48.
^[13] Edward Stanford, “Outer London,” map, Stanford’s London Atlas of Universal Geography Exhibiting the Physical and Political Divisions of the Various Countries of the World (London: Edward Stanford, Ltd., 1901); online image, David Rumsey Map Collection (https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~34248~1171163:Outer-London- : accessed 1 December 2018).
^[14] General Register Office (GRO), “Search the GRO Online Index,” database, HM Passport Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp : accessed 2 December 2018), search on births, “Casban,” 1880–90), Croydon, vol. 2A, pp. 209, 213, 228, 238, 260, 264.
^[15] Ibid., search on deaths, “Casban,” 1904, Florence Edith Casban, Croydon, vol 2A/153.
^[16] “Every One Remembered”, database, Royal British Legion (https://www.everyoneremembered.org), search on “Casban,” Ernest, 25 Sep 1914, Leonard, 1 Apr 1917; citing Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
^[17] Ibid., search on deaths, “Casban,” 1915, Nellie Rhoda Casban, M[ar] qtr, 1915, Croydon, vol 2A/153.
^[18] “American Experience: Fly Girls, Amy Johnson,” PBS.org (https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/flygirls-amy-johnson/ : accessed 2 December 2018).

New Homes, New Names

November 20, 2018April 15, 2020 admin1 Comment

First, let me wish all of my readers a Happy Thanksgiving!
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I recently documented how the numbers of Casbon ancestors living in Meldreth, Cambridgeshire, dwindled, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century.^[1] Today I’ll highlight two brothers who left Meldreth in the 1860s. Not only did they leave the ancestral home, but they also left the spelling of their old surname behind in Meldreth. The two brothers were John Casban and Reuben Casben.

This marriage record is a good place to start.

Marriage record of John Casban to Mary Hall, St. Mary Parish, Lambeth, Surrey, 9 October 1866.^[2]
(Click on image to enlarge)

We can see that John was a widower. He was married in 1863 to Ann Barnes, in Meldreth.^[3] She died in Meldreth in April 1864. Their daughter, Eliza Ann, was baptized in Meldreth on June 4, 1864.^[4] John relocated to Lambeth, in Surrey, sometime after Eliza’s baptism, but before his remarriage in 1866.

Lambeth is now a borough of London, but was once a separate parish in the county of Surrey.^[5] It is south of the City of London and the River Thames, and east of Westminster.

Detail of map showing Lambeth (area east of River Thames) and Westminster (west of Thames).^[6] St. Mary’s church is circled. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland. (Click on image to enlarge)

Lambeth seems to have been only a temporary stopping point for John. I haven’t been able to find him in the 1871 census, but all of his children’s births, beginning in 1871, were registered in Edmonton, a district in northern London, about nine miles from Lambeth. Besides his daughter Eliza, John and Mary had three children: George William, born in 1871; Kate, 1874; and Edward, 1878.^[7] Eliza died in 1873, and young Edward died before his first birthday, in 1879, leaving only George and Kate to survive into adulthood.^[8]

Detail from 1881 England Census, Tottenham, showing John and his family. (Click on image to enlarge)

John’s wife, Mary, died in 1880, at the age of 40.^[9] He married again later in the same year, this time to a widow named Sarah Cave, neé Lawrence.^[10] John and Sarah lived together in Edmonton until she passed in 1913.^[11] John died in 1927 at the age of 86.^[12] John held a variety of jobs in his life, including labourer, carman (driver of horse drawn vehicle for transporting goods), gardener, and labourer at a gasworks. Some of today’s Casbans are descended from John, through his son George William. (Other Casbans descend from John’s brother, Samuel Clark Casban, who will be featured in a future post.)

I don’t know when John adopted the Casban spelling of his name. He used it for his first marriage to Ann Barnes in 1863, while still living in Meldreth. My theory is that he was taught to read and write during the seven years he spent in a boys’ reform school, and that he was taught to spell his name with the -ban ending.

Going back to the marriage record at the beginning of this post, you can see that the two witnesses to the ceremony were John’s brother and sister, “Ruben” Casben and Mary Ann Casban. Mary Ann was the first of the siblings to leave Meldreth, having acquired a job as a cook in a London public house by 1861.^[13] Mary Ann married a man named Joseph Sparrow in 1875.^[14] They continued to live in the Shoreditch and Hackney neighborhoods of London.

It isn’t known when Reuben left Meldreth for London, but it must have been before John’s wedding in 1866. Reuben was living in Kennington, a part of Lambeth, when he married Elizabeth Mary Neyland in February 1869.^[15] They remained in Lambeth for the rest of their lives.

Marriage record of “Ruben” Casban & Elizabeth Mary Neyland, St Barnabas Church, South Kennington,
Surrey, 24 Feb 1869. (Click on image to enlarge)

It’s interesting to see that Reuben signed his name “Casben” on his brother’s marriage record and “Casban” on his own. He seems to have gone back and forth in his spelling for several years, but eventually settled on the -ben version, as evidenced by later records.

Like his father and brothers, Reuben started out as a labourer in Meldreth. After coming to Lambeth, he spent most of his life working for the railways, as a porter and horsekeeper. When the 1891 census was taken, he was working as a “grocer & Italian warehouseman.”^[16] The move to London did not mean that work would be less demanding physically.

Reuben and Elizabeth had nine children—five boys and four girls. All but one of them survived into adulthood. They were: William Thomas, born in 1871; Peter John, 1872; Leonard, 1874 (died 1875); Margaret Elizabeth, 1877; Florence, 1879; Elizabeth Mary, 1881; Ellen, 1883; Arthur, 1886; and Henry, 1888.^[17] Of the boys, only Arthur and Henry married and had families. Arthur (and sister Margaret) migrated to New South Wales, Australia, in the early 1900s. As a result, Reuben and Elizabeth have Casben descendants in both England and Australia today.

Detail from 1891 England census, Lambeth, showing Reuben and his family. (Click on image to enlarge)

While it’s unknown why John, Reuben, and their sister, Mary Ann, left Meldreth, it was probably due to the economic and technological forces at work in Victorian England. Except for a minor boom in coprolite mining in the 1870s and 80s, Meldreth remained an agricultural backwater, while London and its environs were growing rapidly. The entrenched class system did not allow for upward mobility, but at least the move offered the possibility of a greater variety of job opportunities.

^[1] Jon Casbon, “Going, Going …,” 1 Nov 18, Our Casbon Journey (https://casbonjourney.wordpress.com/2018/11/01/going-going/ : accessed 19 November 2018).
^[2] Parish of St. Mary, Lambeth (Surrey, England), Marriage Register, May-Oct 1866, p. 224, no. 448, John Casban & Mary Hall, 9 Oct 1866; imaged as “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1623 : accessed 22 March 2017), Lambeth >St Mary, Lambeth > 1865-1866 >image 492 of 505; citing London Metropolitan Archives, London.
^[3] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), Register of Marriages, 1837-75, p. 52, no. 104, John Casbon & Ann Barnes, 24 Jan 1863; imaged as “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007567609?cat=210742 : accessed 29 August 2017), image 398 of 699; citing FHL microfilm 1,040,542, item 9.
^[4] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), Register of Baptisms, 1813–67, p. 96, no. 765, Eliza Ann Casbon, 5 Jun 1864; imaged as “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/film/007567609?cat=210742 : accessed 28 April 2017), image 245 of 699; citing FHL microfilm 1,040,542, item 5.
^[5] “Lambeth,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambeth : accessed 19 November 2018), rev. 19 Nov 18, 12:02.
^[6] Surrey, Map 3 (Southampton: Ordnance Survey Office, 1880); online image, National Library of Scotland (https://maps.nls.uk/view/102347415 : accessed 19 November 2018), Maps home >OS Six-inch England and Wales, 1942-1952.
^[7] General Register Office, “Search the GRO Online Index,” database, HM Passport Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp : accessed 19 November 2018), search on “Casban,” Edmonton, vol. 3A, pp. 198, 203, 251.
^[8] Ibid, search on deaths, “Casban,” M[ar] qtr 1879, Edmonton, vol. 3A/164.
^[9] Ibid, search on “Casban,” M[ar] qtr 1880, Edmonton, vol. 3A/151.
^[10] St. Jude parish, Bethnal Green (Middlesex), Marriage Register, Mar 1880–Jun 1881, p. 111, no. 222, John Casban & Sarah Cave; imaged as as “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1623 : accessed 9 November 2015), Tower Hamlets >St Jude, Bethnal Green >1878-1881 >image 182 of 252; citing London Metropolitan Archives, London.
^[11] General Register Office, “Search the GRO Online Index,” search on “Casban,” Sarah Casban, M[ar] qtr 1913, Edmonton, vol. 3A/697.
^[12] Ibid, search on “Casban,” John Casban, M[ar] qtr 1927, Edmonton, vol. 3A/878.
^[13] 1861 England Census, Middlesex, Islington (Finsbury), population schedule, enumeration district 36, p. 55 (stamped), schedule 153, Mary Ann Cusbin in household of Richd Munford; imaged as “1861 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8767 : accessed 19 November 2018), Middlesex >Islington >Islington East >District 36 >image 28 of 84; citing The National Archives, RG 9, piece 146, folio 55, p. 27.
^[14] Middlesex, England, Parish of St. Lukes Finsbury, Marriage Register, 1871-6, p. 245, record no. 489, Joseph Sparrow and Mary Ann Casbon, 26 Dec 1875; imaged as “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1623 : accessed 10 Aug 2016), Islington >St Luke, Finsbury >1867-1881 >image 494 of 747; citing London Metropolitan Archives, record no. p76/luk/058.
^[15] St Barnabas Church, South Kennington (Surrey, England), Marriage Register, 6 May 1867-21 Mar 1876, p. 47, no. 93, 24 Feb 1869, Renben Casbon & Elizabeth Mary Neyland; imaged as “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1623 : accessed 22 March 2017), Lambeth >St Barnabas, South Lambeth >1851-1876 >image 297 of 479; citing London Metropolitan Archives, London.
^[16] 1891 England Census, London, population schedule, Lambeth, enumeration district 28, p. 4, schedule 19, 267 Wandsworth Rd., Reuben Cesban; imaged as “1891 England Census,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6598 : accessed 20 November 2018), London >Lambeth >Kennington First >District 28 >image 5 of 54; citing The National Archives, RG 12, piece 401, folio 90, p. 4.
^[17] General Register Office, “Search the GRO Online Index,” database, HM Passport Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp : accessed 19 November 2018), search on births, “Casben,” “Casban,” Lambeth, vol. 1D, pp. 335, 428, 441, 442, 444, 448, 453, 466, 478.

Going, Going …

November 1, 2018April 15, 2020 admin1 Comment

The sister villages of Meldreth and Melbourn in Cambridgeshire are my ancestral homeland. Records of Casbon ancestors in these villages go back to the mid-sixteenth century. Families occasionally moved from one village to another, or to other nearby villages, but there was little reason or incentive to go further. The situation remained stable for over 250 years, but in the 1840s, things began to change.

Slowly at first, and then with increasing speed, the number of Casbons in Meldreth and Melbourn began to dwindle. In the 1841 census, there were 7 households with 30 people; in 1851, 7 households with 27 people; 1861 – 4 households/14 people; 1871 – 5 households/12 people; 1881 – 2 households/4 people; 1891 – 2 households/5 people; 1901 & 1911 – 1 household/2 people.^[1] (1911 is the last year census records have been made available to the public.) The 1939 register (a census-like record taken before World War 2) shows only one Casbon living in Meldreth.

Chart showing decline in Casbon households and family members in Meldreth and Melbourn from 1841 to 1939. (Click on image to enlarge)

What happened? Where did they go and why did they leave? The reasons are varied, but for the most part revolve around the “three Fs”: finance, family, friends. In the mid-1800s, the growth of cities and improvements in transportation created new job opportunities. The exodus from Meldreth took off after the arrival of the railroad in 1851.^[2]

Casbon households in Meldreth, 1841 England Census.

The first to leave was my third great grandfather, Thomas (1803–1888), and his family, when they emigrated to the United States in 1846. I’ve written extensively about Thomas and his journey, so will not elaborate further here.

Casbon households in Meldreth & Melbourn, 1851 England Census.

The next to go was James Casbon (1806–1871), who moved to the village of Barley in Hertfordshire with his family, probably in the early 1850s.^[3] Barley is located about five miles south of Meldreth.

Detail map showing Cambridge, Meldreth, Melbourn, and Barley.^[4] (Click on image to enlarge)

James was a landowner, which put him in a different class than his poorer Casbon relatives. He also had a business as a carrier, hauling freight (and perhaps passengers) to and from London. His reasons for moving to Barley are unknown. His sons remained in Barley and established their own families there. Thus, Barley became a new population center for the Casbon surname.

Between 1851 and 1861 the number of Casbon households was further reduced due to deaths, employment, and unknown other reasons. Lydia (Burgess) Casbon, widow of Joseph (abt. 1811–1847), died in 1851.^[5] Two daughters, Hannah and Harriet Ann, preceded her in death in 1848 and 1850, respectively, and a third daughter, Emma, died in 1852.^[6] Lydia’s surviving daughter, Mary, emigrated to the United States, where she joined her uncle Thomas Casbon, in 1856.^[7] “Patty” Barns (née Martha Wagstaff), widow of John Casbon (abt. 1779–1813), died in 1855.^[8] After losing his wife, Elizabeth, in 1852, James Casbon (b. abt. 1813) and his family disappeared from view until he emigrated to Indiana in 1870.^[9] Mary Ann Casbon (b. 1831, daughter of William, b. 1805), who had been working as a servant in Melbourn in 1851, was employed as a cook in a London public house by 1861.^[10]

Casbon households in Meldreth, 1861 England Census.

Although the numbers remained relatively stable between 1861 and 1871, some important moves still took place. Three more of William’s (b. 1805) children left for the environs of London: John (b. abt. 1842), Reuben (b. 1847) and Martha (b. abt. 1855). John was working as a Labourer when he was married in Lambeth (now a borough of London) in 1866.^[11] Reuben must have moved to the London area in the same time frame, since he and his sister Mary Ann are listed as witnesses on the marriage record. Martha, perhaps following in her brothers’ footsteps, is listed as a sixteen-year-old “domestic servant housemaid” for a suburban London household in the 1871 census.^[12]

Casbon households in Meldreth & Melbourn, 1871 England Census.

The numbers plunged after 1871, as the “old-timers” – Jane (1803–1872), William (1805-1877) and William (1806–1875) died and their remaining children moved away. Samuel Clark Casbon (b. 1851) moved to Croydon, Surrey.^[13] His sister, Jane, married John Camp in 1881.^[14] Only the younger William (b. 1835), and John Casbon (b. 1849) remained. William’s three children, Walter (b. 1856), William (b. 1860), and Priscilla (b. 1862), all left home for jobs in domestic service or the railroads.

William (b. 1835) died in 1896. After his death, his wife, Sarah (West, b. abt 1823) moved to Hitchin, Hertfordshire, where she lived with her son, Walter, until her death in 1905.^[15] John (b. 1849) died in 1935, followed by his wife Sarah (Pepper, b. abt 1850) in 1938.^[16] John and Sarah were the only two Casbons on the 1901 and 1911 censuses for Meldreth.

The memorial stone of William (1835–1896) and Sarah (West, abt 1823–1905) Casbon, Holy Trinity Churchyard, Meldreth. “In/ Memory of/ WILLIAM CASBON/ who died March 7th 1896/aged 61 years/”We hope to meet again at/ The Resurrection of the just/A light is from the household gone/ A voice we loved is stilled/ A place is vacant in our home/ Which never can be filled”./ Also of /SARAH, wife of the above/who departed this life/ December 22nd 1905/ aged 83 years./She hath done what she could/ Her end was peace./”
Photograph by Malcolm Woods; Meldreth History website (http://www.meldrethhistory.org.uk).
(Click on image to enlarge)

Martha Casbon (b. abt. 1855), who spent most of her adult life in domestic service, returned to Meldreth in her later years, and is the sole Casbon listed on the 1939 register.^[17] With her death in 1947, the Casbon name became extinct in Meldreth.^[18]

^[1] Data extracted from England censuses by Jon Casbon.
^[2] Happy Birthday, Meldreth Station (no publication details available), leaflet; PDF download (http://meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Meldreth150.pdf : accessed 1 November 2018).
^[3] Jon Casbon, “James Casbon, Farmer and Carrier, 1806-1871, Part 1,” 23 Jan 17, Our Casbon Journey (https://casbonjourney.wordpress.com/2017/01/23/james-casbon-farmer-and-carrier-1806-1871-part-1/ : accessed 1 November 2018).
^[4] Ordnance Survey of England and Wales (Southampton: Director General at the Ordnance Survey Office, 1903), Sheet 16; online image, A Vision of Britain Through Time (http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/sheet/new_series_revised_medium/sheet_16 : accessed 1 November 2018).
^[5] England and Wales, “Search the GRO [General Register Office] Online Index,” database, HM Passport Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp : accessed 1 November 2018), Lydia Casbon, 2d qtr, 1851, Royston & Buntingford, vol. 6:405.
^[6] Ibid., Hannah Casbon (age 5), 2d qtr, 1848, Royston & Buntingford, vol. 6/433. Ibid., Harriet Ann Casbon (age 11), 3d qtr, 1852, Royston & Buntingford, vol. 6/366. Ibid., Emma Casbon (age 7), 2d qtr, 1852, Royston & Buntingford, vol. 3A/131.
^[7] Jon Casbon, “From England to Indiana, Part 8,” 18 Nov 2016, Our Casbon Journey (https://casbonjourney.wordpress.com/2016/11/18/from-england-to-indiana-part-8/ : accessed 1 November 2018).
^[8] England and Wales, “Search the GRO [General Register Office] Online Index,” (cited previously), Martha Barnes, 4^th qtr, 1855, Royston, vol. 3A: 128.
^[9] Jon Casbon, “James Casbon of Meldreth, England and Porter County, Indiana,” 29 Nov 2016, Our Casbon Journey (https://casbonjourney.wordpress.com/2016/11/29/james-casbon-of-meldreth-england-and-porter-county-indiana/ : accessed 1 November 2018).
^[10] 1861 England Census, Middlesex, Islington, population schedule, district 36, Johnston parish, p. 55 (stamped), schedule 153, Mary Ann Cusbin in household of Richd Munford; imaged on Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8767 : accessed 1 November 2018), Middlesex >Islington >Islington East >District 36 >image 28 of 84; citing The National Archives, RG 9, piece 146, folio 55, p. 27.
^[11] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1623 : accessed 22 March 2017), Lambeth >St. Mary, Lambeth >1761-1896 >image 337 of 540; citing London Metropolitan Archives, ref. no. p85/mry1/541.
^[12] 1871 England Census, Kent, Lewisham, population schedule, enumeration district 4, schedule 214, Martha Casbon (indexed as “Carbor”} in household of John H Greeno; imaged on Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7619 : accessed 19 March 2018), Kent >Lewisham >Lee >District 4 >image 62 of 80; citing The National Archives, RG 10, piece 763, folio 89, p. 61.
^[13] 1881 England Census, Surrey, Croydon, population schedule, enumeration district 35, schedule 256, Samuel Casban; image on Ancestry (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7572 : accessed 1 November 2018), Surrey >Croydon >District 35 >image 49 of 66; citing The National Archives, RG 11, piece 816, folio 60, p. 47.
^[14] “England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005”, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DRB-92Y : accessed 1 November 2018), Jane Casbon, 1^st qtr, 1881, Royston, vol. 3A/323.
^[15] Kathryn Betts, “Holy Trinity Churchyard: Monumental Inscriptions.” Meldreth History (http://www.meldrethhistory.org.uk/page_id__484_img__4391.aspx : accessed 1 November 2018).
^[16] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007”, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVHV-Q78D : accessed 1 November 2018), John J Casbon, 1^st qtr, 1935, Cambridge, vol. 3B/564. Same source (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVHP-YBY9 : accessed 1 November 2018), Sarah Casbon, 1^st qtr, 1938, Cambridge, vol. 3B/553.
^[17] 1939 Register, South Cambridgeshire R.D., enumeration district TBKV, schedule 34, Martha Casbon; imaged on findmypast (https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/1939-register : accessed 19 November 2016); citing The National Archives, R39/6326/6326I/005/05.
^[18] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007”, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVCQ-FH17 : accessed 2 August 2016), Martha Casbon, 1^st qtr, 1947, Cambridge, vol. 4A/257.

Jane, William and Edith, Part 2

April 4, 2017April 15, 2020 adminLeave a comment

This is the second post in a series about the three children of John Casbon (1779–1813) and his wife Martha (Wagstaff, 1775–1855). Their second child was William. His birth date is not recorded, but he was baptized in Royston, Hertfordshire on Christmas day, 1805, so he was probably born earlier that same year.[1] William is an important part of Our Casbon Journey because his children went on to have large families. William is the common ancestor of many of today’s living Casbans and Casbens.

Page from Royston, Hertfordshire parish register, Baptisms, 1805. (Click on image to enlarge)

As I mentioned in the previous post, William’s father died in 1813, and his mother remarried in 1815, leading to a larger blended family consisting of William, his two sisters, several half-brothers and a half-sister. With the high mortality rates of the time, such families were common, as there were generally quite a few young widows and widowers looking for new partners to provide financial and domestic support.

William became an Agricultural Labourer and lived in Meldreth his entire life. He married Ann Clark in Meldreth October, 1831.[2]

Detail from Meldreth parish register, 1831. (Click on image to enlarge)

Both William and Ann signed the marriage register with their marks, indicating they could not write proficiently. This is also true of the two witnesses, Nehemiah Sell and Jane Casbon. Nehemiah Sell was the husband of William’s younger sister Edith, and Jane was William’s older sister. Thus, the marriage record is a reminder of the importance of family ties. William and Ann had seven children, all of whom survived into adulthood. Here is a brief summary:

Mary Ann, born about 1831;[3] listed as servant, 1851 census;[4] married Joseph Sparrow 1875 in Middlesex, England;[5] probably died 1887.[6]

Edith, baptized 1835, Meldreth;[7] listed as servant, 1851 census;[8] married William Catley 1860 in Meldreth;[9] buried 1916 in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire.[10]

Jane, baptized 1840, Meldreth;[11] married John Camp 1881;[12] died 1904.[13]

John, baptized 1843;[14] adopted surname Casban. He was the subject of “The old cow got round it” and “In Trouble Again.”
Reuben, born 1847, Meldreth.[15] Adopted surname Casben; Reuben will be the subject of a future post.

Samuel Clark, baptized 1852, Meldreth.[16] Adopted surname Casban. He was the subject of “Give me an ‘a’ …”.

Martha, baptized 1855, Meldreth;[17] never married; held various jobs in domestic service; buried 1947 in Melbourn.[18]

William’s wife Ann died in 1869 and was buried in Meldreth.[19] The 1871 census shows William as a widower, living with daughter Jane and son Samuel Clark.[20]

Page from 1871 census, Meldreth, Cambridgeshire. It’s tempting to think that the man boarding with them, William Clark, widower, is related to William Casbon’s deceased wife Ann, but there isn’t enough information to prove a connection. (Click on image to enlarge)

William died and was buried in Meldreth in either 1875 or 1877.[21],[22] The date is uncertain because there were two William Casbons, born a year apart, and I can’t be certain which one died when.

[1] “Hertfordshire Baptisms,” images and transcriptions, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fb%2f71142327%2f1 : accessed 29 March 2017), William Casburn, 25 Dec 1805; citing Hertfordshire Record Office, Royston Parish Register, Baptisms 1662—1812, Marriages 1662—1754, Burials 1662–1678.
[2] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” William Casbourn & Ann Clark marriage, 22 Oct 1831; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[3] “1851 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” Church Lane, Melbourn, Royston, Hertfordshire; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1851%2f0006953665 : accessed 30 March 2017), entry for Mary Casbon (age 20) in household of John Campkin; citing [The National Archives], HO 107, piece 1708, folio 177, p. 3.
[4] “1851 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” findmypast, entry for Mary Casbon.
[5] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Parish of St Lukes, Middlesex, Joseph Sparrow & Mary Ann Casbon, 26 Dec 1865; images and transcriptions, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 August 2016); citing Church of England Parish Registers, 1754-1921, London Metropolitan Archives, London.
[6] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Camberwell, London, vol. 1D: 547; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1887%2f3%2faz%2f000312%2f293 : accessed 30 March 2017), Mary Ann Sparrow (age 56), 3d quarter, 1887.
[7] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Edith Casbon baptism, 29 Mar 1835; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[8] “1851 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” High Street, Whaddon, Royston, Hertfordshire; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1851%2f0006949462 : accessed 30 March 2017), Edith Casbon in household of Elizabeth Bell; citing citing [The National Archives], HO 107, piece 1708, folio 34, p. 15.
[9] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” William Catley & Edith Casbon marriage, 13 October 1860; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[10] Cambridge Family History Society, “Melbourn Burials 1739–1950,” p. 64; transcription, 1916, May 22, Catley, Edith (age 84).
[11] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Jane Casbon baptism, 29 Nov 1840; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[12] “England & Wales Marriages 1837-2008,” Royston, Hertfordshire, vol. 3A: 323; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fm%2f1881%2f1%2faz%2f000038%2f142 : accessed 30 March 2017), John Camp [and Jane Casbon], 1st quarter, 1881.
[13] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007”, Royston, Hertfordshire, vol. 3A: 299; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1904%2f2%2faz%2f000053%2f347 : accessed 30 March 2017), Jane Camp (age 64), 2d quarter, 1904.
[14] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” John Casbon baptism, 16 Jul 1847 (born 2 Jun 1847); Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[15] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Reuben Casbon baptism, 25 Jul 1847 (born 2 Jun 1847); Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[16] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Samuel Clark Casbon baptism, 15 Feb 1852; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[17] Parish of Meldreth (Cambridgeshire, England), “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” Martha Casbon baptism, 26 Aug 1855; Family History Library microfilm 1,040,542.
[18] Cambridge Family History Society, “Melbourn Burials 1739–1950,” p. 73; transcription, 1947, Jan 19, Casbon, Martha (age 91).
[19] “Cambridgeshire Burials,” Meldreth, Cambridgeshire; transcription (Cambridge Family History Society), findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fd%2f403420207%2f1 : accessed 31 March 2017), Ann Casbon (age 59), 3 Oct 1869.
[20] “1871 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” High Street, Meldreth, Royston, Hertfordshire; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1871%2f0016454370 : accessed 27 March 2017), William Casbon (age 65); citing [The National Archives], RG 10, piece 1363, folio 25, p. 21.
[21] “Cambridgeshire Burials,” Meldreth, Cambridgeshire; transcription (Cambridgeshire Family History Society), findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fd%2f403420272%2f1 : accessed 31 March 2017), William Casbon (age 69), 11 Oct 1875.
[22] “Cambridgeshire Burials,” Meldreth, Cambridgeshire; transcription (Cambridge Family History Society), findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fd%2f403420286%2f1 : accessed 31 March 2017), William Casbon (age 77), 8 May 1877.

In Trouble Again

March 24, 2017April 28, 2020 admin3 Comments

Do you remember John Casbon, the 10-year old boy who was sentenced to 7-years transportation for setting a brush pile on fire (see “The old cow got round it”)? Well, it seems that he got in trouble with the law once more, as reported in the June 12, 1869 South London Chronicle.[1]

(Click on image to enlarge) Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk).

When we last heard of John, he was serving time at the Philanthropic Farm, Redhill, Surrey. He next appears on the 1861 census, living in his father William’s household in Meldreth, and working as a “Labourer.”[2] He married Ann Barnes in Meldreth, 1863.[3] Sadly, it was a short-lived marriage. A daughter, Eliza Ann, was born late in 1863.[4] Then, Ann died, in April, 1864.[5]

Evidently, John learned to read and write, probably during the time he was at the Philanthropic Farm. He signed his own name on his marriage records. He also adopted the spelling of Casban for his surname.[6] This is the spelling that appears on official documents and in his signature from 1863 on. It’s interesting that the common variants of our surname in use today – Casban and Casben – both arose from John and his immediate siblings. His brother Samuel Clark also adopted the surname Casban, while brother Reuben adopted the name Casben.

He must have moved to London shortly after Ann’s death. He married Mary Hall in Lambeth, London, in October, 1866.[7]

Marriage record of John to Mary Hall, October 9, 1866, Lambeth, Surrey (London), showing John’s signature and also those of his brother, Rueben, and sister, Mary Ann, both of whom were single and living in London.
(Click on image to enlarge)

After his release from prison, John and Mary had three children: George William, born 1871; Kate, born 1874; and Edward James, born 1878.[8],[9],[10] John’s daughter from his first marriage, Eliza Ann, died in 1873.[11] Son Edward James died in 1879.[12] His wife Mary died in 1880.[13]

Apparently John learned his lesson after his second imprisonment There’s no evidence that he had any further troubles with the law. He married Sarah (Lawrence) Cave, a widow, in October, 1880.[14] They did not have any children, and remained married until her death in 1913.[15]

Page from 1881 census, Tottenham, Middlesex, showing entry for John, Sarah, George and Kate.[16]
(Click on image to enlarge)

John’s stated occupation fluctuated after his release from prison. He was at times a gardener, carman, coachman, and labourer at a gasworks.[17],[18],[19],[20] He died in 1927 at the age of 86.[21] Some of today’s Casbans living in the U.K. are his descendants, through his son George. Hopefully one of them will read this & leave a comment!

[1] “Surrey Sessions … Robbery from Nine Elms Station,” South London Chronicle, 12 Jun 1869, p. 3, col. 4; image, “British Newspaper Collection,” findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/bna/ : accessed 21 March 2017).
[2] “1861 Census of Engand, Wales & Scotland,” Meldreth, Royston, Hertfordshire, England; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1861%2f0005027198 : accessed 23 March 2017), entry for William Carston (age 56); citing [The National Archives], enumeration district 15, RG 09, piece 815, folio 64, p. 24.
[3] Meldreth Parish (Cambridgeshire, England), Parish register, 1681-1877, John Casban & Ann Barnes, 24 January 1863; FHL microfilm 1,040,542.
[4] “England & Wales births 1837-2006,” Royston, Hertfordshire, vol. 3a: 238; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fb%2f1863%2f4%2faz%2f000195%2f077 : accessed 31 Jan 2017), Eliza Ann Casban, 4th quarter, 1863.
[5] Meldreth Parish (Cambridgeshire, England), Parish register, 1681-1877, Ann Casbon burial (1864); FHL microfilm 1,040,542.
[6] Meldreth Parish register, John Casban & Ann Barnes, 24 January 1863; FHL microfilm 1,040,542..
[7] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Parish of St Mary Lambeth, Surrey, John Casban & Mary Hall, 9 Oct 1866; images and transcriptions, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 March 2017); citing Church of England Parish Registers, 1754-1921, London Metropolitan Archives, London.
[8] “England & Wales births 1837-2006,” Edmunton, Middlesex, Vol. 3A: 198; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fb%2f1871%2f4%2faz%2f000104%2f029 : accessed 22 March 2017), George William Casban, 4th quarter, 1871.
[9] “England & Wales births 1837-2006,” Edmunton, Middlesex, Vol. 3A: 203; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fb%2f1874%2f1%2faz%2f000094%2f223 : accessed 22 March 2017), Katie Casban, 1st quarter, 1874.
[10] “England & Wales births 1837-2006,” Edmunton, Middlesex, vol. 3A: 251, database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fb%2f1878%2f3%2faz%2f000096%2f213 : accessed 23 March 2017), Edward James Casban, 3d quarter, 1878.
[11] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Edmunton, Middlesex, vol. 3A: 133; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1873%2f4%2faz%2f000056%2f130 : accessed 1 February 2017), Eliza Ann Casban, 4th quarter, 1873.
[12] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Edmunton, Middlesex, vol. 3A: 164; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1879%2f1%2faz%2f000069%2f263 : accessed 23 March 2017), Edward James Casban, 1st quarter, 1879.
[13] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Edmunton, Middlesex, vol. 3A: 151; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1880%2f1%2faz%2f000064%2f143 : accessed 23 March 2017), Mary Casban (age 40), 1st quarter, 1880.
[14] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Parish of St Jude Bethnal Green, MIddlesex, John Casban & Sarah Cave, 9 October 1880; images and transcriptions, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 November 2015); citing Church of England Parish Registers, 1754-1921, London Metropolitan Archives.
[15] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Edmonton, Middlesex, vol. 3A: 697; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1913%2f1%2faz%2f000173%2f099 : accessed 23 March 2017), Sarah Casban (age 73), 1st quarter, 1913.
[16] “1881 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” Tottenham, Edmonton, Middlesex; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1881%2f0006584773 : accessed 20 March 2017), entry for John Casbur (age 38); citing [The National Archives], RG 11, piece 1381, folio 45, p. 25.
[17] “1881 Census of England, Wales & Scotland,” Tottenham, Edmonton, Middlesex; findmypast, entry for John Casbur (age 38).
[18] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” Bethnal Green, Middlesex, John Casban & Sarah Cave, 9 October 1880; Ancestry.
[19] “London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921,” St James Church, Parish of Edmunton, London, Frederick Gunn & Kate Casban, 9 Apr 1898; images and transcriptions, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 March 2017); citing Church of England Parish Registers, 1754-1921, London Metropolitan Archives.
[20] “1911 Census of England and Wales,” Edmonton, Middlesex; image and transcription, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1911%2frg14%2f07352%2f0141%2f1 : accessed 20 March 2017), entry for John Casban (age 68); citing [The National Archives], ref. RG14PN7352 RG78PN357 RD132 SD5 ED2 SN70.
[21] “England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007,” Edmunton, Middlesex, vol 3A: 87; database, findmypast (http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=bmd%2fd%2f1927%2f1%2faz%2f000195%2f138 : accessed 23 March 2017), John Casban (age 86), 1st quarter, 1927.

Stepping back: Thomas Casbon, 1743-1799

December 8, 2016April 15, 2020 admin5 Comments

One thing that most people want to know about in tracing their ancestry is “how far back can I go?.” The best way to do this is to go back one generation at a time, looking for evidence that proves how the two generations are related. Eventually you reach a point where there is not enough evidence to be sure of the connection.

In the case of my “Meldreth Casbon” ancestors, records go back to the 1500s. However, I’ve only been able to confidently trace our ancestry back to the early 1700s. The reason is that earlier records do not provide enough information to “connect the dots,” that is, to say with certainty who is related to whom. The method for establishing these connections is known as the Genealogical Proof Standard.

Adapted from The Board for Certification of Genealogists http://www.bcgcertification.org/resources/standard.html

I will try to illustrate this process with the subject of today’s post, Thomas (yes, another Thomas!) Casbon, father of my 4th great-grandfather, Isaac. This diagram shows how Thomas is related to the other “Meldreth Casbons” I’ve discussed so far.

(Click on image to enlarge)

I’ll start with Isaac’s baptismal record, since I have a good chain of evidence proving that he is my ancestor.

Church of England, Parish Church of Meldreth “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-NF4Z?i=236&cat=1108704
(Click on image to enlarge)

We’ve seen this record before, in “The Collage Explained.” From this record we know that Isaac was baptized July 11, 1773 and that his parents’ names were Thomas and Jane. But who were Thomas and Jane? How can we learn more about them?

If Isaac was baptized as an infant, we can guess that his parents were married within the previous 20 years and born another 20 years or so before that. Although unlikely, his father Thomas might even have been born as many as 70 years or so earlier than Isaac. This gives approximate dates to look back in the parish registers for marriage and birth records.

The parish registers are available on microfilm. In addition, Bishop’s Transcripts, i.e., copies of the parish registers that were sent to the Bishop every year, can be viewed online at https://familysearch.org/search/film/007672879?cat=1108704 (free user account required to view these records).

I could not find a marriage record for Thomas and Jane in Meldreth, but from past experience, I knew that many of our ancestral records could also be found in the adjacent parish of Melbourn, located less than a mile away from Meldreth (just across the A10 highway). My search was more productive here: I found a record for Thomas Casbon and Jane Wilson, married October 25, 1769. [1]

From Melbourn Bishop’s Transcripts, Marriages 1769 (Click on image to enlarge)

This date of this marriage fits very well with Isaac’s baptism, so at this point we can say these are probably [my emphasis] his parents. But Thomas and Jane were both common names, so it’s important to make sure there aren’t any other records for a Thomas Casb* (* = any string of letters) marrying a woman named Jane in this time frame. Fortunately, several online genealogy sites make it relatively easy to search for this kind of information. I could not find any other marriages in the correct time frame between Thomas Casb* and a woman named Jane. So, based on the evidence (names, dates, location) and lack of contradictory information, I’m comfortable saying that Thomas Casbon and Jane Wilson, who were married in Melbourn, 1769, are the same Thomas and Jane listed on Isaac’s baptismal record.

The next step is to find a birth or baptismal record for Thomas Casb* in about the 1700 to 1753 time frame. Again, the parish registers on microfilm, Bishop’s transcripts and online search engines come to the rescue. Fortunately, there is only one viable candidate: Thomas, the son of John and Ann Casbel, baptized December 11, 1743 in Meldreth. [2]

Meldreth parish registers, Baptisms 1743. (Click on image to enlarge)

This birth date fits very well with what we know so far: Thomas would have been 26+ years old when he married Jane and 30+ when Isaac was born.

I would also like to know more about Jane, since she is my 5th great-grandmother. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a baptismal record for a Jane Wilson in Meldreth or the immediate area. Apparently there were no Wilson families living in Meldreth, as the name appears very rarely in the parish records. However, I can deduce that Jane was born in about 1841 based on the age reported on her burial record (see below). This would have given her an age of about 22 when her son Isaac was born.

Now that I’ve established birth and marriage dates for Thomas and Jane, let’s see what other children were born to them.

Their first recorded child is Anne, baptized as Casbull in June 1773. [3] She died less than 4 months later. [4]

Burial record of Anne Casbull 1773 (Click on image to enlarge)

You can see that another Anne Casbull was buried on February 18th of the same year. This was Anne, the wife of John. She was the mother of our Thomas, and was mentioned in his baptismal record above.

Thomas and Jane’s second child was baptized James Casbull in Meldreth, July 19, 1772. [5]

(Click on image to enlarge)

I’ll be writing more about James in a future post. He had several children and is the ancestor of a significant line of Casbons today.

Isaac was their third child. As I’ve discussed in previous posts, his sons Thomas and James emigrated to the United States, while sons William and Joseph remained in England.

After Isaac came another son, Thomas, baptized Casbul, May 28, 1775, in Meldreth. [6]

(Click on image to enlarge)

He left Meldreth and lived his entire adult life in the nearby parish of Shepreth (1.5 miles from Meldreth). His three children died in their teens and did not have descendants.

I’ve mentioned before that it was common practice to name a child after one who was previously deceased. This was the case with Thomas and Jane’s fifth, sixth, and seventh children – all named John and baptized in Meldreth. The first son John was baptized with the surname Casbill in February 1776. [7] His burial was recorded on October 29, 1777. [8] There is no baptismal record for their second son John. He must have been born sometime between his namesake’s death in 1777 and his own burial in June 1778. [9]

Burial record of the second John, June 7, 1778, in Meldreth, John Son of Thomas and Jane Casbon 7th.
(Click on image to enlarge)

The third son John survived into adulthood. He was baptized Casborne, October 3, 1779. [10]

You can clearly see the grain of the parchment in this image (Click on image to enlarge)

This John also fathered a significant line of Casbons. He is included in the diagram at the top of this post, and is the father of Reuben and Samuel Clark, who were discussed in earlier posts.

This diagram shows all of Thomas and Jane’s children.

(Click on image to enlarge)

The only remaining records needed to complete this profile of Thomas and Jane’s lives are their burial records. Based on the baptism of their last child, 1779 would be the earliest possible year to find a death record for either of them. Based on their estimated birth years, it would be very unlikely to find a burial record later than 1840.

I have located this record for Thomas Casbell, buried July 22, 1799 in Meldreth. [11]

(Click on image to enlarge)

Although there is nothing in this record to tell us for certain that this is our Thomas, born in 1843 and married to Jane Wilson, he is the only likely candidate. The only other Thomas Casb* living in the area at the time was our Thomas’ own son Thomas, born in 1775. Fortunately, there is good evidence that Thomas the son died in 1825. [12] After a thorough review of the available local records, I haven’t found any contradictory evidence, so I’m confident this is the correct burial date.

For Jane, I’m confident that she was buried on November 22, 1831 in Meldreth. [13]

Meldreth Bishop’s Transcripts, Burials 1831. (Click on image to enlarge)

There was one other Jane living in the area in the time after Thomas’ death. She was the granddaughter of Thomas and Jane by their son John, baptized Jane Casburn 1803, in nearby Royston. [14] Census records show that she was still alive after 1831, so she could not be the Jane buried in 1831. [15] In addition, by 1813 or so, burial records consistently recorded the age of the deceased. In this case, we can see that Jane’s age at death was recorded as 90, which is how I derived a birth year of 1741. She is listed as a widow, which is consistent with Thomas’ death in 1799.

While these records are sufficient to establish an outline of their lives, they give us little insight into what kind of lives Thomas and Jane led. We know that Thomas was a labourer, and that he lived long enough to see his surviving children reach maturity. As an elderly widow, we can guess that Jane was supported by her children. Beyond that we can only speculate.

This illustrates the challenges of locating, compiling, and interpreting genealogical data in order to trace one’s lineage. From Thomas, I can only trace the “Meldreth Casbons” back one more generation with reasonable certainty. I will save that for a future post.

[1] Church of England, Parish of Melbourne, “Bishop’s transcripts for Melbourne, 1599-1847.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-6BCP?i=256&cat=1109075 [accessed 11 May 2016]
[2] Church of England. Parish Church of Meldreth, “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.” Baptisms 1743 FHL microfilm #1040542
[3] “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-NFCJ?i=233&cat=1108704 [accessed 12 May 2016]
[4] “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-NFCJ?i=233&cat=1108704 [accessed 12 May 2016]
[5] “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-NF4G?i=235&cat=1108704 [accessed 12 May 2016]
[6] “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.” Baptisms 1775
[7] “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-NFLC?i=239&cat=1108704 [accessed 12 May 2016]
[8] “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.” Burials 1777
[9] “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-NXYQ?i=242&cat=1108704 [accessed 12 May 2016]
[10] “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-NFVM?mode=g&i=243&cat=1108704 [accessed 1 December 2016]
[11] “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.” Burials 1799
[12] Church of England, Parish of Shepreth, “Bishop’s transcripts for Shepreth, 1599-1871.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TD-N7KB-X?i=248&cat=1126796 [accessed 8 November 2015]
[13] “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-N656?i=354&cat=1108704 [accessed 11 May 2016]
[14] “England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975,” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NB69-ZXJ [accessed 4 August 2016]
[15] “1841 Census of England and Wales,” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQR8-J6S [accessed 8 September 2016]

Give me an “a”…

November 25, 2016April 15, 2020 admin6 Comments

The story of Samuel Clark Casban reflects the social and economic changes that were sweeping England in the mid- to late- 19th century.

He was baptized with the surname Casbon in February 1852, [1] the third son and sixth of seven children born to William (b. abt. 1805 in Royston) and Ann (Clark) (b. abt 1810 in Heyden, Essex) Casbon.

Baptismal record of Samuel Clark Casbon from Meldreth Parish Register (Click on image to enlarge)

His brother Reuben was mentioned in “Australia-bound” as first to use the Casben spelling of the name, and the father of Arthur Casben, who emigrated to Australia.

This diagram shows Reuben and Samuel are related to some of the other “Meldreth Casbons” I have discussed in earlier posts.

(Click on image to enlarge)

Like most of the early Meldreth Casbons, Samuel’s father William was listed as an “Agricultural Labourer” on census documents, meaning he did not own land, and worked for wages. In this 1861 census, you can see that 9-year old Samuel (“S Carsbon”) and his two older brothers John and Reuben had “Lab” – short for Labourer – listed as their occupations. Only 6-year old sister Martha was not working, and listed as “Scholar.” This was pretty typical for lower-class families in rural England at the time.

Detail from 1861 Census of England and Wales, Meldreth (Click on image to enlarge)

In the 1871 census, Samuel had an unusual job. He was listed as a “Coprolite digger.” Coprolite was a generic term for fossilized material that was high in phosphate content. Phosphate was used as a fertilizer. When it was learned that certain fossils contained high concentrations of phosphate, a short-lived boom occurred in those areas where the fossils could be found, including South Cambridgeshre, where Meldreth is located. The Meldreth Local History website has a good article about this industry if you’re interested in learning more about it.

Coprolite miners in Orwell, near Meldreth, 1890s. Image used with permission, http://www.meldrethhistory.org.uk/

Coprolite digging was hard, dirty work, but it probably paid better than agricultural labor.

Whether he was financially better off or not, in 1872 he married Lydia Harrup of nearby Melbourne. [2] Lydia had her own experiences with child labor. In 1861 at the age of 8, she was employed in a worsted woolen mill in Yorkshire. [3]

Detail from 1861 Census of England and Wales, showing entry for Lydia Harrop (Click on image to enlarge)

Samuel and Lydia’s first two children, Anne (b. about 1873) and Samuel C (b. December 1873), were baptized in Melbourn. [4] Sometime between 1874 and 1880, they moved to Croydon, Surrey, then a suburb south of London (now part of London proper), where Samuel had a new job as a “Railway goods shunter.” [5] A shunter in railway employee who “couples and uncouples railway vehicles to enable them to be moved into position and marshalled (i.e. arranged in order) in a siding or railway yard.” [6]

Detail from 1881 Census of England and Wales, Croydon, Surrey (Click on image to enlarge)

By this time they had four children. In addition to Anne and Samuel C there were Alice (b. abt 1875 in Melbourne or Croydon) and William (born 1880 in Croydon). They would go on to have a total of 10 children. I’ve been able to locate records for 9 of them.

Diagram of Samuel and Lydia Casban’s children (Click on image to enlarge)

In 1891, Samuel’s occupation had changed again, now to a “Coal Porter,” i.e., one who carries heavy sacks of coal. [7],[8] In 1901 he was a “Contractor’s Carman at Asphalte Works.” [9] A carman was someone who “drove a vehicle used to transport goods” (in 1901 this would have meant a horse-drawn vehicle). [10] By 1911, he was listed as a “Crossing Sweeper.” [11] In earlier times this referred to a person who swept the street ahead of pedestrians as they crossed. “A job as a crossing sweeper was one step above being considered a beggar and the last chance for an individual to earn an ‘honest crust.’” [12] I haven’t been able to determine if this had a different meaning in 1911. At any rate, it is apparent that he was doing less physically intensive labor by 1911.

Samuel’s move from Meldreth to Croydon, and his changing occupations reflect the changing conditions in England in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th century. Industrialization and advances in transportation resulted in urban growth and new job opportunities. Nevertheless, Samuel never advanced beyond working class status, and it is unknown whether his financial stability or quality of life were improved as a result of these changes.

One other major event in the early twentieth century must have had a profound impact on Samuel and Lydia. They lost two of their sons in World War I. Earnest Charles Casbon was killed in the battlefields of France in 1914. [13] He had been married to Nellie Placket the year before and had a daughter Nellie born in 1914 (and died in 1915). [14],[15],[16] Leonard Casban died in a Turkish prisoner of war camp in 1917. [17]

Samuel and Lydia remained in Croydon the rest of their lives, as did many of their surviving children. Samuel died in 1922, and Lydia followed him in 1924. [18],[19]

Samuel is the patriarch of many of today’s Casbans in the United Kingdom (there are others from an apparently unrelated branch). Their numbers are relatively small, in part because they only had three surviving sons, and in part because those sons either remained childless or had a propensity for having daughters.

If any descendants of Samuel and Lydia are reading this, I hope you will contact me or leave a comment. There are many blanks to be filled in my information!

[1] Church of England. Parish Church of Meldreth, “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877,” FHL Microfilm #1040542
[2] “England Marriages, 1538–1973,” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NVCX-8N1 [accessed 2 August 2016]
[3] “1861 Census of Engand, Wales & Scotland,” find my past http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 19 November 2016]
[4] “1881 Census of England and Wales,” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK6B-B64V [accessed 2 August 2016]
[5] “1881 Census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK6B-B64V [accessed 2 August 2016]
[6] “Are You Looking For An Ancestor?”. 2016. The Library – Modern Records Section http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/explorefurther/subject_guides/family_history/ [accessed 20 November 2016].
[7] “1891 Census of England and Wales,” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QF13-YPZ [accessed 2 August 2016]
[8] “Family Tree Researcher: Dictionary Of Old Occupations – C”. 2016. Family Researcher http://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/glossary/Dictionary-of-Old-Occupations-jobs-beginning-C6.html#Coal-Porter [accessed 21 November 2016]
[9] “1901 Census of England and Wales,” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9XP-YG6 [accessed 2 August 2016]
[10] “List Of Old English Occupations And Descriptions”. 2016. Worldthroughthelens.Com http://www.worldthroughthelens.com/family-history/old-occupations.php [accessed 21 November 2016]
[11] “1911 Census of England and Wales,” find my past http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 19 November 2016]
[12] “Crossing Sweepers – Geri Walton,” 2014. Geri Walton https://www.geriwalton.com/child-crossing-sweepers [accessed 21 November 2016]
[13] “Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919”, find my past http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 11 November 2016]
[14] “England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26Z8-DD3 [accessed 12 November 2015]
[15] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2F5C-6NV [accessed 13 November 2015]
[16] “England and Wales, Death Index 1800-2007”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2J7B-W7Q [accessed 13 November 2015]
[17] “Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919”, find my past http://www.findmypast.com [accessed 11 November 2016]
[18] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVHQ-Z4KH [accessed 15 September 2015]
[19] “England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVH3-RNZ2 [accessed 17 November 2016]

Australia-bound

November 15, 2016 admin4 Comments

As near as I can tell, Arthur Casben is the forefather of all the Australia Casbens.

Arthur was born in Lambeth, London, May 1886, [1] He was one of eight children born to Reuben and Elizabeth (Neyland) Casbon. Arthur was a “Meldreth Casbon,” descended from John Casbel of Meldreth. His 2nd great-grandfather Thomas Casbon was my 5th great grandfather.

(Click on image to enlarge)

Arthur’s father Reuben adopted the C-A-S-B-E-N spelling of the name. This spelling appears on birth registries for his children as well as various other documents.

By the age of 15, Arthur had a job on the railroads as a servant. [2] By the age of 22 he was a conductor. [3]

He married Leonora Gertrude Ackerman 1910 in Croydon, Surrey, England. [4] She was the daughter of Albert T and Alice (Wilks) Ackerman. [5]

I don’t know exactly when Arthur left England for Australia, but I’ve been able to put together the following bits of information.

Arthur’s wife Leonora and two sons Wilfred and Noel departed from London aboard the ship Themistocles in April 1914. [6] The ship was bound for Brisbane, Australia, and the manifest indicates that they intended to become permanent citizens of Australia.

(Click on image to enlarge)

Leonora’s sister Helena (Ackerman) Skinner (b. 1870) was on the same ship with her six children. [7] Her husband, Alfred James Skinner, was not on the manifest, but at some point he also went to Australia.

They were preceded to Australia by Leonora’s parents, who departed London bound for Brisbane in November 1913. They also intended to make Australia their home. [8]

Leonora’s brother, Leopold Patrick Albert Ackerman (b. 1879) probably was the first to arrive in Australia. He married Mary McAdam in New South Wales in 1912. [9] I don’t know when he arrived in Australia.

The first Australian record I have for Arthur is his embarkation in December 1915 to serve with the Australian Forces in World War I. He was already a resident of Coogee, New South Wales. [10]

(Click on image to enlarge)

It’s apparent that the Arthur and Leonora’s decision to move to Australia involved Leonora’s extended family. I don’t have enough information to know what led to the decision.

My father corresponded with Arthur’s son Noel (1912-2001) in the 1990s. Noel sent a brief summary of the family’s early years in Australia, part of which is transcribed here:

My father was the only one of four brothers … who migrated to this country. He & of course my Mom arrived during 1914 when I was about 2 y.o. and with brother Wilfred 2 yrs my senior and no longer with us. My first memory of life is just before Feb. 1915 when my sister was born when we live at SCOGEE a beachside suburb of Sydney. I do not remember my Dad going to war in Palestine nor coming home in 1917. Nor do I remember going with the family to a country town in N.S. Wales where my Dad did a mail run. I do remember very vividly a bonfire being lit in the main street of Coolamon on armistise day 1918 Dad was no business man so the mail run went and we returned to Sydney. [11]

Besides Wilfred and Noel, Arthur and Leonora Casben had at least five more children after arriving in Australia. Some of their descendants have reached positions of prominence.

One added note: Arthur’s sister, Margaret Casben, emigrated to Australia in 1915. [12] She married Robert C. Wright in 1920. [13]

This blog occasionally gets visits from someone in Australia and New Zealand. If any Casben descendants are reading this, please feel free to contact me or leave a comment.

[1] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XP6-FL3 [accessed 11 November 2015]
[2] “1901 Census of England, Wales & Scotland.” find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbc%2f1901%2f0002505084 [accessed 3 November 2016]
[3] “Britain, Trade Union membership registers”, find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbor%2ftradeunions%2f100121154 [accessed 3 November 2016]
[4] “England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DX9-Y27 [accessed 6 October 2016]
[5] “England and Wales Census, 1891.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q9TZ-1N2 : 15 October 2015 [accessed 6 October 2016]
[6] “Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960.” find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=tna%2fbt27%2f0846000031%2f00368 [accessed 23 September 2016]
[7] “Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960.” find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=tna%2fbt27%2f0846000031%2f00313 [accessed 3 November 2016]
[8] “Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960.” find my past http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=tna%2fbt27%2f0815000069%2f00072 [accessed 6 October 2016]
[9] “New South Wales Marriages 1788-1945.” find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=anz%2fbmd%2fnsw%2fm%2f0003817632 [accessed 3 November 2016]
[10] “First World War Embarkation Rolls”, Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1821056/[accessed 3 November 2016]
[11] Casben, N., Letter to L. Casbon, 25 March 1996. [The original printed letter is in the Jon Casbon’s possession]
[12] “Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960.” find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=tna%2fbt27%2f0867000007%2f00092[accessed 6 October 2016]
[13] “New South Wales Marriages 1788-1945”, find my past http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=anz%2fbmd%2fnsw%2fm%2f0002643830[accessed 6 October 2016]

What’s in a Name?

September 11, 2016April 14, 2020 admin2 Comments

Our name wasn’t always Casbon.

What I should really say, is that our name wasn’t always spelled ‘C-a-s-b-o-n.’

As you go back into our early family records, the ways our name is spelled varies dramatically.

The earliest I’ve traced my ancestors is the marriage of William Casbolde to Margrett Saybrocke in 1577.^[1] Here is a sampling of spellings from parish and census records of my relatives, with dates they were recorded^[2]^,^[3]^,^[4].

(Click on image to enlarge)

There are many records with spellings similar to those above in other parts of England, but the records are concentrated most heavily in the general vicinity of Cambridge. If you’re interested, check out this map I created showing the distribution of births and christenings with similar surnames in England between 1560 and 1825. The map allows you to select individual surnames, locations and ranges of dates to see how these factors affect the distribution.

Learning to read old records can be a challenge. This says, “Judeth Daughter of John Casbold & Joan february vii.” [Church of England. “Parish registers for Melbourne, 1558-1877.”](Click on image to enlarge)

The spelling Casbon appears as early as 1617 in Isleham, Cambridgeshire^[5], but thereafter it only appears infrequently in diverse locations. It makes its first appearance in my family line is 1769 when Thomas Casbon married Jane Wilson in Melbourn.^[6] The Casbon spelling did not become more widespread until the early to mid-1800s.

Samuel Clark Casbon, born in Meldreth 1851 to William and Ann (Clark) Casbon^[7], was recorded in the 1881 England and Wales Census as Samuel Casban^[8]. His descendants have continued to use the Casban spelling. Reuben (b. 1847^[9]), another son of William and Ann Casbon adopted the spelling Casben for himself and his descendants. Reuben’s son Arthur Casben (b. 1886^[10]) emigrated to Australia in the early 20^th century. Now almost all of the living Casbens are in Australia.^[11]

The main reason spellings of these names changed is that very few people could read or write. Many of our ancestors did not know how to spell their names. This can be seen on marriage records where bride and groom often signed with their “mark,” An x or +.

When James Casbon married Elizabeth Waller in 1835, he signed his name with his “mark,” as did one of the witnesses. Apparently Elizabeth was able to sign her own name. [Church of England. “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.”](Click on image to enlarge)

This means that the spelling was determined by whichever church or government official was responsible for writing the name in an official record. They simply had to make their best guess. I’ve noticed in these old records that when the person keeping the records changes, so does the spelling.

Imagine going to the DMV for a driver’s license and not knowing how to spell your name…what do you think would end up on the license?!

Literacy rates gradually increased throughout the 1800s, although elementary education did not become compulsory in England until 1880.^[12] Once our ancestors learned to write, they were able to take control of how the name and how it was spelled.

This means that today’s spelling of names is somewhat arbitrary. As seen with Casban and Casben above, people who are related may not share the same surname. Conversely, not everyone with a given surname is related. It’s tempting to believe that all the Casbons are somehow related, but there is little reason and no evidence to support it.

It doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, though!

[1] “England Marriages, 1538–1973.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2QX-MXY [accessed 31 October 2015]

[2] Church of England. “Parish registers for Melbourne, 1558-1877.” Microfilm of original records in the Cambridge County Record Office, Cambridge. FHL Microfilm #1040540. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, [1980]

[3] Church of England. “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.” Microfilm of original records in the Cambridge County Record Office, Cambridge. FHL Microfilm #1040542. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, [1980]

[4] “1871 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRFV-RPH [accessed 24 July 2015]

[5] “Cambridgeshire Burials.” FindMyPast http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fd%2f403045322%2f1 [accessed 8 September 2016]

[6] “England Marriages, 1538–1973 .” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJK5-XZD [accessed 30 September 2015]

[7] Church of England. “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.”

[8] “1881 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK6B-B64V [accessed 6 October 2015]

[9] Church of England. “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.”

[10] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XP6-FL3 [accessed 11 November 2015]

[11] “Casben Surname Meaning and Statistics.” Forebears http://forebears.io/surnames/casben [accessed 8 September 2016]

[12] “The 1870 Education Act.” UK Parliament http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/livinglearning/school/overview/1870educationact/ [accessed 8 September 2016]

Page from Royston, Hertfordshire parish register, Baptisms, 1805. (Click on image to enlarge)

Detail from Meldreth parish register, 1831. (Click on image to enlarge)

Mary Ann, born about 1831;[3] listed as servant, 1851 census;[4] married Joseph Sparrow 1875 in Middlesex, England;[5] probably died 1887.[6]

Edith, baptized 1835, Meldreth;[7] listed as servant, 1851 census;[8] married William Catley 1860 in Meldreth;[9] buried 1916 in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire.[10]

Jane, baptized 1840, Meldreth;[11] married John Camp 1881;[12] died 1904.[13]

John, baptized 1843;[14] adopted surname Casban. He was the subject of “The old cow got round it” and “In Trouble Again.”

Reuben, born 1847, Meldreth.[15] Adopted surname Casben; Reuben will be the subject of a future post.

Samuel Clark, baptized 1852, Meldreth.[16] Adopted surname Casban. He was the subject of “Give me an ‘a’ …”.

Martha, baptized 1855, Meldreth;[17] never married; held various jobs in domestic service; buried 1947 in Melbourn.[18]

Page from 1871 census, Meldreth, Cambridgeshire. It’s tempting to think that the man boarding with them, William Clark, widower, is related to William Casbon’s deceased wife Ann, but there isn’t enough information to prove a connection. (Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge) Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk).

Marriage record of John to Mary Hall, October 9, 1866, Lambeth, Surrey (London), showing John’s signature and also those of his brother, Rueben, and sister, Mary Ann, both of whom were single and living in London. (Click on image to enlarge)

Page from 1881 census, Tottenham, Middlesex, showing entry for John, Sarah, George and Kate.[16] (Click on image to enlarge)

Adapted from The Board for Certification of Genealogists http://www.bcgcertification.org/resources/standard.html

(Click on image to enlarge)

Church of England, Parish Church of Meldreth “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-NF4Z?i=236&cat=1108704 (Click on image to enlarge)

From Melbourn Bishop’s Transcripts, Marriages 1769 (Click on image to enlarge)

Meldreth parish registers, Baptisms 1743. (Click on image to enlarge)

Burial record of Anne Casbull 1773 (Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

Burial record of the second John, June 7, 1778, in Meldreth, John Son of Thomas and Jane Casbon 7th. (Click on image to enlarge)

You can clearly see the grain of the parchment in this image (Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

Meldreth Bishop’s Transcripts, Burials 1831. (Click on image to enlarge)

Baptismal record of Samuel Clark Casbon from Meldreth Parish Register (Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

Detail from 1861 Census of England and Wales, Meldreth (Click on image to enlarge)

Coprolite miners in Orwell, near Meldreth, 1890s. Image used with permission, http://www.meldrethhistory.org.uk/

Detail from 1861 Census of England and Wales, showing entry for Lydia Harrop (Click on image to enlarge)

Detail from 1881 Census of England and Wales, Croydon, Surrey (Click on image to enlarge)

Diagram of Samuel and Lydia Casban’s children (Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

(Click on image to enlarge)

Learning to read old records can be a challenge. This says, “Judeth Daughter of John Casbold & Joan february vii.” [Church of England. “Parish registers for Melbourne, 1558-1877.”](Click on image to enlarge)

When James Casbon married Elizabeth Waller in 1835, he signed his name with his “mark,” as did one of the witnesses. Apparently Elizabeth was able to sign her own name. [Church of England. “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.”](Click on image to enlarge)

[1] “England Marriages, 1538–1973.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2QX-MXY [accessed 31 October 2015]

[2] Church of England. “Parish registers for Melbourne, 1558-1877.” Microfilm of original records in the Cambridge County Record Office, Cambridge. FHL Microfilm #1040540. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, [1980]

[3] Church of England. “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.” Microfilm of original records in the Cambridge County Record Office, Cambridge. FHL Microfilm #1040542. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, [1980]

[4] “1871 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRFV-RPH [accessed 24 July 2015]

[5] “Cambridgeshire Burials.” FindMyPast http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=gbprs%2fd%2f403045322%2f1 [accessed 8 September 2016]

[6] “England Marriages, 1538–1973 .” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJK5-XZD [accessed 30 September 2015]

[7] Church of England. “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.”

[8] “1881 census of England and Wales.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK6B-B64V [accessed 6 October 2015]

[9] Church of England. “Parish registers for Meldreth, 1681-1877.”

[10] “England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008.” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XP6-FL3 [accessed 11 November 2015]

[11] “Casben Surname Meaning and Statistics.” Forebears http://forebears.io/surnames/casben [accessed 8 September 2016]

[12] “The 1870 Education Act.” UK Parliament http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/livinglearning/school/overview/1870educationact/ [accessed 8 September 2016]

Marriage record of John to Mary Hall, October 9, 1866, Lambeth, Surrey (London), showing John’s signature and also those of his brother, Rueben, and sister, Mary Ann, both of whom were single and living in London.
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Page from 1881 census, Tottenham, Middlesex, showing entry for John, Sarah, George and Kate.[16]
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Church of England, Parish Church of Meldreth “Bishop’s transcripts for Meldreth, 1599-1862” FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T9-NF4Z?i=236&cat=1108704
(Click on image to enlarge)

Burial record of the second John, June 7, 1778, in Meldreth, John Son of Thomas and Jane Casbon 7th.
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