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The Casey family was the most numerous at the start, both in the
south, and in the first settlement of Jefferson county. We have already
given the life and services of Zadok Casey. His father was Randolph, a
warrior under Gen. Francis Marion. Of his children-Zadok, Samuel, Levi,
Isaac, all came to Jefferson county, and have been noticed. We are just
in receipt of a letter from Oakland, California, from Mrs. Mellie Casey
Rockwell, in which she says: "My father, William B. (Buck) Casey, was born
in Jefferson county, Illinois, in June, 1821, the second male child born
in the county-son of William and Amy (Barker) Casey. Uncle Blackford Casey,
my father's oldest brother, was born in June, 1815, and was the very first
male child born in what is now Jefferson county. My mother is still living
at the age of eighty-three; my father died in 1884. Uncle Blackford Casey
passed away in December, 1892. His oldest son, Greetham Casey, who was
born in Jefferson county, seventy years ago, now lives in Covine, Los Angeles
county, California. My mother taught school in Mount Vernon in 1850." This
reminds us' that there are fewer Casey in 01d Jefferson today than there
were in those early days. They have moved on with civilization and become
less prolific, perhaps. The same may be said of the Maxeys, and Johnsons,
also, for they ate fewer now than then. William Casey, Jr., came here in
1836; he was the father of B1ackford, Maletna, Buck, Abraham, Drury B.,
Thomas, Melissa and Zadok, Jr. He used to live northwest two miles on what
is now the Centralia road. Abraham T., William's brother, married Valinda
Maxey, located on Salem road and preached "around." His children were Harriet,
who married Dr.W.S. Van Cleve; Catherine, who married Mont Morrow; Belveretta,
who married J. R. Walker; Elizabeth, who married John Sproul; Martha, who
married Dr. Shirley, and Lafayette, an itinerant preacher. Thomas M. Casey,
afterwards known as "Uncle Tommy," married Harriet Maxey. They had eleven
children and we remember: Clinton M., Jane, William, Cynthia, Mary, Barger,
Rebecca, Nanny, Abraham and Rhoda. Abraham P. died in Missouri, leaving
his children; John C., Green P., Franklin S., Martin S., Isaac, Clarissa
and Elizabeth, in this county. John C. married Polly Casey, Green P. married
Margaret Watkins, Franklin S. married Rhoda Taylor. He lived on the Richview
road, near Grand Prairie, and died there. Thomas J. and Robert were his
sons. Mrs. Lew Beale was his daughter. Lewis F. Casey, in giving an account
of his father's family, Green P. Casey, says: "My grandfather was Abraham
P. My grandfather on my mother's side was Lewis Watkins. My parents were
married in Mount Vernon in 1820, went to farming out in the woods, with
nothing but bears, deer and coons to molest them. My brothers, Abraham
and Hiram, died in childhood; my sisters married as follows: Harriet married
George Seward; May A. married John T. Smith; Nancy A. married Henry Phillips;
Sarah A. married John Willis; Mahala P. married Dr. John Murphy; Margaret
married Capt. D. M. Short, of Texas, and Rhoda Ellen married Alfred Galbreath.
Also two sisters, Arabella and Isabella, both of whom died young. Green
P. died in 1857, and his wife in 1866, mourned by all who knew them." Lewis
F., the surviving son of this family, was made surveyor of Jefferson county
at the age of twenty; was Commissioner to take the census of the county
in 1845; was lieutenant of Company H Second Regiment, in Mexico; represented
his native county (Jefferson) in the Legislature in 1847. He moved to Texas
in 1852, was chosen Prosecuting Attorney; elected to the State Senate in
1861; was surrounded by secession sentiment and served the cause until
it failed; then returned to Illinois; began to practice law at Centralia,
and died there a few years ago. His wife was Mary J., daughter of Governor
Z Casey. Samuel K. Casey eldest son of Governor Casey, bought the
old homestead (now the Chance place) and lived and died there after serving
in both houses of the Legislature, serving as warden of the penitentiary
and being largely instrumental in securing Mount Vernon her first railroad.
He is survived by Samuel Casey, a prominent real estate dealer of Mount
Vernon. Thomas S. Casey, son of Zadok, also served in both houses of the
Legislature, as Circuit Judge, and for a while as colonel in the war, and
for many years he was prominent in the law and at one time was on the Appellate
Court bench. Newton Casey, another son of Zadok, also served in the Legislature,
and other public positions. Mahala, his daughter, married a Mr. Dwight
and Judge Samuel L. Dwight, of Centralia, is their surviving child. He
married Capt. R. D. Noleman's daughter. The other Casey descendants in
Jefferson county have proven themselves good useful citizens in the private
walks of life, and none of them have ever wrought disgrace on the Casey
name, and Jefferson county may consider herself fortunate in having the
Casey for her first inhabitants. Suffice it to say that the Casey family
have left their impress on Jefferson county, although the greater number
of them have passed over the divide, where they await the grand Casey reunion
on the other side.
SOURCE: Walls History of Jefferson County 1909
SUBMITTED BY: Misty Flannigan
Robert Franklin CASEY
CASEY Family History
The following brief bits of history of the family of the late Robert
F. CASEY and his wife are quite interesting
Robert F. CASEY was the son of Isaac Stewart and Tabitha White CASEY,
and has one sister, Mrs. T. S. NOLEMAN, of Grand Prairie. Isaac S. CASEY
was born in Tennessee in 1811, to Abraham and Nancy Baker CASEY, coming
here with his parents in 1818; was a volunteer in the Black Hawk War and
was a cororal under Franklin S. CASEY, first lieutenant stationed at KELLEGG'S
Grove, and was one of the party decoyed from the fort early one morning
when so many were killed. Later he assisted in the capture of the noted
chief, Black Hawk. Abraham CASEY and wife were natives of South Carolina,
moving to Tennesse, then to Illinois. He built the first house in Grand
Prairie, was an older brother of Gov. CASEY and was nicknamed "Old Silver."
His wife, Nancy, was a woman of strong character, a busy active woman,
practicing as mid-wife until 80 years old, riding horseback all over the
country. At one time she was attacked by wolves and had a narrow escape
with her life. She was known far and wide as "Granny" CASEY. Tabitha White
CASEY was the daughter of Robert and Sarah HOLT WHITE, and was born July
10, 1813, at Chambers Fort, a few miles north of Lebanon. She died April
1898. They also came from South Carolina and located in Madison county
in the year of 1810. Mr. WHITE was a Methodist preacher, licensed by Bishop
MCKENDREE, in the village of St. Louis. He was a great friend and co-worker
of Peter CARTWRIGHT, preaching often to the friendly Indians. Mrs. CASEY
is the daughter of the late Hiram and Mary A. MILBURN and was born in Princeton,
Ind., Nov. 9, 1839. She is an older sister of Mrs. Rose MCWILLIAMS, of
Chicago; Mrs. Everman FINLEY, Mrs. Elias MYERS, of Field township; T. N.
MILBURN, Webb City, MO.; and W. A. MILBURN of this city. One brother, Robert,
was a sergeant in the Civil War and was mustered out of service June 10,
1865, living only a short time after. His commission as lieutenant received
by the family after his death. MILBURN Post, at Dix, was named for him.
His grandfather, Robert MILBURN, was one of the company that erected the
steam flouring mill, at Princeton, the first built in southern Indiana.
He was an old soldier, having served with General HARRISON at the Battle
of Tippecanoe. Many of the early MILBURNS were in the Revolutionary War,
some serving as officers through the entire war, and one, Katherine STEWART,
drilled the girls and women to use rifles to defend their homes. She was
hated by the Indians, who burned her home, but she outwitted them and escaped
and for her act of courage and daring was name "Witty Kitty of the Fort."
Mary MCCOY MILBURN'S father came from Ireland, locating in Maryland. February
23, 1911 Mt. Vernon Daily Register
submitted by: Sharlet Bigham LaBarbera Sept 22, 1997 |
