The Family of Augustus Cassell and Mary Baer

(Christian Cassel - John - Christian - William - Augustus)
Augustus Cassell (1813-1901)

Augustus Cassell was born on January 3, 1813 on his father’s farm in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. He spent his early life on his family’s farm there. Augustus and his brothers started helping their father on the farm at an early age. As young boys, they learned to swing an ax, cradle and scythe which were the principle farm implements during that time. Whenever possible during the winter season, Augustus and his brothers attended the local school which was held in a log cabin and did their lessons on a slab bench. Augustus and his brother, Joseph traveled to the wilderness of Putnam County, Illinois during the Black Hawk War of 1832. They liked it so well that they decided to stay and were considered two of the first settlers of Putnam County in 1833. Augustus was to be married, so they returned to their homes in Pennsylvania.

At the age of 20, Augustus married Mary May Baer on November 14, 1833 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The first few years of their married life they resided in a small stone house owned by his aunt Esther Berry in Annville, Pennsylvania. His aunt Esther died in January 1836 and Augustus and May’s home was willed to his cousin Christian Miller. In the spring of 1836, Augustus, May and their young son John Henry joined his brother Joseph and new family in traveling back to Putnam County, Illinois.

August and Joseph became two of the first settlers in the new village of Florid. Florid was established in December of 1835 and was located several miles south of Hennepin, Illinois. Only one man, had settled there before them. Near the village was Fort Cribs which was used as a block house against Indian attacks. Several months later, their brother Christian joined them and then Berry joined them in 1838. Berry liked Putnam County so well that he convinced their parents join them in Illinois. By 1845, all of August’s six brothers, his parents and all of his sisters - except Sophia were living in Illinois.

Augustus and May had nine children. John Henry was born on October 31, 1834 in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. William Baer was born on November 28,1836 in Putnam County, Illinois. Sara Ann was born on April 26, 1839. Allson was born on October 10, 1841 in Putnam County, Illinois and Rufus was born in November 4, 1844 in Putnam County, Illinois. Sidney was born in 1847. Augustus was born in 1849. Mary Ellen was born in 1852 and Isadora was born in 1856. Augustus and Sidney died in childhood.

Augustus and Mary settled near Florid, Illinois at Cottage Hill. There they lived out the remainder of his years. Augustus worked there as a cabinet maker. For several years, he owned and conducted a steam saw mill and was once a mercantile business at Florid, Illinois. In 1871, he also worked as an auctioneer. Augustus belonged to the Methodist Church in Hennepin, Illinois.  Augustus was elected Putnam County judge in 1872 and again in 1876. He was also a Justice of the Peace for 27 years. On April 21, 1880, according to the Putnam Record, the local paper for Putnam County, "Judge Cassell" was called home by the severe illness of his wife. She had a paralytic stroke. His wife never recovered and died in 1885.

In September of 1881, according to the Putnam Record there was a severe storm that did considerable damage to a number of trees in Augustus's orchard, twisting off the top of them. It also carried "twenty to thirty rods into the timber". In April of 1887, a fire broke out at a neighbor’s farm which quickly spread. Augustus lost most of his fences and a lot of his timber. In 1892, Augustus became extremely ill and had to be replaced on the bench at court. He never fully recovered and retired. Augustus passed away at his home on Friday morning, February 12, 1901. After his death, he was buried beside his wife in the Florid cemetery, Florid, Illinois.

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Mary Cassell (nee Baer) (1813-1885)

Mary Baer was born on June 2, 1813 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. She spent her childhood in Pennsylvania and was united with the Lutheran church at a very young age. At the age of 20, Mary married Augustus Cassell on November 14, 1833 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  

Mary and Augustus had 9 children. The first few years of their married life they resided in a small stone house owned by Augustus’ Aunt Esther Berry in Annville, Pennsylvania. His aunt Esther died in January 1836 and Augustus and Mary’s home was willed to his cousin Christian Miller. In the spring of 1836, Augustus, Mary and their young son John Henry joined his brother Joseph and new family in traveling back to Putnam County, Illinois.

Mary continued living the remainder of her life in Putnam County where she was a faithful member of the Weslyan Methodist Church. In 1880, May had a paralytic stroke from which she never recovered. After her death on September 10, 1885, she was laid to rest in the Florid cemetery.

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(Christian Cassel - John - Christian - William - Augustus - John Henry)
1.  John Henry Cassell (1834-1911)

John Henry Cassell was born on October 31, 1834 in Millersburg (Annville), Lebanon Co. Pa.  He was baptized at the Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Annville.  The sponsors at his baptism were his parents.  John spent the first few years of his life in a brick home owned by his great-aunt Esther Berry in Annville, Pennsylvania.  When his great-aunt died, the house was given to his aunt Sophia Albert and his parents then moved.  John was also listed in his aunt's will.  He inherited the sum of $296.

In 1836, when John was a small child, his parents, along with his uncle, Joseph and his family and his uncle Christian Cassell headed west, where they settled in Putnam County, Illinois where they settled near the small village of Florid, which is 4 miles southeast of Hennepin Illinois.  John spent the remainder of his childhood on a farm at a place called Cottage Hill which was located between the village of Florid and the present village of McNabb, Illinois.  At the age of 16, he went to work as a farm laborer.  By 1860, he was working as an engineer.  He also worked as a miller.

John fought during the civil war.  He enlisted on May 8, 1861 at Joliet, Illinois as a Private in Co. H., 20th Regiment Volunteer Infantry. John participated in many hard fought battles, and was wounded in the arm by a piece of shell.  John was detailed for Special Service in the Contraband Department in September of 1863.  He served as a scout and sy for nine months, visiting rebel camps as a spy.

When General Grant got ready to run the block at Vicksburg, he called for volunteers to go on the boats.  John was one of the first to step forward. The boat John was on was disabled by the first battery of ammunition and they had to float by the fort.  There were 20 men killed on the boat.  The Rebel soldiers tried to board the boat and the Union men kept them off by spraying them with scalding water from a hose attached to the boiler.  The north won that battle and John was discharged on September 2, 1864 at Vicksburg, Mississippi.

 John re-elisted on March 2, 1865, as a Sergeant in Co. I., 47th Regiment Invantry Volunteers. According to his enlistment papers, John was 5 foot 6 inches tall with brown hair and blue eyes.  During that time he had typhoid malaria in July of 1865.  John served until January 21, 1866, when he was discharged at Demopolis, Alabama.  

"The veterans and recruits numbering 196 men, under Lieuts, Edward Bonham and Royal Olmsted accompanied Gen. Mower up Red river to Brownsville, Ark., and after Gen Price who was raiding in Missouri; thence ordered to Chicago to quell any riot on election day; reported after at Springfield, receiving 200 drafted man, and a battalion of four companies; Lieut. Bonham being promoted to major, and R. Olmsted Capt. of Co. A, went to Kentucky, and thence to Tennessee, rejoining its old brigade at Eastport, Miss., 2d brigade, 1st division, 16th army corps, accompanying it to New Orleans thence to Mobile bay, taking part in the reduction of Spanish Fort. While here six additional companies from Springfield, Ill., made its organization again complete; was stationed at Montgomery, and finally mustered out at Selma, Ala., Jan. 21, 1866 and received final pay and discharge at Springfield". (Abstracted From the Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois: 1900-1902 - Henry News Republican, July 8, 1875)

After the war, John returned home to Putnam County.  He married Susan Griener on May 10, 1858.  After their marriage John and Susan settled on a farm in Hennepin Township (probably his father's) where John worked as a farm laborer. Later they moved to Magnolia Township near Granville where John bought his own farm.  John and Susan had 7 children.  They were Albert, Edward Lee, James Jasper, Mary Marie (Mirtle), Daisy, Minnie May and Dorothy (Dolly).  Minnie May died as an infant.

According to the Putnam Record, the local paper for Putnam County, there was a severe storm in September of 1881. John and his family took refuge in the cellar of their home, while the house "shook like a leaf".  After the storm, the strangest feat was that a tub of water had been carried 15 paces and set back down without spilling a drop of water.

Ten years before his death John began to suffer with severe asthma.  "John Henry Cassell of Granville, who has been visiting his brothers, W. B. and A. K. Cassell, for the past week was very ill last night.  He has been a very patient sufferer from asthma for nearly 2 years and there seems to be but little help for him." (Putnam Record, Cottage Hill news, August 5, 1902)  The asthma was so bad that he was admitted into the Old Soldier's Home in Quincy, Illinois for treatment.  John came home for awhile in August of 1909 by returned to the home in September of 1910.  John passed away at the Old Soldier's Home in Quincy, Illinois on Monday, November 6, 1911.  After his death, he was buried in the Florid cemetery, Florid, Illinois.

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(Christian Cassel - John - Christian - William - Augustus - William)
2. William Baer "Bill" Cassell (1836-1915)

Bill Cassell was born on November 28, 1836 in Florid, Putnam County, Illinois which is a small village 4 miles southeast of Hennepin in Putnam County.  Bill spent his childhood in Putnam county.  By 1860 he was working with his father as a cabinet maker.  At the age of 25, Bill enlisted in the army and served durign the Civil War in Company B, 69th Infantry Regiment.  He then re-enlisted on May 14, 1864 and served in Company B, 139th Regiment for 100 days. After the war, Bill tried in enlist a third time, but was rejected because of a deformed arm.

Bill returned home to Florid, Illinois where he once again went to work as a carpenter .  On August 16, 1874, in Putnam county, he married Mrs. Anna Dunbar, who already had two daughters, Mattie and Rena.  Bill and Anna had three children, Peoria, Bessie and Harry. Bill and Anna lived most of their lives in Putnam county   By 1880, Bill was living in the Cottage Hill communtiy which was south of McNabb.  

Bill made a living as a farmer and a carpenter. He was also a very good auctioneer and was well known throughout the county.  In 1886, Bill and his brother, Allson bought a new hydraulic cider press and had a very successful business making apple cider for the local communities. The press had a pressure of 125 tons and a capacity of 30 barrels per day.  After the barrels were filled, they were lifted into the wagons by a crane. In 1888, Bill was still manufacturing cidar.

Bill continued to live near Cottage Hill the remainder of his life. About 5 years before his death he began suffering with a heart condition and other complications.  He died at his home early in the morning of Thursday, December 9, 1915.  The funeral services were held at 3 pm the following Saturday, December 11, 1915.  After his death, Bill was laid to rest in the Florid cemetery.

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