Nellie Moody was born on January 5, 1875 in Roachdale, Indiana. She died on June 21, 1948 in Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois. Her parents were Daniel and Lucy Moody. She had one sister, Birtie Florence and two brothers, who died when she was very small. When Nellie was just a small child, her parents and brothers died leaving Nellie and her sister Birtie orphans. Nellie was raised by relatives in Peoria, Illinois, while her sister was raised by an aunt in Columbus, Kansas. On August 20, 1891, Nellie married Elmer E. Cassell in Peoria, Illinois. They had four children, 2 sons, Harry and Walter and two daughters, Bessie and Lula.
Before 1907, according to the Putnam Record, the local paper for Putnam County, Nellie and Elmer lived in Florid, Illinois. Then in 1907, they moved to Kansas. In 1909, the Putnam Record showed that Elmer visited his brother Ben from Kansas. By 1922, Nellie and Elmer had moved to Peoria. They continued living in Peoria until July of 1924. They then rented the John Beck house in Florid according to the Putnam Record, the local paper for Putnam County.
Nellie was a noted midwife and attended many births in the Putnam County area. The local paper, The Putnam County Record, mentioned Nellie many times attending to relatives and friends during the birth of their children. She continued living in the village of Florid, even after her husband's death in 1933. In November of 1933, according to the Putnam Record, the local paper for Putnam County, Nellie burnt her arm severely from the wrist to the elbow by accidentally spilling a bucket of water into the fire while doing the washing.
Nellie lived out the remainder of her life in the village of Florid. The Putnam Record showed that Nellie continued making visits to her children in Peoria where she would stay for sometimes a month at a time. They in turn, would sometimes stay a week at a time with her in Florid. From 1942 to 1945, Nellie's son Walter lived with her in Florid. After he moved back to Peoria, she lived by herself in Florid for several years. Then in August of 1947, Nellie fell in her yard and broke her hip. After that, her daughter, Bessie moved in with Nellie. In February of 1948, Nellie became very ill and was taken to Proctor Hospital in Peoria. She never recovered and died 2 months later, on Monday morning, June 21, 1948 at Proctor Hospital. She was buried beside her husband in the Florid cemetery.