The Children of Christian Cassell and Barbara Berry

(Christian - John - Christian - William)
1. William Cassell (1784-1862)

William Cassell was born on August 15, 1784 in Annville Township, in Lebanon County Pennsylvania. He grew up in Lebanon County and was very well-educated. As a young man he taught school. William married Elizabeth Leidig around on March 5, 1811 at the Salem Lutheran Church, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The witnesses to their marriage were their fathers - Chistian Cassel and Michael Leidig.  

William and Elizabeth lived in Lebanon  and Dauphin County, Pennsylvania in 1813 until 1839..  They had 10 children, Augustus, Rosannah (Allen), Sophia (Albert), Joseph, Esther (Albert), Christian, Berry Hill, Henry, John, and Michael.   William was a farmer during his life in Pennsylvania. He also was a member of the United Brethren Church. William belonged to the Whig party - then became a Republican. There are stories of him fighting during the revolutionary war but it was probably the war of 1812 because of his birth-date.

In 1839, William and Elizabeth’s son Berry, convinced them to join their sons, Augustus, Joseph and Christian - who were living in Illinois., They started on their journey in the fall of 1839. William and his family traveled down the canal from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The water was so low that steamers could not run so the family traveled by keelboat to Louisville, Kentucky. The trip took them 21 days.

In Louisville, William and his family rented a house to wait for low water. After a few weeks, they grew tired of waiting and purchased a one horse wagon. William and his family came by land from Louisville, Kentucky to Decatur, Illinois. By this time the weather was so severe that  their son, Berry froze his feet during the trip. They arrived in Decatur, Illinois on the November 20, 1839. By this time the snow was 4 foot deep and the weather so severe that they couldn’t travel any further. Their son, Berry notified his brothers living in Putnam County, and one came to pick up them up to take them to their new home.

William and his wife Elizabeth settled in Putnam County in the small village of Florid (which is 4 miles south-east of Hennepin). William made a living as a basket maker, while Elizabeth took care of the home.. William's wife, Elizabeth died in 1851. She had nursed the people of Florid through the cholera epidemic of 1849, but fell victim to the disease and died. William continued living in Florid, Illinois for another 11 years until his death at his home in Florid in December of 1862. He was buried beside his wife in the Florid cemetery.

Resources:

  • Death records, county clerks office, Putnam Co. IL
  • 1850, 1860 Federal census for Putnam Co. IL
  • Genealogical Records from "Pulsifer House", Hennepin, IL
  • "Portrait and Biographical Record of Macon County, Illinois - Biographical sketch of Berry Hill Cassell and Henry Cassell, Lake City Publishing Co., 1983
  • Marriage record for William Cassell and Elizabeth Leidig, Lebanon Co. PA, page 50
  • Letter from Charles A. Hunter pertaining to family history (Pulsifer House, Hennepin, IL)
  • Genealogical information from Glenda Eisenhour, descendant of William and Elizabeth Cassell

Elizabeth Cassell (nee Leidig) (1789-1851)

Elizabeth Leidig was born on June 20, 1789 in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania and spent her childhood in Lebanon County. She married William Cassell on March 5, 1811 on March 5, 1811 at the Salem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. The witnesses to their marriage were their fathers - Chistian Cassel and Michael Leidig. William and Elizabeth had 10 children - 7 boys and 3 girls. Elizabeth and her family lived in Pennsylvania until 1839. There, Elizabeth taught her daughters the art of processing and weaving cloth.

Then in the fall of 1839, Elizabeth with her husband, and their sons, Henry, Michael, John and Berry traveled to Illinois to join their sons, Augustus, Christian and Joseph who had settled in Putnam County, Illinois. Elizabeth wasn't given the opportunity to enjoy life in their new home for very long. There was a cholera epidemic in 1849 and she nursed the people of Florid through the epidemic. She, unfortunately, herself, succumbed to the disease. She died in Florid in on August 23, 1851 and was buried there in Florid, Illinois.

Resources:

  • Death records, county clerks office, Putnam Co. IL
  • 1850, 1860 Federal census for Putnam Co. IL
  • Genealogical Records from "Pulsifer House", Hennepin, IL
  • "Portrait and Biographical Record of Macon County, Illinois - Biographical sketch of Berry Hill Cassell and Henry Cassell, Lake City Publishing Co., 1983
  • Marriage record for William Cassell and Elizabeth Leidig, Lebanon Co. PA, page 50
  • Letter from Charles A. Hunter pertaining to family history (Pulsifer House, Hennepin, IL)
  • Genealogical information from Glenda Eisenhour, descendant of William and Elizabeth Cassell

*Note:  Mother's last name is from an LDS record and may not be correct.  No documented proof is available.

(Christian - John - Christian - Elizabeth)
2.  Elizabeth Cassel (1790-1828)

Elizabeth spent her childhood in Annville, Pennsylvania. As a young woman, around 1806, Elizabeth married Frederick Miller.   Elizabeth and Frederick lived their entire lives in Annville, Pennsylvania. After her death, Elizabeth was buried in the Jeruselum Reformed and Lutheran Cemetery in Annville, Pennsylvania.

Resources:

  • Church records for Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Annville, PA
  • Linnea Miller - Cassel family researcher and spouse of Elizabeth's descendant

(Christian - John - Christian - Catharina)
3.  Catharina Cassel (1800-1876)

Catharina Cassell was born in 1800 in Annville, Annville Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. She spent her childhood in Annville, Pennsylvania. On December 23, 1819, Catherina married Robert Byers at the Salem Lutheran Church in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The marriage record stated that they were both from Annville, Pennsylvania.

After their marriage, Catharina and Robert settled in Pennsylvania. About 1837, they immigrated to Florid, Putnam County, Illinois, where Catharina’s nephews, Joseph, Augustus and Christian Cassell had all ready settled. They purchased land near Florid where Robert made a living as a farmer. In 1860, Catharina and Robert were still living near Florid.

Catherine's husband died in 1868.  Sometime after her husband's death, she moved to Jessup, Iowa. Catharina died on April 3, 1876 in Jessup Iowa. A short notice was published in newspaper for the Putnam County Illinois area. "THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1876: Died at Jessup, Iowa, April 3, Mrs. Catharine Byers, age 75 years, 9 months, 17 days, late of Granville, Putnam County".

Resources:

  • Marriage records for Salem Lutheran Chruch, Lebanon, PA
  • Baptism records for Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Annville, PA
  • 1850 and 1860 Putnam County Illinois Federal Census
  • Henry New Republican, May 4, 1876 - Death Notice for Mrs. Catherine Byers
  • Tracy Damm  - descendant of Robert and Catherine Byers

Back to The Daily Homepage