(Christian Cassel - John - Christian - William - Christian)
Christian “Chris” Cassell (1820-1882)
Chris Cassell was born on October 21, 1820 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He spent his early life on his family’s farm there. Chris 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, Chris and his brothers attended the local school which was held in a log cabin and did their lessons on a slab bench.
When Chris was about 16 years old, he traveled to the wilderness of Putnam County, Illinois to join his brothers Augustus and Joseph, who were some of the pioneer settlers of 1833. They had settled in the new village of Florid which was established in December of 1835 and was located several miles south of Hennepin, Illinois. Near the village was Fort Cribs which was used as a block house against Indian attacks. It got its name because of the corn cribs that were stored inside. Chris’s brother Berry joined them in 1838 and liked Putnam County so well that Berry convinced his parents join them in Illinois. By 1845, all of Chris’s six brothers, his parents and all of his sisters - except Sophia were living in Illinois.
On February 18, 1841, Chris married Elizabeth Schmitt in Putnam County, Illinois at the age of 21. Elizabeth was under age and they had to get permission from her parents. The wedding ceremony was performed by Chris's brother, Augustus who was a Justice of the Peace. After their marriage, Chris and Elizabeth continued living in Florid where Chris made his living as at first as a merchant. Sometime before 1860, Chris set up shop as a tailor in Florid. He continued working as a tailor for at least 10 years. By 1880, he had retired and just worked as an occasional laborer.
Chris and Elizabeth had seven children. They were Mary Katherine, Sara M., Clara, Anna Elizabeth, Benjamin Albert and Elmer. Another child died in infancy. Chris and Elizabeth spent most of their life in the village of Florid. They lived for a short while in London Mills during 1855 and also lived in Macon County during the 1860’s where Chris served during the Civil War in the Macon County Militia. Chris died at his home in Florid on February 4, 1882. He was laid to rest the following Monday , February 5, 1882 in the Florid cemetery.
Elizabeth K. Smith was born on August 4, 1822 in Pennsylvania. Sometime between 1837 and1840, Elizabeth’s family traveled to Putnam County, Illinois. Elizabeth married Christian Cassell on February 18, 1841 at the age of 17 in Putnam County, Illinois. Since she was under age, they had to have permission from her parents. They were Mary Katherine, Sara M., Clara, Anna Elizabeth, Benjamin Albert and Elmer. Another child died in infancy. After their marriage, Elizabeth and Christian settled in the village of Florid. They also lived in london Mills, Illinois in 1855 but moved back to Florid by 1860. Elizabeth and Christian continued living in Florid, Illinois the remainder of their lives. Elizabeth lived only a few years after her husband's death in 1882. Several years before her death,she had a stroke of paralysis but recovered sufficiently to get around. Her death was sudden and very unexpected. According to the Putnam Record, the local paper for Putnam County, on Monday, May 7, 1888, Elizabeth "fell dead while walking across the floor". She was buried next to her husband Christian in the little Florid cemetery.
**Note: Very good possibility Samuel and Sophia Cassell were parents of Elizabeth. They lived only 5 dwellings away, were born in PA, were the right age to be Elizabeth’s parents and moved to IL between 1837 and 1840. If they are, their children are Elizabeth’s siblings. Maria S. was living with Christian and Elizabeth in the 1850 census.
1. Anna Elizabeth Cassell (1855-1935)
Anna grew up in the little village of Florid, which is four miles south-east of Hennepin in Putnam County, Illinois. At the age of 17, she married Moses Daily on December 30, 1872 in Hennepin, Illinois. Anna and Moses had 4 children. Albert Elsworth, Lillie May,Rolland Roy, and Otto Earl Daily . Moses and Anna spent the first few years of their married life in Florid where Moses worked as a farm laborer and on the road crews around Putnam County. By 1893, they had moved to Peoria, Illinois, where they remained until around 1902.
Around 1902, Moses and his family moved back to Florid, Illinois. Moses and Anna continued living in Florid until the fall of 1913, when they moved to Peoria to live with their daughter. On November 30, 1913, Anna's husband caught lumbar pneumonia. He died 5 days later on December 4, 1913. Anna continued living in Peoria with her daughter.
On November 16, 1919, Anna married Henry Brash. They continued living in Peoria, Illinois during the 1920's and 1930's. Anna's final home was at 411 Johnson Street in Peoria, Illinois. She died at 1:30 PM. Monday afternoon, April 8, 1935 at Proctor Hospital in Peoria, Illinois. After her death, Anna was buried beside Moses in Florid, Illinois.
Sarah Margaret "Maggie" Cassell
(1848-?)
Maggie Cassell was born in 1848 in Illinois. Margaret spent her childhood in Florid, Illinois which is a little village 4 miles south of Hennepin in Putnam County. Sometime before 1868, she married Charles Meyer. Maggie and Charles had eight children, Gussie, Maggie, Charlie, Viola, Lizzie, William and two others. After their marriage, Margaret and Charles first lived in Illinois. They then moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where they remained until sometime after 1872. By 1878, they were living in Illinois. From at least 1880 until 1885, Maggie and Charles lived in Peoria, Illinois, where Charles worked as a cooper.
Sometime after the birth of their son William, Maggie and Charles moved to Keokuk, Iowa, where they remained the rest of their lives. Margaret died sometime before 1905. She may have died prior to moving to Iowa. Her burial place is unknown at this time, but it is believed to be in the Florid cemetery, Putnam county, Illinois, since Charles is buried there.
Clara was born in September of 1852 in Florid, Illinois, which is a little village 4 miles south of Hennepin in Putnam County. Clara spent her childhood in Florid, Illinois. She was listed in the 1860 and 1870 census for Putnam County, Hennepin Township, Illinois. Her occupation was listed as a domestic servant. Clara married Manuel Shively on November 29, 1874 in Macon County, Illinois. Clara and Emanuel had two children, Charles Augustus, who was born October 3, 1879 and another child who died in infancy. By 1880 Emanuel and Clara had moved to Kenny, Dewitt County, Illinois where Emanuel worked as a tile maker. Between 1888 and 1898, Clar and Emanuel were living in Decatur, IL. On the Friday before their twenty-fifth anniversary, Clara and Emanuel celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary.
Daily Review, Decatur, IL, November 28, 1897
Emanuel Shively and wife celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary Friday
night by entertaining Bay Leaf camp, R. N. of A. at their home, 660 Condit
street. A fine supper was served to the fifty people present.
Charles Shively and Walter Abraham entertained the people with guitar,
mandolin, and gramophone. Among the presents received by Mr. Shively and
his wife were a banquet lampand a set of silver knives and forks.
By 1900 Clara and family had moved to Spokane, Washington where Emanuel worked as a Staion Engineer. According to her Uncle Henry Casell's will, Clara was living in Spokane, Washington in 1905. By the time of his death in 1907, (according to the distribution list) she was living in Long Beach, California. In April of 1908, according to the local newspapers for Putnam County, she visited her sister Anna Daily in Florid, Illinois from either Washington or California. She stayed for several weeks before she returned to her home.
FLORID, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1908
Mrs. Clara Shively of California arrived here Monday for an extended visit
with her sister Mrs. Anna Daily.
The Henry Repuplican
Florid, April 9, 1908
Mrs. Clara Shively and son from Washington came here for an indefinite time.
Mrs. Shively is a sister to Mrs. Moore Daily and Ben Cassell.
In1920 Clara and Emanuel were living in Spokane, Washington. Clara died in March of 1920. After her death Clara was brought back to Decatur, Illinois and laid to rest in the Greenwood Cemetery.
Decatur Daily Review, March 9, 1920
Mrs. Clara Shively
The body of Mrs. Clara Shively, wife of Emanuel Shively, arrived in Decatur
from Spokane, Washington, early Tuesday morning and was taken to the
Monson& Wilcox chapel. At 10:30 o'clock Rev. H. W. Blashfield of the
First Methodist Church conducted a short service at the grave. The interment
was in Greenwood cemetery.
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Kate Cassell was born on May 1, 1843 in Florid, Putnam County, Illinois. Kate spent most of her childhood in Florid, Illinois which is a little village 4 miles south of Hennepin in Putnam County, Illinois. As a young adult, she worked as a domestic servant. On August 19, 1871, Kate married Gabriel Smith in Pontiac, Illinois. They had nine children, Arthur, Benjamin, Nettie, Roy, Ella, Millie, Clara, George and Maud.
After their marriage Kate and Gabriel lived in Putnam County. Gabriel wanted to farm his own land. He thought the land was too expensive around Hennepin (at 50cents an acre) so he moved the family to Nebraska in 1882 where the farm land was free. Kate's husband died in 1907. Kate then moved to Peoria, Illinois sometime before 1916. Sometime between 1918 and 1922, she moved back to Beatrice Nebraska. Kate passed away on July 13, 1929 in Beatrice, Nebraska. After her death, she was laid to rest beside her husband in Beatrice, Nebraska.
Ben Cassell was born on October 6, 1861 in Florid which is a little village 4 miles south-east of Hennepin in Putnam County, Illinois. Benjamin spent his childhood in Florid, Illinois. Ben married Sophia Kraft on December 1, 1908. They were married at her parents home in Hennepin, Illinois. Ben and Sophia had 3 children, Helen, Clara, and Benjamin Jr. . After their marriage, Ben and Sophia settled on farm in Putnam County. In February of 1912, Ben moved his family to the Carrier Farm that had been purchased by Carl Mickelson. By 1914, Ben had bought a home in Florid.
The Wednesday, September 15, 1915 edition of The Putnam Record showed that Benjamin was almost robbed. It stated, "Last Friday, Ben Cassell went to Peru with a load of melons and in the evening as he was returning home, he was held up by some rascal a short distance this side of the Pure bridge. Ben says he was pulled out of the wagon without a moment's warning. In the scuffle that took place, Ben lost his hat and pocket knife. He don't know what would have happened to him if it had not been for an automobile that happened along and frightened the would be robber and he took to his heals in all sorts of a hurry."
Ben sold his house in Florid and moved to a place outside of Florid called Scenic Point (which no longer exists) in November of 1915. He continued living there until March of 1921. Ben then moved to a house on a timber farm owned by a Mr. Wescott, south of Florid.
Ben bought his father-in-law’s farm of 20 acres near Florid in May of 1925. He and his family continued living near Florid, Illinois until 1931. He then moved to Sand Prairie. In August of 1931, Ben and his brother Elmer and their families were involved in a serious car accident, according to the Putnam Record. The cars were badly damaged and some of the people were hurt but were recovering. They continued living in Sand Prairie until at least 1933. Between 1933 and 1936, Ben moved his family south of Florid. About 5 years before his death, Ben became ill and never recovered. He died at his home on Saturday morning, February 10, 1940 and was buried in the Florid cemetery the following Monday afternoon.
Elmer Cassell was born on February 15, 1865 in Florid, Illinois which a little village 4 miles south-east of Hennepin in Putnam County. He was listed in the 1870 census for Putnam County, Hennepin Township, Illinois. He married Nellie Moody on August 20, 1891 in Peoria, Illinois. They had 4 children - 2 sons Harry Albert, and Walter F.and two daughters, Bessie May and Lula F..
After their marriage Elmer and Nellie lived in the Peoria and East Peoria, Illinois area. Before 1907, Elmer and Nellie lived in Florid, Illinois. Then in February of 1908, they moved to Kansas. By 1915, Elmer and his family had moved to Peoria. They continued living in Peoria until July of 1924. They then rented the John Beck house in Florid.
In 1931, The Putnam Record reported a serious accident for the Cassell family. It stated, " The Elmer Cassell and Ben Cassell families met with what came near being a serious accident last week Tuesday. The cars were damaged considerable and some of the occupants were quite badly hurt but are reported on the road to recovery."
Elmer and his family continued living in Florid, where Elmer made his living as a painter. In November of 1933, Elmer and Nellie went to Peoria to stay with their children. Elmer at the time had been ailing for several weeks. He died at his son Harry's home a few weeks later, at 8:05 in the morning, Tuesday, December 19, 1933. Funeral services were held in Florid, the following Friday afternoon and he was laid to rest in the Florid cemetery.