Hettick Town Band

The Hettick Band

Hettick, Macoupin, Illinois
(click image to enlarge)

The circled trombone player is

Craig Casteel

b. Jan 1903

son of James P & Arra A (Bacon) Casteel

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Finding Family History in Local History Collections

Using the University of Illinois Illinois Harvest website's online collection of State and County local histories, I was able to search by County name and locate the following book:    

"Portrait and biographical record of Macoupin County, Illinois : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with biographies of all the governors of the state, and of the presidents of the United States" 

Published in 1891, this book is available in electronic format. Clicking on the link on the search result page takes me directly to the Archive.org reader and there I found the following biography on our Casteel relation:

(p.220)

(p221)

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Two Resources in Macoupin County, Illinois

Macoupin County Historical Society
Dedicated to the study of the area's history and the preservation of Macoupin County memorabilia, the Macoupin County Historical Society is located in the Anderson Mansion in the northwest quadrant of Carlinville.  The two-story Victorian home is filled with antiques and collectibles of Macoupin County's past, with memories and a Library of Literature of our ancestors. Several outer buildings, including an authentic Schoolhouse and newly constructed and equipped Print Shop, are also on display.

Macoupin County Genealogical Society
                            
 The Macoupin County Genealogical Society maintains a collection that includes Staunton newspapers on microfilm, census records, county histories, cemetery records, family histories, genealogical books, family data , church records, etc.. Their materials are housed in the George and Santina Sawyer Genealogy Room at the Staunton Public Library in Staunton, IL.
  

Civil War Veterans Pension Index listing for John N. Bacon

                
Civil War Veterans Pension Index listing for John N. Bacon of Macoupin County, Illinois:
   

http://www.footnote.com/image/#91124

John N. Bacon

b. Nov 1846 in Washington Co., TN

son of Jeremiah & Susan S. (King) Bacon

Private in Company "C" 133rd Illinois Infantry Regiment

m. Lucinda Ribble 1875 in Carlinville IL

d. July 1936 in Macoupin Co,. IL

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Tombstone Tuesday: Martha A. (Casteel) Pullium of Macoupin Co. IL

PULLIUM CEMETERY

Modesto, Macoupin, Illinois
       

Martha Ann (Casteel) Pullium (1845-1924)
b. 16 Dec 1845 in Tennessee
daughter of James M. Casteel & Susan Underwood
Wife of  Drury Andrew Pullium
d. 11 Aug 1924 in Macouin Co. IL
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Tombstone Tuesday: Mary Jane (Casteel) Tunningley (1834-1881)

 

Mary Jane (Casteel) Tunningley

born c. 1834 TN

daughter of James M. & Susan (Underwood) Casteel

married Robert Tunningley in Macoupin Co, IL

 Died 10 April 1881 

Buried in Charity Cemetery

Macoupin Co. IL

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Golmer Joiner of Macoupin Co. IL

    

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The Two Tombstones of Jeremiah Bacon

Two cemetery markers of

Jeremiah Bacon

located in  Miller Cemetery in Barr Township, Macoupin County, Illinois.

(Click on the above marker to read inscription)

His wife, Susan (King) Bacon is included on the more recent gravestone.

Wednesday's Child: Eva Bell Casteel - Age 2

Eva Bell Casteel

daughter of James P. & Arra A. Casteel

Born: 22 May 1877

Death: 02 May 1880 in Macoupin Co., Illinois

Age:: 2yrs, 11mos, 11days

(photo source)

Burial: 03 May 1880 Hickory Grove/Joiner Cemetery, Bird Township, Macoupin Co., Illinois 

From the  U.S. Federal Mortality Census Schedules, 1850-1880
(viewed on ancestry.com):

(click image to enlarge)

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John N. Bacon - Civil War Veteran

Veteran's Marker for John N. Bacon

John N.  & Lucinda A. (Ribble) Bacon

Married 21 OCT 1875 in Carlinville, Illinois

Buried in Hettick Cemetery,

South Palmyra, Macoupin Co., Illinois

Richard W.Casteel of Macoupin Co.,IL

Richard W.Casteel

•Born: 08 AUG 1843 in Blount, Tennessee, son of James M. & Susannah (Underwood) Casteel

•Death: 30 JAN 1909 in Barr Township, Macoupin Co., Illinois;  had Bright's Disease

•Single - Never married;   Occupation: Farmer
• Resided in IL 44 yrs.
•Buried: Gilead Baptist Cemetery - Hettick, South Palmyra Township, Macoupin County, Illinois

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Macoupin County, Illinois, Genealogy Website

This "follow friday" I wish to highlight the efforts of volunteers whose goal is to transcribe genealogical and historical data for the free use of all researchers.
One such website that I have used is:
  Macoupin County Genealogy and History

In honor of this Memorial Day weekend, here are some related links from the Macoupin County, IL, website:

97th Illinois Infantry Macoupin County Soldiers

ROSTER OF CO. K, 122nd REGIMENT ILL. VOL. INFANTRY

Illinois Soldiers and Sailors Home & Illinois Soldiers Widow's Home

List of CIVIL WAR VOLUNTEERS

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Nearly Wordless Wednesday - Creed & Lillian Casteel

Creed Casteel b. 1893 in Hettick, Macoupin, Illinois

(son of James Polk Casteel & Arra Amanda Bacon)

Married Lillian Rehor (b.1894- d.1916) on 17 Oct 1914

Tombstone Tuesday - Full Disclosure

It is always nice to see the wife's maiden name included on a tombstone.
James Polk Casteel and Arra Amanda Bacon were married 13 Apr 1876 in Barr Township Macoupin Co., IL, where they resided and raised 10 children.







They are buried in Gilead Baptist Cemetery, Hettick, Macoupin Co., IL.

Tombstone Tuesday - James M. Casteel

James Monroe Casteel
Born 24 Feb. 1812 in Tennessee
Son of Abednego Casteel & Agnes Hensley
Married Susannah Underwood on 8 Aug 1833 in Knoxville, TN
They had 11 children.
James M. died 19 May 1886 in Macoupin Co. IL and is buried at Charity Baptist Cemetery in Bird Township.

Who's Your Daddy?

I have been seeking the parents of Susannah E. Underwood (b. May 1816 TN) since Feb 1998.
I am hoping someone might give me a fresh insight or lead to our Susannah.
Census records indicate her parents were born in the Carolinas.
She married James M. Casteel on 8 Aug 1833 in Knox Co. TN (featured on 3/17/09 Tombstone Tuesday).
Although she died 07 July 1903 the Macoupin Co. IL records office could not locate a death certificate for her. Her obituary referred to her only as Mrs. James M. Casteel aged 87 yrs of Bird Township and made no reference to her parentage or sibs.
In July 1903 - Just before her death there was a note in the local newspaper where she resided:
"E.H.Nix & mother are called to Susan Casteel's bedside. "
I have no idea who EH Nix is (or even if EH is male or female...).
I believe this person is related to Susan though. I am guessing they would be connected through her Underwood line because EH doesn't fit any of our Casteel connections...

Over time I have come to suspect Benjamin Underwood to be her father.
I have located the following records referring to a Benjamin Underwood. Perhaps someone is familiar with any of them:

1830 Knox Co. Tennessee census
Underwood, Benjamin
males: 3 - 5-10yrs; 1 - 10-15yrs; 1 30-40yrs
females: 1 - 0-5yrs; 1 - 10-15yrs; 1 - 20-30yrs
Yes - she fits in there....

Also in Blount Co. TN:
Deeds 1819-1833 - abstracted by Jane Kizer Thomas
pg 161; 870. (3:194) Benjamin UNDERWOOD to Samual Henery and son:
30 Jun 1836, $75, 3 head of horse, 1 bay mare, 1 clay bank mare,
1 sorrell horse, 4 head of cattle, 35 head of hogs, 1 loom, 1 cart, 1
spinning wheel. Underwood shall pay Henry and sons the sum of
$75 within 12 months for redemption of the property. Sig:
Benjamin (X) Underwood. Wit: P. Nelson Morony, James Casteel
2 Jul 1836
well, there's a definite link

And in Hamilton Co. TN
1850 census
hh918 Underwood, Benjamin 62, M farmer NC; Mary 50 NC; Richard 29 M
farmer; Martha 17 F
I like their place of birth... but I do not know if these all refer to the same man.

To be honest I have let this pursuit of Susannah's parents lie low for quite awhile as I climbed other branches of our tree. Maybe something new is out there that I haven't connected to yet.
Thank you for any help/suggestions.

Our Family Heirloom

This quilt square comes from a quilt made by my husband's G-Grandmother, Arra Amanda Bacon Casteel. She made the quilt prior to 1900 and passed it on to her youngest son, Myron Craig Casteel. The quilt was well used and falling apart in many places. The current owner of the quilt knew I was involved in genealogy and contacted me. She told me of her idea of salvaging chosen squares to frame and give to her children. She wanted to know if I was interested in the remainder of this quilt so that I could to the same. "Heck Yeah!" The picture you see is the one we have displayed in our home. I also framed other squares and created Christmas presents for all of my husband's siblings. In the frame I included brief narrative on their Great-Grandmother and the quilt.

Arra Amanda Bacon b.Feb 1860 in Scottsville, Macoupin Co. Illinois; Daughter of Jeremiah Bacon (1824-1868) & Susan Sharp King (1825-1904) and married James Polk Casteel on Apr 1876 in Barr Township, Macoupin Co. IL.
Arra A. Casteel passed away on 10 June 1833 in Illinois.

(This blog entry was created to be shared in the "Cabinet of Curiosities" blog Carnival through GeneaBloggers.)