From England to Indiana, Part 4

This the fourth in a series of posts examining the handwritten family history of Isaac Casbon and his descendants. The manuscript, unsigned and undated, was written by someone with apparently first-hand knowledge of many of the people and events.

(Click on image to enlarge)

They concluded to go to the State of Ind
Silvester went arrived in Indiana
Thomas Casbon mooved his family soon after and settled at Boon Grove…

This short narrative glosses over the fact that Thomas and his family lived in Ohio for almost 20 years before moving to Indiana.

1871 Map of Washington Township, Holmes County, Ohio, showing Thomas Casbon’s acreage (his name is misspelled as Gasben). “Sectional & topographical map of Holmes County, Ohio.” New York : H.F. Walling, 1861. Library of Congress hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g4083h.la000641 [accessed 2 March 2016] (Click on image to enlarge)

Here’s a timeline of what I know about Thomas and his family from the time they arrived in Ohio until they were living in Indiana:

• • About June 1846: Thomas, Emma, Mary Ann, Charles, and Jesse arrive in vicinity of Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio from England after an arduous sea voyage[1]
  • May 1847: Daughter Emma Elizabeth Casbon is born[2]
  • June 1850: Thomas, Emma, and all 5 children are recorded on the 1860 census, living in Wayne County, Ohio. Thomas’ real estate is valued at $2,000[3]

United States Census 1850, Clinton Township, Wayne County, Ohio (Click on image to enlarge)

• • Sept 1852: Thomas applies for naturalization in Wayne County[4]
  • Oct 1853: Mary Anne Casbon marries Elijah Priest in Wayne County (they later move to Porter County, Indiana)[5]
  • Sept 1854: Thomas is naturalized as a U.S. citizen in Wayne County[6]
  • 1859: Sylvester moves to Porter County, Indiana, and begins teaching school[7]
  • June 1860: Thomas, Emma, Charles Thomas, Jesse, and Emma are recorded on US Census, now living in Holmes County, Ohio. Also living with the family is Thomas’ niece, Mary Casbon, age 19, daughter of Thomas’ brother Joseph (more about this in a later post)[8]

United States Census 1860, Washington Township, Holmes County, Ohio (Click on image to enlarge)

• • Oct 1860: Sylvester marries Adaline Aylesworth in Porter County, Indiana[9]
  • March 1862: Charles Thomas Casbon moves to Porter County, Indiana[10]
  • July 1862: Mary Casbon (Thomas’ niece) marries William Slocum in Huron County, Ohio[11]
  • Jan 1864: Thomas’ subscription to Holmes County Farmer, newspaper, is published as current[12]
  • Dec 1868: Charles Thomas Casbon returns to Holmes County, Ohio to marry Mary E McMarrell[13]
  • April 1869: Daughter Emma marries Robert N Rigg in Porter County, Indiana[14]
  • Jun 1870: Thomas, Emma, and Jesse are recorded on US Census, Porter Township, Porter County, Indiana[15]

United States Census, 1870, Porter Township, Porter County, Indiana (Click on image to enlarge)

Thomas must have moved from Ohio to Porter County, Indiana sometime between 1864 and 1869. From the statement in the family history that he moved his family “soon after” Sylvester arrived, I would guess that it was closer to the earlier date. I would also assume they lived in Indiana for some time in order for Emma to meet and court Robert Rigg before their marriage in 1869. If I want to pin it down further, I’ll need to find the records of Thomas’ land sale in Ohio or purchase in Indiana.

…and settled at Boon Grove lived ther some years and mooved to the County seat where he died in the 84 year of his age Feb 7 1888. his second wife Hannah Edwards survived him six week. Thomas bought land about 1½ miles northwest of present-day Boone Grove. In this 1876 map[16] you can see that Thomas owned about 100 acres, his son Jesse owned 80, and son Charles owned 40, all in close proximity to one another.

Detail of 1876 plat map, Porter Township, Porter County, Indiana (Click on image to enlarge)

Thomas’ daughter Mary Anne was married to Elijah Priest, who lived right next door, and daughter Emma married Robert Rigg, whose father William lived about 2 miles north of Thomas’ home. Sylvester Casbon lived about 9 miles northwest near Deep River in adjacent Lake County.

Thomas’ first wife Emma died in Indiana September 14^th, 1870.[17]  Thomas then married Hannah Edwards, widow of Isaac Edwards (1776-1863) in February 1871.[18] In the 1880 census, Thomas and Hannah were still living in Porter Township.[19] As the family history says, Thomas “mooved to the County seat” of Valparaiso, where he is listed in this city directory for 1885-6.[20]

(Click on image to enlarge)

Thomas died February 7^th, 1888.[21] Hannah died 6 weeks later on March 21^st (or possibly April 8th – I haven’t been able to confirm either date).

Once again, the family history is spot on with the facts, suggesting that our mystery author was there when it happened.

[1] Elihu, C. History of the Slocums, Slocumbs and Slocombs of America. 1908. P.129. Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/historyofslocums1908sloc [ accessed 15 Aug 2016]
[2] Emma E. Rigg. Find A Grave Memorial# 18208125. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18208125 [accessed 18 Aug 2016]
[3] Thos Casban, Clinton, Wayne, Ohio, United States; citing family 8, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.) FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX78-W2P [accessed 9 Nov 2014]
[4] Wayne County Historical Society (Ohio), Genealogical Section. Wayne County, Ohio : abstracts of naturalization records, 1812-1903. Wooster. 1985. P.29.
[5] “Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958.”, FamilySearch. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDK9-L58 [accessed 8 December 2014]
[6] Wayne County Historical Society (Ohio), Genealogical Section. Wayne County, Ohio : abstracts of naturalization records, 1812-1903. Wooster. 1985. P.31.
[7] History of Porter County, Indiana: A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People and its Principal Interests. Lewis Publishing Company. Chicago. 1912. PP.482-4. In Hathi Trust Digital Library https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/011679885 [accessed 18 Aug 2016]
[8] Thomas Casbon, Washington, Holmes, Ohio. FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCG3-1MD [accessed 30 December 2015]
[9] County clerk offices, Indiana. Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007. FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDH3-L4L [accessed 21 January 2016]
[10] History of Porter County, Indiana…. Lewis Publishing Company. Chicago. 1912. PP.459-461.
[11] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013, “, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZ65-99Z [accessed 21 July 2016]
[12] “Receipts for Subscription.” The Holmes County Farmer (Millersburg, Ohio). 21 Jan 1864. P.3. In Library of Congress http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84028822/1864-01-21/ed-1/seq-3/ [accessed 19 Aug 2016]
[13] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013, “, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZN8-G9Z [accessed 8 December 2014]
[14] “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDH3-Y66 [accessed 21 January 2016]
[15] Thomas Casbon, Porter, Porter, Indiana. FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX65-X7B [accessed 17 October 2014]
[16] “Illustrated historical atlas of Porter County, Indiana.” Valparaiso, Ind. : A.G. Hardesty, 1876. Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4093pm.gla00036/?sp=28 [accessed 19 August 2016]
[17] Emma Scruby Casbon. Find A Grave Memorial# 19252724. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19252724 [accessed 19 Aug 2016]
[18] “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007”, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDH3-59M [accessed 19 Aug 2016]
[19] Thomas Casbon. Porter, Porter, Indiana. FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHS7-91F [accessed 19 Aug 2016]
[20] “Valparaiso City Directory …For the Year 1886-6.” Talcott & Tevis, Publishers. 1885. Page 45. The Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/valparaisoindian1885polk {accessed 14 October 2016]
[21] Thomas Casbon. Find A Grave Memorial# 19252737. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19252737 [accessed 19 Aug 2016]