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Gone, but not forgotten: First families in Newton County, Abner Casey family

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Abner Casey was born in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, around 1786. His wife, Elizabeth Bowen, was several years older than he was, and was born around 1782 or 1783. They likely married around 1800, but the first census record in which Abner was found was for Rhea County, Tennessee, in 1830.
Census records before 1850 did not list all the members of the household by name, but did enumerate them by gender and age range. In 1830, Abner and Elizabeth had three sons five to nine, one 10 to 14, two daughters 10 to 14, and one 15 to 19.
By 1840 the family was living in Johnson County, Arkansas. They only had two sons, age 15 to 19, living with them.
The census indicated that Abner was a veteran. Sept. 1, 1848, Abner purchased a little over 40 acres from the Federal Land Office in Fayetteville. From the legal description, it was in Newton County. The Caseys lived in Boxley Valley by 1850 and created the mill there that they sold to Sam Whitely. It was the site of a Civil War skirmish. By 1860, Abner had moved to Jackson Township, where he had $500 in real estate and $700 in personal property. That property was a 42-year-old Black slave.

Abner died between 1860 and 1870, and Elizabeth died in 1865.
Abner and Elizabeth had six children. Two lived their lives in Newton County. Mary "Polly" Casey (1813-1886) married Braxton Edgmon (1813-1864) and had eleven children. Abner Elsberry Casey (1820-1863) was killed at Cave Mountain at the same time as his brother-in-law, Braxton Edgmon. Abner married Phoebe Whiteley (1833-1924) and had seven children, including Susan Elizabeth Casey (1855-1938) who married William B Beckham (1854-1934) and had seven children; and Alexander F Casey (1857-1944), who married Marinda M Brooks (1862-1956) and had four children; William E Casey (1890-1928), who married Edna M Villines (ca 1895-aft. 1940) and had two children.

Barbara LeRoy is the author of “Which Side Were They On?,” a 302 page book listing biographical sketches of the Newton Countians who were involved in the Civil War, available for sale either in the Bradley House Museum or by purchasing online at www.newtoncountyar.com. The book sells for $33.



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