Charles McCaslin was born c. 1817 in Pennsylvania. [1] He was probably born in Tioga County, where he lived for most of his life, a county that also neighbors New York's Steuben County, where his first wife's family resided. Charles' parents were also born in Pennsylvania. [2]
Charles' first wife was Sarah Robbins, born in New York c. 1820, possibly in Steuben County, where her father, Samuel Robbins, was living in 1830 in the town of Prattsburg. [3] Charles and Sarah probably married c. 1837, as their first child, Mary, was born c. 1838. Soon after, the family set out for Missouri, where son John was born c. 1839. By 1845 they had relocated to Indiana, where George, Urania, and Emily were born c. 1845, c. 1847, and 1849, respectively. Their Western sojourn did not work out, apparently, for they returned to Prattsburg, NY where the family, listed as "McCastle," was living with Sarah's parents, Samuel and Betsey Robbins in 1850. Charles' occupation was listed as "farmer."[4]
Sarah died within a few years, and Charles remarried, to Rachel A. Thompson, born in New York c. 1817. In 1850 Rachel, apparently a widow, was listed as "Rachel A. Sprague" in the household of her mother Phebe, a widow as well, presumably, living in Prattsburg. The family owned no land and was supported by Rachel's 21-year old brother William, a laborer. [5] By 1860 Charles and Rachel had married, moved across the state border to Cjar;es' home state of Pennsylvania where they settled in the town of Clymer, in Tioga County, and had their first child, William, born c. 1855 in Pennsylvania. Two more sons, Charles and Clarence, were born c. 1857 and c. 1859. 1860 found Charles and Rachel living with their children in Clymer, accompanied by Emily, Charles' youngest daughter from his first marriage. His other children had either married, left home, or died. Charles was working as a farm laborer and owned real estate worth $300 and personal property of $100. [6] In 1870 they were still living in Clymer, and Charles was a laborer with $600 in real estate and $150 in personal property. Rachel's mother, Phebe, was also living with the family. [7] The family was still together in 1880, now relocated to Delmar in Tioga County, where Charles labored as a farmer. [8]
Charles McCaslin and Sarah Robbins had the following children:
| i. | Mary Jane McCaslin was born in June 1837 in Pennsylvania. She married Charles William Tripp about 1854. [9] Charles was born in Steuben County [a] on 29 December 1833. [b] Charles was the son of Dr. Daniel Tripp and his wife, Mary Ann Stage. [c] The two lived in Dansville, in Steuben County, [d] where their first five children were born, [e] but removed to Michigan by 1869, when their son James died in Ottawa in Holland County. [f] The family eventually settled in Benzie County, where their offspring came to total thirteen sons and daughters. Charles died there on 7 December 1906. | ||
| ii. | John McCaslin was born in Missouri in December 1839. [10] In 1860 he was living in Avoca, Steuben County, NY with William F. Kelsey, a shoemaker. John's occupation was given as "junior shoemaker," suggesting that he was learning the trade from Mr. Kelsey. He had personal property of $30, perhaps his shoemaking tools. [11] On 8 April 1862 John and his 17-year-old brother George enlisted for three years in Company G of the 107th New York Infantry. John served the full three years, mustering out with his unit on 5 June 1865 near Washington, DC. The muster roll abstract for John McCaslin indicates that he was single, a shoemaker, and had brown eyes, dark hair, and a dark complexion and stood 5'3" in height. He gave his residence as Canaseraga, Allegany County, NY. [12] A few years later, c. 1862, John married Arminda LNU, born in New York in July 1840. | ||
| iii. | George McCaslin was born c. 1845 in Indiana. George enlisted in the 107th New York Infantry, Company G, on 4 August 1862 in Elmira, Chemung County, NY. He had been working as a farmer, and was described as 5'3", with brown hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion. On 3 October 1863 George was transferred to the Invalid Corps, and served at the military hospital in Alexandria, VA. [13] The soldiers in the Invalid Corps were wounded or convalescent men who were unfit to fight but could still serve perform garrison duty, act as hospital orderlies, or carry out other light work. [14] George had died by 1880, when his father applied for a pension based on his son's service. [15] | ||
| iv. | Urania [or Uranice} McCaslin was born in Indiana c. 1847. She appears in the 1850 census with the family, [16] but not in the 1860 census, suggesting that she had died. [17] | ||
| v. | Emily McCaslin was born 16 August 1849 in Indiana. She died in Jordan, Onondaga County, NY on 17 December 1918. [18] |
Charles McCaslin and Rachel A. Thompson had the following children:
| i. | William McCaslin was born in Pennsylvania in March 1856. He was married in 1900, to Anna LNU, born November 1850 in Pennsylvania. The couple had six children. He supported his family working as a "lumber jobber," and further supplemented his income by taking in boarders in the house he owned. [19] By 1910 he had moved to Shippen, in Cameron County, where he worked on the railroad and rented a home. [20] | ||
| + | ii. | Charles W. McCaslin was born c. 1857 in Pennsylvania. He married Wilda J. LNU c. 1888. Wilda was born in November 1856 in New York, and appears to have been married before, as their 1900 household included Frank Donley, Charles' 17-year old step-son. In 1900 the family was living in Lawrence township in Tioga County, where Charles worked as a section hand on the railroad and rented his home. [21] The family had relocated to Hornell, in Steuben County, NY by 1910. Charles was employed repairing railroad cars, and had been unemployed for 8 weeks out of the year. He rented his home. Two of his five daughters were employed as weavers in a silk mill, and one as a house servant. [22] In 1920 Charles, still living in Hornell, was a laborer in a car shop. [23] Charles was dead by 1930, when Wilda, now a widow, was living with their daughter Harriet and her family. [24] | |
| iii. | Clarence Melford McCaslin was born in Pennsylvania in July 1859. [25] He married Maggie M. Brooks of Hector, Potter County, PA on 7 May 1881 in Westfield, located in Tioga County. He was described as a resident of Marsh Creek, also in Tioga County. [26] The marriage didn't last. In 1900 he was divorced and boarding with the Walter E. French family in Harrison, Potter County, working as a grocer. [27] In 1910 He was still living with the French family, now located in Lawrence, Tioga County, this time described as a widower employed as a servant. [28] Clarence had moved to Southport, Chemung County, NY by 1920, where he was remarried to Maude M. born in Pennsylvania c. 1864. Clarence and Maude were living with Frank P. Jones, who employed them as his hired hand and housekeeper. [29] Maude had died by 1930, when Clarence appeared as a widower lodging with Josephine Lane in Elmira in Chemung County. He was working as a laborer. [30] |