Silas Caston

 

Silas Caston is the son of Liddie Brumfield Caston and Calvin Caston.  Silas was enumerated in the 1870 and 1880   Pike County, Mississippi  Federal Census along with his parents and siblings.   From the 1900 Pike County, Mississippi census, Silas was born on June 1864.  The 1870  Pike County, Mississippi Federal  Census does not identify familial relations. Thomas's surname is enumerated as Caston on the census but his surname is actually Brumfield a son of Liddie.

"United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF3M-66G: 29 May 2021), Silas Caston, 1870.

Household members                       Age

Calvin Caston                                             38

Lydia Caston                                              43

Thomas Caston                                          17

Elvira Caston                                              15

Rosann Caston                                           14

Green Caston                                              10

Silas Caston                                                  7

Jesse Caston                                                 4

Adeline Caston                                             3

 In the 1878 school census record, the parents and familial relationships of the children are not identified. It is inferred from the record correlated with other documents that Silas Caston attended school with his siblings in Pike County.

"Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK6W-DDPL: 2 March 2021), Caston in the entry for Silas Caston, 1878; citing School enrollment,, Pike, Mississippi, United States, Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Jackson.

       Names                 Sex                      Age
         Caston Green      male                          17

         Caston Silas           "                               14

         Caston Isham        "                               19

         Caston Jesse          "                               12

         Caston Adeline      female                     11 

Silas is enumerated with his parents and siblings in the 1880 Pike County, Mississippi Federal Census.

1880 U.S. Census Pike County, Mississippi ED 37, SD 3, page 34 Dwelling 282 Family 284 

Household member's                        Age            Relationship

Calvin Caston                                             47

Lydia Caston                                               50                   wife

Green Caston                                              19                     son

Silas Caston                                                 16                     son

Jesse Caston                               can not read                   son

Adeline Caston                                           13                  daughter

Monroe Caston                                            is 7                   son

Silas  24 years old married  Ruth Williams of Mississippi, on 18 Aug 1887 in Pike County, Mississippi (File #0042464 Book/Page B/300). She was the daughter of Sarah Ratliff and Joe Williams born in July 1865 in Mississippi. Silas worked as a farmer and continued to reside in Pike County and started a family.  Silas' children are recorded in the 1896 Pike County school census. Note Calvin his father and Green  Caston his brother's children are also on the school census.

"Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957," database with images, Caston in the entry for Silas Caston, 1896; citing School enrollment,, Pike, Mississippi, United States, Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Jackson.

Parent/Guardian         Children                     Age              Male           Female

Calvin Caston                  Hollis                           6                 X

Silas Caston                     Fleet                             12               X

                                            Sara                              9                                         X

                                          Fred                               8                 X

Green Caston                 Angeline                        7                                         X

                                        Clarence                          6                 X 

 

   Silas and Ruth Caston were enumerated with their children in the 1900 Pike County Federal census. His occupation was a farmer and Ruth maintained the home and cared for the children. It is noted that it was recorded Silas could not read or write. In the census, Dora is 4 and Cora is 2 years old. The girls were actually twins. This information was obtained from Cora's granddaughter.

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9XT-2H6: accessed 19 May 2022), Silas Caston, Beat 1 (part of), Pike, Mississippi, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 105, sheet 9B, family 143, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,825.

 Household                    Date of birth           Age          Relationship     

Silas Caston                    Jan  1864                   36               Head

Ruth Caston                    July  1865                  34               Wife

Fleet Caston                    Feb 1884                    16               son

Sarah Caston                    Jan  1886                  14             daughter

Fred Caston                      Apr 1888                  12                son

Hester Caston                   Feb 1890                  10             daughter

Robert Caston                  Dec 1892                    8                son

Thomas Caston                Dec 1894                    6                son

Dora Caston                     Oct 1896                    4             daughter

Cora Caston                     Oct 1898                    2              daughter

Lyda Caston                     Sep 1899                  9/12           daughter

Silas and Ruth Caston were enumerated with their children in the 1910 Pike County Federal census.  Fred (Frederick) Caston was not enumerated with his parents because he was living with his aunt Mary Ann Allen Caston along with his wife Carrie and son Harry. In the census records,  Ruth (Ruthie) had 13 children but 11 were listed alive. It is reported by the family that Fleet and Robert died as children.

"United States Census, 1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNTZ-NK6: 2 February 2021), Silas Coston, 1910.

Name                             Age            Relationship 

 Silas Caston                                     46                       Head

Ruthie Caston                                  44                       Wife

Restillier Caston                             18                     daughter

 Rosa  Caston                                   17                     daughter                      

Tom Caston                                     15                          son

Dora Caston                                    12                     daughter

Cora Caston                                     12                     daughter

Lidie Caston                                   10                     daughter

Fannie Caston                                 7                      daughter

Jesse Caston                                   7                          son 

Noah Caston                                   6                          son

More information to come.

----- The Tree Gardener

Lydia (Liddie) Brumfield Caston

 

Lydia was an enslaved black woman born in December 1825 in Mississippi and died July 5, 1916, in Pike County Mississippi. Lydia had offspring from two men with Brumfield and Caston surnames.   Enslaved individuals were not allowed to marry. Some of her children were born before the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 which freed the enslaved in southern states.  

  Her first consort Louis Brumfield was identified from the death certificate of her son Richard Brumfield born between 1841 and 1843.  Louis is thought to be an enslaved black man.  What ultimately happened to Louis is presently unknown at this time.

Mississippi Death Certificate of Richard Brumfield

Lydia Caston was identified as the mother of Thomas Brumfield on his death certificate. 

Mississippi Death Certificate of Tom Brumfield

Headstone of Irvin Brumfield in the Caston Cemetery

 Irvin Brumfield was born on August 13, 1844,  died on August 27,1900 and Frank Brumfield's death certificates have not been found. Identification of Frank Brumfield is pending.  Autosomal DNA analysis and genealogy research of descendants of Richard, Irvin, and Tom Brumfield have correlated a familial relationship.  The Brumfield children may have different fathers. DNA "Y" chromosome analysis of male descendants is pending. 

Her second husband Calvin "Cad" Caston has been identified through the census, vital records, and his will in previous blog posts. Lydia has been identified by her descendants as Liddie Brumfield Caston.

Henry Sims Brumfield born Feb 5, 1835- Dec 5, 1915, has been identified as the former slave owner of Richard Brumfield Liddle's son. Henry Sims Brumfield was the son of Jesse Kelly Brumfield who was born in York District, South Carolina Mar 12, 1807-July 25, 1884.  They moved to "Love Plantation" near the Bogue  Chitto River south of Holmesville which was previously settled by William Love in 1809. William Love 1758 or 1765 -1839 was born in South Carolina.  The plantation was passed down to Henry Sims. Jesse Kelly Brumfield in 1856 moved to the "Brumfield Plantation"  3 miles east of Liberty Amite County, Mississippi residing to his death.  In the 1860 Pike County, Mississippi slave census enumerated 62 enslaved individuals for Jesse Kelly and 12 individuals for Henry S Brumfield.    It can be inferred that Henry Sims or his father Jesse Kelly were the probable owners of Liddie, Louis, and Calvin. 

 Details concerning how Calvin and Liddie Caston become owners of 80 acres of land in Pike County and information about  Richard, Irving, Tom,  Frank Brumfield,  Elvira, and Rosann Caston have been given in prior blog posts. Liddie continued to maintain the family home with Calvin.   Calvin died July 19, 1912.   In his will, he appointed Silas Caston to be Lydia's guardian without bond.    Lydia continued to live on their land until her death on July 5, 1916, at 90 years old.

 After the death of Liddie, the homestead land still had her name on the deed. A notice for the sale of land for taxes for Pike county, Mississippi was published in the newspaper on the first Monday of July, 1931. The sale of land was to be on the Magnolia court house for cash for unpaid taxes. Property with Silas and Lydia Caston's names is listed for sale. 

Semi-Weekly Journal 

McComb, Mississippi

 13 Jun 1931, Sat  •  Page 8

Taxes were paid in 1931.  On the third Monday in September, 1935 property with Lydia Caston's name is listed for sale for outstanding unpaid taxes.  I have not researched land records to determine the present land ownership.  

Semi-Weekly Journal  

McComb, Mississippi

 05 Sep 1935, Thu  •  Page 6

----The Tree Gardener

Footnote

Charlotte J. Stewart, Brumfield Blossman Printing Inc. Ocean Springs, Mississippi pages  25, 32

A Brick In The Wall Has Fallen Part 3 Richard Brumfield

 

Richard "Dick" Brumfield

Richard Brumfield is identified in the above picture as the black man on the left with his left hand on the shoulder of the seated Caucasian male  Henry S. Brumfield Sr.

Richard Brumfield was the son of Liddie Brumfield Caston and Louis Brumfield. Richard 69 and his wife Catherine 55 years old are enumerated in the 1910 Pike County, Mississippi Federal Census along with their son Jesse is 17.

Year: 1910; Census Place: Beat 2, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: T624_756; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0098; FHL microfilm: 1374769

Year: 1910; Census Place: Beat 2, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: T624_756; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0098; FHL microfilm: 1374769 partial transcription Richard Brumfield

 

By the year 1920, Richard was a widow and was living with his son Dudley "Dud" and his wife Beulah in Walthall County,  Mississippi. 

Year: 1920; Census Place: Tylertown, Walthall, Mississippi; Roll: T625_896; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 117

Richard, Dudley and Beulah Brumfield continued to live together and enumerated in the 1930 Walthall County, Mississippi Federal Census.

Year: 1920; Census Place: Tylertown, Walthall, Mississippi; Roll: T625_896; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 117 Partial transcription Dud Brumfield and Richard Brumfield 

Year: 1930; Census Place: Beat 5, Walthall, Mississippi; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 0006; FHL microfilm: 2340904

 

Richard and his family continued to reside together in Walthall County, Mississippi  until his death in February 13, 1935. On the death certificate, Dudley Brumfield is the informant. Richard born in Pike County (c0) is a widower and Catherine Brumfield is identified as his wife, Louis Brumfield as father and Littie Brumfield mother.   He was buried February 14, 1935 in the Caston Cemetery. 

A major brick has fallen in the genealogy wall of this black African American family with the identification of the former slave owner. Richard  Brumfield's death is recognized in the local newspaper. It is this article which identifies the former slave owner Henry Brumfield with an additional identifier of his daughter Mrs. W. M. Lampton.   

Clarion-Ledger
Jackson, Mississippi
22 Feb 1935, Fri  •  Page 5

 -----The Tree Gardener

FAN

FAN is a mnemonic in genealogy circles for Friends, Associates and Neighbors.  In my genealogical research,  I try to accumulate information from my ancestor's FAN (Friends, Associates & Neighbors) club. The FAN of ancestors is comparable to the modern social network.   I have many surnames which include my ancestors names, their neighbors, their in laws and my in-laws. I have also found that in  genealogical  research that having the same surname in the same geographic area does necessarily equal a blood relationship.  Some surnames of individuals have no  obvious relationship I have seen repeatedly in my research.  I can not resist saving information of a family that lived in same geographic area and may or may not be  related to an ancestor.       


I have been able to people in connect FAN connections from geographic location using homestead information from the Bureau of land Management. The chart has information posted in a previous blog except for Calvin Caston.

Walkers Bridge Pike County, Mississippi

All of these men possibly knew each other prior to establishing a homestead. Calvin Caston was probably the stepfather of Irvin and Tom Brumfield. Henry Conerly knew Calvin Caston, Robert and Irvin Brumfield.  Possibly Henry Conerly and Joseph Conerly are related. I found Henry and Joseph enumerated in the 1880 census.

Henry Conerly 55 years old and Joseph Conerly 23 years old enumerated  in the  Pike County, Mississippi 1880 Federal Census

Maybe they homestead near each other because they had were friends or previously lived together.  

------The Tree Gardener

UPDATED October 11, 2022

Calvin Caston Homestead Part 2

Homestead Witnesses

Calvin Caston had to have two witnesses for final proof  to complete his homestead application.  His two witnesses Tom Brumfield  35 years old and Joe McEwin 40 years old  gave testimony in Magnolia March 16, 1889. They both lived at Walkers Bridge, Mississippi . 

Calvin Caston documentation of homestead witnesses Tom Brumfield & Joe McEwen

Tom Brumfield testimony solidified his connection to Calvin Caston. He gives brief information about himself in question 2 stating  his present occupation is farmer not employed by anyone since January, 1872.  Question 4  asks how far from the residence of claimant on same tract do you reside and how long have you lived there?  "1/2 mile have lived there 3 years. before that lived have lived in the same neighborhood."  Question 6 he states he has known Calvin Caston "all his life .(Calvin Caston) has lived on his claim 17 years ...."  
 Question 19 asks the claimant's actual residence and how often he was seen him upon the land. Tom states " I live in sight of claimants house, see his family on the land nearly every day know he has lived there .... "

First page of Tom Brumfield testimony for Calvin Caston's homestead 

Joe McEwin and Andrew Johnson lived near the claimant was testimony also given by Tom Brumfield.

Joe McEwin in his testimony states he is a farmer. Question 4 How far from the said claimant on said tract do you reside, do you reside and how long have you lived there? " 1/4 mile have lived there 9 years." In question 6 he says that he has know Calvin Caston  for 17 years.

First page of testimony of Joe McEwen for Calvin Caston's homestead

Joe describes that Calvin has cultivated 50 acres of land planting cotton, peas and potatoes with unknown value. Question 22 asked Give the size, construction, and material of claimant's house on said tract, and state the same is habitable during all seasons of the year. Ans. "18 x 22 ft big house with kitchen. is habitable all seasons of the year." 
Question 28  Does claimant , with his family, reside an said land as the present time? You will explain how you know he has resided there, as you heretofore stated. "They do. I live in sight of claimant house see him his  family on the land nearly every day, know he has lived on the land ...."

Calvin Caston witnesses testimony verified his residence from 1872 to 1889. There are additional rules that must be satisfied prior to the homesteader receiving title to the land  which include a thirty day published notice of  intention of  final proof  and an officer authorized to take final proof.

The published notice of final proof was made in the Magnolia Gazette newspaper.  In the notice, the name of the homesteader Calvin Caston, a description of the land (Sec. 22 T 2. N R. 9 E) and the name of the witnesses Henry S. Brummels, David Walker, Joe McEwin and Tom Brumfield all of Walkers Bridge, P. O. Pike Co. Miss. are given.  I do not have the witness testimony of  Henry S. Brummels and David Walker.

Calvin Caston finally received his homestead June 11, 1889.

 ----The Tree Gardener