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

Calvin Caston Last Will and Testament 2

Lydia Caston petitioned the court on April 11, 1913 to receive the stated benefits in the will of her late husband Calvin Caston.  It is in this document the date of death of Calvin Caston is recorded  as July 19, 1912.  

 Calvin Caston had his insurance policy from the Masonic Benefit Association through the M. W. Stringer Masonic Grand Lodge.  This black Masonic lodge was organized in Vicksburg, Mississippi by Thomas W. Stringer in 1867 and received it's charter in 1873. This was the first black Masonic lodge in the state of Mississippi. I am happy to say that this organization is still in existence in Jackson, Mississippi. I would also like to mention that Thomas W. Stringer was the first black man elected to the Mississippi state legislature and started several other lodges in Louisiana.

Calvin Caston had the Masonic benefit policy more than 30 days and less than a year. Calvin's will was found to be true and admitted to probate.  All debtors and funeral expenses are usually paid and any remaining money is given to the beneficiaries. His heirs were eligible for $300 which equivalent to $7221.20 in 2015.  It is not known how much money Lydia and Silas Caston received after debts were paid.   

-----The Tree Gardener

Six Degrees of Separation: Caston & Brumfield Families Part 6

The Thomas Brumfield Family

In genealogy research, it is often difficult to discern family  members who have a common name and the same name as unrelated persons.  The name Thomas or Tom is a very common name.  To find Thomas Brumfield son of  Louis Brumfield and Liddie  Brumfield Caston,  I looked at geographic location, timeframe and relationships. The major relationship is Liddie who lived Pike County, Mississippi which can be verified by the Federal Census.

I have relied heavily on census records which is not always accurate for information.

In the 1870 Federal Census for Pike County, Mississippi, Calvin and Lydia Caston are listed with Thomas Caston age 17 years old.  In the 1870 census family relationships are not identified. This Thomas Caston is probably Thomas Brumfield with a birth year of 1853.

Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Township 2 Range 9 East, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: M593_745; Page: 128B; Image: 262; Family History Library Film: 552244.