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

MEMORIAL DAY 2022

 For many, Memorial Day is considered the first day of summer a time to celebrate with family gatherings, shopping, cookouts, and vacations. It is however a solemn day.

 Memorial Day was established as a United States federal holiday to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and died while serving in the military.  "The   National Moment of Remembrance" ask all citizens to have one minute of silence at 3 PM local time in tribute.  Taps Across America will be played for the third year at that time.

This day is also a day I have chosen to acknowledge and remember all non-military family members who have died.  I would like to recognize family members who have died from all causes from Memorial Day 2021 to the present. We remember the smiling faces, life lessons learned, and celebrate their lives.

NAME	DATE	LOCATION
Stella Sylvester	June 19, 1948 to November 5, 2021	Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Debra D. Govan Smith	August 15, 1964, to February 16, 2022	California
Willie D. Caston Jr.	June 26, 1955, to March 8, 2022	McComb, Mississippi
Willie D. Caston Sr.	July 9, 1928 to December 2, 2021	McComb, Mississippi
Nancy Caston Smith	May 13, 1934 to March 5, 2022	McComb, Mississippi
Julian Deon Johnson	October 9, 1963 to March 5, 2022	Amite, Louisiana
Pastor Edgar Lewis Jr.	December 1, 1947 to March 5, 2022	McComb, Mississippi
Larry Caston	November 9, 1952, to February 7, 2022	New Orleans, Louisiana
Sterlin Mae Caston Johnson	January 5, 1946, to September 16, 2021	Washington DC
Shelia Marie Merit Perry	September 13, 1958 to September 3, 2021	Georgia
Beverly Ann Caston Gordon	April 22, 1945 to December 17, 2021
Wilsie Govan	October 16, 1963 to December 26, 2021	Kokomo, Mississippi
Jelani Baker	October 1, 1979 to June 2, 2021	Dallas, Texas
Danny Bush	August 14, 1959 to 2022	Mississippi
Angelicia Brumfield	February 10, 1994 to November 5,2021	Louisiana

---The Tree Gardener

Family Reunion

 Today is the tenth anniversary of  my blog.  Ten years ago I decided that my family and related families which I call the branches had important histories.  I have made 126 blog posts.  My genealogy research journey of my ancestors have given insight into their lives and the history of this country. I have found many ancestors'  lives were intertwined with families in the same geographic area. I have many cousins. My cousins have  travelled the research journey with me.  

 Through the years there have been family reunions which assembles the branches and generations together. The reunions continue  this year with the Brumfield, Caston, Nichols and Washington families.  Much fun is anticipated. More family stories will be gathered together for the research to continue. T-shirts of past  and future reunions.

---- The Tree Gardener

Finding Frank Brumfield Part 7 and The Genealogist Tool Box

Frank Brumfield has been identified as a child of Liddie Brumfield Caston by the late Rodger Dale Wilson in 2007. No documentation of the relationship has been located at this time.   Frank Brumfield born before 1870  is not enumerated in the Federal or state census as a child of Liddie.  

I have identified three individuals who might be a child of Liddie. There is the possibility of a fourth unidentified person.

Name	Spouse
Frank Brumfield	Liza (Elizabeth) Anderson
Frank E. Brumfield	Janie Foster
Frank Brumfield	Priscilla Ann Ricks

 

Assumptions that have been identified concerning Richard, Irvin, Tom, and Frank Brumfield:

1. They all are brothers and have the same mother Liddie and father Louis.

2. The brothers have the same maternal autosomal DNA.

3. The brothers lived in the same geographic area for most of their lives.

4. Genealogy research of Frank Brumfield and his family tree is available and accurate.

5. All the brothers had descendant of children.  

6. Results of most of the brothers' descendants' DNA are available.  

I have not been able to definitely find Frank Brumfield son of Liddie at this time. I will continue using the genealogist toolbox I have developed for research. I will also continue to look for more tools.

THE GENEALOGIST TOOLBOX

1) Interview the relatives especially the oldest living relatives 2) the family Bible 3) United States federal census population and agricultural records  4) state census records 5) school census records  6) homestead records from the Bureau of Land Management 7) birth certificates 8) death certificates  9) marriage certificates  10) birth announcements  11) divorce records 12) city directories 13) Social Security applications and records 14) military records including pensions 15) newspaper articles 16) obituaries 17) school yearbooks 18) personal letters  19) photographs with identified individuals 20) cemetery records and headstones 21) church records 22) wills and estates records  23) funeral home records 24) ship manifest  25 ) court records  26) bill of sales  27) genealogy information of FAN; friends, associates, and neighbors 28) historical books  29) genealogy books  30) Freedmen labor contracts 31) Freedmen bank records 32) slave insurance policies  33)  WPA and slave narratives 34) Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) records 34)voter's registration 35) Southern Claims Commission 35) Ellis Island and immigration records 37)  Louisiana slave database (Enslaved.org) 38) Use DNA analysis to find family members. Ancestry DNA has the largest database. Upload DNA test results to My Heritage, 23 and Me, Family Tree DNA. GED match can be used with caution.

The search continues.

---- The Tree Gardener