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 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