Comments by (a href="http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mjsmith&id=I2550">Malinda German
For several years I have felt that Thomas Casteel who married Mary Jane Bowman in Madison Co, IA was a son of Jesse Casteel. He was not a member of Jesse & Sarah's family in the 1850 census and when I found him in the 1870 census his age of 46 years made him too old to be Sarah's son. For a while I thought he may have been a son of a previous marriage for Jesse. Although he is not with that family in the 1850 census for Madison Co, IA, he was in Madison Co by 1851 when he married Mary Jane Bowman. They settled in Shelby Co, IA near Leonard Bowman, Mary Jane's father. Members of the Casteel family went from Madison Co to Guthrie Co and in the 1870 census some of Jesse's family have moved to Shelby Co, including Sarah, mother of this family. When I found Thomas and Mary Jane Casteel in the 1860 census, it gave Thomas's age as 32, indicating he was born in 1828, the same year that Jesse and Sarah married in Ohio. Until someone proves otherwise, I will include him in Jesse and Sarah's family.1880 have not found any of this Casteel family in the U.S. census.
1856 Round Township, Shelby County, Iowa Census:
29-33 Casteel, Thomas, age 30, Male, Farmer, born Ohio, owns property ?, subject to military X,
" , Mary Jane, age 21, Female, born Ohio, years in Iowa 10
" , Francis, age 3, Male, born Iowa
" , Albert, age 1, Male, born "
" , Alice J., age 0, Female, born "1860 Round Township, Shelby County, Iowa Census, dated June 4, 1860, page 55 and 56:
13-13, Casteel, Thos., age 32, Male, farmer, born Ohio, value of real property
$2000, value of personal property $500
" , Mary Jane, age 25, Female, born Ohio
" , Francis B., age 7, Male, born Iowa
" , Albert F., age 5, Male, born Iowa
" , Alice Jane, age 4, Female, born Iowa
" , Mary E., age 2, Female, born Iowa1870 United States Federal Census, State of Iowa, Shelby County, Jackson
Township, Page 59 & 60:
Name Age Sex Occupation Birthplace Val. Real Prop Val. Pers Pr
Casteel, Thos 46 M farmer Ohio $4250 $2439
" Mary J. 36 F "
" Albert 15 M Iowa
" Kittie 10 F "
Often signed his name "Boyldwin"
Baldwin Parsons is listed as serving in the Continal Army as an Indian scout. The Parsons are listed in Native American information as one of about 6 families in WV. to marry into Indian families early in the colonial days.
He moved to OH from Brooke Co. VA.
Jefferson Co. OH where he died is now Harrison Co.
Will is in Jefferson Co. records.
US Census: 1840: MO: Newton Co. Benton Township
SPARLING, Andrew 2
males 2 under 5
1 5-10
2 10-15
1 20-30
1 30-40
females 1 5-10
1 30-40From the "Seneca Dispatch," Saturday, March 24, 1883:
Andrew Sparlin died at his home near Seneca, Missouri, on March 19, 1883, aged 78 years. Andrew Sparlin was born February 8, 1805. His educational advantages were limited, though he possessed a high degree of intelligence. He married Elizabeth Spurgeon, who became the mother of ten children, eight of who are living, and scattered over this country, Oregon, and Montana. His wife died, but Mr. Gallamore, better known as "Uncle Fred," who is my informant, cannot give the date of her death. He next married Mary Myers, who became the mother of twelve children, nearly all of whom are living. The oldest of his children is about 58, while the youngest is three years old. Andrew Sparlin and his family, in company with Edward Sherer and family, Capt. Buzzard and family, and John Spurgeon, his brother in law, came on a flat boat down the Ohio River to the mouth of the Arkansas River, from which place they were towed up this river to Van Buren, by a little steamer, in the year 1833. From this point he and his little family then came across the wild and uninhabited waste of country, to Grand Falls on Shoal Creek, but not liking the locality, he soon settled upon the property upon which he has so long lived. He worked early and late to make a comfortable home, while the Osages and other Indians hunted deer, bear, and other game with which this country then abounded. Andrew Sparlin prospered. Nearly everything he touched yielded a profit, and in the year 1850 he formed a partnership in the mercantile business with Major A. J. Dorn, who was the government agent in charge of Neosho Sub-Indian Agency, to which belonged nearly all the Indians near, including the Great and Little Osages. This business compact was continued and favored with a large Indian trade until the War of the Rebellion interfered. Mr. Sparlin was an honest, outspoken Democrat, who believed in the rights of the southern states to secede, and he favored the establishment of the Confederate Government. While this made for him strong friendships among those who sympathized with the southern states during the war, it also made for him enemies among people who loved the old flag and were willing to shed their blood in defense of the Union of the States.As a consequence he and his family left home in the year 1862 and went to Arkansas, in which state, and Texas, he remained with greater security. The country here was full of bushwhackers, who declared devotion to both sides of the question involved, and during Mr. Sparlin's absence about all of his property was destroyed that fire could consume. While in Arkansas with his family he was hung for his money by roughs, and before the war closed he and his family were compelled to subsist upon parched corn. In 1866 he returned to his farm here to find his dwelling, store, and barn all swept by "foragers" and fire. He had only the farm, which had long since grown wild, and a few hundred dollars with which to begin anew. He was now more than 60 years old, an age which few attain, but he yet had courage and the same spirit which had prompted him to action when he was younger, nerved him for the new battle for a competence. He labored as many who are younger never work, and was soon again surrounded with comfort. Mr. Sparlin never had any sickness, and did not know bodily pain until within the year just past. He was one of Nature's great and good men, unknown to the world, but one who was appreciated by his fellow citizens. He inherited a strong constitution and made the world better for having been in it. A few days ago he became bed-ridden and helpless. He suffered partial paralysis, and became powerless and speechless on the 17th inst. Under treatment he rallied for hours and was again able to converse with his family and friends, but soon after entered another decline, and died on the 19th inst. He was praying man and a consistent member of the Methodist church for 50 years. He said he was ready to cross over the dark river, and desired to go. Like drooping stars, our dear ones fade from sight, to reappear in a holier sphere, where there is no night time. to him death was but the going "out of the shadow of sadness into the sunshine of gladness, into the light of the blest, out of a land very dreary, out of the world of the weary, into the rapture of rest."
In an undated article titled "How Lost Creeks Got Lost," published in the "Seneca Dispatch" some time in the 1940s, by Stella Sparlin (granddaughter of Curtis Sparlin), Elizabeth Spurgeon is said to have been "a little brown-skinned woman of French and Indian blood."