Biography of the Christian Cassell Family - Putnam County, Illinois (Christian Cassell - William Cassell - Christian) Christian Chris Cassell (1820-1882) Birth: October 21, 1820, Dauphin Co. PA Death: February 4, 1882, Florid, Putnam Co. IL Parents: William Cassell (Birth-PA) and Elizabeth Leidig (Birth-PA) Siblings: Augustus, Joseph, Henry, Berry Hill, Michael, John, Sophia (Albert), Rosannah (Allen) and Esther (Albert) Marriage: February 18, 1841, Putnam Co. IL Spouse: Elizabeth Schmitt Children: Anna Elizabeth (Daily), Mary Kate (Smith), Clara (Shively), Sara M. (Meyers), Benjamin Albert and Elmer Chris Cassell was born on October 21, 1820 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He spent his early life on his family’s farm there. Chris and his brothers started helping their father on the farm at an early age. As young boys, they learned to swing an ax, cradle and scythe which were the principle farm implements during that time. Whenever possible during the winter season, Chris and his brothers attended the local school which was held in a log cabin and did their lessons on a slab bench. When Chris was about 16 years old, he traveled to the wilderness of Putnam County, Illinois to join his brothers Augustus and Joseph, who were some of the pioneer settlers of 1833. They had settled in the new village of Florid which was established in December of 1835 and was located several miles south of Hennepin, Illinois. Near the village was Fort Cribs which was used as a block house against Indian attacks. It got its name because of the corn cribs that were stored inside. Chris’s brother Berry joined them in 1838 and liked Putnam County so well that Berry convinced his parents join them in Illinois. By 1845, all of Chris’s six brothers, his parents and all of his sisters - except Sophia were living in Illinois. On February 18, 1841, Chris married Elizabeth Schmitt in Putnam County, Illinois at the age of 21. Elizabeth was under age and they had to get permission from her parents. The wedding ceremony was performed by Chris's brother, Augustus who was a Justice of the Peace. After their marriage, Chris and Elizabeth continued living in Florid where Chris made his living as at first as a merchant. Sometime before 1860, Chris set up shop as a tailor in Florid. He continued working as a tailor for at least 10 years. By 1880, he had retired and just worked as an occasional laborer. Chris and Elizabeth had seven children. They were Mary Katherine, Sara M., Clara, Anna Elizabeth, Benjamin Albert and Elmer. Another child died in infancy. Chris and Elizabeth spent most of their life in the village of Florid. They lived for a short while in London Mills during 1855 and also lived in Macon County during the 1860’s where Chris served during the Civil War in the Macon County Militia. Chris died at his home in Florid on February 4, 1882. He was laid to rest the following Monday February 5, 1882 in the Florid cemetery. Resources: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 Federal Census Records for Putnam Co. IL - Hennepin Township Marriage License for Christian Cassell and Elizabeth Smith (Putnam Co. IL) Portrait and Biographical Record, 1893, Decatur, IL (Biography of Berry Hill Cassell) ( IL Historical Library) Past and Present of Marshall and Putnam Counties, 1907 (Florid) (IL Historical Library) The Putnam Record Newspaper, February 9, 1882 (Christian Cassell - William Cassell - Christian) Elizabeth K. Schmitt Cassell was born on August 4, 1822 in Pennsylvania. She died on May 7, 1888 in Florid, which is a little village four miles south of Hennepin in Putnam County, Illinois at the age of 66. Elizabeth married Christian Cassell on February 18, 1841 at the age of 17 in Putnam County, Illinois. Since she was under age, they had to have permission from her parents. They settled in Florid and had seven children - four girls, two boys and one child who died in infancy. Mary Katherine was born in 1843. Sarah M. was born in 1848. Clara was born in 1852. Anna E. was born in 1855 in London Mills, Illinois. Benjamin Albert was born in 1861 and Elmer Elsworth was born in 1863. Elizabeth and Christian were listed in the 1850, 1860 and 1870 census for Hennepin Township, Putnam County, Illinois. At some point in their lives, they lived in Peoria, Illinois, but the date is not known at this time. They also lived in London Mills, Illinois in 1855. They continued living in Florid, Illinois the remainder of their lives. Elizabeth lived only a few years after her husband's death in 1882. Several years before her death, she had a stroke of paralysis but recovered sufficiently to get around. Her death was sudden and very unexpected. According to the Putnam Record, the local paper for Putnam County, on Monday, May 7, 1888, Elizabeth "fell dead while walking across the floor". She was buried next to her husband William in the little Florid cemetery. (William Cassell - Christian Cassell - Sara and Clara) THE CASSELL FAMILY Sarah M. Cassell Meyers was born in 1848 in Illinois. Her date of death is unknown at this time. Sarah's mother, Elizabeth Schmitt and her father Christian Cassell were both born in Pennsylvania. She had one older sister Mary Katherine. Sara also had 2 younger sisters, Clarrisa and Anna E. and 2 younger brothers Benjamin and Elmer. Sarah spent her children in Florid, Illinois which is a little village 4 miles south of Hennepin in Putnam County. She was listed with her family in the 1850 and 1860 census for Putnam County, Hennepin Township, Illinois. She was no longer listed with her family by the 1870 census. As an adult, she married Charles Meyers. No other information is known at this time. Clarrisa Cassell Shiveley was born in 1852 in Florid, Illinois, which is a little village 4 miles south of Hennepin in Putnam County. She died in California sometime after 1908. Her mother, Elizabeth Leidig and her father Christian Cassell were both born in Pennsylvania. Clarrisa had two older sisters Mary Katherine and Sara M.. Sara also had 1 younger sister Anna E. and 2 younger brothers Benjamin and Elmer. Most of her life, she was known as Clara. Clara spent her childhood in Florid, Illinois. She was listed in the 1860 and 1870 census for Putnam County, Hennepin Township, Illinois. Her occupation was listed as a domestic servant. Between 1870 and 1908, Clara married Manuel Shively and they moved to California. In 1908, according to the Putnam Record, the local paper for Putnam County, she visited her sister Anna Daily in Florid, Illinois from California. Clara would have been 56 years old then. No other information is known at this time. ( William Cassell - Christian Cassell - Anna) THE CASSELL FAMILY Anna Elizabeth Cassell Daily Brash was born on December 25, 1855 in London Mills, Fulton County, Illinois. She died on April 8, 1935 in Peoria, Illinois in Peoria County at the age of 79. Her father, Christian Cassell and her mother, Elizabeth Schmitt were both born in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. She had 3 older sisters, Mary, Sara and Clarrisa and 2 younger brothers Benjamin and Elmer. Anna grew up in the little village of Florid, which is four miles south-east of Hennepin in Putnam County, Illinois. She was listed in the 1860 and 1870 census for Putnam County - Hennepin Township, Illinois. At the age of 17, Anna married Moses Daily on December 30, 1872 in Hennepin, Illinois in Putnam County. Anna and Moses had 4 children. Albert Elsworth Daily was born on October 18, 1874 and Lillie May Daily was born in 1876. Next came Rolland Roy Daily who was born on May 29, 1881 and then Otto Earl Daily was born on August 7, 1892. Anna was listed in the 1880 Putnam County census for Hennepin Township Illinois with her husband Moses and their 2 children Albert and Lillie May. By 1899, Anna and her family were listed as living at 1829 S. Washington Street in Peoria during the 1899 Peoria County Census. Sometime before 1907, she and her husband moved to Florid. The local paper, The Putnam Record showed that Anna lived in Florid between 1907 and 1913 and that her children visited frequently. Anna and Moses are also listed in the 1910 Putnam County Census for Hennepin Township. The Putnam Record also mentioned that Anna and Moses spent two months in Peoria the winter of 1912 because of their daughter's illness, and came home in January of 1913. Their daughter May and their sons Earl and Roy lived in Peoria at that time. They moved back to Peoria sometime in 1913. On November 30, 1913, Anna's husband caught lumbar pneumonia. He died 5 days later at their home on December 4, 1913. Anna continued living in Peoria. The Putnam Record shows that she and her daughter Lillie May came to visit Anna's brother Ben Cassell who was living in Florid. Anna spent a few weeks visiting and then returned to Peoria in both March and November of 1914. She is again mentioned visiting her brother Benjamin in October of 1915 and in 1917. On November 16, 1919, Anna remarried to a man named Henry Brash. She continued living in Peoria, Illinois during the 1920's and 1930's. The Putnam Record shows her visiting her brothers in Florid during 1933 and 1934 from Peoria. Anna's final home was at 411 Johnson Street in Peoria, Illinois. She died 1 month after her son, Albert's death at 1:30 PM. Monday afternoon, April 8, 1935 at Proctor Hospital in Peoria, Illinois. Anna was buried with her family in Florid, Illinois. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Nancy Piper