USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, 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. Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by James K. Harrison, submitted through Betty Casey, MSGenWeb County Coordinater. JAMES CASTLEBERRY Born in Georgia: 1793 Died in Mississippi: 1859 James K. Harrison 104 Mountainwood Drive Huntsville, Alabama 35801 (205) 536-8580 April 22, 1997 Table of Contents Chapter 1 - Introduction and Summary 3 Chapter 2 - Heinrich Kesselberg 5 Chapter 3 - William Castleberry (Who was twice married) 5 Chapter 4 - Lucretia Castleberry 7 Chapter 5 - William Nesbit 8 Chapter 6 - Some Related Castleberry's in 10 Alabama and Tennessee Chapter 7 - James Castleberry 11 Chapter 8 - Elizabeth Carroll Castleberry 12 Chapter 9 - Eastport, Mississippi 13 Chapter 10 - James Castleberry's Land Transactions 15 Chapter 11 - Children of James and Elizabeth 16 Castleberry Chapter 12 - William Castleberry (Who Moved to 18 Pontotoc, MS) Chapter 13 - Annie R. Coleman Castleberry 19 Chapter 14 - Daniel T. Coleman (Father of Annie 20 Coleman Castleberry) Chapter 15 - Children of William and Annie 22 Coleman Castleberry Chapter 16 - Castleberry's in the Civil War 23 Chapter 17 - James C. Castleberry 24 of Yalobusha County, Mississippi Chapter 7 James Castleberry (1793 - 1859) James Castleberry, my great-great grandfather, was born on the 23 Dec 1793 in Jackson County, GA, (now Gwinnett County) and died on 13 July 1859 in Tishomingo County, MS. His father is thought to have been Thomas Castleberry, although no proof of this has been found[1]. The reasons for this belief are Thomas Castleberry's age, his residency in Jackson County in 1805, and supposedly before then as well, and the fact that James named two of his sons Thomas. The only record so far found about James Castleberry's life as a young man in Jackson County is the following copy of a bounty land claim that he had prepared in 1851: Declaration for Bounty Land State of Mississippi County of Tishomingo On this 25th day of January 1851 personally appeared before me an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the said county James Castleberry who being duly sworn according to law declares that he is aged 57 years, a resident of Tishomingo, Mississippi -- that he is the identical individual who was a private in the company of Captain Joseph Horton's Georgia foot volunteers -- (that the service was on the frontier, Captain Horton's company never mustering with any other company -- no Colonel ever visiting them therefore he thinks that there was none -- if there was one it might be Colonel Key) -- In the War with Great Britain declared by the United States on June 18, 1812 -- That he volunteered at Jackson County, Georgia, and was mustered in service at Fort Daniel, Jackson County, Georgia, on or about the 1st of January 1815 for three months and continued in active service (stationed at Fort Daniel) about 60 days and was honorable discharged at Fort Daniel, Georgia, on or about the 1st of March 1815 -- that he has not seen his discharge for over 30 years -- that that he left it with his father -- that his father is dead and his papers are destroyed, and he has no reason to think it in existence. He makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the benefit of the "Act of September 28, 1850". He request his said warrant when issued to be sent to Reynolds and Kinyon, Jacinto, Tishomingo County, Mississippi. James Castleberry My comments on James Castleberry's Bounty Land Claim are: 1. I do not know what the outcome was, 2. Reynolds and Kinyon were lawyers in Jacinto, the Tishomingo County seat in 1851, 3. Jackson Akers, the Justice of the Peace, was James Castleberry's son-in-law, and 4. Fort Daniel was located at Hog Mountain on State Route 124 between Braselton and Lawrenceville, GA. A marker has been erected to show the location (this part of Jackson County became Gwinnett County in 1818). The fort was constructed in 1813 by Major Tandy Key (later Colonel Key and probably the Colonel Key mentioned by James Castleberry) and Captain Nehemiah Garrison. Captain Garrison first commanded the fort. A later commander was Captain Joseph Wharton, probably the Captain Joseph Horton referred to by James Castleberry [11, page 83]. From this account it can be seen that he volunteered at age twenty-two for the War of 1812 and served for about three months at Fort Daniel. The war ended in December 1814. About a year after his military career ended James Castleberry married Elizabeth Carroll, probably in 1816 (their eldest child was born in 1817), and most likely in Jackson County. No official records of this marriage have been found. In 1871the Gwinnett County Court House was destroyed by fire leaving no known records of James Castleberry and his family during the period around 1820. He is listed as the owner of one slave in an 1820 listing for Gwinnett County [4,page 167]. In the 1820 census he is listed as a resident of Gwinnett County. In September 1821 he was listed as one of three "securities" by the Gwinnett County Court of Ordinary (Probate Court) on a Letter of Guardianship for Thomas Carroll, a minor [7, page 5]. The guardian was William Nesbit . Listed as "securities" were John Carroll and William Nesbit, both brothers-in-law of James Castleberry. On 16 Feb 1836 James Castleberry and William Akers witnessed a bond for title to property sold to John Akers by Thomas Carroll of Gwinnett County [3]. On 1 Jan 1837 an Athens, GA, newspaper printed a list of letters remaining in the Lawrenceville, GA, Post Office. One was for James Castleberry [8, page 39]. Chapter 8 Elizabeth Carroll (1801 - 1879) James Castleberry married Elizabeth Carroll ca 1816 in Jackson County, GA. She was born in 1801 in York District, S. C. and died July 1879 in Tishomingo County, MS. Her mother was Sarah Miller of Charleston, S. C., and her father was James Carroll of York District, S. C. Sarah, whose father was Andrew Miller, first married Joshua Nesbit who came to America in 1780 from County Town, Ireland, and settled in York District, S.C. They had one son, William Nesbit. Joshua lived only a short time after arriving in South Carolina. After his death Sarah married James Carroll, also from York District, S. C. James Carroll, according to one tradition [ 4, page 444; 5, page 116], was a descendant of Charles Carroll, the founder of Carrollton, MD, a member of the Continental Congress, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Charles Carroll, who died in 1837 at the age of 95, was refuted to be the wealthiest man in America in his day. The Carroll's came from Ireland to Maryland around 1685. It is said that they descended from royalty from the Lord of Ely as far back as the third century. NOTE: According to Ms. Alice Smythe McCabe, a very authoritative genealogist at the Gwinnett County, GA, Historical Society in Lawerenceville, professional genealogist areunable to make this connection with Charles Carroll and they say instead that James Carroll's ancestors landed in S. C. Elizabeth Carroll died in July 1879 and is buried beside her husband in Mt. Evergreen Cemetery in Tishomingo County near Iuka, MS. Chapter 9 Eastport, Mississippi In 1840 James Castleberry moved his family from DeKalb County, GA, to Tishomingo County, MS. He settled near the bustling little town of Eastport which was on the banks of the Tennessee River. Eastport was created, along with the rest of Tishomingo County, in 1836 and incorporated in 1838. It was the eastern terminal of much Tennessee River traffic in those days since the treacherous muscle shoals were just a little further east near Florence, AL. Passage over these shallow rocky spots was often difficult and sometimes dangerous, especially during dry spells when the river was low. So, much steamboat traffic from Louisville and other points north and west began and ended at Eastport. Five or six steamboats at a time were often seen loading cotton and other farm crops and unloading manufactured goods for Eastport and the northeast region of Mississippi. When Tishomingo County was created in 1836 the county seat was located at Jacinto. Stagecoach lines ran from Eastport to Pontotoc, Columbus, and Ripley. The seventy-five mile trip to Tupelo took about three days and nights from Eastport [9, page 40]. Some of these stagecoach roads can be seen on this 1835 map of the county [9, page 30]. By 1849 Eastport had two churches, two schools, law offices, wholesale houses, grocery and dry goods stores, a drug store, cotton brokers, a livery stable, warehouses, two inns (or taverns), a newspaper, carriage shops, and many homes. The population of Tishomingo County was as follows: Year White Slave 1840 668 1828 1850 1352 1961 1860 19159 4990 Also in business in Eastport in 1849 were Castleberry and Vaughn (which Castleberry is not known) who operated a wharf boat on the Tennessee River used to receive, store, and freight cotton [9, page 41]. Two educational institutions existed - the Eastport Female Institute and the Male Eastport Academy. Eastport newspapers included the weekly North Mississippi Union published from 1850 to 1854 by Mr. M. G. Lewis. Other papers were the Eastport Herald (1849) and the Jacinto Reporter (1849) published by Dr. M. A. Simmons, a Whig. When this paper was moved to Eastport in 1850 its name was changed to the New Eleven and Mr. B. S. Kenyou became the editor. Still later this paper was bought by Dr. J. S. Davis in 1857 (or 1858) and had its name changed to the Iuka Gazette. Other Eastport newspapers existing during the early 1850's were the Eastport Republican and the Eastport Gazette. Eastport reached the peak of its prosperity and population about 1854. At this time there were at least four physicians, several attorneys, a sign painter, a New York tailor, a cabinet maker, several real estate and insurance salesmen, and numerous grocery, dry goods, cotton brokers, and clothing merchants. There were also three hotels - one called the Mansion House - a telegraph office, the post office, a Baptist and a Methodist church and Masonic Lodge No. 94. Finally, there were numerous saloons, some owned by three sons of James Castleberry. James, Jr., was issued a saloon license in 1843 (he was twenty years old), John in 1845, and later in 1850 William (age seventeen) followed in his brother's footsteps. In 1854 William was still in the saloon business according to county records. In 1857 the Memphis and Charleston Railroad (now the Norfolk and Southern) was completed linking the Mississippi River with the Atlantic Ocean. During the construction phase the railroad officials offered the prosperous citizens of Eastport the chance to have the railroad pass through their thriving town for a price of $20000.00 [9, page 82]. The citizens declined and the railroad passed about fifteen miles south of Eastport through Iuka. This ill-fated decision was the beginning of the end for Eastport and soon the majority of the merchants and citizens moved to Iuka to take advantage of this new form of transportation. Much of the original town of Eastport was flooded in 1938 when the TVA built Pickwick Dam. All that is left today of Eastport is a boating marina on Pickwick Lake with no visible signs remaining of its former days of glory as a bustling riverboat town and trade center. A letter written in 1874 that mentions Mrs. Castleberry, no doubt Elizabeth Castleberry who would have been 73 years old at the time, is enclosed below [9, page 180]: Mary Hunt's Trip to Eastport (1874) "For two long years we had been expecting a trip to Eastport. At last the time arrived much to our satisfaction; for a week before we started we talked about nothing but Eastport. It rained a great deal during the week and we feared very much that it would rain on Saturday. On Friday we made our arrangements to leave early next morning. Mrs. Price, Mrs. Nance, Messrs. Johnnie, Tommie, and Jimmie Price, Lu Lee Bowdre, cousin Bettie and myself constituted our party on the occasion We were sadly disappointed in not having my dear friend Rosa with her bright smiles to go with us. We missed her merry voice in our round and the wind blew very cold, but we wrapped up warmly in our shawls and cousin Bettie with her sunbonnet comfortably pinned on, but Lu Lee and I preferred to wear our hats thinking it world not do to wear a sunbonnet to Eastport. So being ready, we started to our friend's where we found the wagon waiting, jumped in and off we started with many a merry laugh. Mrs. Price and Mrs. Nance only accompained us a few miles to spend the day with Mrs. Castleberry. Soon the sun shone out brilliantly and the beautiful hills rose one above the other, with the breastworks stretching over them. Below the silvery water made sweet music in rippling over the pretty little rocks. This beautiful stream flows from the foot of the hills over a rocky bed until sufficiently large to turn an over-shot wheel of a grist mill, which presents quite a picturesque scene, with the rugged background and the deserted village nearer the border of the Tennessee River. In bygone days Eastport was the abiding place for many happy families, but time and the ravages of war have dealt unkindly with its prosperity. Yet by nature it is still beautiful and pleasant associations cluster around the glory of the past with many former residents. We saw from the wharf-boat on the deep, smooth water of the Tennessee a table rock overlooking a deep precipice called "Lovers Leap". From this elevated romantic eminence a wide scope of country can be viewed, representing an unbroken chain of rounded hills through which the waters of the Tennessee triumphantly flows. After feasting our eyes upon the beauties of nature, we enjoyed a sumptuous basket-dinner and rambled over the fields to the mouth of the creek, amusing ourselves in various ways until it was time to homeward bound. On our return, we paused at the foot of one of the loftiest hills, ascended it, viewed the landscape over, gathered souvenirs, and resumed our journey to Mrs. Castleberry's where we found Mrs. Price and Mrs. Nance had spent a delightful day. Having then our complement of passengers on board the wagon, we joyously quickened our movement and soon found ourselves admiring a bird's eye view of Iuka again. All agreed that it was a lovely village, the railroad, with neat homesteads nestled among the evergreens. A soft hazy atmosphere seemed to develop the whole village, the most conspicuous and beautiful part to which was our noble seat of learning, the Iuka Female Institute. We reached home about 5 o'clock p. m., feeling greatly refreshed mentally and physically. Lu Lee and I had come to regret only one thing---the wearing of our hats---for our faces were nearly blistered from contact with the wind." Chapter 10 Mississippi Land Transactions by James Castleberry The first land transaction by James Castleberry in Mississippi occurred soon after his arrival in Tishomingo County with the purchase of 480 acres from Wade and Margaret Blassingame for $800.00. Witnessing this transaction were James Moore and Jackson Akers, his son-in-law. An 800 acre land transaction in 1851 is particularly interesting. It describes the transfer of presumably all of James Castleberry's property to his wife eight years before his death! Perhaps he did so expecting to soon die? The deed states that Elizabeth received eleven Negro slaves that were originally from the proceeds of her father's estate. NOTE: Her father, James Carroll, died almost forty years earlier in Jackson County, GA, ca 1813. Other belongings are listed as: two mules, three horses, four yoke of oxen, one crib of corn, eight beds, furniture, and bedsteads, one bureau, one safe, eleven cows, and two wagons. According to the deed, James Castleberry also relinquished all rights and claims to Elizabeth for the following Negro slaves: Boy Hardy Boy Alexander Delphia and her children Jerry and Echlip Cherry and her two children Harriet and Stepheson Susan Chapter 11 Children of James and Elizabeth Castleberry 1. James Castleberry, Jr., was born in Jackson County, GA, on 5 May 1817 and he died ca 1895 and is buried in Yalobusha County, MS, according to Wiltshire [14, p 68]. He married Elizabeth Tuberville ca 1848 in Tishomingo County, MS. She was born in Alabama ca 1825. They had the following children: Thomas J.( b. ca 1849), Martha A. (b. ca 1849), Sarah or Sallie (b. ca 1853), Sidney J. (b. ca 1854), William H. (b. ca 1862), Jamie Ann (b. ca 1862), and Edwin (b. ca 1869). James Castleberry, Jr. and some of his family were residing in Tishomingo County in 1880. James Castleberry, Jr. was in the 22 MS Infantry during the civil war [14, p 68]. 2. Sarah Castleberry was born in Gwinnett County, GA, on 24 Oct 1818 and she died in Tishomingo County, MS, on 11 May 1861. She is buried near Iuka, MS. Her husband was Jackson Akers whom she married in Gwinnett County, GA, in 1838. They moved to Mississippi in 1840 with her parents. Jackson Akers was a Justice of the Peace in Tishomingo County for a number of years. He married Mary Barnett on 12 June 1862 after Sarah died in 1861. In 1870 Jackson Akers occupation is given as steam mill propritor. He resides next to his ex-mother-in-law, Elizabeth Castleberry. Near by is his 29 year old son, Jefferson, and his family. Jeff was born in GA and is married to Milda A. ???. 3. John Thomas was born in Gwinnett County, GA, in 1820 and died on 21 Jan 1871 in Tishomingo County, MS. He married Frances Marion Lee on 10 June 1849. She was born on 18 Feb. 1831 in Alabama and died in Tishomingo County on 27 June 1904. Her father was Nathan Lee and her mother was Catherine Corbin. Their children were: William (b. 6 May 1850, d. 17 June 1850), Betty (b. 3 Nov. 1852, d. 19 Oct. 1854), Roxie (b. 11 Aug 1854, d. 3 Aug 1857), Emma (b. 19 Mar 1856, d. 19 Sept. 1857), Fanny (b. 29 Aug 1857, d. 9 Apr. 1861), John T. (b. 3 Mar 1861, d. 31 Mar 1919), Robert E. (b. 10 Dec. 1861, d. 3 Mar 1909), Nathan (b. 28 July 1864, d. 1 Apr. 1886), Rufus (b. 30 Oct. 1868, d. 18 Mar 1917), Flossey Kate (b. 4 Mar 1870, d. 11 Apr. 1952), and Rutie (b. ca 1874, d. after 1910). Robert E. married Ophelia Archer on 11 Oct. 1883 and Flossey Kate married James Hubbard on 12 Jan 1922. John T. and Rufus did not marry. In the 1860 census John Thomas's occupation is given as miller but by 1870 he had taken up farming again according to the census records. In the 1880 census Frances is living with her nineteen year old son, John, and gives her occupation as farmer. As stated above, John Thomas' son, Robert E. Castleberry, married Ophelia Archer. They had a son, John Felix, who married Cara Blanche Edwards. Their children were: Mary Mayedele, Edward Thurman, John Ted, Gene Neil and James Lynn. John Ted married Billeye Sue Cutshall and they has a son John Ted, Jr. In 1996 both John Ted and his son were living in Iuka, MS [2, p. 193-194]. 4. Cenith (Acena) was born in De Kalb County, GA, in 1830. She did not marry. She was living with her mother in the 1860 and 1870 census and with her brother Charlie in 1880. She does not appear in the 1900 census. 5. Nancy B. was born in DeKalb County, GA, in 1830. She married John S. Smith on 25 July 1849. Surety for her marriage license was J. D. Castleberry, her older brother. 6. Thomas C. was born in DeKalb County, GA, in 1831. He was most likely named after his mother's younger brother, Thomas Carroll. He married Sarah Alabama Long on 20 Apr. 1858. She was born ca 1840. In the 1860 census he gave his occupation to be lumber trader (the same was given by his younger brother, Winchester, who was living in his household). He was in the Civil War and served in P.D. Roddey's cavalry. In 1870 he was a steam mill proprietor, according to the census records. Thomas died ca 1890. 7. Rufus was born in DeKalb County, GA, on 24 Mar 1832 and died 31 Dec. 1906 in Iuka, MS, where he is buried. He married M. Florrie Matthews in 1875. Her father was A. T. Matthews. She was born 8 Mar 1853 and died 20 Oct. 1878, two days after giving birth to their second child. The infant was born and died on 18 Oct. 1878. She is buried in Iuka beside her parents. Their first child, James A., was born ca 1876. In the 1880 census Rufus was listed as a resident of Iuka and as a clerk in a store. According to Coker [15, p 72] he was the Iuka town marshall from 1894 to 1896. In the 1900 census his occupation is given as the Iuka town marshall. 8. Elizabeth was born in DeKalb County, GA, in 1832. She married William Maddox on 6 Apr 1859. Surety for their marriage license was William D. Castleberry, her younger brother. 9. William, my great grandfather, was born in DeKalb County, GA, ca 1833 and died in Pontotoc, MS, on 15 July 1882. He married Annie R. Coleman in Pontotoc County, MS, on 27 Jan 1862. 10. Mary C. was born in DeKalb County, GA, ca 1834. She is living with her brother, Charles, and sisters, Cenith and Nina, in 1880 in Tishomingo County, MS. 11. Winchester was born in DeKalb County, GA, ca 1838. He was in the lumber business before the civil war. He died on 14 Oct 1864 in a Richmond, VA, hospital from wounds received during fighting near Petersburg, VA. I do not know where he is buried. 12. Nina was born in DeKalb County, GA, in Dec. 1836. She died in Iuka, MS, in 1909. She never married. 13. Permilia was born in DeKalb County, GA, in 1837. Nothing more is known about him. 14. Riley was born in DeKalb County, GA, in Oct. 1838. He was killed when thrown from a horse on 19 Apr. 1852 and is buried beside his parents in Mt. Evergreen Cemetery near Iuka, MS. 15. Charles C. was born in Tishomingo County, MS, in Mar 1841. He died in New Albany, MS, on 16 Sept 1909. He served in Roddey's Cavalry during the Civil War and was twice elected Sheriff of Tishomingo County [10, page 91]. He married Henrietta Hyndman of Corinth, MS. They had a son, Henry, b ca 1877. Henrietta died ca 1877. In the 1900 census he is living with his sister, Nina, in Iuka, MS. 16. Georgia A. was born in Tishomingo County, MS, on 10 Feb. 1846 and died in Iuka, MS, on 24 May 1882. She married James Walmsley (b 14 Feb. 1830, d 9 Dec. 1885). They are both buried in Iuka, MS. The Walmsley children, John, James, William, and Mary were living in Iuka, MS, with their aunt Nina in 1900 according to the census. 17. John W. was born in Tishomingo County, MS, on 20 Aug 1846 and died there on 15 Oct 1846. He is buried in Mt. Evergreen Cemetery near Iuka, MS. Chapter 12 William Castleberry (ca 1833 - 1882) (who moved to Pontotoc, MS) William Castleberry, my great grandfather, was seven years old when he arrived in Tishomingo County, MS, in 1840 with his parents from DeKalb County, GA. He was born ca 1833 and died 15 Jul 1882 in Pontotoc, MS. He appears in several Tishomingo County land deeds in the 1850's and was also in the saloon business for a time in Eastport [9]. He was in the Civil War. He moved to Pontotoc, MS, in the early 1860's where he met Annie R. Coleman. They were married in Pontotoc, MS, on 27 Jan 1862. She was born in Oct 1840 in Georgia and died ca 1925. Her father, Daniel T. Coleman (b 1800, d 7 Jul 1873), was a farmer and a judge in Pontotoc County. He moved to Mississippi from Georgia in 1842. William Castleberry is mentioned in the will of Daniel T. Coleman in 1872. Daniel T. Coleman's wife was Clarinda Ann ? (b 1805, d ca 1885). She was from Georgia. In the 1870 census for Pontotoc, MS, William Castleberry's occupation is given as merchant and in the 1880 census it is given as dry goods merchant. In 1880 his seventy-five year-old mother-in-law was living with the family, according to the census. All of the children of William and Annie Castleberry were born in Pontotoc. Seven of the eight (one died very young) are listed below: Clara (b Apr. 1866) Mary L. (b Mar 1871) Ann E. (b ca 1871) William C. (b Mar 1873) Robert L. (b Sept. 1874) Florence (b Mar 1875) Charles Rufus (b 6 Oct. 1878, d 21 July 1963). The will of William Castleberry is shown below: Last Will and Testimony of William Castleberry Deceased 15 July 1882 -- Pontotoc County, Mississippi In the name of God amen, I William Castleberry, do make, publish, and declare this my last will and testament hereby revoking all others. 1st It is my will that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid as speedily as possible. 2nd I will and advise to my wife, Anna R. Castleberry, all my Real Estate, Household and Kitchen Furniture and all Stock and Cattle now owned by me absolutely and in fee simple. 3rd I appoint said Anna R. Castleberry my executrix to execute and carry out this my last will and testimony , and I do hereby further authorize and empower my said executrix in the management of my estate to compromise, compound, and settle any debts that may be due me or that I may be owing. To sell and dispose of any property for that purpose, either at public or private sale, execute all deeds and necessary acquittances and act in the management of my said estate as fully and completely as if she were acting in the management of her own affairs. 4th It is my will that my said executrix not be required to give any hand as such and that she also be not required to account to any court for the manner in which she conducts and manages my said estate, having all confidence in her integrity and honesty. 5th It is my request that my said executrix do retrieve and secure the assistance of W. R. Peguis in the management of my said estate and I do hereby further request that said Peguis do render such assistance. Given under my hand this the 15th day of July A. D. 1882. William Castleberry