With two posts written on the Cassell family, I propose a third – the reason my search began on this family in the first place.  While looking through photographs taken in the Lexington Cemetery, Fayette County, I came across those for Samuel Farra Cassell and wife Sallie (Sarah) Boone Bryan and four of their young children.  With a little research I found Abraham Cassell, the Revolutionary War veteran, who was Samuel’s grandfather.  Why not begin at the beginning?  Thus, my search was widened.  But today I want to go back to Samuel and his family.

Samuel’s father was John Cassell, son of Abraham and Caterina (Catherine) Cassell.  According to the sheet of family records in Abraham Cassell’s handwriting, John Cassell was born in the year of our Lord 1785, on January the 10^th.  John Cassell died the 30^th day of March 1815.  Only thirty years old.  Could he have been in the War of 1812?  It’s hard to say for sure since the life expectancy from 1791-1815 for men was 35.35, and any mishap or illness could have killed him.

John Cassell married Hesta Farra May 26, 1813, in Jessamine County.  She was the daughter of Amos and Margaret Farra.  Their one child, Samuel Farra Cassell, was born March 7, 1814.  Hesta was a young seventeen-year-old when she married and only nineteen when her husband died.  She returned to her parents’ home, with her child, and remained there for eight years until she met a widower, Elias Poston, the father of seven children, two who would be considered infants.  When she married Elias, and left for Rush County, Indiana, her son Samuel remained with his grandparents, who had cared for him for eight years.  Why would Hesta leave her son?  Perhaps with so many children to care for she thought it best he stayed with her parents.  Perhaps she wanted to make a fresh start?  This doesn’t sound very motherly to me, but it is hard to know her circumstances at that time.  Perhaps her new husband thought there were enough of his own children to clothe and feed.  Samuel’s grandfather died in 1825, and he and his grandmother lived together until his marriage.  And I am happy to say that there was much communication between Hester Farra Poston and husband and the Farra and Cassell families.

From North America, Family Histories a lineage book of the Charter Members of the DAR we find that Samuel and Sarah’s children were descendants of Revolutionary War veterans on both sides of the family.  Daniel Boone Bryan, 1758-1845, was a soldier in the North Carolina Line, born in North Carolina and died in Fayette County.  His wife was Elizabeth Turner.  Their son William Bryan, and his wife Margaret Gist, were the parents of Sallie Boone Bryan.

Mary Bryan Cassell, August 9, 1845-September 16, 1846, aged 1y, 1m, 7d.  Alpheus Lewis Cassell, March 9, 1849-July 16, 1853, 4y, 4m, 7d.  Laura Latham Cassell, December 23, 1850-January 18, 1853, 3y, 26d.  Children of S. F. and S. B. Cassell, Lexington Cemetery, Fayette County, Kentucky.

Samuel Farra Cassell and Sallie Boone Bryan married about the year 1837, as their oldest daughter, Eudora was born about 1839, since she was 11 in the 1850 census of Fayette County.  Samuel was 33, Sarah, 30.  Other children included Margaret, 9; William, 7; Maltha, 5; and Eugene, 3.

Samuel F. Cassell, born March 7, 1814, died September 6, 1852.  ‘With thee departed many hopes dear husband.’

Like his father, Samuel died at the young age of 38 on September 6, 1852.  Sallie was heavily pregnant and gave birth to a daughter nine days later.  She was named Sam Anna Cassell, for her father.  This daughter’s birth is in the 1852 birth records for Fayette County – September 15, 1852, Sam Anna Cassell, parents Samuel F. Cassell and Sallie B. Bryan, born at Cassell’s Mill, Dr. Marshall.

Maltha Elley, daughter of S. F. and S. B. Cassell, born April 5, 1844, died September 23, 1857.

After Samuel’s death Sallie buried three of her children in quick succession.  Four months later three-year-old Laura died in January of 1853, and six months later, in July of the same year, four-year-old Alpheus died.  Four years later Maltha died at the age of thirteen.

Our mother.  Sallie B. Cassell, born March 5, 1816, died July 27, 1894.  ‘At rest.’

Sallie lived another 42 years, after the death of her husband, remaining a widow, dying at the age of 78, July 27, 1894.  In the 1870 census she was 45, with children Eugene, 21; and Sam Anna, 18.  In 1880 she lived with son Eugene, 32; his wife Amanda, 27; grandchildren Eugenia, 9; Sallie, 6; and Annie, 1.  She was 60.

January 4, 1900, Eugene Cassell was killed at his home.

The Central Record, Lancaster, Garrard County, Kentucky

Thursday, January 11, 1900

Mr. Eugene Cassell, of Jessamine was killed at his home on the Clay’s Ferry Turnpike on Thursday night, by some thieves who came to his place to steal some hogs which he had killed and hung upon a pole to get cold.  He heard some noise and went out with his gun to investigate the cause.  His family heard a shot and nothing more.  The next morning his body was found cold in death.  At this writing nothing is known as to the authors of this most infamous murder.  Mr. Cassell was one of the best citizens of Jessamine, a quiet, kindly man and never did any man a harm in his life.  He was about 50 years of age and leaves a wife and several children to mourn his death.

A list of children of Samuel Farra and Sallie Bryan Cassell:

1. Eudora Cassell, 1839-1882, married Augustus James Morey.
2. Margaret J. Cassell, April 26, 1841-April 13, 1883, married William J. Featherston.
3. William Bryan Cassell, September 9, 1842-August 4, 1923.
4. Maltha Elley Cassell, April 4, 1844-September 23, 1857.
5. Mary Bryan Cassell, August 9, 1845-September 16, 1846.
6. Eugene Cassell, August 16, 1847-January 4, 1900, married Amanda Telford Whitney.
7. Alpheus Lewis Cassell, March 9, 1849-July 16, 1853.
8. Laura Latham Cassell, December 23, 1850-January 18, 1853.
9. Sam Anna Cassell, September 15, 1852-May 19, 1923, married Hilary Offutt Davis.

The Cassell and Farra families lived on the Fayette County-Jessamine County line.  There is an old Farra Cemetery on the blog, posted several years ago.  It is preserved in the parking lot of Kohls.