Mrs. Jennings Writes of Caswell Family
Afton Enterprise, May 30, 1957
As I remember the map of Afton Township [Chenango Co., NY], it is of irregular shape. It takes in some of Nineveh and to the southwest are Nurse Hollow and Church Hollow, settled years ago. To the Northwest are Newton Hollow and Wilkins Settlement and North Afton.
Afton village has no such settlement names. The Landers and Church families and others took up land on the East side of the river, or on the west side. Our streets are East Main, Maple, Main Street, Pleasant Ave., Spring Street etc., but only the one running parallel with Spring Street and west form Main is named for a family, the Caswell family and goes to the turn where it joins with Algerine street, near the one time Kirby home called "The Pillars."
Moses Caswell and his wife, Abigail Somes Caswell, came to this place from Grafton, N.H., about 1832; and purchased a tract of land extending from what is now Spring street to Academy street. It must have extended back quite a distance, for it was a large farm. There were seven children, Alvira Jane, Harrison Richmond, Anna Dickerson, Amos D., Gilman N., John F. and Harriet.
Anna Dickerson [Caswell]., Aunt Ann, beloved by everyone, married Edgar Garret, September 18, 1846. They had two children, Ella and Anna. The first home was a small one, but about 100 years ago the present house was built. It is now owned by Mrs. Mary Farnsworth. Ella was an invalid, but outlived the others; Anna married Mark Dutton and eventually that piece of property came to the Mark's family.
Alvira [Caswell] married William *Bill) Herkimer and her father built the house for her where her grandson, Allen Herkimer resides. They had one son Gilmore, who married Myrtie Allen of Afton. They left a son Allen G. and daughter Ina who is married to Edwin Benedict.
Moses [Caswell] himself lived in the next. When Amos Caswell came home from New Hampshire with his bride, they lived there and Abigail Somes Caswell died there. Sometime later, Moses married a widow, Mrs. Rice. She had two children, Mabel and Wilbur and they lived in the house now owned by Mrs. Bulkley. The children were in school when I was. Mabel married Burr Wilkins of No. Afton. Gilman N. [Caswell] built on the corner and married Eugena Ferguson. They had six children. Kittie [Caswell] married George Raymond of Norwich and their daughter Blanch married Roger Miller and they lived in Lewistown, N.Y. Estelle [Caswell] married George Tanner and both died in the Amos Caswell home. Edith [Caswell] married Frnak Horton. Girard [Caswell] married Alta Phillips. Bertha [Caswell] married Mag. Medbury. It was Amos who willed the town land for a park. It is known as Caswell park, and was looked after for several years by several elderly men, Addison Brewer, Eric Linge, Charles Seely, and others who reset trees, mowed, kept up fences, when some one awakened to the fine gift Amos Caswell had made Afton. The War Memorial is there and it is a place for band concerts, and ball games, a beauty spot (with a little care). Let's have it blooming by July 13, 1957.
The little house on the corner has always been spoken of as the "Susan Post House." Back of it Harrison Richmond [Caswell] built a small house. He married Sarah Jarett Chamberlain, daughter of Col. John Chamberlain, U.S. Senator at one time. They had two children, Joseph Pollard and Sarah Janette. Sarah Janette Caswell married George Jap of Nineveh and eventually moved to California where both died. They left one daughter, Margaret Jay. She taught in Whittier Calif., until retirement. She was in Los Angeles Calif., last year and is yet [in 1957], I think.
For his second wife, he married May Ursula Landers in 1858. In 1850 he sold the house and bought of Col. Chamberlain and Bill Moffit, the farm on which he built the home on the corner of Main and pleasant Ave. He gave to the little band of Episcopalians, the ground on which St. Ann's Church was built in 1868 and was Senior Warden for many years. Two children were born, Mae Ursula and an infant that did not live. Mae married George Armstrong Liggett of Rahway, N.J., June 27, 1900. He was a Presbyterian minister, well liked in his parish in New Jersey which he served for many years. Mae died August 9th, 1956.
The little house on the corner has always been spoken of as the "Susan Post House." Back of it Harrison Richmond [Caswell] built a small house. He married Sarah Jarett Chamberlain, daughter of Col. John Chamberlain, U.S. Senator at one time. They had two children, Joseph Pollard and Sarah Janette. Sarah Janette Caswell married George Jap of Nineveh and eventually moved to California where both died. They left one daughter, Margaret Jay. She taught in Whittier Calif., until retirement. She was in Los Angeles Calif., last year and is yet [in 1957], I think.
For his second wife, he married May Ursula Landers in 1858. In 1850 he sold the house and bought of Col. Chamberlain and Bill Moffit, the farm on which he built the home on the corner of Main and pleasant Ave. He gave to the little band of Episcopalians, the ground on which St. Ann's Church was built in 1868 and was Senior Warden for many years. Two children were born, Mae Ursula and an infant that did not live. Mae married George Armstrong Liggett of Rahway, N.J., June 27, 1900. He was a Presbyterian minister, well liked in his parish in New Jersey which he served for many years. Mae died August 9th, 1956.
No comments:
Post a Comment