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Fact or Fiction? Dewitt Samuel Blackman & the 1890 Mug Book

This weeks' diversion was getting back to a little task I set for myself a while ago: Proving or disproving facts about the Hub's great-great-great grandfather Dewitt Samuel Blackman, published in Portrait and Biographical Album of Sumner County, Kansas, Containing Full-Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County . I first wrote about Blackman's biography in this post . This type of book was known as a "mug book." Author Rhonda Frevert writes, "Late nineteenth- and early-twentieth century mug books were published only by advance subscription. If a person had the funds to subscribe, he or she (more often he) would have a biographical sketch in the book." 1   Mug books often also contained bios of U.S. presidents or other prominent individuals, and this is the case with this book. More importantly, the publications gave insights into the everyday lives of ordinary people. They were, however, notorious
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Two Jesse Caseys and their FAN Club

Two men named Jesse Casey had a FAN club in Morgan and Roane Counties, Tennessee.1

by Nancy Gilbride Casey

Note: In these posts, Jesse Casey refers to the man b. about 1768, and Jesse Casey Junr. refers to the man b. about 1798, who later was known as Jesse E. Casey or J.E. Casey, and lived in Roane/Morgan, Tennessee and later Arkansas. He is my husband's 4x great grandfather.

If you have not read the first two posts in this series, you may want to read them now:  

 

A terrific tool for anyone's genealogical tool belt is examining the Friends, Associates and Neighbors—or FAN club—of a research subject. The goal is to determine if there are any FANs in common between two people which might give clues to their relationship.

I began capturing the FAN club members for Jesse Casey Junr. some time ago, and upon receiving several new documents which a fellow researcher thought might pertain to his father, I also began adding Jesse Casey's FANs to the list. The list grew exponentially after I returned from Tennessee this spring with dozens more documents from the Roane and Morgan county courthouses. At present this FAN list contains 1,900+ entries, color-coded to separate the two men.

Recall that my theory is that Jesse Casey of Georgia and Tennessee could be the father of Jesse Casey Junr., of Tennessee and later Arkansas. In my last post, I discussed a lawsuit which connected Jesse Casey of Franklin, Georgia to a Roane County man of the same name. And, Jesse Casey Junr. of Roane County was known to have a Georgia birthplace.2

The FAN club analysis did reveal terrific connections which fell into two categories: 

  • More links between the Jesse Casey of Georgia and the Jesse Casey of Tennessee, and,
  • Links between Jesse Casey and Jesse Casey Junr.

Tax records, court documents, land records, and surveys establish that Jesse Casey moved from the Franklin and Oglethorpe area of northern Georgia to Roane County, Tennessee.

Taxes

Two of Jesse Casey’s associates—William Turner and Robert Allison—paid taxes alongside him in both Oglethorpe, Georgia, and Roane, Tennessee:

  • In 1797 Jesse Casey and William Turner paid a poll tax in Oglethorpe, Georgia in Captain Norris’ district; they are listed on the same page.3
  • Jesse Casey and Robert Allison paid a poll tax in Captain Norris’ district in Oglethorpe, Georgia in 1798, with Allison listed directly below Casey.4
  • In 1808, Jesse Casey paid Roane County taxes in Captain Roger’s Company, while Robert Allison paid taxes in Captain Rather’s Company.5
  • In 1814, Robert Allison paid Roane County taxes on 100 acres on the Caney Creek, while Jesse Casey paid taxes on his Caney Creek acreage in 1815, retroactive to 1814.6
1798 Oglethorpe Co., Georgia tax list for Captain Norris' district. The "Do" was used as we use " " today, to indicate it is repeating the "O.C." above on the page, for residence in Oglethorpe County. The single "1" entry for each man indicates they were paying a poll tax.

 

Court Records

Court records also placed Jesse Casey in a location and time, described his activities and property, and named his associates in the form of fellow litigants, neighbors, family members, sheriffs, judges, clerks, etc. Jesse Casey’s associate William Turner appeared alongside him in both Franklin, Georgia and Roane County courts, as follows:

  • In 1806 in Franklin County Superior Court, William Turner was noted as indebted to John Williamson along with Jesse Casey and John Kelly.7
  • In 1815 in Roane County, William Turner was paid for 6 days of testimony in the State vs. Jesse Casey and John Kenely.8
  • In Roane County In 1816, Jesse Casey sought William Turner as a material witness in his defense in State vs. Jesse Casey.9
William Turner was paid $3.50 for six days in court, for the 1815 case State vs. Jesse Casey and John Kenely.

 

Land Records

Jesse Casey actively acquired land in Roane County. He entered land claims and had surveys conducted for various parcels. Land records were vital to establishing his residence; surveys described the locations of the land, gave the names of nearby landowners, and carried the names of surveyors and sworn chain carriers.

Surveying or "Gunther" chains.12
Sworn chain carriers served a vital role in land surveys. Not only did they carry the heavy chains required to measure out property (see photo left), they served as witnesses to the document. Sworn chain carriers had to be of legal age of 21 to swear an oath to tell the truth—important should any disputes arise. Sworn chain carriers were not the property owner; they were paid by the party for whom the survey was to be made. Very frequently, they were family members of the owner.10

Jesse Casey’s Georgia associate Robert Allison was one of the Sworn Chain Carriers in the 1808 survey of Casey's 53 acres on Caney Creek.11 Robert Allison shortly after became kin to Jesse Casey by marriage; Allison’s daughter Polly “Ellison” married Jesse Casey’s brother Ambler Casey in 1809.13

Notation of Robert Allison and James Kelly as "S.C.C." or Sworn Chain Carriers, on Jesse Casey's survey No. 173 of 53 acres in Roane County, 1808 (parcel drawing below).

 


The presence of Jesse Casey, Robert Allison, and William Turner in multiple records in Oglethorpe and Franklin, Georgia, as well as Roane, Tennessee, strongly suggests a close—perhaps even familial— relationship. Together, their association proves that the Jesse Casey of the Oglethorpe tax rolls, and the Franklin, Georgia court case, is the same man who appeared in Roane County, Tennessee in the early 1800s.

Given that Jesse Casey Junr.’s birthplace was noted as Georgia in the 1850 and 1860 censuses, Jesse Casey is a suitable candidate to consider as the father of Jesse Casey, Junr., of Roane County, Tennessee. We'll look at those connections in my next post.

Until next time...

 

NOTES

1 Matthew Rhea, Henry Schenk Tanner, J. Knight, E.B. Dawson, A Map of the state of Tennessee taken from survey, (Columbia, Tennessee : Matthew Rhea, 1832); digital image, Library of Congress (https://lccn.loc.gov/2011588000 : accessed 9 July 2022); citing Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

2 Roane County, Tennessee, Case 768, Wray for Elliott vs. Jesse Casey, October term 1818; Roane County Archives, Kingston. Also: Franklin County, Georgia, Superior Court, April 1806 Session, William Elliot vs. Jesse Casey, Jesse Casey, William Turner and John Kelly indebted to John Williamson, 17 March 1806; images provided by V. Fairbanks Dihm [e-address for private use] to Nancy Casey, 23 September 2021 via email. Also: 1850 U.S. Census, Newton, Arkansas, population schedule, p. 88 (penned), Jackson Township, dwelling 263, household of Jessee E. Casey; image Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8054/images/4193068-00222 : accessed 11 March 2020); citing NARA Microfilm Publication M432, Washington, D.C. Also: 1850 U.S. Census, Newton, Arkansas, population schedule, p. 88 (penned), Jackson Township, dwelling 263, household of Jessee E. Casey; image Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7667/images/4211305_00459 : accessed 11 March 2020); citing NARA Microfilm Publication M432, Washington, D.C.

3 Tax Digest 1795-99, Oglethorpe County, p. 45-46, 1797, Capt. Norrises District, line 47, Jesse Casey and line 66 William Turner; digital image, Georgia Archives Virtual Vault (https://vault.georgiaarchives.org/digital/collection/tax/id/12872/rec/1 : accessed 30 Nov. 2021); Georgia Archives, microfilm RHS 23-4, image 140-141.

4 Captain Norris’ District, Oglethorpe County, Ga., tax digest, 1798, p. 24, Jesse Casey and Robert Allison; database & image, "Tax digests, 1795-1866", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS42-JFHJ : 26 November 2021), > image 211/564.

5 Emma Middleton Wells, The History of Roane County, Tennessee, 1801-1870 (Chattanooga : The Lookout Publishing Company, 1927), p. 19, Tax List of Roane County, 1808 (continued from p. 17), Jesse Casy in Captain Roger's Company; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/27102/images/dvm_LocHist011455-00012-1 : accessed 21 February 2022). Also: Ibid, p. 18, Robert Ellison in Captain Rather's Company; digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/27102/images/dvm_LocHist011455-00012-0 : accessed 6 June 2022).

6 Willis Hutcherson, Marilyn McCluen, Mable Thornton, Tax Lists of Roane County, Tennessee, 1814-1821 (Roane County Records Commission : nl, 1969), p. 27, Jesse Casey, taxes pd in 1815 on land entry filed in 1814 for 104-2/3 acres; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/282423/ : accessed 29 March 2022). Also: Ibid, p. 14, Robert Allison, tax on 100 acres on Caney Creek; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/282423/ : accessed 29 March 2022).

7 Franklin County, Georgia, Superior Court, April 1806 Session, William Elliot vs. Jesse Casey, Jesse Casey, William Turner and John Kelly indebted to John Williamson, 17 March 1806; images provided by V. Fairbanks Dihm [e-address for private use] to Nancy Casey, 23 September 2021 via email.

8 Roane County, Tennessee, County Court Minute Books and Case Files, 1801-1980, 287/1530, State vs. Jesse Casey & John Kenely, Bill of Papers, no month/date 1815; Roane County Archives, Kingston.

9 Ibid. State vs. Jesse Casey, Sworn Statement, 18 January 1816; Roane County Archives, Kingston.

10 Henry D. Whitney, compiler/editor, The Land Laws of Tennessee: Being a Compilation of the Various Statutes of North Carolina, the United States and Tennessee, Relative to Titles to Lands Within the State of Tennessee, from the Second Royal Charter to the Present Time: the Constitutional and Statutory Provisions Concerning the Establishment and Charge of the Boundary of the State, and of Each County; Tables Showing the Date of Each Hiatus, Editorial Notes, Etc., to which is Added a Digest of the Leading Decisions on the Land Laws (Chatanooga : J.M. Deardorff & Sons, 1891) p. 69; image, Google Books (https://books.google.com/books : accessed 17 June 2022). Also: “Surveying Units and Terms,” Speculation Lands Collection, University of North Carolina Asheville (http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/mss/speculation_lands/terms/surveying_terms.htm : accessed 17 June 2022).

11 Roane County, Tennessee, Survey Book, Vol. B-1, Mar. 1807-Nov. 1813, p. 122, No. 178, 24 February 1808, Jesse Cassey survey for 53 acres on on Caney Creek, "...including the place that the said Cassey now lives on..."; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-F3CN-Z9X5-N : accessed 6 June 2022); citing Tennessee State Library & Archives, Nashville; FHL 008661749, image 70.

12 Two-Pole Surveyor's Chain, circa 1850, Missouri Historical Society (https://mohistory.org/collections/item/X14779 : accessed 8 June 2022). In the public domain; open access content courtesy of the Missouri Historical Society.

13 Roane County, Tennessee, Loose Marriage Bonds & Licenses, Dec. 1801-Dec. 1818, unnumbered page, bond of Ambler Casey and Polly Ellison, 30 September 1809; database with images, "Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1780-2002," Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2874080:1169 : accessed 16 June 2022), image 49; citing Tennessee State Library and Archives, Roane County Project Roll A, Nashville.

 

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