1925 Biography - Levi Casey
Levi Casey came to this county in 1808 and settled in Bloomfield Township, near a spring, which has been known for many years as Casey's Spring. Himself, his wife and ten children came by ox cart from Tennessee. He was said to be a native of Ireland and was a brother of Zadoc Casey, who was at one time Lieutenant Governor of Illinois and presided in the Constitutional Convention of 1848. Levi (1) married Mary Sherrell in East Tennessee about 1780. Tilth- children were Polly (2), who married Squire Choate, they resided in Massac County many years, being the founders of the Choate family in that county. J. M. Choate, a prominent business man of Metropolis who has recently (1923) disappeared on a trip from the west, and of whom no trace can be found is a descendant of theirs. Rachel (2) married Mr. Elms; Patsy (2) married a Mr. Clark; Belvia (2) married a Mr. Ritta; Susanna (2) married John Goddard; another daughter married a Mr. Goddard; and another daughter married a Mr. Fisher and still another, a Mr. Latham; Susanna (2) and John Goddard lived in Williamson County, near old Sulphur Springs and reared a large family, namely George W. (3), W. G. (3), Randolph (3) and John (3), who lives near New Burnside, Nancy (3) married W. J. Cavitt of Tunnel Hill; Rebecca (3) married Dr. Russell Williams and resided in Hamilton County; Rachel (3) married Obe Rich. There were two sons in the first Levi Casey's family, Randolph (2) who was born in Tennessee, 1796, and was the fifth child, the other brother, twelve years when he came to this county, died at the age of eighteen. Family tradition says, he was the first person buried at Casey Springs Cemetery, 1816, which is one of the oldest buring grounds of the county. Randolph (2) married Mary Graves in Johnson County, 1818. Their children were Hiram (3), Rebecca (3), Sarah (3), Rachel (3), D. M. (3), A. J. (3), Green R. (3). Hiram (3) married Derinda Hightower. The children were George (4), Levi B. (4), Fred (4), Julia (4), Susan (4) and Rachel (4). Hiram (3) died in 1865 while serving in the 120th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Of his children, George (4) died in young manhood; Levi B. (4) married Angeline Norma. They had four sons, Randolph (5) who married Louisa Rushing; Daniel W. (5) married Rina Webb; Dr. W. N. E. (5) is now a resident of Tacoma, Wash., and Dr. Levi B. (5), who practiced medicine for many years in Marion, Ill., and was well known in this county. Rebecca (3) married John G. Sparks, moved to California in 1850, later to Oregon, where he served as Internal Revenue Collector for that section of the Northwest under President Lincoln. Sarah (3) married John W. Howerton, (see Howerton), Rachel (3) married Green Lowery. Levi B. (4) and Angeline also had daughters, Mary Ann (5) who married Jackson Hewitt and Nancy (5) who married William R. (see Webb). Levi B. Casey (4) was said to be a man of commanding appearance, six feet, two inches tall and of a find physique. He was Captain of Company D., 31st Illinois Infantry, Logans regiment, and was killed at Vicksburg, June, 1863. He is buried at the Graves Cemetery, four miles north of Vienna, on the old Marion road. Randolph (2) spent his life as a farmer. He never went to school a day in his life and learned to read after he was forty years old. He became a great reader and was well informed on the history of this government and acquired a good geographical knowledge of this country and the world at large. He was a great student of the Bible, a republican and after 1860 a member of the Christian Church. D. M. Casey (3) son of Randalph, resides in Tallequah, Okla., and they have four sons and one daughter. A. J. Casey (3) died leaving three children. Green R. (3) married Lucinda Perkins in 1873. Their children were W. R. (4) who resides in Oklahoma; F. M. (4) living near Creal Springs; George V. (4) of Golconda, Ill.; T. L. (4) also of Oklahoma and Ward (4) who resides with his parents. Mrs. Alice (Casey) Bell (4) lives near Tunnel Hill, Minnie (Casey) Hodge (4) resides at Heartly, Texas; Ida (Casey) Yandell (4) resides at Carterville, Ill. There is now in the possession of Green R. Casey (3), a burr that was used in a hand mill and brought to this county from Tennessee by Levi Casey in 1808, also his spectacle case. Levi Casey died in 1842 and was buried at Metropolis. Randolph (2) removed to Williamson County about four years after his marriage, to a place called Old Sulphur Springs and resided there until 1853, when he returned to this county and entered land under the "bit" act. He first resided on the James Whitehead old place, now known as the Centralia Fruit Farm. He moved in 1857 to the farm where J. B. Cavitt now resides, living there until his death, 1874, and is buried at the Goddard Cemetery. Randolph Casey (2) married Manerva Alexander, and had one child, Mrs. R. G. Simmons (3).
Extracted 06 Feb 2017 by Norma Hass from 1925 A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, pages 339-340.
