James Albert Cassity
1797 - 1845 (48 years)
Generation: 1
1. James Albert Cassity was born on 24 Jun 1797 in Bath County, Kentucky (son of Peter Thompson Cassity and Mary "Polly" Melissa Armstrong); died on 9 Jul 1845 in Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky; was buried in Hargis Cemetery, Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky. Notes:
MHR note: James married second to Mary D. (Clack) Ringo. She was the widow of Lott Ringo whom she had married 7 September 1815 in Fleming County, Kentucky. Mary and Lott Ringo had 5 children: Fidelia Ringo (m. McPherson), Burtis G. Ringo (m. Nancy), Ann L. Ringo (m. H. T. Prather) , William Wallace Ringo, and Harrier D. Ringo (m. Sapp). Mary D. Clack was the daughter of Moses Clack. Mary D. (Clack) Ringo Cassity had two brother: Dixon Clack and Philip D. Clack.
MHR note: Mary Ann Cassity is given as "Polly Ann" on the stone. The Hargiss Cemetery is across a very narrow road from the railroad tracks. the graves have coffin-like covers and there is a tiny one beside theirs and a child-sized one next to that, both without inscriptions. The man living next to the little cemetery (James Edward Hall) said several stones had disappeared from the cemetery one night. One may have been that of their son, "Russell" Cassity.
LKH note: Burials in the Hargis Cemetery were relocated during the Cave Run Lake construction project, 1965-1974. Some burials were relocated to Alfrey Cemetery. However, I can find no information for relocation of James Albert Cassity and his family.
James married Mary Ann Hedges on 9 Jun 1825 in Fleming County, Kentucky. Mary (daughter of Levi Hedges and Rosannah Ribelin) was born on 7 Sep 1800 in Fleming County, Kentucky; died on 28 Oct 1838 in Fleming County, Kentucky; was buried in Hargis Cemetery, Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:- Infant Cassity was born on 10 Feb 1827 in Fleming County, Kentucky; died on 10 Feb 1827 in Fleming County, Kentucky; was buried in Hargis Cemetery, Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky.
- Albert Russell Cassity was born on 21 Jan 1828 in Fleming County, Kentucky; died on 13 Sep 1856 in Rowan County, Kentucky; was buried in Hargis Cemetery, Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky.
- Eliza Jane Cassity was born on 22 Sep 1829 in Fleming County, Kentucky; died on 10 Sep 1857 in Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky.
- William Newton "Newt" Cassity was born on 5 Jun 1831 in Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky; died on 31 May 1919 in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas; was buried on 3 Jun 1919 in Wetmore Cemetery, Wetmore, Nemaha County, Kansas.
- Rosannah Cassity was born on 10 Mar 1832 in Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky; died on 6 Jul 1911 in Plattsburg, Clinton County, Missouri; was buried on 7 Jul 1911 in Greenlawn Cemetery, Plattsburg, Clinton County, Missouri.
- Martin Peter Marshall "M.P.M." Cassity was born on 15 Jun 1835 in Kentucky; died on 12 Nov 1901 in Plattsburg, Clinton County, Missouri; was buried in Wetmore Cemetery, Wetmore, Nemaha County, Kansas.
James married Mary D. Clack on 1 Oct 1840 in Fleming County, Kentucky. Mary was born about 1794 in Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
2. Peter Thompson Cassity was born on 19 Jun 1775 in Virginia; died on 12 May 1862 in Rowan County, Kentucky; was buried in Three Lick Cemetery, Rowan County, Kentucky. Other Events:
- Occupation: farmer
- Census: 1810, Flemingsburg, Fleming County, Kentucky
- Census: 1820, Fleming County, Kentucky
- Census: 1830, Fleming County, Kentucky
- Census: 1850, Fleming County, Kentucky
- Census: 1860, Rowan County, Kentucky
Notes:
MHR note: Peter Thompson Cassity's parents were William Cassity and Nancy Thompson.
LKH note: I have not yet found documentation of William and Nancy (Thompson) Cassity.
MHR note: Peter Thompson Cassity was named after his grandfather's name, Peter, and his mother's maiden name, Thompson.
MHR note: Peter Cassity was a preacher (or elder). He officiated the marriages of several of his grandchildren.
1810 US census
Name: Peter Cassidy
Flemingsburg, Fleming, Kentucky
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 3
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 7
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 9
1820 US census, enumerated 7 August 1820
Name: Peter Cassidy
Fleming, Kentucky
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 18: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 3
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over: 1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture: 6
Free White Persons - Under 16: 5
Free White Persons - Over 25: 2
Total Free White Persons: 10
1830 census
Name: Peter Cassity
Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Eastern Division, Fleming, Kentucky
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 5
1850 US census, enumerated 20 August 1850
Division 2, Fleming County, Kentucky
Peter Cassity, age 74, farmer, real estate $1200
Mary, age 78
Albert R, age 22
Rosanah, age 17
Martin M, age 14
Albert, Rosanah, and Martin are the children of Peter and Mary's son and daughter-in-law, James Albert Cassity (1797-1845) and Mary Ann (Hedges) Cassity (1800-1838).
Buried:
MHR note: Peter T. and Mary have stones in Three Lick Cemetery on an oak-covered hill, 6.5 miles beyond the Farmer Kentucky rail road station. A great many graves in that cemetery are unmarked. Some had been enclosed in a rail fence which has crumbled and rotted away.Peter married Mary "Polly" Melissa Armstrong on 20 Sep 1796 in Clark County, Kentucky. Mary was born on 10 Feb 1779 in Augusta County, Viriginia; died on 29 Sep 1860 in Rowan County, Kentucky; was buried in Three Lick Cemetery, Rowan County, Kentucky. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
3. Mary "Polly" Melissa Armstrong was born on 10 Feb 1779 in Augusta County, Viriginia; died on 29 Sep 1860 in Rowan County, Kentucky; was buried in Three Lick Cemetery, Rowan County, Kentucky. Notes:
MHR note: Parents are Robert Armstrong and Mary Russell.
LKH note: I have not yet found documentation for Robert and Mary (Russell) Armstrong).
MHR note: Letter from Ida Cronkhite dated 17 May 1951.
Family legend: Mary Russell. A young Irishman named Russell, married a young widow with a small daughter. After Russell had fathered three sons and a daughter, he decided to go to America. his step-daughter would receive a small inheritance at 18. There were still some months to go. So he went on, with the three sons, and the wife and the two daughters would follow. This was the days of sailing ships, three months to cross, three months for a letter to come back. The letter came from Chillicothe, Ohio.
The inheritance was duly paid in gold. Then Mrs. Russell and her two daughters started to join her husband. This would perhaps bring the time to three years, and don't ask any more details, for that is all I have. On board, the oldest died at sea ad was buried at sea. And when Mrs. Russell and her daughter, Mary got to Chillicothe, Ohio she was told her husband was long dead and the three sons "bound out". Two had been taken farther into the wild west (Indiana?) but she found the youngest and tried to buy him back. His guardian refused to let him go. So she stole him and left gold to pay for his time and the all three went away from there.
Mary Russell was one of the girls who helped go to the spring till they filled all available vessels in case the Indians attacked. And Rebecca (Anderson) Maxwell Crawford helped. Mary Russell married Isaac Armstrong. When Mary (Armstrong) Cassity met Elizabeth (Crawford) Vawter at the home of P. T. Hedges in Fleming County, Kentucky to view their great-grandson, T.A. [Thaddeus A. Hedges], they told what each had heard of that time, from their mothers. Zane Grey used it in a novel. I don't know where the fort was.
The family ghost story. Isaac Armstrong's (it could have been Robert Isaac Armstrong, probably Robert Armstrong) were making up the maple syrup. There was much work, and it called for many hands. There was no beet or cane sugar in those days. Elder berry bushes furnished spouts to carry the sap, after they were cut in suitable lengths and the pith pushed out. They had a pot, many buckets, so they chopped logs about two feet long, split in half and with hatchet and fire they made a trough to set under the spout. Every morn they collected the sap from the trees and carried it to the kettle (or the kettles, if they had more than one) and boiled till it was "just right" for syrup or sugar. This lasted a week or ten days, till the leaf buds swelled, to spoil the flavor. So all hands helped. Mary Armstrong and her brothers (Robert Armstrong and James Armstrong) and cousins, Isabell and George Steele, from 20 miles away, and those who lived near. Today was the last day, and the boys said tonight would be rainy, dark of the moon, and they hadn't had a coon hunt yet. The sap was all in, and plenty of wood, and Polly and Ibby could finish the boiling for they were going hunting, for tomorrow they would all go home. When the syrup was finally done, it was dark, and half a mile from the house through the woods. Indians didn't trouble much any more, and bears and panthers not often. Polly picked up a stout stick and assured Ibby there was nothing to fear. Presently they heard a groan and saw a white "something" beside the path. Ibby said, "let's go" . Polly said it might be a sick horse. Ibby fled toward the house, but Polly drew near. Again the strange groan and a flounder. Polly said "Be you devil or what you may, I'll give you one lick" and struck with all her strength and fled. Next morn the boys were cross, and did not seem to have anything to report from the coon hunt and scattered home. A year later they again assemble. "Bob" (either a cousin or brother) asked Polly to cut his hair. She asked "how come that scar on your head?" "If you won't get mad, I'll tell you". He had been the ghost. "And you almost killed me".
This was my great-grandmother Polly [Mary] Armstrong (b.10 Feb 1779, Virginia; d.29 Sept. 1860, Rowan County, Kentucky) married Peter Thompson Cassity (b. 19 June 1775, Virginia; d.12 May 1862, Rowan County, Kentucky. Her brothers were James Armstrong (b.1758, d.1830) and Robert Armstrong.
MHR note:
James Armstrong was the brother of Polly who married Peter Thompson Cassity who is our ancestor. He is buried in 3 Lick Cemetery, on a hill near the old log house of William Ribelin Hedges, and I saw his stone when there the first time but he had died so much earlier than Polly that I didn't recognize the possibility of his being her brother, and didn't copy the inscription, and when I went back the next time, the stone had disappeared, but the people next door denied all knowledge of having anything to do with its removal, tho I think they had removed it to plant tobacco there.
Buried:
MHR note: Peter T. and Mary have stones in Three Lick Cemetery on an oak-covered hill, 6.5 miles beyond the Farmer Kentucky rail road station. A great many graves in that cemetery are unmarked. Some had been enclosed in a rail fence which has crumbled and rotted away.Children:
- 1. James Albert Cassity was born on 24 Jun 1797 in Bath County, Kentucky; died on 9 Jul 1845 in Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky; was buried in Hargis Cemetery, Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky.
- Isaac Russell Cassity was born on 23 Mar 1799 in Bath County, Kentucky; died on 2 Sep 1864 in Rowan County, Kentucky; was buried in Siloam Cemetery, Bluestone, Rowan County, Kentucky.
- Mary Cassity was born on 18 May 1801 in Montgomery County, Kentucky; died in 1847 in Greenup County, Kentucky.
- William T. Cassity was born on 2 Jan 1803 in Montgomery County, Kentucky; died on 21 Jan 1868 in Linn County, Missouri; was buried in Grantsville Cemetery, Purdin, Linn County, Missouri.
- Malinda Russell Cassity was born on 14 Oct 1805 in Montgomery County, Kentucky; died on 12 Sep 1887 in Rowan County, Kentucky; was buried in Three Lick Cemetery, Rowan County, Kentucky.
- Armstrong Russell Cassity was born on 21 Jul 1807 in Montgomery County, Kentucky; died on 24 Sep 1881 in Purdin, Linn County, Missouri; was buried in Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Linn County, Missouri.
- Alvah Russell Cassity was born on 4 Jul 1809 in Montgomery County, Kentucky; died on 10 Nov 1860 in Linn County, Missouri; was buried in Cassity Cemetery, Linn County, Missouri.
- Peter Thompson Cassity was born on 15 Apr 1811 in Bath County, Kentucky; died on 25 Sep 1889 in Milan, Sullivan County, Missouri; was buried in Shatto Cemetery, Milan, Sullivan County, Missouri.
- Nancy Cassity was born on 9 Nov 1813 in Bath County, Kentucky; died in 1870 in Missouri; was buried in Sunnyside Cemetery, Ewing, Fleming County, Kentucky.