Charles Friend in Illinois 1870-1878

[Betty Kieran]

Can anyone link to Charles Friend living in Menard County, Illinois, 1870-1878?
He married Letha Casteel April 2, 1870, Menard County, IL.
Children: John Henry Friend, born 1872, IL (not sure of county) and Isaac Friend, born 05 Aug 1874, Logan Co, IL
A divorce is recorded in Menard Co, IL, Oct 3, 1878, because Charles had been absent from the family home for two years.
I know nothing about Charles although the 1880 census lists the birth place of the children's father as Missouri. Subsequent censuses list the birthplace as Illinois. Neither may be correct.
My grandmother always said Charles had a second family somewhere with two sons names George and Jack.
The mystery deepens--
Letha was born November 18, 1844, in Fayette Co, PA, the daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Nation Casteel.
Thomas was born in Maryland, quite possibly in the Friendsville area as some Casteel family researchers believe, although I have not proven this.
I have researched Letha's history after the 1870 marriage. Charles Friend simply vanishes except for the little memory of my grandmother. The Casteel family history seems connected with the Friends in Maryland and Pennsylvania but once in Illinois, I cannot make any connections.
I appreciate any suggestions.

[Pat (Friend) Thompson]

Betty,
I have Thomas Casteel married to Rebecca Nation in my file but little else. I don't have information about their children.

I list Thomas Casteel as b. about 1820 (now) Garrett Co., Maryland d. aft. 1860 in Nebraska. Son of John Casteel and Margaret Friend.

The only information I have for Rebecca Nation is b. abt. 1819 in Maryland. I show they married in 1838 (location unknown).

Neither the Casteel or Nation line is my direct line so my information is very limited and I did not document this information.

I also have that Thomas married again to Mary Ellen Friend b. abt 1830 d/o Jacob Bunnel Friend and Ruth Casteel both of Maryland.
I also show Mary Ellen as being married to John Casteel b. abt. 1825 d. July 18, 1865, Beardstown, Illinois. John was the brother of Thomas Casteel.

Gosh, I have my own head spinning over these connections but if anything here helps I will be glad to help you sort this family tree if I can.

[Pat (Friend) Thompson]

I found one other note about the NATION family. If it connects I don't know but Keziah Friend Ruckles was from a Friendsville, Maryland family. Maybe you can find a connection.

"Kesiah (Friend) Ruckle 58 is in Iowa, Chillicothe, Cass Twp. in 1860 living in the HH of George W. NATION, 30, Elizabeth, 25, wife (was this Keziah's daughter?)

George Nation 30 b. IN was a Carpenter, $400/$350, - Elizabeth 26, b. IN, John 4, b. Iowa, George W. 6/12 b. Iowa, Kesiah b. Maryland."

[Betty Kieran]

Thanks, Pat. I will check out your information. Here's the information I have on Thomas & Rebecca Nation Casteel and their children:
1. THOMAS1 CASTEEL was born 1819 in Maryland, and died 09 Jun 1904 in Gresham, York, Nebraska1. He married REBECCA NATION. She was born 1819 in Maryland, and died 1876 in Menard Co, Illinois.
1. Rootsweb, The Peoples Banner (David City) Butler County on June 9, 1904 said that he died at his home near Gresham on June 4, 1904 and was being buried at the Surprise Cemetery today.
Children of THOMAS CASTEEL and REBECCA NATION are:
i. WILLIAM2 CASTEEL, b. 1837, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
ii. JEREMIAH CASTEEL, b. 1839, Fayette County, Pennsylvania; m. EMILY MANN, 05 Jul 1876, Menard County, Illinois.
2. iii. LETHA CASTEEL, b. 18 Nov 1844, Wharton Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania; d. 08 Feb 1921, Central City, Merrick Co, Nebraska.
iv. BARBARA CASTEEL, b. 1846, Fayette County, Pennsylvania; m. BERNHARD FAIST, 29 Mar 1868, Menard County, Illinois.
3. v. CYNTHIA CASTEEL, b. 1850, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
4. vi. JOHN HENRY CASTEEL, b. 1852, Virgina; d. 28 Jan 1895, Petersburg, Menard Co, Illinois.
5. vii. MARY C CASTEEL, b. 1855, Virgina.
6. viii. JONAS W CASTEEL, b. 18 Feb 1857, Pennsylvania; d. 04 May 1892, York County, Nebraska.

Here's what I know about Letha Casteel Wilcox Friend Cogil (MY GG GRANDMOTHER):
2. LETHA2 CASTEEL (THOMAS1) was born 18 Nov 1844 in Wharton Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and died 08 Feb 1921 in Central City, Merrick Co, Nebraska. She married (1) WILLIS WILCOX 18 Jun 1868 in Petersburg, Menard County, Illinois. He died 15 Jan 1870 in Petersburg, Menard County, Illinois. She married (2) CHARLES FRIEND 02 Apr 1870 in Petersburg, Menard County, Illinois. She married (3) WILLIAM H COGIL 09 Apr 1889 in Marysville, Seward County, Nebraska, son of JOHN COGIL and ANNA YAGER. He was born 16 Nov 1837 in Menard Co, Illinois, and died 14 Feb 1914 in Central City, Merrick Co, Nebraska.
I know Letha divorced Charles Friend Oct 21 1878 in Menard County, IL, because Charles had been absent from the family home for two years. Charles & Letha had two sons:
JOHN H FRIEND, b. 1872, Illinois; d. Central City, Merrick Co, Nebraska and ISAAC JOSEPH FRIEND, b. 05 Aug 1874, Logan County, Illinois; d. 31 May 1950, Yakima, WA (my grgrandfather).
I have no further information on Charles Friend's second family of George and Jack other than my grandmother's memory. It is only devine guidance that I am this far. Out of the blue one day, my grandmother phoned and told me I should look for her grandmother , Letha (her namesake) where Abraham Lincoln lived! Sure enough, right next to New Salem, Illinois.
This is a true mystery.

[Pat (Friend) Thompson]

I see you use Rootsweb.com so if you are familiar with their Mailing List I would suggest you subscribe to the MDGARRET (Garrett County Maryland) mailing list and post your information there also. There are Casteel researchers on that site that might be able to help.
If you find your connection through Rootsweb.com please remember to come back to this site and post the information here for future researhers.
If you don't mind I will forward your information to the Friend Library, Friendsville, Maryland to see if they have information for Charles Friend with wife Letha Casteel.
I probably can't help you much more because I don't have a lot of information on the Casteel line and I can't find Charles Friend in my files.

[Pat (Friend) Thompson]

Betty, I went through the census looking for this family. I didn't find a lot but maybe something here will help. Some of the information included below is from your notes. I posted them in my file so as not to lose track of what you have.

1860 Menard. Co., Illinois census
Township 18 Range 6
House 1335-1277
Thomas Casteel, 41, farmer, $250/$270, Maryland
Rebecca, (Nation) 41, Maryland
Jeremiah, 21, farm laborer, Pennsylvania
William, 19, farm laborer, Pennsylvania
Letha, 18 (female), Pennsylvania (1842)
Barbay, 16 (female), Pennsylvania
Cynithia, 10, Virginia
John C., 8, Virginia
May, 5, Virginia (possibly Mary)
Jonas W., 3, Pennsylvania

1870 Menard Co., Twp. 18, Range 7 West; Petersburg, Illinois
Cynthia, 20, is living with Salena Moore, 64, b. KY and her family; Eliabeth 37 b. TNJohn, 26 b. TN and ?Benj.? Hutchinson, 7, b. TN. (Enumerator's handwriting leave a lot to be desired.)


1870 Menard Co., Twp. 18, Range 6 West
184-177
Thomas Casteel (spelled Castile), 52, farmer, $800/$800, PA
Rebecca, 51, keeping house, MD
William, 28, farmer b. PA
John, 18, b. VA
Mary, 15, VA
Jonas, 14, PA
186-180
Mary Castile, 42, keeping house $600/$300, Maryland
Martha, 22, farmer, b. PA
Mary, 17, b. PA
Milford, 13, b. PA
Jane, 12, b. PA
Minerva, 9, b. PA
A;pheus, 6, b. IL
Possibly sister of Thomas or sister in law.

1870 Menard Co., Twp. 18, Range 7 West; Petersburg, Illinois
Mary Casteel, 17, domestic servant, b. PA living with Beverly Watkins 47, b. IL and her family. No husband listed.

1880 Menard, Illionis, Sand Ridge, Dist. 134
William Watkins, 33, farmer, b. IL
Letha FRIEND, 36, servant, b. PA
John H., 9, b. IL MO PA
Isiah, 5, b. IL MO PA _not Isaac

Letha/Lethe Casteel married Charles Friend April 2, 1870. Charles was supposedly living in Menard Co., IL in 1870-1878
Children listed were John Henry Friend, b. 1872 IL and Isaac Friend b. Aug. 5, 1874, Logan Co., IL
Lethe and Charles divorced Menard Co. IL Oct. 3 1878.

[Pat (Friend) Thompson]

Just found this too.
Living next door to Thomas Castell in 1870 --- is this Cynthia, the sister of Lethe and does she have Lethe's daughter?

July 26, 1870

184-178
John Dicken, 21, KY
Cynthia Dicken, 19, VA
Anna Wilcox, 2, IL

[Betty Kieran]

Pat, Thanks for the continued information. Yes, Cynthia Casteel is Letha's sister. The census taker didn't quite get the name spelled correctly. I'm attaching the Illinois marriage information of Cynthia's marriage to John Dicken. Also marriage of Letha to her first husband Willis Wilcox. Yes, Anna Wilcox living with Cynthia is Letha's daughter. When I found this information, my grandmother said, "that's why grandma was so found of Cynthia." My grandmother did not know of this child. The other marriage is Thomas Casteel's marriage to Mary E Casteel who was Mary E Friend married first to John Casteel, Thomas' brother.


DICKEN, JOHN CASTEEL, CYNTHIA 07/21/1870 B/ 2 2634 MENARD

WILCOX, WILLIS CASTEEL, LEATHAI J 06/18/1868 A/ 342 2361 MENARD

CASTEEL, THOMAS CASTEEL, MARY E 04/29/1876 B/ 22 4250 MENARD

[Doug Custer]

Sorry Dicken was a Censored word. That has now been changed. You should see some of the other Censored word...... OH MY!!!!
Betty I deleted your last post since we now allow the DICKEN surname.

[mudd1772]

Hi, I am brand new to this site. Does anyone have any information on Marshall & Emily Friend in Winnebago Co (Rockford) Il?