DO GREENBRIER JOHN AND du CHASTEL HAVE A CONNECTION?
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In reply to:
Re: CASTEEL DNA UPDATE - 2 DIFFERENT CASTEEL LINEAGES IN US
Corra Ward 2/13/10
PART 1
I posted these results recently, concerning the second son's line tested out of Greenbrier John.
Below are du Chastel's DNA numbers.
1323 14111114 121212 1413301788 11 112515193015151919 111023 23151518 18 36 36 12 12
Below are Greenbrier John Casteel's DNA lineage (16marker numbers off / not a match with du Chastel)
1323 14101115 121213 131329179 10 11 1125 14193115 151616 11111923 17 15 17 1838 391212
PART 2NOW YOU UNDERSTAND DNA, I didn’t want to confuse the issue until you understood Part 1
Now that Casteel Privateers realize that the du Casteel male DNA and the Greenbrier John’s group DNA don’t match.
Keep in mind - The Casteel surname is a unique name and because of that, we have a unique Casteel situation. In most cases “Rule of Thumb”, common names like Smith/Ward with different DNA results indicate a different lineage or a matching another surname or paternal/adoption.
Although the two Casteel lines do not have a common male descendant to du Chastel, I have still wondered why my deceased Casteel relative had a tree in his genealogy file with a line of Greenbrier John’s descendants. I’ve spent hours trying to find a trail back to Greenbrier John.I have also wondered as Leslie points out, if there is another line of Casteels, other than Greenbrier John’s branch with the same DNA, why haven’t we seen evidence of other Casteel lines coming out of Virginia before 1800 with the same DNA as Greenbrier John in other parts of the country. I've been in correspondence with Leslie McConachie off and on over the years. I agree with her completely. My two main reasons for thinking the Casteels have a special unique situation to solve:
1. No other Casteel lines coming out of Virginia before 1800 with the same Greenbrier John Casteel DNA
2. My Casteel relative who had mention of a detailed Greenbrier John tree in his Casteel file. (My relative tested out du Chastel DNA.
From Leslie McConachie,
If the MOTHER of this John Casteel were a descendant of Capt. Edmond du Chastel, no DNA test now commercially available will tell us that, even though his line would have just as much Casteel heritage as anyone else.
And that could well be the case.
I decided to track Jacob Riffe, to whom this John Casteel was apprenticed when he was only 9 years old, and to my surprise I found alate 1700’s marriage between these same Riffes and the family whom we now spell “Varvel,” although in the 1700s is was often spelled more like it’s earlier German formats – Varbel or earlier as Werblin or Verblin – all depending onhow early you go and how Germanic the community in which they lived.
A 9 year-old like John Casteel would not ordinarily be apprenticed like this, except under conditions of stress. He could have been an orphan (and only one parent – usually father - would have to be dead for him to be so classified, although both could be deceased), he could have been illegitimate (even if his mother was still living in the area), or his family could have been so poor that they couldn’thave raised their own children.
Since John Casteel is never known to have associated with any Casteels later in life, then one of the first two options above seems more likely. Under those conditions, that he doesn’t have male Casteel DNA does not prove that he doesn’t have Casteel lineage.
Back to the Varvel/Verblin connection … if you recall, Philip Varvel was in the Washington Co., Pennsylvania, militia with John Casteel (5 Mar 1782, PA Archives,, Series 6, Vol. 2) and later went to Greene Co., TN, with John Casteel, then north again to Woodward Co., KY.
His son John Varvel, b. abt 1784 TN or KY, married Patience Casteel, d/o John Casteel/wife Jemima of Blount Co., TN, and St.Francis Co., AR. This younger couple were in Jennings Co., Indiana, in 1820; in St. Francis Co., Arkansas Territory in 1830; and then in Putnam Co., Indiana, for the rest of their lives.
I’m not sure that using today’s DNA tests as the sole yardstick of who’s a Casteel and who is not is either fair or complete. We know that the straight line male lineage of Charles Adam Casteel does not match the DNA results for the Capt. Edmond duChastel family, but to my knowledge, this seems to be the case only for descendants of John Casteel of Greenbrier, VA, and Laurel, KY. If John Casteel were the son of a female Casteel and some friendly neighbor, that would explain why this line has the Casteel surname but not Casteel DNA results.
There were other Casteels in Greenbrier Co., VA, at the time that this John Casteel was a young child apprenticed to Jacob Riffe. There was a Joseph Casteel there by 1780 (who could easily be the same Joseph later in Russell Co., VA), a William Casteel who was there by 1786 (and seems to be the one massacred by Indians near Knoxville, TN, in 1794 since an 1853 TN history says that he came to Knox Co., TN, from Greenbrier Co., VA – he would have no living maledescendants); a John Casteel noted in 1822 after he had moved elsewhere - “land formerly of John Castell”(should be the same John Casteel apprenticed to Jacob Riffe and who moved on to Laurel Co., KY). There was also a James Casteel who left some records in what was then Botetourt Co., VA, near 1780. James was surety for the marriage of Thomas Williams to Rachel Casteel on 20 Apr 1779 in Botetourt. He seems to have lived on Botetourt Co. land that became part of Bath Co., VA, when it was created in 1791. For a while there was a watercourse named “Casteel Run” that went west off of Jackson River in Bath Co. and ended up in then-Greenbrier Co. (now Monroe Co.). I “think” that this goes back to this James Casteel, but would need to do aserious land project to be certain.
Since there were other Casteels running around in the county, if there were a whole different Casteel family who were in Southwestern Virginia before 1800, then there should be some Casteel who is NOT a descendant of “Greenbrier John” who has DNA resembling that of John’s descendants.
So far no one like that has surfaced. For that reason alone, I’d hate to close the door of possible Casteel heritage to the whole line of descendants of “Greenbrier John.” The migratory pattern is right; familiar names of allied families show up … there is no genealogical reason why the Greenbrier John line cannot descend from a female descendant of Capt. Edmond du Chastel.
My now-deceased research buddy Leoneita Milner – who was a descendant of Greenbrier John - did a lot of pioneering work in tracking families who were in Amherst Co., VA, circa 1780 into their next residences on Muddy Creek Mountain in Greenbrier Co., VA; and then into Laurel Co., KY.
My preferred slant would be to use some sort of phrasing that says, “While there is no Y-DNA link between these two Casteel families, this does not establish that there is no common heritage through a female descendant of Capt. Edmond du Chastel. Further research may uncover a connection.”
Leslie
More from Leslie –
Yes, that raises the specter of illegitimacy –and we genealogists almost universally want to paint our ancestors lily white -but it is a common way for families with the same surname to show differing Y-DNA patterns. Ergo, the term sanctioned by the testing lab is politely “non-paternal event.” There are ways this could have happened other than a standard bastardy – Greenbrier John Casteel could have been a true orphan who was given the name “Casteel” because one of the Casteels in Greenbrier took him in and raised him for a while, he could have been a step-child brought to a Casteel marriage by a woman with a previous non-Casteel husband, etc.
Will we ever know the exact circumstances? Probably not, simply because this took place so long ago that whatever paperwork is found in the courthouse today is all there is. Old court records are pretty skimpy. If his parentage had been contested, then the county court could theoretically have had some sort of notation to the effect that Joe Blow was liable for support of the bastard child that he got on the body of Sweet Susie Casteel. However, that sort of notation doesn’t exist for Greenbrier John Casteel although it does for others – at least not in surviving early Greenbrier Co. records, which begin 25 Nov 1780.
There’s actually a several year gap between the time that Greenbrier went active in 1778 (the year that John was supposedly born) and when the first court record book begins. Maybe they didn’t take notes, or maybe they took them in some book that is long lost. Maybe this was handled by another county because John Casteel was actually born elsewhere and brought to Greenbrier as a small child. Or maybe the matter was handled out of court because nobody denied parentage and support was provided for John until he was old enough to be apprenticed.
Even if no paperwork from the 1700’s ever surfaces, John’s descendants may someday be able to prove a female connection through better DNA testing. This is scientifically possible, but not commercially feasible, right now. It’s way too expensive, for not only would an enormously costly DNA test have to be run on a couple of John’s descendants to establish the right mtDNA signature that would fit his descent from a female Casteel of the right generation, then a goodly number of Casteels would have to have the same expensive test to determine if any of them have matching mtDNA at the same markers in their DNA profile. At this moment, I can’t imagine how much this would cost … but maybe someday.
Meanwhile, below are some of the genealogical reasons why I’m not ready to write off Greenbrier John Casteel as having no possible connection to the du Castel lineage. The few mentions of someone named John Casteel that I can access today are below in purple,the other Casteels are in red. There are probably more Greenbrier references to John, but at home I only have the very early years of Greenbrier records.
I am concerned about the “facts” about the life of Greenbrier John Casteel. Even forgetting the silly business about his mother being an Indian Princess (a story later recanted by the man who invented it – but once it’s in print or on the net, it’s impossible to stomp out), a grandson wrote a family narrative in 1908 in which he said that John was born in 1778 and came from Greenbrier Co., VA. There’s not an easy way to back this up. John also supposedly died in Laurel Co., KY, on 30 Aug 1854. Gee … anybody who died as an old man in 1854 ought to be on the 1850 census, but he’s not, although the rest of his family is. He is on the 1840 census with a DOB indicated between 1770 and 1780. He is missing in 1830. In 1820 and 1810, his years of birth are given respectively as 1775/1794 and 1784/1796. Not exactly a perfect correlation.
To make it even more complicated, “a”John Casteel (with no guarantee that this is or is not Greenbrier John) first appears on Greenbrier tax lists in 1793. This tax record dates his birth to no later than 1772, although it could be earlier and he just moved into the county. He married 19 Jan 1804 – at least that one is a firm date. If it is all the same guy, this man would have been at least 15 but not older than 21 at the date of apprenticeship to Jacob Riffe in 1787. That is a reasonable age range for apprenticeship, although if I were Jacob Riffe, I’d want a fairly young apprentice (at the 15 year-old end) so that I’d have use of his services for long enough for me to get a payoff for my own costs in taking him in.
COURT RECORD (also proves Revolutionary War Patriot Service): VA; Greenbrier Co.; GREENBRIER CO WVA COURT ORDERS 1780-1850, Helen S. Stinson, 1988; p. 11
May 1780
Joseph CASTEEL paid for Provisions for the Revolution.
COURT RECORD (also proves Revolutionary War Patriot Service):VA; Greenbrier Co.; Greenbrier County (West) Virginia Records; Larry G. Shuck; Early Court Minutes, 1780-1801; p. 110
18 June 1782
Jos. CASTILE [paid for] 194 [rations supplied to the army].
LAND:VA; Greenbrier Co.; Greenbrier County Deeds & Wills, 1750-1833. Larry G. Shuck. Iberian Publishing Company: Athens, Georgia. 1992.
“Land Holders in Greenbrier for 1783, with an account of transfers made in 1783 and 1784.” (Quantity of land is given in acres.)
p. 7
Glass, Saml 300 assignee Jacob Reiff Jr.
Greer, Stephen 100 assignee of John Neal/Jacob Reiff/Joseph Dixon
p. 8
Oharra, Danl Jr 160 assignee of Jac Rieff Sr.
Rieff, Joseph 160
Rieff, Jacob Sr. 100
Rieff, Jacob 450
Shock, Anthony 100 assignee of Jo Casteele
LAND:VA; Greenbrier Co.; Greenbrier County (West)Virginia Records, Vol. 1. Larry G. Shuck. Iberian Publishing Company: Athens, Georgia. 1988. Greenbrier Co. Early Survey Records, 1780-1799
p. 33
Casteel, Jos. 42 a. Muddy creek by comrs. cert., asnee of Anthony Shock, adj. survey made for Francis Jackson, Mar 11, 1785
(Note:Full text:“Survey #659 Joseph CASTEEL, 42 a of land in Greenbrier Co, on Muddy Creek by virtue of Certificate from the Comm for the District of Augusta etc who was assinee of Anthony SHOOK, joining a survey made for Frances Jackson: Beginning at 2 sugar trees old corner of JACKSON'S land, running S85 E34 pl to Hickory and Cherry tree, N8 E142 pl to White Oak and Beech, N25 E62 pl to 3 sugar trees, N85 W40 poles to 2 pine on top of a hill S13 W200 pl to the beginning.”)
p. 54
Castile, Wm. 57 a. br. Muddy creek, No. 11294 917 1/2 a, Apr 5, 1787
(Note:Full text:Survey #1094 for William Castile 57a of land in Greenbrier Co lying on a branch of Muddy Creek which is a branch of Greenbrier River joining and above the land of James JARRETT, which he is entitled to by State warrant for 914 a #11294: Beginning at 3 popular and N38 W40 pl to Poplar and S58 W68 pl to Locust S17 W52 pl to Hickory and sugar tree S18 E28 pl to a Lynn _34 E44 pl to 2 White Oak and Dogwood and leave same N30 W50 pl to Hickory and Sugar Tree N84 pl to 2 spanish Oaks N40 W28 pl to White Oak and Hickory n26 E18 pl to White Oak and Black Oak N85 E78 pl to yellow Lynn N22 E64 pl to Hickory, White Oak S3 E92 pl to a Gum S37 E60 pl to lynn and Black Oak S56 W38 pl to the beginning.
APPRENTICESHP: VA; Greenbrier Co.; GREENBRIER CO WVA COURT ORDERS 1780-1850, Helen S. Stinson, 1988; p. 58
Court of Wednesday, 25 April 1787
Ordered that John Castile be bound to Jacob Riffe according to law.
Note:Jacob Riffe lived at the foot of Muddy Creek Mountain, hinting that John Casteel could be some sort of neighbor to Joseph and William Casteel!
ROAD CREW:VA; Greenbrier Co.; GREENBRIER CO WVA COURT ORDERS 1780-1850, Helen S. Stinson, 1988; p 63
Court of Tuesday 25 June 1787
Richard HUMPHREYS is appointed surveyor of the road which was viewed by John OZBURNE, Richard HUMPHREYS, and ***John KINKEAD from the top of Muddy Creek MT to CASTILE's and the state road, and it is ordered that the male laboring titheables of James BUTLER*, William FEAMSTER*, John KINKEAD, John VINEY, Thomas CARRAWAY*, Richard MULLEN, John PATTERSON*, Joseph CASTILE, Thomas REDMAN, Richard HUMPHREYS, John OZBURNE, William HAMILTON*, Samuel KINKEAD*, Samuel McCLUNG, David THOMAS, David CLAYPOLE, David HUMPHREYS, Simon SHOEMAKER, Jonathan and John WATERS, John VINEY, and all other titheables to the said bounds do attend and assist and said surveyor in clearing and repairing the road when required.
*HARDESTY's West Virginia Counties, Vol 6, p 188-189: Blue Sulphur District lies in southwestern part of the county.....*marks names of men who found homes within the present limits of the Blue Sulphur District prior to the year 1790. [Stinson 1988]
TAX LIST:VA; Greenbrier Co.; Greenbrier County [W.] Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists: 1782/3, 1786/8, 1792, 1799, 1805 & 1815. Larry G. Shuck. Iberian Publishing Company: Athens, Georgia. 1989.
Greenbrier Co., Va. tax list, 1786/1788
p. 60
Casreel, Joseph10301788
Casreel, William10201788
p. 77
Riffe, Abram10001788
Riffe, Jacob10301788
Riffe, Joseph10301788
(Notes: The list as alphabetical and does not describe geographical closeness.)
TAX LIST:VA; Greenbrier Co.; read from microfilm – thisyear not abstracted in the Shuck book
4 May 1789Casteel, William
1003
13 May 1789Casteel, Joseph
1004
Note:Final appearance of both Joseph ad William Casteel on Greenbrier tax records. John Casteel is still there and does not accompany Joseph or William, another reason I wonder if he had a Casteel mother rather than father.
TAX LIST:VA; Greenbrier Co.; read from microfilm – thisyear not abstracted in the Shuck book
19 May 1793List of Charles Arbuckle
Casteel, John
1001
TAX LIST:VA; Greenbrier Co.; read from microfilm – thisyear not abstracted in the Shuck book
17 Apr 1794List of John Stuart (took over Arbuckle’s district)
Casteel, John
1000
TAX LIST:VA; Greenbrier Co.; read from microfilm – thisyear not abstracted in the Shuck book
23 Apr 1796List of James Mcoy (served this year only - had Arbuckle/Stewart district)
Casteel, John
1000
TAX LIST:VA; Greenbrier Co.; read from microfilm – thisyear not abstracted in the Shuck book
29 May 1797List of John Stuart
Castle, John
1001
TAX LIST:VA; Greenbrier Co.; read from microfilm – thisyear not abstracted in the Shuck book
2 May 1798List of John Hanna
Casteel, John
1001
TAX LIST: VA; Greenbrier Co.; read from microfilm – thisyear IS abstracted in the Shuck book
18 Apr 1799List of J.S. Hanna
Casteel, John
1000
A PUBLISHED 1799 REPEAT:TAX LIST: VA; Greenbrier Co.; GREENBRIER COUNTY (WEST) VIRGINIA RECORDS, transcribed by Larry G Shuck, Vol 2, Iberian Publishing Co, Athens, Georgia 1988; p. 204
18 Apr 1799
John Casteel, 1 tithable, 1 horse, no negroes
(After that I quit showing John Casteel in Greenbrier tax lists, but I did it so long ago that I can’t remember if the continuation was on a different reel of microfilm, if he had moved, or if something else stopped me.)
More later on a possible connection between Joseph Casteel in Greenbrier and the one later in Russell Co., VA.
Leslie
Here is More
Corra,
This message also touches on the John Casteel who was a son to Joseph Casteel of Russell Co., VA – which separates him from Greenbrier John Casteel -and tangentially on my own ancestor, Robert Casteel.
IF (and that’s with no promises) the Joseph Casteel who turns up in Russell Co., VA, is the same Joseph Casteel whowas earlier in Greenbrier, then here’s a continuation on him. If you will paste the notes I already sent you on a man named Joseph Casteel in Greenbrier together with the notes later in this message into one document, you’ll see that the timeline makes it possible that it is the same man.
While that doesn’t prove it, the door is still open.
This Joseph Casteel of Russell Co., VA, was busy having children as early as 1777 (per the fact that son John was 21 and eligible for taxation in 1798), so his father Joseph was an adult and should have left records from the Revolution forward, if not earlier. Joseph had to be somewhere before he showed up in Russell Co., VA, in 1796. Josephhas had at least 20 adult years to leave records prior to this appearance in Russell Co.
Joseph died testate in Russell Co., VA, in 1806.
One of Joseph’s sons was named John, for there was a lawsuit filed August 1806 by John and several of his siblings to try to break Joseph’s will.Since son John lived in Russell Co., VA, and is taxed there in the same years as there is another John Casteel in Greenbrier, these are different John Casteels.
Notice that I have included a single record for Joseph Casteel from Lick Creek in GreeneCo., TN, with a 1792 date. The reason I’ve done this is twofold:
1. 1.Robert Casteel (my direct Casteel ancestor) was absolutely on Lick Creek in Greene Co. at that era, for he is specifically named as a son-in-law in the will of Dennis Harty of Lick Creek in Greene Co., TN – plus, Robert is on a store accounts list in Greene Co. – before Robert showed up in Russell Co., VA, as the next-door neighbor to Joseph Casteel in 1796. Robert Casteel and at least one of his Harty brothers-in-law (George Myers, husband of Jane Harty) move together to Clermont Co., Ohio from VA between 1804 (last appearance in Russell Co. records) and 1808 (birth of son Solomon Casteel in Ohio).
2. 2.John Casteel (son of Joseph of Russell Co., VA) was married to Elizabeth McClelland, daughter of Andrew McClelland who left a Russell/Scott Co., VA, will in 1819. Another of his daughters was a Mary McClelland who married Benjamin Lane in Russell Co. Benjamin Lane was b. 1787 on Lick Creek of Greene Co., TN and moved with Dutton Lane (apparently father and son,although I’m not a Lane researcher and cannot guarantee that – they do buy land together) from Lick Creek in GreeneCo., TN, toRussell Co., VA. There was a good-sized migration from Greene Co., TN, to RussellCo., VA, at this time.
Here are the Greene Co., TN, records to back up some of this, including those that show road crews who maintain the roads coming to and going from the Lick Creek mill that belonged first to Abednego Inman and was then operated by PhillipBabb.
I’m not going tobother to get into the Carters (although they were in the French & Indian War with “a” Robert Casteel in SW PA – and their pensions prove both locations precisely) or David Key or James Michell – they’re subjects for a whole different analysis, so just ignore them for now.
COURT RECORD:TN; Greene Co.; Minutes of the Court of Common Pleas & Quarter Sessions; p. 63
May 1786
Road from Puncheon Camp to North side of Lick Creek to County Line leading towards Abednego Inman's mill--
Lanty Armstrong
Jno. C_____(Casteel?)
Dutton Lane(moved to Russell Co., VA)
Phillip Babb Senr.
Peter King Senr.
Jones Kendrick
John Wagner
Zachariah Casteel
Wm. Wilson
Archilbald McCurry
James Mitchell
Thos. Wray
DEED:TN; Greene Co.; Greene County, Tennessee, Deed Abstracts, 1785-1810. Joyce Martin Murray. Privately published: Dallas, TX; circa 1995
Page: 6 of this volume
Reference to Page 94 of Greene Co., Deed Book 1
30 Aug 1790
Jacob Carter, Wilkes Co., GA, and Dennis Harty, Greene Co., NC, 100 pounds pd, tract on Roaring fork of Lick creek, including his improvement, adj line between Carter and Benjamin Anderson, being 200 acre tract granted to Carter on 20 Sep 1787, No. 355.
Witnesses:
John Reynolds
William Bannister
Elisabeth Norris
COURT RECORD:TN; Greene Co., Court Minutes 1783-1796, p. 215
1791
Road laid from Babbs Mill to Bulls Gap. These to view and make the way:
Isaac Ballard
Phillip Babb
Seth Babb
Abraham Carter
John Carter
Joseph Roberts
Joseph Self
Thos. Fresher
Levi Carter
DENNIS HARTY (father-in-law to Robert Casteel)
Richard Robins
Joseph Carter(whose 1792 deed is witnessed by Joseph Casteel)
WILL:TN; Washington Co., TN State Library & Archives Film #164; Will Book 1, pp. 39-40
Monday 22nd October 1810.
The execution of the Last Will and Testament of Dennis Harty dec'd (Min 6 p 125) Dennis Harty dec'd was duly proven by the oath of Elijah Billingsley and John Ross the subscribing Witnesses and ordered to be recorded, and is as follows. "In the name of God Amen, I Dennis Harty of the County of Greene and state of Tennessee, being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following. First after my decease, my body to be buried in a decent manner and my funeral expenses paid out of the proceeds of my personal Estate. Secondly All my just debts to be paid. Thirdly I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Jemima Harty the unmolested use of all the cleared land of my plantation whereon I now live (except that part on which Daniel Harty respectively lives and work) during her natural life or Widowhood, one Cow one horse beast, three sheep one breeding sow one lard and one small pot, one small Dutch Oven, all my pewter wheals, beds and furniture and loom. Fourthly To Robert Casteel my son in law I bequeath the sum of One dollar and fifty cents. Fifthly To Moses McCoy my son in law I bequeath the sum of One dollar and fifty cents. Sixthly To George Miars my son in law [ neighbored Robert Casteel in Clermont Co., OH] I bequeath the sum of One dollar and fifty cents. Seventhly To Anna Miars my grand daughter, I bequeath the sum of eight dollars. Eighthly To Rebecky Myers my grand daughter I bequeath the sum of eight dollars, which several Legacies are to be paid our of the proceeds of the sale of my personal Estate. Ninthly After the death or intermarriage of my Wife Jemima Harty, my plantation whereon I now live, is to be divided between my two sons Jacob and Daniel Harty in the follow manner To Jacob Harty Seventy five Acres including my dwelling House, outhouses, orchard and meadows which is to be laid off by parallel lines across the tract so that each division of the land may injoy a proper line of the Creek. To Daniel Harty that part adjoining John S. Reed's land, then fifty Acres adjoining Benjamin Anderson to be solely unto the rest of my personal estate, which several divisions of land with the appertainances are to be injoyed by the said Jacob and Daniel Harty their heirs and assigns forever according to the above division. Tenthly All the remainder of my moveable property not herein bequeathed is to be sold at public vendue and the remainder of the proceeds after my funeral expenses, Debts and Legacies having bequeathed, are paid, is to be equally divided between my sons in law William McCoy and Abner Johnson, excepting out of my personal Estate one Cow which I give to my grand daughter Elizabeth Myers. Eleventhly I appoint David Robertson and David Key Executors of this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of August 1810.
Dennis, His H mark, HartySeal
Signed, Sealed, published and declared by the above named Dennis Harty to be his Last Will and Testament, in the presents of us, which at his request and in his presence have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses, to the same. Attest
Elijah Billingsley
John, His JR mark, Ross
(Executors qualified See Min 6, p 125)
Now for Joseph Casteel:
DEED: TN; Greene Co.; Greene County, Tennessee, Deed Abstracts, 1785-1810. Volumes, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8. Joyce Martin Murray. 1996; Dallas, TX. Page 26
From Greene County Deed Book 1, p. 340
13 Aug 1792
Joseph Carter, Senr., of Greene Co. & Territory of US south of river Ohio, formerly North Carolina, one part, and Francis Casteel, formerly an inhabitant of sd. Greene Co., now living S of French Broad river & Territory aforesaid, other part, 150 pounds pd, bordering on & crossing Lick Creek.
Wit:
Levy Carter
Joseph Casteel
David Key(Executor of the will of Dennis Harty which names Robert Casteel as a son-in-law)
TAX LISTS:VA; Russell Co.; RUSSELL CO, VA, PERSONAL PROPERTY & LAND TAX LISTS 1787 THROUGH 1800, 1802, 1810; Albert, Anne Roberts & Albert Edith Evans; Privately published; 1973; DalPubLib 929.3 V8RUa
(first appearance)
1796, Personal Property List, Lower District(land tax list gone)
"Carele?, Joseph2 tithables
Carele?, Robert1 tithable"
1797, Personal Property List, Lower District(land tax list gone)
"Cazle, Joseph1 tithable
Cazle, Robert1 tithable"
DEED:VA; Russell Co; Deed Book 2, p. 363; 29 Jul 1797; LDS Film #0033829
29 Jul 1797
John Wood & wife Nancy of Russell Co sell to Joseph Casteel of Russell Co, for 100 pounds, a patent dated 2 Jul 1793 being on both sides of Copper Creek and known by the name of Heavilow's place.
Beginning in a bent of the Creek on the North side of the same at two white oaks from thence North sixty four degrees West one one hundred and eight poles to a Sugartree and Ash North fifteen degrees East one hundred and Seventy poles to a white oak and Hicory on the side of a ridge South fifty five degrees East two hundred poles Crossing the Creek to a Beech at the foot of Coper Creek ridge thence South forty eight degrees west one hundred & forty eight poles Crossing the Creek to the Beginning.
John Wood
Nancy Wood
Witnesses:
John McClellan
Joseph, X, Casteel Jr.
John Casteel
Presented at court & sworn by John McClellan & John Casteel
TAX LISTS:VA; Russell Co.; RUSSELL CO, VA, PERSONAL PROPERTY & LAND TAX LISTS 1787 THROUGH 1800, 1802, 1810; Albert, Anne Roberts & Albert Edith Evans; Privately published; 1973; DalPubLib 929.3 V8RUa
1798, Personal Property List, Lower District(land tax list gone)
"Cazele, John1 tithable[son John now of age]
Cazele, Joseph3 tithables
Cazele, Robert1 tithable"
1799, Personal Property List, Lower District(land tax list gone)
"Cazele, Joseph3 tithables
Cazele, Robert1 tithable"
DEED:VA; Russell Co; Deed Book 3, p. 77;LDS Film #0033829
See also:p. 77, 3 Nov 1799
Hiram Kilgore to Samuel Strong, 50 acres for 47 pounds 10 shillings on Copper Creek, adjacent to Casteel & Samuel Ester.
Witnesses:
Joseph, X, Casteel
John Casteel
William Glenn
Proved by oaths of Casteels
Feb. Court 1800 & of Glenn March Court 1800
TAX LISTS:VA; Russell Co.; RUSSELL CO, VA, PERSONAL PROPERTY & LAND TAX LISTS 1787 THROUGH 1800, 1802, 1810; Albert, Anne Roberts & Albert Edith Evans; Privately published; 1973; DalPubLib 929.3 V8RUa
1800, Personal Property List, Upper District (table of contents, "Lower")
[Note that this list is marked as not being in the VA State Archives]
"Casteel, Joseph2 tithables
Casteel, Robert1 tithable
Casteel, William2 tithables"
COURT RECORDS:VA; Russell Co; Court Order Books 1-3, 1799-1808; Bk. 3, pg.9 [Also online: RUSSELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA LAW ORDER BOOK 3 (1799 - 1808) Part 1
Abstracted By Rhonda Robertson . Found at
http://www.rootsweb.com/~varussel/court/ruscolobk3a.html]http://www.rootsweb.com/~varussel/court/ruscolobk3a.html]
Court of Quarterly Sessions, September 25, 1799
P27 - John McClellan pay Colebird Fugate & Frances Price for 3 days as witnesses for him vs Robert Casteel
Court, July 22, 1800
P67 - Robert Kilgore, George Stacy, John McClellan & Joseph Casteel, view a road from Benjamin Fugates old place to Joseph Casteels and from there to James Davidsons
Court, October 28, 1800
P92 - Robert Casteel vs Thomas Mallet & John Smith, petition & summons, judgement granted the pltf
P92 - Robert Casteel pay Joseph Casteel for 1 day as witness for him vs Mallet & Smith
TAX LISTS:VA; Russell Co.; RUSSELL CO, VA, PERSONAL PROPERTY & LAND TAX LISTS 1787 THROUGH 1800, 1802, 1810; Albert, Anne Roberts & Albert Edith Evans; Privately published; 1973; DalPubLib 929.3 V8RUa
1802, Personal Property List, Lower District
"Casteel, John1 tithable
Casteel, Joseph Sr 2 tithables
Casteel, Joseph Jr 1 tithable
Casteel, Robert1 tithable
(also listed, Catha?, Andrew1 tithable)
COURT RECORD:VA; Russell Co., Will Book 2, p. 26
BOND OF JOSEPH CASTEEL
3 Aug 1802
"We the Jury being first duly sworn & charged to trace the Lands whown to us by JOSEPH CASTEEL whereon he purposes building a Mill & Dam for the working of the said-- will do find that the land of HUGH MCCLUNG will be damaged and we have located and Circumscribed on __ thereof which is bounded as followeth to wit: Beginning at a Mulberry, Sapling on the north side of Copper Creek running South eigth poles crossing said Creek to a buck and a Stake thence East 20 poles to a Sugartree and a State on the Bank of sd Creek thence North eight poles Crossing said Creek to a Stake thence North eight poles Crossing said Creek to a stake thence 30 poles to the Beginning and we do appraise the said Land to two Dollars and we do therefore award no Damage to the proprietors and by erecting a Grist Mill at the place proposed by the said JOSEPH CASTEEL will induce to the advantage of the Community and we further say that no Masion House offices civiledge Garden or Orchard will be overflowed nor Ordinary Navigation obstructed nor the passage of such obstructed ____ our opinion will be hereto of the neighbours be annoyed by the stagnation of the water by housing a dam fifteen post high. Given under our hands and such this 3rd day of August 1802.
Coulburd Fugate
Joseph Davidson
John Wells
Champ Faris
William Howeston
Samuel Coinch
John Buster
John McClellan
James Osborn
William Wells
David Thompson
James Bishop
WILL:VA; Russell Co.; CASTEEL FAMILY RESEARCH. Jean Casteel Brown (self-published: Sapulpa, OK) 1985. p.45
Russell County, Virginia - Will Book 2, page 49
(27 Mar 1803)
In the name of God Amen, I Joseph Casteel of the County of Russell and State of Virginia, being sick nd weak in body, but in sound mind of disposing memory for which I thank God and calling to mind the uncertainlty of himan life and being desirous of disposing of such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with: I give and bequeath the same in the following manner that is to say first - I give my body to the grave, and my soul to God that gave it; next I give to my daugher Jean, my negro Girl named Sarah, at her marriage, or her mother's death; and my land to my son Samuel, to have all of my land at his mother's death, and all my other estate to Margaret, my wife during her natural life, after all my just debts being first paid, and at her death all my other effects to be euqally divided among my children and my son Joseph, to have that part of the land where he now lives as long as he sees cause to live on it. And one negro girl named Rachel, to my wife to give to which of the children she shall think fit.
And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my friend John McClellan and Margaret Casteel my executor and executrix of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all other or former wills or testaments by me heretofore made.
In witness where of I have here unto set my hand and affixed my seal this twenty seventh day of March one thousand eight hundred and three.
Joseph, his X mark, CasteelSeal
signed sealed and published as and for the last Will and Testament of the above named Joseph Casteel in the presence of John McClellan and Josiah McClellan.
Second transcription of the will, taken from the Russell Co. website under "Probate" on 3 Oct 1999
http://www.rootsweb.com/~varussel/probate/josephcasteel.htmlhttp://www.rootsweb.com/~varussel/probate/josephcasteel.html
WILL OF JOSEPH CASTEEL: Russell County, Virginia, Will Book 2, Pages 49 - 51, Executed 28 Feb 1804
In the name of God Amen. I Joseph Casteel of the County of Russell and State of Virginia being sick and weak in body but in sound mind & disposing memory for which I thank God and calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and being desirous of disposing of such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with I give and bequeath the same in the following manner that is to say first I give my body to the grave and my soul to God that gave it, next I give to my daughter Jean my negro girl named Sarah at her marriage or her mothers death and my land to my son Samuel to have all my land at his mothers death and all my other estate to Margaret my wife during her natural life after all my just debts being first paid and at her death all my other effects to equally divided among my children and my son Joseph to have that part of the land where he now lives as long as he sees cause to live on it and one negro girl named Rachel to my wife to give to which of the children she shall think fit and lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my friends John McClellan and Margaret Casteel my executor and executrix of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other or former wills or testaments by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this twenty seventh day of March one thousand eight hundred and three.
Joseph O Casteel (Seal)
In the presence of us:
John McClellan
Josiah McCleland
At a Court held for Russell County April the 28th of February 1804 This Instrument of writing was exhibited in court as and for the last will and Testament of Joseph Casteel dec'd and proven by the oath of John McClelland and Josiah McClelland witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.
And on motion of John McClelland and Margaret Casteel executor and executrix therein named certificate is granted them for obtaining letters Testamentory in due form they having first made oath thereto and entered into and acknowledged their Bond in the penal sum of two thousand dollars with Spencer Ball and James Osburn their security conditioned as the law directs
Teste
Nathan Ellington D.C.
PROBATE:VA; RussellCo.; Will Book 2:149
Inventory of Joseph CASTEEL, Dec'd;
Amount brought forward 143 Pds 18 S 6 Pence
16 hogs 15.18.6; wares 2.12 3 17 6
Books & cupboard & table; 1 chest 3 11
two negroes 120
6 butter plantes, 4 basins, candlemobs
& sppons, 1 dozen tins 2 4
2 dishes, 1 strainer, 1 funnel, 1 tankard 1 5
1 flat iron & piggin, 1 wheel 19 6
1 coat &breaches, 1 bed & furniture 7
1 bed of furniture, 1 grind stone 4 16
1 great coat, razors & strap, 1 box stand 19
1 saddle & bridle, frying pan, ladel, & flesh fork 5 10
1 gun, 10 knives & forks, 1 bake 4 3
450 lb bacon, sundries 11 7
2 cooking glasses, 1 pr of cotton cards 5
wheat at 3/9 half bushel salt 10 9
1 ___ 110 bushels corn, leather & buckle 11 6 6
Oats, flax, 2 jugs & bottle 2 11
24 ducks 18
(Total) 300 pounds 1 shilling 9 pense
SPENCER BALL
WILLIAM WELLS APPRAISERS MARGARET CASTEEL (her mark)
HENRY WOOD JOHN MCCLELLAN, EXECUTOR Exec. of JOSEPH CASTEEL, decd
At a Court of Quarterly Session held for Russell Counth the 34d day of June 1806.
This Inventory and appraisement of the estate of JOSEPH CASTEEL dec'd was produced in Court & Ordered to be recorded.
Teste
Henry Dickenson CRC
LAWSUIT OVER PROBATE:VA; Russell Co.; Court Order Book 3:535
August Court 1806
MARGARET CASTEEL, JOHN MCCLELLAN, Executrix and Executor of the will of JOSEPH CASTEEL deceased, SAMUEL CASTEEL, and JENNY (Jemima) CASTEEL, defendants in Chancery. Filed answer within three months after the Plaintiffs.
Plaintiffs: JOHN CASTEEL, JOSEPH CASTEEL, SAMUEL STRONG and Nancy his wife, MEOMY CASTEEL, and WILLIAM CASTEEL, the last two being infants under the age of 21 years and represented by JOHN CASTEEL, their brother and next friend.
LAWSUIT OVER PROBATE:VA; Russell Co.; Court Order Book 3:677
Dec 1807
JOHN CASTEEL & others v MARGARET CASTEEL & Others
Jury Trial ordered for March Court 1808 as to whether writings be the Will of the Testator or not.
LAWSUIT OVER PROBATE:VA; Russell Co.; Court Order Book 3:740
Sep 1808
JOHN CASTEEL & others v MARGARET CASTEEL & Others
Case Continued.
Note:Son John Casteel then leaves Russell Co. Those who were named in the will stay … cuz they got the goods.
TAX LISTS:VA; Russell Co.; RUSSELL CO, VA, PERSONAL PROPERTY & LAND TAX LISTS 1787 THROUGH 1800, 1802, 1810; Albert, Anne Roberts & Albert Edith Evans; Privately published; 1973; DalPubLib 929.3 V8RUa
[Tax lists missing 1803-1809.]
1810, Personal Property List, Lower District
"Casteal, Samuel1 tithable
Casteal, William1 tithable
Castel, Jacob3 tithables
Castel, Jacob1 tithable
Castel, Joseph0 tithables
Castel, Zedekiah1 tithable
Castle, Henry1 tithable"
More from Leslie
1. 1.DNA testing has proven that the U.S. has TWO distinct families who use the name “Casteel.”
A. A.Most of the Casteel DNA results indicate that the men whose DNA was tested are genetically related to each other and probably all descend from the Privateer, Captain Edmund du Chastel and his various Casteel descendants.
B. B.The only exceptions are several tests on men who clearly trace their lineage back to John H. Casteel, born about 1778 in Virginia, who lived in Greenbrier Co., VA, and Laurel Co., KY. These match each other perfectly, but they do not come close to matching the DNA of descendants of Capt. Edmund du Chastel.
C. C.The du Chastel DNA family and the Greenbrier John DNA family have no MALE ancestors in common. It wouldn’t matter how many thousands of years we could go back, their direct male lines will never go together. There’s nothing better or worse about either DNA pattern – they’re as different as dogs and cats, or Spaniards and Swedes, and simply aren’t related.
2. 2.BUT … DNA testing is a baby. What we can test today is severely limited by the maturity of DNA science and the cost to test it. We accurately test any man’s father-to-father-to-father ancestry, but that gives us ZERO information about all his grandmothers, great-grandmothers, great-great grandmothers, etc.
The line of John H. Casteel can very easily have FEMALE Casteel heritage and go straight back to Capt. Edmund du Chastel, but we don’t have the technology to test for that now.
There were 3 provable Casteel families in the area of Greenbrier Co., VA, when John H. Casteel was a child. It’s such an unusual surname that it’s unlikely to have been given to John H. Casteel by accident.
The simplest answer is that he could have been the child of a female Casteel from one of those 3 Casteel families, and that he grew up using his mother’s surname.
With the rather limited DNA tests we can use, there’s no reason to assume that a different DNA pattern proves that the John H. Casteel family does not have du Chastel lineage.
-----------------------
Very little attention is paid to documenting the Western PA and Virginia portions of Casteel history, but it’s the bridge between the du Chastel origins on the Atlantic coast and the TN & AR morass.
Tomorrow afternoon I will send you some possible continuation on the William Casteel who was in Greenbrier Co. and left circa 1789.