Transcribed by Janette West Grimes

This Article Appeared In The Times

But Was Not Actually In Cal’s Column

March 20, 1952

THE CASEY FAMILY

_________________

During the past week there appeared in the columns of the Mt. Vernon Register - News, published at Mt. Vernon, Illinois, an article about the early settler in that place, Rev. Zadoc Casey, who was one of the most prominent men in Illinois a century and a quarter ago. The article ws furnished the paper by N.W. Draper, a relative of the Drapers of our adjoining county of Jackson. This article is of interest to the people of that section, although the man is largely unknown to this part of the world. However, he did live, we feel quite sure, for some years of his early life in the county of Smith in what is now Macon County, near Meadorville, four miles south of Lafayette. We are glad to learn about Zadoc Casey from the article and thank Judge Draper for sending us copies of the paper, which we expect to preserve for further reference.

However, we do have some information about Zadoc Casey's brother, Elder Hiram Casey. We have copied the following from Grime's History of Middle Tennessee Baptist's:

ELDER HIRAM CASEY

The subject of this sketch was born in the State of Georgia, March 23, 1790. His father emigrated to Tennessee, settling in Smith County, when Hiram was still a youth. Being reared in a frontier community, he grew up with little education. At the age of seventeen, he married to Miss Catherine Depriest by whom he became the father of twelve children.

He professed faith in Christ and was baptized into the fellowship of a church in Hichman County, Tennessee, by Elder Caruthers, when he was 22 years of age. Whether he had, for the time being, settled in that section or was on a visit there, we are not informed. He spent the first twelve years of his ministry ( from 1812 to 1824 ) in Smith and surrounding counties in Middle Tennessee. Part, if not all, of this time his home was on Goose Creek, near Meadorville. His membership was probably with the church then known as East Fork Goose Creek, now known as Hillsdale Baptist church. While he did some pastorial work and helped to constitute some churches, yet the greater part of his ministry was performed as an evangelist. He traveled and preached a great deal with Elder John Wiseman. His qualifications were suited to evangelistic work. He was large and portly, with a strong, clear, yet melodious voice, combining an eloquence and pathos that were captivating. He was know as the singing preacher, and his power in song would often move large audiences to tears.

He was one of the ministers who assisted in the constitution of Salem Association in 1822, at old Cedar Creek Church. He was loved wherever he was known. He possessed a good degree of natural wit, and was lively and cheerful in the social circle, which made him a favorite even among the young people.

In the latter part of the year 1824, he left the scenes of his early ministry in Middle Tennessee, and settled in Hardeman County, West Tennessee. There he continued to preach with the same zeal which had characterized him in Smith and adjoining counties. But he soon finished his work and went to his reward Dec. 4, 1828, while he was yet only 38 years of age. This is another of the strange providences of God, that we shall never understand till we go hence. It is found on the fly leaf of his old Bible that he preached 1,125 sermons from A. D. 1817, to A. D. 1822, a period of five years, making an average of 225 in each year. This will give the reader some idea of the amount of labor he performed. As to the number he baptized, etc., we are not informed. Eternity alone can reveal the good done by this man of God; or the number who shall rise up in that day to call him blessed. His dust sleeps in the old Mt. Pleasant Cemetery where he was pastor when the Master said, "It is enough," some ten miles southeast of Bolivar, Tenn.

"Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep,

From which none ever wakes to weep."

Dear Mr. Draper:

The editor thought that perhaps you did not have this sketch of the brother of Zodac Casey, and that you would be glad to add it to your collection. We recently received some inquiry from a descendant or relative of Hiram Casey, and sent her the above information. I suppose you do not have the history above referred to, and from which this sketch is taken. It is very rare now and out of print.

Thanks for sending me the papers which I have read with interest. Send along any item of interest to the people of Macon, Smith and Jackson Counties.

Thanking you once more and with every good wish, I am

Fraternally yours,

Calvin Gregory

___________

March 20, 1952

THE WEST FAMILY

_______________

This is one of the oldest families in this section, and there are many members of the West Clan. We have partial records of the ancestors of the present-day Wests. Below is given the record we now have, to which others might add quite a lot of information. If you have other information on the family, send it along and we will try to get it into the paper. Our record was made in 1936, and is therefore 16 years old.

The earliest known member of the family that we have was Dr. Robin West, an English physician who settled in Virginia, where he most probably died. We have no dates as to his birth or death, neither do we have the name of his wife. He had one known son, Miles West, although it is highly probable that there were other sons, as well as daughters. Dr. West is supposed to have died in Virginia, but his son, Miles West, came to Smith County, arriving on the present Smith's Branch of Peyton's Creek, on Dec. 25, 1804. Here he lived for a short time, going then to lower Defeated Creek where he lived for many years.

Miles West married Lucy Parker on July 12, 1794. We have an idea that Lucy Parker was a sister of Daniel Parker, who was one of the most noted preachers of early pioneer days in Middle Tennessee. We do know that Miles West and Daniel Parker were closely associated in their ministry in the early part of the 19th century. We have a much fuller account of the life of Daniel Parker but will leave it off here.

Miles West became pastor of Dixon's Creek Baptist church, within a few years after its formation on March 8, 1800. He attained a prominent place in the early history of Baptist churches in Middle Tennessee.

He was the father of: Robin West, Billie West, married, first wife's name unknown, second wife, an Adams; Jesse West, believed to have married a Harper; Ezekiel, Edward, Jimmie and Berry West. If there were any daughters, we do not have that record.

Robin West, II, wife unknown, was the father of Amanda West, married Marl Kemp; and another daughter, name unknown, married Jim Dillehay, father of Wade Dillehay; Billie West, by his first wife, had one son, Dixon West, who lived at West Point, at the mouth of Defeated Creek, married Martha Williams; by his second wife, the Adams woman, had two sons, Henry and Van West.

Jesse West, believed to have married a Harper, was the father of Miles West, Jr., married a Draper and a Denton; Drury A. West married a Key; Claiborne West married Fannie Williams; Ridley R. West, married a Cornwell and later a Pyron; Martha West, married Dr. Paul Clay; Ruthie Ann West, married a Pyron, a brother of Ridley's second wife; Julia Ann West, married a Williams, a brother of Fannie Williams, wife of Claiborne West.

Ezekiel West, son of Miles West, Sr., wife's name not known, was the father of a daughter, who married Sam Robinson and another daughter, who married Bill Robinson; and perhaps a son named George West.

Edward West, son of the first Miles West above mentioned, was the father of: Dock West, married a Dillehay; Hamp West, never married; Billie West, and Jesse West.

Berry West, son of Miles and Lucy Parker West, wife unknown, was the father of: Bailey West, married a Dean; Wade West, married an Anderson; and Pony West.

Claiborne West, above mentioned as marrying Fannie Williams, was born Aug. 25, 1823, died Nov. 30, 1893. He was the father of: Lucy West, died young; Sarah Elizabeth, married Tip Huddleston; Miller Frances West, married Wade Huddleston, a brother to Tip; Amanda Susan West, married N. J. ( "Babe") Kemp; Cathie West, married C. J. ( "Bose" ) Kemp, a cousin of Babe Kemp; Ruthie Ann West, married George W. Sonford; Ira S. West, born March 25, 1860, married Maggie Mundy; Henry W. West, married Annie Cardwell; and Edgar Holland West, died at age of 18 years.

Ridley R. West, who married first a Cornwell and later a Pyron, had by first marriage two sons, I. N. and Luther West, who made up the business firm of West Brothers who did a large mercantile business at Defeated in the years gone by. I. N. married a Mabrey. Ridley was the father of two sons by the second wife, Lauren West, married a Robinson, and who was a great character in church work; and Luther Burr West, who never married. Mrs. Fred Cleveland, of Carthage is the daughter of I. N. West.

Dixon West, husband of Martha Williams West, was the father of: Fannie West, married George Sanford; Cassie West, married the late Uncle Jim Jones, the greatest "laugher" Defeated Creek ever produced; Cy West, father of the present Hart H. West, of near Dixon Springs; Billie West, married Cora Donoho; Charlie and Beulah West.

Miles West, Jr., came to the Walnut Shade section of this country many years ago. He twice married, first to a Draper and later to a Denton. We have the names of three of his children, Jesse West, married a Huddleston; Elizabeth West, married Dan Agee; and Abie West. Jesse West was the father of the later Merlin West, for many years a rural carrier out of Lafayette; Selden West, Mrs. Susan Allen, Miles, Earl, Perry, Felix, Ora, Kathleen Cornwell, Beva Wooten, and Clyde Pearson.

Dick West was the father of Billie West, father of Joe West, of Lafayette.

We have not given nearly all the descendents of Dr. Robin West, but this is a list of most of those we do have. However, we will be glad to add to this list, other names that members of the family have and which are not available to the editor.

_____________________________