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Continued: James Melton Cassle was born in 1848 in Mena, Polk County, Arkansas. His middle name comes from his mother's family line. (His birthplace is listed on the death certificate of his oldest child, John Nathan Cassle.) James is listed on the 1850 census for Yell County, Arkansas with his parents and younger sister. The census for Yell County, Arkansas in 1860 lists James Melton. He was 11 years old and attending school. He later migrated with his father to Texas some time between 1860 and 1870. By 1870 his mother is no longer listed on records. James and his siblings are listed with their father on the 1870 census for Williamson County, Texas. The census shows James was doing farm labor and his personal property was valued at $40. In the 1870's his father, George Washington Cassle, homesteaded land in Hood County, Texas. James was listed on land abstracts for the land. He also obtained a brand for horses in Hood County, and is listed on the 1878 tax lists. James married his first wife, Frances E. Reeves, in Ellis County, Texas in July of 1874, They had two children. In February of 1879 his wife, Fanny, died. James was remarried later that same year, November 1879, to Martha Foy. James and his family; Martha, John Nathan, and Jesse, are listed on the census for Hood Co. Texas in 1880. The census shows James was farming that summer. It is likely he was living and farming on his father's land. James and Martha must have moved in the fall of 1880 to Comanche County, Texas, because their daughter, Mary, was born there in November of 1880. His name still appeared on Hood County tax rolls through 1884. James and Martha's first two children, Mary and William, were both born in Comanche County and both died before there before their second birthdays. In 1887 James and Martha had a son, Robert Franklin, born in Peoria, Hill County, Texas. (Robert listed his birthplace on his WWI draft registration.) By 1897 James and Martha, were able to purchase land in Seymour, Baylor Co. Texas. James filed to purchase 320 acres in August of 1897. He agreed to pay $312.00, and made the first payment. The land was available from the state to raised funds for public schools and asylums. It was listed as "East 1/2 of section 32 block 45. The family cleared the land and built a home. They farmed crops and raised cattle and horses. Land documents show the land ownership was disputed by R. R. Fancher, and James and his family were forced to leave their home and farm. In 1900 James and his family were still living in Baylor County and appear on the census there. The census shows James was farming land he owned. In 1901 James filed to purchase the West 1/2 of section 32 block 45. He agreed to pay an additonal $312.00 for this 320 acre parcel. In 1907 James and Martha's son Richard married in the family home in Bomarton, Baylor County. Three other sons, John Nathan, Jesse Washington, and Robert Franklin were also married while the family lived in Baylor County.. James' youngest son, Daniel, convinced the family to move to the panhandle of Texas. In 1909 James and four of his sons and their families move to a town called Goodnight, in Armstrong Co. Texas. (His second son, Jesse Washington did not move with them at that time.) They grew wheat and other crops. They also raised cattle and horses. All three homes are listed in a row on the census. Living in the first home was their son, Robert Frank, and his wife. Living in the second home were James and Martha with their youngest son, Daniel. Living in the third home was, their son, Richard Henry and his wife. James owned the home and farm where he was living, the other two are listed as renters. They may have rented from James and Martha. In 1913 James was 65 years old when he moved for the last time. James and Martha moved to Hall County, Texas and lived with their youngest son, Daniel, and Daniel's wife, Mollie. James suffered the grief of losing many family members over his lifetime. These including the early loss of his mother, and the loss of his first wife, leaving him with two babies to raise. He also lost the first two children born to him with his second wife, Martha. In his senior years he again was faced with heart breaking deaths. In 1918 he was 60 years old when his first born son, John Nathan, died from pneumonia, a result of the great Influenza outbreak. The very next year, James' grandson, Rex (John Nathan's son), was accidentally burned to death. This followed with the loss of three more grandchildren in 1920. They were the young children of Robert Frank Cassle. James Melton Cassle was a tall, thin man with an almost white beard and a very stern disposition. He was a religious man and would not allow his family to read anything on Sunday except the Christian Herald. He was a member of the Freemasons most of his adult life. James like to grow turnips. There was an article written about him in the newspaper in Comanche County, Texas. He had grown a turnip that was 6 inches in diameter and weighed 2 1/2 pounds. His grandson, Paul Emerson Cassle, recalled eating turnips from the garden with James, and being given turnip broth for lung congestion. James Melton was 78 years old, and living in Memphis, Hall County, TX when he died. His death certificate lists cause of death as "Chronic Myocarditis". On his death certificate his middle name is spelled "Milton". The information for the form was provided by Jesse W. Cassle, but the handwriting shows it was filled in by someone else.
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