Born: Maury County, Tennessee, January 12, 1816.
Died: 1896.
T. W. CASKEY, FORT WORTH, TEXAS.
The grandparents of the subject of the following sketch emigrated from Ireland a few years before the Revolutionary struggle. His grandfather was a tiller of the soil, until his adopted country called him to arms, which he bore through the entire struggle with credit to himself and freedom to his country. He then laid down his arms and resumed his occupation as a tiller of the soil. They had four sons and one daughter--George, Thomas, Samuel, Robert, and Elizabeth, born in Lancaster district, South Carolina, where they first settled.
Their sons were all over six feet high, and all followed their father's occupation. After the death of their parents, at the advanced age of ninety-seven and ninety-eight, the sons and daughter moved from South Carolina to Maury County, Tennessee, about the year 1810. They were all industrious, respectable, and well-to-do farmers; raised their children to habits of industry and economy, and closed their lives in peace.
Their children were scattered in different States. Thomas, the father of Elder Caskey, the second son of his parents, was born in Lancaster district, South Carolina, in the year 1789. At the age of twenty he married Miss Mary Coffee in the year 1809. They had four children -- three sons and one daughter -- Hugh C., John M., Susan L., Thomas W. The elder son, Hugh C., was born in South Carolina in 1810, when his father moved to Tennessee and settled in Maury
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County, in which and the adjoining county, Williamson, he spent his long and useful life. His leading characteristics were integrity and industry, economy and deep-toned piety. He was a man of strong native mind, and strong well-built, healthy body. He was six feet two inches in, height. He was an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for more than forty years. By his industry he reared his children in comfort, and accumulated a competency sufficient to render his old age comfortable. He died in the full assurance of faith, in 1873.
The mother of Elder Caskey was a daughter of Hugh M. and Margaret Coffee. Their parents came from Ireland. They had three children -- Hugh M., Jr., Susan and Mary, the mother of Mr. Caskey. They also moved from South Carolina to Tennessee; lived and died in Maury County. Their lives were marked by industry, frugality, honesty, and integrity of character. They passed away at an advanced age.
Their son Hugh, when quite a young man, left his father's home to try his fortune in Louisiana, where he accumulated wealth, acquired considerable reputation in political life, and was a leading man in all enterprises for the good of his state and county. He was lost on the ill-fated "Princess," in 1859, at the age of sixty-five. He died childless. Susan married Mr. Samuel Stephenson in Maury County, Tennessee. They had three children -- one son and two daughters. She discharged her duties of sister, wife and mother, faithfully, and then fell asleep at the age of sixty-five. Mary, mother of Elder Caskey, was said to be a lady of beauty and talent. She died in giving birth to Thomas W., her youngest son, who was born in Maury County, near what is now Spring Hill, on the 12th of January, 1816. Hugh C., the eldest son mentioned above, left his father's home when he was
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twenty years old, at the request of his uncle H. M. Coffee, then living on his plantation in Louisiana, opposite the Grand Gulf, Mississippi, for whom he superintended for several years. By industry, energy, and perseverance, he accumulated a handsome property; was twice married, having one child by each wife -- a daughter by the first, and a son by the last. He died on his plantation near Lake Providence, Louisiana in 1845. The second son, John M., lived and died in the same county in which he was born; learned the blacksmith trade, which he followed through his life. At the age of twenty-two he married Miss Vinie Moore, and had two children -- one son and one daughter both of whom are dead. He died in 1850. Susan married Mr. J. B. Childress in 1832, by whom she had four children -- one son and three daughters. Her husband died of consumption in 1840, leaving her to support her four children, the youngest, her son James, being two years old. With her needle she clothed, fed, and educated them. Her daughters all married well; only one of them, now living. Her son James B., by more than ordinary talent, energy, and enterprise, worked his way up from post-office boy to places of position and power in business life. He at one time filled the position of clerk of the Supreme Court of Tennessee -- salary ten thousand dollars per annum -- was exceedingly popular, and his prospects were bright for political as well as financial success. But the same fell destroyer that laid his father in the grave, blighted his prospects and destroyed his usefulness. He still lingers on the shore of time. Two sisters of his have already crossed "over the river."
The early boyhood days of Elder Caskey were spent as boyhood days usually are in a country community, on a quiet farm, working, with his father and two older brothers
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through the day, and hunting coons and opossums by night, excepting the winter months, when the nights, till nine o'clock, were spent in clearing ground and burning brush. His school-boy days were few and far between. He was an apt pupil, learning rapidly. A leading element in his nature was that of humor, an inordinate love of fun. Many were the threshings he received from the pedagogue for pranks played on him and his fellow-students. That and his fondness for playing with the little girls, caused him all the trouble he ever had at school. When eight years old he went to school for six months -- about three months at odd times between the age of eight and fifteen; and also six months after the age of fifteen. The school was three miles from his father's, which distance he walked morning and evening. He cultivated one acre of cotton to pay his tuition. This closes his educational career so far as teachers were concerned. At the age of sixteen he desired to learn the blacksmith trade, and was apprenticed to John W. Miller, who treated him kindly and gave him plenty of hard work over the anvil from daylight till nine o'clock at night. When apprentices worked after nine o'clock they were entitled by law to one dime per hour. He made many dimes to spend for confectionery, working often till eleven and twelve, then gratifying his love of fun for an hour or two by changing signs, etc. Having served three years, part of the time with Miller, who had the misfortune to loose one of his eyes and had to quit his trade, he then finished the trade with his brother-in-law, J. B. Childress. That business being over-done, he determined to abandon his native State and try his fortune in the "Sunny South."
He tied up his wardrobe in a little bundle, bade good-by to family and friends and took his way on foot to Mississippi. He stopped at what is now called Holly Springs, in August,
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1835. He purchased a shop and tools within three miles of Tallahoma. Having to wait one month for possession, he concluded to try his hand at driving oxen, for which he received twelve dollars per month. When he reached that destination he had fifty cents in his pocket. Carrying on his trade after getting possession of his shop, for three months, he then sold out, bought a horse, saddle and bridle and wended his way westward, following the star of empire, reaching Fort Gibson, Claiborne County, Mississippi, and being reduced to fifty cents again, he was compelled to look out for employment; sought and obtained what was called an overseer's berth. Not being pleased with the treatment of the negroes, at the end of two years he became disgusted with the calling, and abandoned it while getting a thousand dollars per annum. He then returned to his former occupation.
In December, 1837, he was married to Lucy Jones, an orphan of whose ancestry but little is known. She was an educated and accomplished lady; she instilled into his mind a desire to improve his mental and moral condition. Shortly after this Mr. Caskey united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his wife was a member. Manifesting some speaking ability, his friends desired him to become a preacher in that church.
This, added to the influence of his wife, caused him to apply himself to study. Keeping up the old custom of working from daylight till nine o'clock at night, from October till April; from nine to eleven o'clock he devoted to study by the light of a pine-knot fire. He thoroughly digested the next day what he read by night; he studied English grammar, logic, rhetoric, natural, mental and moral philosophy, ancient and modern history; these constituted his first general reading.
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In 1840, while studying for the Methodist ministry, he became dissatisfied with their doctrine and discipline, examined the Scripture for himself, and at last joined the Christian Church. Here commenced his ministerial life -- working in his shop through the week and preaching on Sunday.
He had two sons, William A., born October 26, 1838, and Hugh Thomas, born March 8, 1841. The latter was killed by a fall from a horse in 1844. The older son, William, was educated at Newton College, Wilkinson County, Mississippi, and at Bethany College, Virginia: and was a young man of great promise; studied medicine, and while attending lectures in New Orleans contracted typhus fever from a dissecting-room; returned to his father's home at Jackson, Mississippi, and closed his eyes in death March 4, 1859, in hope of a glorious resurrection.
On the 29th of October, 1843, his beloved wife was laid to rest in her grave. After this bereavement he abandoned his trade and devoted himself to evangelizing, principally in Mississippi and Alabama. The churches were few and far between, but they remunerated him sufficiently to keep soul and body together, and great success attended his labors.
On the 14th of April, 1845, he was married to Mrs. Harriet E. Ferguson, near Gainesville, Sumter County, Alabama. She was the daughter of Elijah and Mary Foreman, and had two children by her first husband: William E. and Madison Z. W. E. Ferguson is now merchandising at Bayou Goula, Louisiana, M. Z. is a planter on the Mississippi, residing in Jackson, Mississippi. Mr. Caskey's present wife has borne him six children, four sons and two daughters, to-wit: B. Wells, born February 8, 1847, in Alabama; Julia M., born May 17, 1850, at Palo Alto, Mississippi; M. Pickett, born June 7, 1852, at Palo Alto,
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Mississippi; Charlie C., born October 29, 1854, at Jackson, Mississippi; Temple Withers, born August 13, 1856, and Lillie L., born October 20, 1858. The first and last died in infancy. Julia was educated at Franklin College, under President T. Fanning, near Nashville. She graduated with the first honors, read an original essay on "The Mission of the Women of the South," which production evinced great originality and vigor of thought, was severely criticised by the press of the North, and was highly eulogized by the Southern press. It was delivered soon after the war and touched on issues now dead and buried. She is an accomplished and talented lady, happily married to Mr. E. H. Crenshaw, a resident of Sherman, Texas. On September 11, 1880, was born to them a son, whom they called Caskey, in honor of his grandfather, and for the name which had always been borne by men of integrity and honor. His three sons are all over six feet high, with well formed bodies, sound minds and good morals. They have so far followed their father's advice, who has tried public life in nearly all its phases, and, although successful in all, he advised his sons to choose private life and the occupation of farming. M. Picket is farming with his half brother in Mississippi; Charles C., near Whitesboro, Texas; Temple Withers, near Fort Worth, living with his parents.
From the time of marriage of Elder Caskey in 1845, he continued to preach in Alabama and Mississippi, living in the former State, till 1849. He built up large churches at Gainsville, Clinton, and Mount Hebron, Alabama.
In 1849 he moved to Chickasaw County, Mississippi, and settled near Palo Alto, where there was a church of twenty-six members. When he left in 1854, the membership had been increased to upward of three hundred. It was one of the wealthiest and most intelligent communities in the State.
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He labored in that section of country for five years, built up churches, aided by other preachers, at Houston, Prairie Mount, Crawfordsville, Cotton Gin Fort, and other smaller congregations. These were the most successful years of his ministry. His powers of declamation were far superior then to what they now are. His exhortations were warm and pathetic.
Brought forward by the churches to sustain and defend the cause which he plead, he was forced into theological discussions. He cultivated his logical powers at the expense of his rhetorical powers. In this way he became a cool, close, terse logician, instead of a warm impassioned declaimer. He has conducted fifty-six debates, four to seven days and nights in length, and has debated with the best minds of the different denominations. Only a few need to be mentioned, as it would be tedious to the reader to run over the whole list with its details: the apostles Tyler and Thomas of the Mormon Church, Sandsing of the Baptist, at Palo Alto, Mississippi; J. L. Chapman, of the Methodist; twice with William Harrison, author of Theophilus Walton, at Crawfordsville; D. E. Burns, a Baptist, at Utica, Mississippi; A. B. Fly, a Methodist, at Paducah, Kentucky; D. B. Ray, editor of the Baptist Battle Flag; John Burns, Universalist, editor of the Religious Herald; three times with William Price, Methodist, at Fort Worth, Cleburne and Dallas, Texas; with W. J. Brown, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister of Mount Vernon, Missouri; twice with Elder Sledge, a Baptist, at Woodbury and Alvarado, Texas.
These debates were nearly all arranged by the churches and their preachers, and Elder Caskey was selected as one of the champions. After leaving Palo Alto in 1854, he had charge of the following churches: Jackson, Mississippi, six years;
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Memphis, Tennessee, two years -- salary twenty-five hundred dollars; Paducah, Kentucky, two years -- salary twenty-five hundred dollars. He traveled two years as State evangelist. In 1875, he moved to Texas, and had charge of the Sherman Church three years. From 1866 to 1875 his planting interests were superintended by his stepson, W. E. Ferguson, who was in partnership with him. His family resided on the farm, with the exception of one year.
The disorganized condition of labor, the fluctuations in the cotton market, visitations from the cotton worm, the payment of money wages to the laborers -- their employees, eat [sic! Read ate'] up the plantation, all that was made on it, and about ten thousand dollars thrown in. His plantation was about ten miles from Jackson. Thus was he left about as poor as when first he started in life.
In 1870 by a resolution of the State Board of his church (in Mississippi), he was requested to go North and East to get aid in providing the preachers and the educators for the benefit of the freedman of the South, she being prostrated in her resources. He lectured in New York, Philadelphia, Worcester, Massachusetts, Syracuse and other minor points presenting the condition and claims of the freedmen. The lectures were highly spoken of by the press.
After the election of Mr. Lincoln in 1860, the Bell and Breckenridge parties selected a committee of fifteen non-politicians to consider what should be done. Mr. Caskey was chosen on that committee. After a free and full interchange of views, the committee appointed Judge Wiley P. Harris and Mr. Caskey to embody their views in the form of resolutions, to be submitted to a mass meeting to be called on the next night in the State House. The resolutions were read in the mass meeting, discussed and unanimously adopted by both parties. The resistance movement was
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inaugurated. Parties then divided on secession by separate State action, or secession by co-operation of States. He took the rostrum in favor of the former and met many of the ablest speakers on the opposite side in debate. The State was carried in favor of secession by separate State action, by an unanimous vote in convention save one.
War was declared, Mr. Caskey was appointed chaplain of the 18th Mississippi Regiment of Volunteers in June, 1861, was in the first battle of Manassas, and against the wishes of officers and men shouldered a Colt's rifle -- a double-cylinder sixteen-shooter -- and went into the fight. During the battle a fragment of a brigade became demoralized, broke ranks and fled. Mounting a horse, the elder overtook them, headed them in a narrow pass, rallied them at the muzzle of a revolver, made an appeal to their patriotism, and carried them back into line. He faithfully discharged his duty to the sick and the wounded, attended to his prayer-meeting and preaching, but the trouble was to keep him out of the fights. He was called by the army, "The Fighting Parson." He remained in the army of the Potomac until December, when he was sent home on furlough connected with government business.
The Legislature of the State being in session, and having before them a hospital bill, he was invited by both houses to address them on the subject, which he did. The bill was passed; an appropriation of a hundred thousand dollars was made to enable the State to aid in taking care of the sick and wounded by organizing State hospitals. The Governor appointed him hospital agent of the Army of the West. The State University buildings were turned over to him for a hospital, in which he organized and conducted one of the best hospitals in either government. The capacity was sufficient to accommodate a thousand; the furniture, bedding
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and much of the provision and clothing were supplied by donation from Memphis, New Orleans and other points; also from the ladies' aid societies. There were fourteen picked surgeons, selected by Dr. Isom, post surgeon, and himself. Volunteer ward-masters, stewards, nurses, cooks and washers, of such as could not bear arms, with nearly one hundred negroes, which cost nothing, performed the work.
Under his management the whole machinery ran like clock-work. It was more like a well-kept hotel than a hospital. Having expended about twenty thousand dollars of the money of the State; with the prospect of having soon to fall back, some conflict having arisen between Confederate and State authority, he had his assets inventoried by a commission appointed by the two and sold out to the Confederacy for twenty-three thousand dollars.
The State militia being called to arms, his duties were transferred by the Governor to the State troops. His duties were to appoint surgeons, to supply medicines, houses or hospital tents and supplies generally. In this service, he used some twenty-five thousand dollars. He regards this as the most useful year of his life.
The militia being disbanded, he again took the field as chaplain of General Wirt Adair's cavalry brigade. In January preceding the close of the war, his negroes having all left except two women and six children (four being orphans), he closed out his farming operations, moved his family to Meridian, that his wife might be with her youngest son, then acting as express agent at that place. His health failing he was transferred from field to post duty, where he was left when the bottom dropped out of the Confederate tub -- with a wife and four children, two negro women and
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six negro children, fifteen dollars in gold and a cow, with an abundance of Confederate money -- all his earthly possessions having walked off, or been converted into Confederate money -- his house and lot in Jackson, worth four thousand dollars, horses, mules, cattle and hogs, and the last crop raised on his plantation all, all in Confederate bonds. So ends his war record.
He has been connected with Masonry, Odd Fellowship and the various temperance organizations; with the first and last since 1840, not affiliating with the Odd Fellows for the last twenty years. He took the degrees in Masonry from Entered Apprentice to Knight Templar, presided as Most Excellent High Priest of Jackson Royal Arch Chapter No. 6 for eight years, and as Eminent Commander of Mississippi Commandery No. I six years. Neither of these, however, was opened during the war. He filled the office of Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge and Chapter of the State several times; was Deputy Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of the State of Mississippi. Since the war he has had but little affiliation with Masonry; has been a lecturer on temperance since 1840 down to the present time.
The wife of Mr. Caskey has been truly a helpmate for him, bearing patiently the burdens of a preacher's wife. The rearing of his children was mainly left to her, he being absent most of his time from home. Well and nobly did she perform her task. She was born in Chester district, South Carolina, June 7, 1814. The leading element in her nature is self-sacrifice for the good of husband, children and friends, and for the cause of which her husband had spent his life. He has been often heard to say in public that for all the good he may have done, for all he is or hopes to be in this world, or the world to come, he is indebted to those
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two pure-hearted and noble-minded women, one of whom sleeps in her grave; the other, still walking the journey of life by his side, cheering him onward in the path of duty.
Mr. Caskey now fills the pulpit of the Christian Church at Fort Worth, Texas. The building is of native rock, eighty feet long by forty wide and forty feet high. The auditorium has an arched ceiling twenty-three feet high. The basement is the same in length and width as the auditorium; membership, two hundred and fifty.
Mr. Caskey's towering form accords well with the building. He is six feet three inches in height, slightly bowed with age. His features are long and pointed, with a low massive forehead. His blue eyes are animated and penetrating. His face when in repose, bears the calm expression as though the light of eternity had already settled there. His enunciation is clear, and his voice is easily heard by the most distant of his audience. His style in the pulpit is animated, his gestures always appropriate and sometimes dramatic; he walks to and fro in the pulpit while speaking. As a pulpit orator, logician, deep-thinker, skillful debater, Mr. Caskey stands confessedly at the head among his fellow-preachers in the South. Without exordium he plunges at once into his subject, battling against dogmas with a force of argument that, like the mountain torrent, carries every thing before it, demolishing "theologies" in a manner, though often caustic, yet not exciting the anger or resistance of their advocates. A great metaphysician, always speaking with the deliberation and confidence of one conscious of reserved power, often seeming to play with his subject. He is also the gentle shepherd, leading the young of his flock into the green pastures and beside the still waters of eternal life. Though loving his people, he has a fixed aversion to the humdrum custom of pastoral visiting to the healthy and
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wealthy. He regards it as demoralizing and useless, while he may often be seen wending his way, with a well filled basket on his arm, to the homes of the sick and poor. He is a man of the old-fashioned type of honesty. Twice he surrendered all he had without reserve to the liquidation of debts.
In 1878, his salary being too small, he began the practice of law, was eminently successful as a criminal lawyer, but on the increase of his salary, immediately resumed his ministerial labors. Mr. Caskey is a Christian and gentleman, and enjoys the confidence of all who know him.