My Genealogy Hound

BENJAMIN CASSELMAN, a prominent farmer and good citizen of the town of Ellery, Chautauqua county, New York, is a son of Jonas and Sarah (Horn) Casselman, and was burn at Mohawk Flats, New York August 22, 1820. He is of Teutonic ancestry, whose grandfather, Jonas Casselman, was born in Germany, emigrated to the United States and settled in Schenectady county, New York. At the time of his emigration he was accompanied by his two brothers, one of whom located in the Dominion of Canada and the other at Utica, New York. Jonas Casselman (grandfather) was a farmer by occupation and a member of the Dutch Reformed church. He was married in his native land and had a family of three children. Jonas Casselman (father of subject) was a native of New York State. In early life he worked at various occupations, but devoted the greater part of his life to agriculture. He was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Horn and became the father of thirteen children — five boys and eight girls. His political support was given to the Whig party during its life-time, and, subsequent to its demise, to its successor, the Republican party. He was a member of the Lutheran church, where both he and his family were regular attendants.

Benjamin Casselman attended the common schools, apprenticed himself to a carpenter and joiner and learned that trade, at which he worked for some time, and finally purchased a farm of two hundred and fifteen acres near Bemus’ Point, Chautauqua county, New York. To the improvement and cultivation of this farm he has since devoted himself, and has now made it one of the best kept and most attractive places in the town of Ellery.

On September 1, 1842, he was joined in marriage to Miss Melissa Wheeler, by whom he had nine children: Cassius E., a carpenter and joiner by trade, living in the town of Chautauqua, New York; Emma J., wife of Charles Manley, who resides at French Creek and is engaged in the grocery business; Cenath A., married to Andrew Aikens, of Jamestown, New York; Eleanor F., married to Alman Coni, a resident of Clymer and a cooper by occupation; Benjamin F., married to Sarah Jackson and now living at Jamestown, New York, where he works at the carpenter and joiner’s trade; Helen A., wife of A. Tenet, of Jamestown, New York, a farmer; Lydia M., married to John Kady, a blacksmith living in Columbus, State of Pennsylvania; Orville C., married to Mattie Simmons, and now a resident of Jamestown, engaged in the carpentering trade; and Charles H. Casselman, living in the town of Ellery, a farmer.

Mr. Casselman is a member of the Grange and is in every sense a model farmer. He keeps fully abreast of the times and is an intelligent reader upon all subjects relating to the field of agriculture.