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Below is a family biography included in the book,  Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania published in 1894 by Chapman Publishing Company.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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SAMUEL CASKIE. This prominent resident of Walnutport, Northampton County has for the past twenty years been engaged in operating the Heimbach Slate Quarry, located one and one-quarter miles from Walnutport. He is a shrewd, far-sighted business man, honest in all his dealings, and is respected by all his acquaintances. He was born in the North of Ireland, November 11, 1833, and is a son of David and Jane (Boyd) Caskie, also natives of the Emerald Isle and of Scotch-Covenanter stock.

At the age of ten years the subject of this sketch was deprived by death of his father. Three years later be went to Wigtonshire, Scotland, where he worked as a farm hand for several years. At the age of seventeen he began to learn the trade of a plasterer, at which he served an apprenticeship until the time of his departure for the New World. In the latter part of November, 1852, he took passage on a steamer at Wigton for Liverpool, and at the latter place boarded the steamship “Tonawanda,” which landed him in America after a voyage of four weeks. From Philadelphia he went direct by stage to Slatington, where he secured employment in a slate quarry, and remained thus occupied for three years. Afterward he was appointed Superintendent of the old mantel quarry for the Lehigh Slate Company, which position he held for a number of years, giving entire satisfaction to his employers.

In 1872 Mr. Caskie began operating a quarry on his own account, several years afterward taking in as partner John D. Emack. The business was then conducted under the firm title of Caskie & Emack. For some years Mr. Caskie has operated the Heimbach Quarry, and gives employment in both factory and quarry to about forty men. His son, William J., is General Superintendent of the works, the products of which are mainly roof slates, school slates, blackboards, etc. Since coming to this country Mr. Caskie has been a resident mainly of Slatington, but in the fall of 1893 removed with his family to Walnutport.

In 1853 Mr. Caskie and Miss Agnes Kerr were united in marriage. Mrs. Caskie was born in Wigtonshire, Scotland, February 24, 1839, and is the daughter of Hugh and Joan (Smith) Kerr, natives respectively of the North of Ireland and Scotland. In 1852 Mrs. Caskie came with her parents to America and settled in Slatington. One year later Mr. and Mrs. Kerr removed to Ohio, where the former died. The latter then returned to Scotland, where her decease occurred.

Mr. and Mrs. Caskie are the parents of six living children, namely: William J.; Mary, the wife of Hugh Roberts; David, Washington, Rebecca and Louise. In politics Mr. Caskie is a Republican, and while a resident of Slatington served for several terms as Burgess of that borough. He is public-spirited and gives liberally of his means toward the promotion of every good measure. He and his wife are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Slatington, in which he has held the office of Deacon.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in the book, Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania published in 1894 by Chapman Publishing Company. 

View additional Northampton County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Northampton County, Pennsylvania Biographies

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