Recent visits to a Cassady family cemetery in the western edge of Geneva County has led to an exploration of the Cassady family who has resided in Covington County since the early 1860s. Zachery (Zachariah ?) Casity (Cassady) appears to be the ancestor who led his family into this county.

Zachery was born circa 1805 in the state of South Carolina, and his wife, Polly, was also a native of that state. There is a record of him purchasing 119.62 acres of government land on Aug. 15, 1837, in Henry County, Ala. At a later date, he also purchased an adjoining 39.87 acres.

At the recording of the 1870 federal census for Covington County, Zachery Cassady and his second wife, Nancy, were residing here. He was listed as being 65 years of age and Nancy at 35 and a native of Alabama. By 1900, Zachery was deceased.

Some members of this family rendered service in the Confederate Army during the War Between the States. In 1864, an A. Cassady, 16 years of age, was a private in Company A, Covington County Reserves (First Class) recruited from Beats 1, 3, 7, 8, 9 and 10. A nephew of the above Zachery Cassady, Zachariah Cassady, also served in the Confederate Army. He had resided in the Hacoda community, but he enlisted in the Covington County unit.

In 1850, Zachariah Cassady was residing in Coffee County in the home of his uncle and aunt, Joseph and Mary Gibson. He appears to be the son of Levi and Rachael (Brown) Cassady and to have been born circa 1827 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. His father, Levi, was born in 1790 in South Carolina. Zachariah had at least two brothers, George Washington, b. 1829, and John Calvin, who married Amanda Prestwood.

In his Covington County history, Wyley Ward lists five Cassady men who were registered voters in Covington County in 1867: Z. Casity, D. Casity, David Casity, Zacherah Casity, and A. Casidy. The first four resided in Beat Number Three, and the last lived in Beat Number Eight.

In the 1870 census for Covington County, Z. Casady and his wife, Nancey have three other adults in their household: Nicey, 30; Zachariah, 24; and Susan E., 25. Another household was that of E. Casady, 40 years old and his wife, Wineford L, 29 years old. With them are the following four children: Zachariah T., 12; John N., 10; Margarett M., 8; and William 3. Still another was that of D. ( Daniel ?) Casady, who was 25 years old, and his wife, Mary, who was 20 years old. They had two children with them, Daniel Jr., 3; and Saffaroney.

In the 1880 census, the following Cassady families were enumerated in the Hughes community: Zachery was listed at 75 years of age with his wife, likely a third one, L.A.E., 30 years old and a native of Florida. With them were a child, M.F., 6 years old, and two boarders, M.A. Lisanly, 25; and W.R. Taylor, 19. His son, Zachariah, was listed as Z. Casaday, 33, with wife, E., 30; and they had two boarders, N., 31; and J. Hines, 18. In Daniel Casaday’s household were he, 36 and a farmer; Milley, 31; and the following children: D.J., 13; M.S., 11; Zachariah, 8; and S.S., 4. A. Casaday was a farmer at 51 years of age and had the following in his household: Wife, W.L, 42; J.N., 20; W.J., 13; Susan, 8: A.A., 6; and Ella, 2. His son, Zachariah T. Casady was a farmer at 25 years of age and had a wife, Nancey, 19; and child, L., 6 months, with him. David Cassady, 45, had his wife, C.S., 33, and the following children with them: David C., 17; Calvin, 11; M.J., 5; V.S, 3; and John, 1. M.A. Cassady, daughter of S. Casady, was married to H.F. Adams, 27, and had the following children in their home: S.L., 6; Lidy, 4; J.W., 2; and H.F., 4 months.

Several 100 acres of land were homesteaded in Covington County from the government during the 1890s: Daniel C., 120.48 acres in the Opp Township in 1890; Alexander Cassady, 80.04 and 79.86 acres in the Panther Creek Township in 1890; Zack Cassady, 160.54 acres in the Panther Creek Township in 1892; Zack T. Cassady, 159.84 acres in the Chapel Hill Township in 1893; John N. Cassady, 165.78 acres in the Horn Hill Township in 1893; William M. Cassady, 79.92 acres in the Horn Hill Township in 1898; and Henry W. Cassady, 119.778 acres of land set aside for a railroad in the Loango Township in 1898.

There were several households residing in the county when the 1900 census was enumerated. The first to be recorded was found in the Davis Shop community. John A. Casidy, who was 40 years old, was born in 1859, and his wife, Francis S., was 44 years old and born in 1855. The following children were in their household: Levi A., 17; Emmer J, 15; Catherine E., 13; and John A, 11. Francis N.’s parents, John A. and Jane Ann McQuene, were also living in the home. John A. McQuene was 79 years old and Jane Ann was 74. John A. Casidy is probably the John N. Cassady shown in 1870 as the son of E. Casady.

The next family J.T. Cassidy resided in the River Falls community. J.T. was 24 years old and his wife, Elizabeth, was 20 years old. They had one child at the time, Florence, 4 years.

H. W. Cassady’s family was enumerated in the Loango community. He was 34 years old and his wife, Nancy, was 24 years old. They had two young children at the time, A. Bertha, 4; and Alto, 1.

Daniel T. Casady’s family lived in the Hughes Township. Daniel was 59 years old and his wife, Milly, was 52 years old. He was a native of South Carolina, and she, of Alabama. With them were three children: Gordin A., 14; Nancy E., 13; and Harris F., 8.

Thomas Cassady and his family were living next door to Daniel’s family in the Hughes Township. Thomas, born in Alabama, was 26 years old, and his wife, Mary F., was 22. They had the following four children with them: Henry F., 7; Prissy E., 6; Freedona, 3; and Buddie, 2.

A few years ago, Lisa Driggers made a census of the graves in the Cassady Cemetery, which is located in the state forest off Old Lake Road in Geneva County. There are some graves unmarked, some with wooden stakes and only a few with headstones. Those readable include Jane Cassady, Viley S. (Cassady) Lawrence, 1876-1917; Daniel Casaday, 1843-1908, husband of Milley Casady; and D.S. Adams. A few years after this census was taken, Tim Kyser coordinated the effort to clean the cemetery and place a fence around it.

Currently, there are a number of Cassady descendants residing in Covington County. Additional research is needed to more thoroughly compile this family’s genealogy. The sources for today’s writing were cemetery records, census records and Wyley Ward’s histories of Covington County.

Anyone who has more information on this family is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL; call 334-222-6467; or e-mail: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

GENEALOGICAL QUERY:

Edwin and Rene Beck are seeking information on a Wesley Anderson Beck who was related to H.D. and Elizabeth (Beck) Little and who died in 1913. He appears to be a descendant of John and Mary (Strong) Beck of Covington County. In 1860, he was residing in the home of Reubin Diamond at 19 years of age. He is a Confederate Veteran who served in the 25th Alabama Regiment. Anyone having information is requested to please contact Edwin and Rene at edrene53@aol.com or 352-854-4918.

HISTORICAL MEETING:

The Covington Rifles Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans will be meeting at 6 p.m. on Thurs., March 5, in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library. Rick Boswell will be the speaker.