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Author: LyndaLehmann
Surnames: CAGE, WINCHESTER
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.cage/3.4.5.18.21/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
ROSE, I AM VERY interested in communicating with you regarding the JAMES CAGE (son of
Major William Cage & marriage to Elizabeth Douglass). I, too, am researching this
fact as he may have fathered my 3rd great grandfather Benjamin Franklin Cage (son of
Rebecca Elizabeth "Eliza" Winchester & yet unknown CAGE biologial father,
before she married an Abraham Beck)
This is the 1st I have heard that James Cage may have fathered a child with a Mary J
Bradley too, but know that he fathered children in LA later in life! I have found
documented proof that he did father at least 3 children with two different women (whom he
never married) in Louisiana but this was later in life and certainly had many years before
these 3 children were born (ones mentioned in his will) since these born in LA the first
was born in 1834 which means that James was already 58 years old at that time and plenty
of time to have fathered children before he was 58 years old! James born in 1776, so
likey he had children (with or without offical marriages) before he turned 58 years old!
JAMES CAGE (bachelor, never married) died at his Plantation in Terrebone, LA on 25 Jul
1854 (will of Apr 20, 1850 below)
$300, 000 estate to illig. children-will dated 20 Apr 1850 No description
Illigitimate Children Illigitimate children of the 3 CAGE sons-- I suspect that James Cage
(son of William Cage & Elizabeth Douglass), likely may have had at least ONE more
undocumented illigitimate son in his younger years, being my 3rd great grandfather who was
born TROPHONIUS JAMES CAGE WINCHESTER on 08 Jun 1814 in Sumner County, TN to UNKNOWN CAGE
father and REBECCA ELIZABETH (ELIZA) WINCHESTER (biological mother). His birth record I
cannot find in the TN archives, but many birth & other records are missing for year
1814. His biological mother, Rebecca Elizabeth "Eliza" Winchester, was born 26
Nov 1792 in Baltimore, MD to Col Stephen Winchester & Sarah "Sallie" Howard.
She had Trophoninus James Cage Winchester in 1814 (she was unmarried as far as I can tell
via records and via name given to my 3rd great grandfather at birth); she married an
Abraham Oscar Beck on 18 May 1815 in Stokes County, North Carolina; and then on 05 Nov
1819 she went through the Sumner County Court!
s to change her illigitimate(?) son's name from TROPHONIUS JAMES CAGE
WINCHESTER" to "BENJAMIN FRANKLIN CAGE". I find her and her BECK husband in
the 1820 Census with only two sons born to them at that time and living with her (so I
know she and Abraham Beck did not have Benjamin in their household or the male children
count would have been 3 versus 2). Therefore, I am assuming that my Benjamin Franklin Cage
was left to be raised by one of William Cage's children (or some other arranged CAGE
family member, perhaps Jesse Cage & wife Ann Davis) and that sometime between his
birth in 1814 and November 1819 Rebecca must have relinquished her parental rights and
left this son to be raised by the Cage family. By 1836 Benjamin had migrated to Texas and
fought for the Republic of Texas; Vasquez Campaign, Civil War, Florida (Seminole Indian)
War, etc. He was mistakenly reported killed by Indians and buried in a mass grave and a
memorial for over 200 men is in present Milam Square in!
San Antonio, Texas (when in fact he was really badly wounded and went
back to Wharton County to recoup and after a year or two returned to the battle field).
He did not die until 19 Nov 1887 and is buried in Blanco Cemetery next to his 2nd wife
(Nancy Bethia Grier-Cage who died on 10 Jan 1903 a Florida War pensioner due to
Benjamin's service in these wars) in Blanco, Blanco Co., Texas. He lived his later
days next to the his Nancy (his 2nd wife's Grier parents) in Crab Apple Creek area of
Blanco, Texas. Our family records indicate he was a 1st cousin of and related to John
"Jack" Coffee Hays (which indicates he must is descended from Maj. William Cage
and Elizabeth Douglass line), but which of the CAGE sons was Benjamin's biological
father? Since there were at least 3 of the sons who have documented illigitimate children,
I am lead to believe that one likely biological father may be JAMES CAGE who was born 12
May 1776 in Chatham County, NC since Eliza named her son Trophonius JAMES CAGE WINCEHSTER
intitially then the biological father's name !
may have been JAMES CAGE. I found a letter in the JAMES WINCHESTER PAPERS in the TN
archives where David Winchester wrote to his brother James Winchester talking about his
brother Stephen Winchester's death in 1815 and brother Stephen's daughter's
marriage in 1815 (being Rebecca Eliza Winchester's marriage to ABRAHAM BECK) and
wishing Eliza's "deceiver" due punishment (obviously referring to
Benjamin's biological father).
Since JAMES CAGE was born circa 1776 and does not have a documented illigitimate child
born until 1834 (in 1834 he would have been 58 years old - and total he has documented 3
sons and one daughter with Susan Randolph) and then at least one daughter later (Delia Ann
Cage born ca 1851 with mother Kitty Thomas in LA whom never maried) then he certainly may
have fathered children before 1834 when his 1st documented illegitimate child was born in
LA. This is why I suspect he MIGHT be a potential candidate to have fathered Trophonius
James Cage Winchester in 1814. And the fact JAMES CAGE was in Benjamin Franklin Cage's
original birth name until the name change in 1819 via Sumner County court records. I have
Texas land records where Rebecca Eliza Winchester-Beck and her Beck sons attested to her
being the mother of Benjamin Franklin Cage, so I have no doubts about who his biological
mother is, but there are several CAGE sons (either unmarried or never married or already
married to!
someone else) that could be his biological father. If anyone in researching these
daughters and sons with documented illigitimate children have found any info to indicate
whom the bio father might be of my 3rd great grandfather: Benjamin Franklin Cage
(1814-1887), I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND others and share information!!!
Many Thanks, Lynda Lehmann-French
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