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Author: kathicashion
Surnames: Cashion
Classification: biography
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.cashion/171.1.1/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
I suppose when you take into account the lack of handwriting skills, reading skills, and
the tendency to write what you don't know phonetically-especially in the eras before
the 20th century, just about any name can be misspelled. It sure does seem like everyone
likes to take a shot at this one though! Here's an updated list of every spelling
I've found-so far:
Cashion
Cashon
Cashen
Caston
Castan
Cashn
Cushion
Cushen
Cushan
Cason
Casson
Cashier
Cashien
Casion
Casten
...the list goes on.
The problem for researchers: Which one is YOUR ancestor? Good Luck!
Here's more food for thought. History documents the war and strife going on in
Ireland (where most of the Cashions seem to come from) since the British decided to get
rid of some of the Irishmen and send them to America. Think about what it was like to be
one of those unwillingly repatriated souls arriving in a strange land where too many of
their number have already arrived. I've read tales of how the already settled
settlers feared so many Irishmen would come they would take over the local government and
make it over in their own image-especially in Quakerland (Pennsylvania) and thereabouts.
What if it occurred to these forced immigrants that perhaps they could change their fates
simply by changing the simple spelling of their name thus: Cashon and Cashen (Irish
spellings for sure) became Cashion and Cashien-perhaps from France or Spain and not a
threat to the entrenched locals. I remember a tale told to me when I was in my early
teens by a great aunt on my paternal g!
randfather's side that reputedly the "Cashion's" were originally from
Ireland, but immigrated to France sometime in the late 1500's where the name was
changed from Cashen to Cashion because in French a "couson" (pr. koo-sone) was a
pig farmer...which occupation they embraced. I have no idea if this is true or not...just
passing it along for those looking for Cashions. So far, I haven't found any that
hailed from France.
And just for the record.... Most of this (if not all) is actually being written by ED
Cashion, husband to Kathi, my wonderful wife who signed on to Ancestry...and passed the
bug on to me.
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