Pam, I have seen/heard the "Indian Jon Casteel" discussed since I started
researching Casteels about 20 years ago and I have seen no dependable documents related to
him. There has been a great deal of discussion of reports that his story and that of his
wife was fabricated for a local history being written many years ago. I certainly do NOT
know. I have talked with and have a book published by Mr. Rufus J. Bruner, Jr, The
Casteels of Southeast Kentucky and Points West which covers the descendants of his son,
John Casteel & Ellander Metcalf. If you haven't seen it, you might want to take a
look at that book. My research has proven there were earlier Casteels in America before
Capt. Edmund arrived about 1682 or so. There are records of at least two or three young
Casteel men arriving by ships in NC in about 1635. But I have not been successful in
tying any later Casteels to them. I do wonder if those in SC and moving across GA, AL, MS
may have been their descendants. There appears to be a distinct difference from the
Casteels out of MD in children's names and their side in the civil war. Perhaps, the
DNA study will shed some light on the different lines of Casteel/Castile. I hope so.
Marge
----- Original Message -----
From: <pamba1(a)aol.com>
To: <casteel(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 9:38 AM
Subject: Re: [CASTEEL] Casteel's of VA/KY
I would love to hear from anyone of the list who can link our particular
line of Casteel's to the Maryland line.
We have never heard of family lines extending north beyond Virginia. Our
Jon Casteel ( b. 1745) was supposedly a Cherokee Indian from N. Carolina
who escaped the Trail of Tears by relocating to Elliott Co., KY with the
Reuben Sparks family. "Indian" Jon lived, died, and is buried in Elliott Co.,
KY. My particular lines of John and James were in Floyd Co., KY and relocated
to Lawence Co., KY. Many of their descendents, including myself were born
and raised near the Big Sandy River in West Virginia. I noted the name
Casteel on many Cherokee Indian roles as well as a surname on the Melungeon
lists. The name certainly doesn't sound Cherokee, however it does stand to
reason that it would be associated with the Melungeons. I've often wondered if
Indian Jon Casteel took on the Casteel surname from some of the early
Spanish settlements in the Carolina's......... ?????? Most of our family has
light hair, blue/gray eyes, with rather dark/golden complexion. I am
anxious to hear from anyone out there who can help fill in the blanks, I've been
searching the Casteel's for about 25 years! Thank you.
Pam Steele (Casteel)
Tampa
**************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy
Steps!
(
http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221823248x1201398651/aol?redir=h...
Excfooter51609NO62)
-------------------------------
To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CASTEEL-request(a)rootsweb.com with
the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the
message