The following is what I have for the descendants of my great, great, great grandfather.
Please add, correct, and/or connect if possible ....
Elijah Franklin Castleberry was born about 1818/1819 probably in Caldwell County, KY. He
was the son of William Martin Castleberry, Jr. and Jenny Fox. There has been some
researchers that says that he is the son of William Martin Castleberry, Jr. and a
"Miss Franklin" but I have never seen proof of this marriage.
First, Elijah Franklin Castleberry marries Emily Mae Yates (daughter of Stephen Yates and
Mary Polly Hall) who was born abt 1820 or so in KY. From my research they had the
following children:
1. Mary G. Castleberry born 24 Nov 1841 in Caldwell Co., KY. She married Elbert Dyer and
had the following children: Elbert L. Dyer, Archie Dyer, George H. Dyer, Emily Dyer, and
James Dyer. She died 27 Apr 1916.
2. James S. Castleberry born 2 Aug 1844 in Caldwell Co., KY. He married Nancy Lucinda
Hays on 1 Sep 1869 in Lyon County, KY. They had the following children: Vanburen
Castleberry, William F[ranklin] Castleberry, Mary Francis Castleberry, Julia A.
Castleberry, and Sally S. Castleberry. James died 17 Oct 1911 in Lyon County, KY.
3. Edith A. Castleberry born 1846 in Caldwell Co., KY.
4. Nancy Louise Castleberry born 1848 in Caldwell Co., KY.
5. Emily G. Castleberry born 1850 in Caldwell Co., KY.
Then several researchers also list the following two children as part of this sibling
group.
6. William Castleberry born 26 Feb 1856 in Lyon County, KY.
7. Sarah Castleberry born 1859 in Lyon County, KY. She married James D. Williams on 15
Feb 1874 in Lyon County. They had the following children: Minnie Williams, William
Williams, and Tommy T. Williams.
After some point between 1850/59 and 1869 Emily Yates Castleberry dies. I have never
found a death record for her so cannot say for certain what year it occured.
On 9 May 1869 in Trigg County, KY Elijah Franklin Castleberry ... listed as simply
Franklin on the marriage record ... marries my great, great, great grandmother Jemima A.
Darnall (widow of Joseph H. Lancaster. She was a young widow of 33 years when she
remarried and still had several children at home to care for. It may have been a marriage
of convenience, I don't know.
Either way, they married and Jemima got pregnant. However, before she even gave birth to
the child (my great, great grandmother), Elijah Franklin Castleberry abandoned them ... so
the story goes anyway. He was never a presence in their lives again and Jemima returned
to using the name from her first marriage even though the child used her father's
surname.
On 26 Jun 1870 Emma Katherine "Kate" Castleberry was born in Trigg County, KY.
It was common knowledge who her father was and that he had left the family.
Now the problem for me is ... where did Elijah Franklin Castleberry go, did he die
unexpectedly and the death not get reported back to his second widow (due to resentment of
the marriage or whatever), when did he die, etc.
I have found a notation that he is buried in Chestnut Oak Cemetery in Lyon County, KY but
that's all I have found ... no definite record and no date of death.
Anyone that can help with this conundrum? I will be very grateful.
Thanks.
Kathy in FL
mamkmm2(a)prodigy.net