Civil War Diary of Eugene Casey -- 1847-1933

Eugene Casey and Jencene Jensen are my 2nd great grandparents. In the coming days and weeks I will be posting Eugene's Civil War Diary in installments. This is the beginning of the story that he wrote at the request of some of his descendants. They are two of my favorite ancestors. Shall we begin? I have a picture of their great grandchildren all lined up by size. In the background you can see Eugene standing and his daughter Lizzie to HIS right, and his wife Jencene to HIS left. This was taken circa 1930 when he and Jencene went to see all of their descendants on their last trip together. They returned to the South Dakota Old Soldiers Home after that trip. They both died there.

"I was born in Chicago, Illinois on 1847 on April 4. Mrs. Jencene Caroline Jensen was born in Denmark in 1851 on June 13. She came over to U.S. when she was 6 yrs old in a sailing ship, was 6 weeks on the ocean.

We were married near Marysville, Missouri in 1871 on Oct. 11, by a Methodist minister, Mr. Hifline, at her father and mother's farm 7 miles northwest of Marysville on Clear Creek. Her parents names: M.C. Jensen and Mary Jensen.

We moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa, raised 8 children schooled them in Council Bluffs. Our first home was in Council Bluffs.

South Dakota Home: We homesteaded in Tripp County, 1909 and moved on our homestead March 5, 1910. Resided on same Homestead until Nov. 1922. Retired to Colome, South Dakota main street and improved the property we bought off Steve Aftterwy. First lived in a tent for 6 months, after that bought a sod house, lived in it 2 years, after vacated the soddy we built a farm house 22 X 28 with 5 rooms. 2 rooms upstairs and 3 rooms downstairs, with bathroom and pantry and cellar and cement foundation."
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The next installment begins Eugene Casey's account of his service in the Civil War. That he was proud of that service there is no doubt. That he admired his generals, there is no doubt. He named two of his sons after Logan and Sherman. That he was an American Hero there is no doubt. Stay tuned as I will transcribe the rest of the story in bits and pieces. Patj