Eugene Casey Installment #1 Personal Information

On 8 July 1912 Eugene Casey appeared in court in Tripp County, South Dakota to apply for benefits in the newly passed Act of May 11, 1912. The Civil War veterans needed to keep up to date on the latest acts of Congress and reapply for more benefits. There was obviously a great grapevine of information exchanged by the veterans. And of course, their GAR Chapter would let them know of any beneficial changes.

The item that interested me most was Eugene’s answer to how could he prove his birth? His answer, “I cannot furnish any family or church record or of Father or Mother. My Mother died when I was two or two and a half years old.and my father left me with my aunt until I was eight or ten years old. I then worked out until I entered the Army. Febr 16th 1964 and while in the army I lost all trace of my aunt. I have no brother or sister. I have no recollection of ever having seen my father.”

I found Eugene Casey age 3 living in 1850 in St Louis, Missouri with Margaret Garland age 60 and Catherine Garland age 20. In 1860 he is in St Clair County, Illinois age 14 and listed with Methew Tewhy age 26, Catherine Tewhy age 35, and Eleanor Tewhy age 2/12. In 1870 he is working as a farm laborer in Saline County, Kansas and he is age 27. In 1880 he is in Council Bluffs, Iowa age 31, married and Jencene is age 28 and they have their first five children.

My questions are: Is Margaret Garland his aunt or his grandmother? Is Catherine Tewhy the same Catherine Garland in 1850? If so, what happened to her? I find no trace of Catherine or Eleanor after 1860.

Eugene Casey is one of my most mysterious ancestors. I am so proud of his way to go on with life, have eight children, and face life head on. He is a hero to me in so many ways. He and Jencene never charged anything in their lives, not even a house. They paid for everything or they didn’t buy it. So now I will continue with his Civil War memories. Patj