The Castles in Kentucky

Turning my lists of birth dates, death dates, marriages, and census info into a narrative has been a very helpful strategy. I would recommend it to everybody who does family research.  It helps you to see gaps in your research or facts that have not been apparent before.  I realized while writing this post that I didn’t really know when or why the Castles left Scott County, Virginia, and moved to Kentucky, first to Pulaski County and then to Morgan County.   A little research last night narrowed down the when, but I still don’t know the why—especially since the move doesn’t follow any obvious pattern east to west.

What I know is that my great-great-grandfather, Goldman Davidson Castle, was born in Scott County, Virginia, and married Rachel Sergeant there 1 September 1844.  It must have been not long after that they moved to Pulaski County, for they are found there on the 1850 census.  The census shows that son William, who was 4 years old, was born in Kentucky. 

                                                       

On 28 May 1858 Goolen Castle (a nickname of G.D., along with “Gool”) bought 141 acres in Morgan County. By 1860 the family, with sons William, James, John, and Lilburn, are living in Morgan County.  The 1870 census shows the addition of Sarah Francis (my grandmother’s “Aunt Sis”), George Turner (my great-grandfather), and Nancy Anne, but sadly, John and Lilburn had died in 1861 of scarlet fever within days of each other.

Death record for John and Lilburn Castle, 1861

                                                        

In 1873 G.D. Castle bought an additional 64 acres in Morgan County. On the 1880 census the families of G.D. Castle, William Castle, and James Castle are all living next to each other.  On 21 March 1896 Goldman D. Castle was appointed Postmaster of Castle, Kentucky, at the age of 73. 

                                                            

After the death of George Turner Castle’s first wife, Frances Nickell, their daughter Cora was raised by her Castle grandparents. G.T. Castle remarried to Sarah Florida Day on 2 January 1896.  On the 1900 census, George and Florida have two children, Fannie and Forrest.  Cora is enumerated twice--with the G.T. Castles and with her grandparents.  Geo. T. Castle was the county court clerk of Morgan County, and his daughter Fannie remembered accompanying him as he traveled by horse and buggy doing county business. He later took over for his father as Postmaster.

                                                         

On 27 February 1907 Goldman D. Castle died.  Later in the year George Turner Castle and family moved to Oklahoma.