ANTHONY CASEY. Anthony Casey is one of those men who faithfully served his country during the troublesome times of war and is now a prominent, law-abiding, public-spirited and patriotic citizen. He is a product of Tennessee, born in Morgan County, in 1826, and remained in that State until about eight years of age, when he came with his parents, Jesse and Martha (Coe) Casey, to Franklin County, Missouri About two years later the parents came to Johnson County, Arkansas, where they resided about five years and then moved to Newton County, making their home at the head of the Hudson River. There Mr. Casey purchased a farm and passed the remainder of his days, dying in 1863. He was a Southern sympathizer, but took no part in the war. For many years he was a Primitive Baptist minister, and a physician of more than ordinary ability. Although he never attended school more than three weeks in his life he possessed a naturally active brain and was a student all his days, being an eloquent speaker and an interesting conversationalist. His father, Jesse Casey, was of Irish origin and served through the Revolutionary war. The mother of Anthony Casey died about 1846. She was a daughter of Stephen Coe, who died in Tennessee. The twelve children born to this estimable couple were named as follows: Polly, deceased, was the wife of John Farmer; Tempa, widow of Thomas Farmer, of Texas; Elizabeth, widow of Zach. Beckam; Martha, wife of Lewis Daniel, of Newton County; Barbara, wife of Hijah Snow, of Texas; Steven, of Marion County; Elijah, of Indian Territory; Anthony; Levi, of Marion County, Arkansas, deceased; Ambler, deceased, was a resident of Johnson County, Arkansas; Jesse, of Boone County, and Wesley, deceased, was originally of Johnson County. The youthful days of our subject were spent in farm work and he received but limited educational advantages. In the month of August, 1846, he was married in Newton County, Jackson Township, to Miss Sealey Self, a native of Illinois, and the daughter of Levi and Elizabeth Self, who came from Illinois to Newton County at an early day. Mrs. Casey died January 8, 1890. She was the mother of seven children as follows: Martha, widow of John Hudson; William U., a prominent farmer and merchant of Mt. Parthenon; Newton, of Indian Territory; Jesse; Jane, wife of Allen Hudson, of this county; Sarah, deceased, was the wife of Columbus Carlton, and Sealey, died in infancy.
For a number of years Anthony Casey resided in different parts of Newton County, and in 1858 moved to Taney County, Missouri, where he remained until 1862. He then returned to Newton County, and since the war has lived on his present farm, eight and one-half miles above Jasper, where he has 200 acres of good land. Agricultural pursuits have been his life’s work, and the active manner in which he has taken advantage of every idea tending toward the enhanced value of his property has had much to do with his success in life. In September, 1863, he joined Company E, Second Arkansas Infantry, United States Army, and served about two years in Arkansas, participating in a number of prominent engagements.
His son, William U. Casey, general merchant and farmer of Mt. Parthenon, first saw the light in Newton County, in 1849, and at an early age became familiar with the arduous duties of the farm. When twenty years of age he started out to make his own way in life, and as he was familiar with agricultural pursuits in all its details, he selected that as his occupation in life. In the year 1869 he was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Carlton, a native of Newton County, Arkansas, and the daughter of Anderson Carlton. Eight children were born to this union: James Marion; Amanda Jane, wife of Henry Phillips; William Anderson; George A.; Jesse C.; Levi; Sarah, who died in infancy, and Mary E. The mother of these children died in Newton County and the father afterward married Miss Nancy Farmer, a native of Newton County and the daughter of Bird Farmer. There were four children born to this marriage: Delia, deceased; John; Jasper and Jensey. Until three years ago William Casey gave his entire attention to farming, but since then he has been engaged in merchandising at Mt. Parthenon. He is doing a good business and is a wide-awake, enterprising business man. He is the owner of 400 acres of land, a large part of which is under cultivation, and has one of the best tracts on the creek, all the fruits of his own efforts. In politics he is a Republican, but is not a politician, though he held the office of justice of the peace for a number of years. He is a member of the Baptist Church.