Birth: 03 JAN 1807 Glens Falls, Warren Co, New York
1st Marriage:1827 Glens Falls, Warren County, New York to Hannah Green
Birth of Son: 1829
Name: George A. Caswell
1830 Census: Kingsbury Twp, Washington County, NY, Page 359
Birth of Daughter: ABT 1835
Name: Mary E. Caswell
Birth of Daughter: ABT 1835
Name: Helen M. Caswell
Note: Advertised in the Glen’s Falls Observer as a cabinet maker with a shop near Spencer’s Hotel (in Glens Falls, near the Hudson Bridge)
1840 Census: Charlotte Twp, Chautauqua Co, NY, Page 284
Birth of Son: 07 FEB 1840
Name: Edgar B. Caswell
Place: Illinois
Moved to: 1847
Place: Mason Co, Michigan, USA
Note: First white man to take a farm from Uncle Sam in the wilds of Mason county.
Occupation: Fisherman and trapper
Event: 1849
Place: Built first frame house in Mason County, Michigan
Occupation: First Coroner, First Probate Judge and First Surveyor in Mason County, Michigan.
1850 Census: Pere Marquette Twp, Mason Co, MI, Page 197
Note: Living with wife, Hannah, and four children in household.
1854 Census: Pere Marquette Twp, Mason Co, Michigan.
1860 Census: Pere Marquette Twp, Mason Co, MI, Page 90
Note: Living with wife, Hannah, in household.
Moved to: 1869
Place: Mitchell, Davison Co, South Dakota
1870 Census: 20 JUL 1870
Place: Pere Marquette Twp, Mason Co, Michigan
Note: Living with the Edwin Merifield family.
2nd Marriage: 11 NOV 1871 Mason Co, Michigan to Sarah Kellett
Note: 08 JAN 1874-04 DEC1882
Place: Big Sable Point Light Station, Pere Marquette Twp, Mason Co, Michigan
Details: Was the 4th lighthouse keeper. His wife, Sarah, was his 1st assistant.
1880 Census: Pere Marquette Twp, Mason Co, Michigan
Details: Lighthouse Keeper
Death: 15 SEP 1896 Ludington, Mason Co, Michigan
Note: Died of old age
Obituary: 17 SEP 1896
Note: Funeral services conducted Sep 17, 1896 at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Moulton.
Burial: Lakeview Cemetery, Ludington, Mason County, Michigan
Click here for parents: George Caswell and Sarah Stevens
Note: Aaron Burr Caswell was born in Glens Falls, in the State of New York, in January 1807. At an early age, he learned the cabinet trade in his native village and followed it for several years. In 1837 he was married at Glens Falls to Miss Hannah Green. They remained at that place for a time, and then made several changes in the next few years. His health becoming poor, he tried trading on the lower Mississippi, and in 1842 came to Barrington Station, Lake County, Illinois and bought a farm where he lived for three years.
In 1845 he came to the region of Pere Marquette in Mason County. Burr himself spent two seasons at Pere Marquette, most of the time fishing at Duck Lake. He returned with his family in 1847. Along with his wife Hannah and their four children, they arrived aboard the schooner Eagle which was en route for Manistee. As there was no convenient stopping place, the Eagle did not deviate from her course. The cattle were dropped overboard and swam to shore while the family was rowed to land in a small boat.
Burr built a small house out of driftwood. He improved his farm as rapidly as possible and worked some at lumbering. The Indians at once took a liking to him and were always his friends, ever ready to do him any favor or act of kindness. Nothing could be wilder and more uncivilized than the surroundings of the first family of white settlers. Their home was in the midst of a dense wilderness, their neighbors a tribe of Ottawa Indians. There were two or three white men at work up the river, but there were no white settlers nearer than Manistee. The Indians introduced Burr into the mysteries of their religious rites and were as friendly to the family as possible for them to be.
For some time, Burr was engaged in getting out shingle bolts and shipping them to Chicago in a small boat named Ranger, which could only carry 20 cords. A Norwegian named Rogerson was the owner.
In 1849 he built the frame house which still stands in White Pine Village. It was the first frame building in Mason County and there are still some of the trees and shrubs he planted around it growing there. At that time, the village which sprang up around the Caswells was named Pere Marquette, in memory of the missionary.
In 1855, Caswell turned the first floor over to the county to use for a courthouse and trading post with a jail below. The family moved upstairs. Burr and his eldest son were fishermen and trappers at first, later working at Baird and Bean Lumber Mill. Burr was also the first surveyor, the first coroner, the first judge of probate, and a fish inspector. The county seat was placed at Burr Caswell’s house from 1856 to 1861. He remained on his farm until the death of his wife, in February 1870, when he moved to Ludington and had charge of a shingle mill for a time.
In 1871 he was again married to Sarah and on 08 JAN 1874 he became the fourth lighthouse keeper at Big Sable Point Light Station where he stayed until 17 JUL 1882. His wife, Sarah, was his assistant keeper during this time.
Later he went to Mitchell, South Dakota and at the age of 87 was successfully operating a large hotel. Mr. Caswell then returned to Ludington and 10 years after his return he died at the age of 97 years. He was buried in Lakeview cemetery beside his first wife, Hannah.
Hannah Green
Birth: 1810 New York
Rumor: Special dancing partner of General George Washington. He died in 1799 so not sure how this family rumor got started.
Rumor: Related to General Nathanael Greene of the Revolutionary War
Rumor: Part Indian
Land Rec: 05 JUL 1847
Place: Section 27, Pere Marquette Twp, Mason Co, Michigan
Note: Owned 125.05 acres
Death: 24 FEB 1870 Mason County, Michigan
Note: No death record at the Mason County Courthouse.
Burial: Lakeview Cemetery, Mason Co, Michigan
Click here for parents: Amos Green and Hannah Bacon
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