Hinds County Mississippi Biographies and Biographical Sketches

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CASEY, John T. Biography

Hon. John T. Casey comes of English stock, for his ancestors, at a remote period, came to America from that country and settled in North Carolina, where some of their descendants are still residing, being a practical, thrifty and substantial people. The father, Graham Casey, was born in the Old North state, but when a young man went to Virginia, and followed merchandising in Norfolk until his death in lSoo. His wife, Charlotte C. Cook, was also born in North Carolina, her father, Dr. David T. W. Cook, being a South Carolinian, and a soldier in the war of 1812, holding the rank of captain of his company, and participating in the battle of New Orleans. He was of Irish lineage. The paternal grandfather, Dempsey Casey, was a Baptist minister, a native of North Carolina, while his wife, who was a Miss Crafts, was a native of Portsmouth, Va. Hon John T. Casey was born in North Carolina, in 1832, but was reared in Virginia, receiving his initiatory education in the schools of that state, completing his education in Mississippi college, at Clinton. In 1850 he became a salesman in a general mercantile store at Clinton, but about 1859 decided to devote his life to planting, which calling he has since followed. He is now the owner of two hundred and fifty acres of land, and a part of the two hundred acres which he has under cultivation he himself opened. He has given his attention to the political improvement of the country rather than to the acquirement of wealth, but has a comfortable home and a fair income. He has wielded the widespread influence as a politician, and his labors for the success of the democrat party, of which he has always been a member, have been thoroughly appreciated by his numerous friends, who have elected him, a number of times, to official positions of honor and trust. He was a member of the board of supervisors of this county for about two years, and at the present time belongs to the board of Mississippi levee commissioners, and since 1888 has held the position of state representative, and has discharged his duties in a manner that has reflected great credit upon himself and supporters. In 1858 Mrs. Hattie E. Catlett became his wife, she being a native of Louisiana and a daughter of Robert L. Dunn, a merchant of Mississippi. To them three children have been born: Charles G., Robert L. and Jack H., all of whom reside near their parents and are thrifty, industrious and estimable citizens and members of society. Being a warm Southerner by birth and education, he enlisted in the Confederate army when the war opened, becoming a member of company A, First Mississippi artillery. Although he entered as a private he was soon promoted to the rank of sergeant, and was in the battles of Vicksburg and Chickasaw bayou. During his entire service he was not wounded and at the close of the war was paroled by General Canby, U. S. A., being at Jackson at the time of Lee’s surrender. He is one of the following children: Caroline, who died when young; Lydia, who is unmarried and resides in Virginia; Eliza, unmarried, resides in Sharkey county, Miss.; Jane, married Judson Pettus, of Virginia; Dempsey, Virginia and Charles died when young; Almedia, married William Jarvis of Virginia, and lives in Norfolk; John T. (subject), and David C., who is a planter in Sharkey county. This and Issaquena county he represented in the state senate in 1880-8, and is now a prominent member of the alliance. Hon. John T. Casey has been a resident of Mississippi since 1854. He is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, belongs to the I. O. O. F., and he and his wife are worthy members of the Baptist church. [Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi, Chicago, The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1891.]