Source: History of Boone County, Indiana, by Hon. L.M. Crist, 1914.
SAMUEL L. CASON There is nothing in the world more beautiful
than the spectacle of
a life that has reached its autumn with a harvest of good and
useful deeds. It is like the
forest in October days when the leaves have borrowed the richest
colors of the light and
glow in the mellowed sheen of the Indian summer, reflecting in
their closing days the
radiance of their earthly existence. The man who has lived a clean,
useful and self-
denying life and has brought into potential exercise the best
energies of his mind that he
might make the world brighter and better for his being a part
of it, while laboring for his
individual advancement cannot fail to enjoy a serenity of soul
that reveals itself in his
manner and conversation. When such a life is preserved in its
strength and integrity so
that even in age its influence continues unabated, it challenges
the admiration of those
whose good fortune it is to be brought into contact with. Such
a life has been that of
Samuel L. Cason, one of the oldest of Boone county's native-born
citizens, who has been
a life-long resident here, for many decades a well known merchant
in Lebanon in which
city he is now living in retirement and is nearing his four score
years. He has ever had the
interests of this locality at heart and has sought to promote
the same in every way
possible. He grew up in the interesting pioneer period and tells
many interesting things of
the early development of the county. He has played no inconspicuous
part in the affairs of
the county. His life has been noted for its sterling honesty,
industry and devotion to
family, church and to the best public interests, so he can now
look backward with no
compunction for misdeeds and forward to the mystic Beyond with
no fear. Such a life
merits a record of its deeds that the debt due it may be acknowledged
and that it may
serve as a stimulus to others to endeavor to emulate it. But his
record is too familiar to the
people of the locality of which this history deals to require
any fulsome encomium here,
his life work speaking for itself in stronger terms than the biographer
could employ in
polished periods. There is no doubt but that Mr. Cason's long
life has been due to his
conservative habits, wholesome living and pure thinking. He has
ever been known for his
hospitality, his many acts of kindness springing from his largeness
of heart rather than
from any desire to gain the plaudits of his fellow men or for
any personal motive.
Mr. Cason was born in Washington township, Boone county, June
7, 1835. He is a son of
James and Margaret (Ratherford) Cason, the father a native of
South Carolina and the
mother a native of Pennsylvania. These families all located first
in Ohio, later removing
to Union county, Indiana, where they settled on a farm, although
the elder Cason was a
carpenter by trade. In that county two of his children were born.
The family left there in
1832 for Boone county, making the tedious journey in a wagon drawn
by a team of
horses and a yoke of oxen. They were ten days on the road and
it rained every day but
one. The somewhat hazardous trip was never forgotten by the members
of the family.
They found a hunter who had dropped his gun in a deep hole. Mr.
Cason secured the
weapon for him by tying a pair of steelyards to the end of a pole
and pulled the gun out
by one of the hooks on the steelyards. As the emigrants were crossing
Prairie creek in
Boone county, the wagon was overturned by the wheel striking a
stump and the
occupants were thrown into the water. Those occupying the wagon
were the mother of
our subject, two children and Sarah Burckhalter, who married David
Kenworthy later.
They were all duly rescued, fires were built by which their clothing
was dried and they
camped there over night. They came on and located on land which
James Cason was
supposed to have entered from the government in 1831, but later
they were compelled to
move one-eighth of a mile for they had by mistake located on land
belonging to Colonel
Mills. They established their permanent home two and one-half
miles southeast of what is
now Thorntown, on one hundred fifty-eight and one-half acres,
all timbered. Their
neighbors were few and far between and the family endured the
usual hardships and
privations of frontiersmen. They cleared a space on which they
built a log cabin, erecting
a stick-and- chimney, leaving the floor dirt, and in this they
lived some time, later adding
to it, floored it and put up doors and windows. The noble mother
spent many nights alone
with her two babies while her husband was to mill, braving the
perils of Indians and wild
beasts alone. All the while, James Cason was clearing and improving
his land with the
help of two of his wife's brothers and a cousin. He eventually
became one of the leading
farmers of this part of the county and remained on this place
until the fall of 1865, when
he removed to Thorntown where he spent the rest of his days and
died January 31, 1874,
his widow dying later in Lebanon. They were the parents of nine
children, only two of
whom are living at this writing, Samuel L., of this review and
Sarah A., widow of John
M. Bennett, of Elwood, Indiana. The family became well known in
the county and was
always highly respected.
Samuel L. Cason grew to manhood amid pioneer surroundings and
he worked hard when
a boy assisting his father clear and develop the old homestead
and he received such
educational advantages as the early-day rural schools afforded.
He remained with his
parents until the fall of 1863 when he moved to Lebanon and engaged
in the grocery
business. By the exercise of good judgment, honest dealings and
courteous treatment of
his customers he enjoyed a large trade and prospered with advancing
years. In 1873, he
erected a substantial business block here and in this conducted
his grocery with ever-
increasing success until 1903 when he was burned out. The following
year he erected his
present modern, commodious and attractive office and store building,
one of the best
business blocks in Lebanon, and since then he has lived retired
in his beautiful home
here. He made a pronounced success of his life work and is rated
as one of the substantial
men financially of Boone county.
Mr. Cason was married November 22, 1863, to Louisa Cooper,
who was born in Sugar
Creek township, this county, and here grew to womanhood and was
educated. She was a
daughter of Edghill and Elisa (Bennett) Cooper. Her mother was
a daughter of Frederick
and Massa (Sutton) Bennett, the father being a native of Ohio.
The union of our subject
and wife has been without issue. The wife of our subject was called
to her eternal rest
March 7, 1910, at an advanced age. She proved to be an excellent
helpmeet and was
greatly beloved by her neighbors and many friends owing to her
many commendable
qualities of head and heart.
Politically, Mr. Cason is a Republican and has been more or
less influential in public
affairs for many years. He served as city councilman of Lebanon
for many years. In
religious matters he is a member of the Baptist church and a liberal
supporter of the same.
He is well preserved for a man his age and is a companionable,
kind and pleasant
gentleman whom everybody highly esteems.
BENNETT BURCKHALTER CASON COOPER KENWORTHY MILLS
RATHERFORD SUTTON
Submitted by Amy K Davis
