David Frost Castleman
David Frost Castleman, was born on 3 October 1815, in Frederick, Virginia, United States, his father, Thomas Taylor Castleman, was 33 and his mother, Hannah Bushrod Frost, was 25. He married Mary Freeman 15 April 1841 (Daughter of John B.) and fathered 1 son and 3 daughters before she died in 1854. Hen then married Eliza Ann Beard on 21 April 1855, in Carroll, Louisiana, United States. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 6 daughters. He lived in Ward Five, West Carroll, Louisiana, United States in 1870 and West Carroll, Louisiana, United States in 1880. He died on 4 January 1884, in Oak Grove, West Carroll, Louisiana, United States, at the age of 68.
In 1826 Family leader Grandfather David Sr. dies, in Virginia.
In 1827 mother Hannah dies, David is 17 years old, in Virginia.
In 1831 Johann David Jr. dies, William Albert Sr. dies in 1832, Thomas Taylor Sr. dies in 1833.
Also during the period of 1830-1835 the Indian Removal Act was forcing Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole and other tribes to move west to Oklahoma territory. In 1837 an economic recession hit the country and the slavery debate was contributing to overall insecurity. In February of 1828 William Jr. is nominated for the Virginia House of Delegates, wins and re-elected the following two years. Political divisions were intensifying as wealthy large farmers protected what they had and small farmers unified with along the liberal lines, suffrage and representation. Large farmers favored a canal project for transporting their valuable wheat and flour, the other side wanted a Railroad from Winchester to Harpers Ferry. Both sides had effective arguments which lead to a constitutional convention and a modestly updated constitution ratified in 1831.
August 21, 1831 Nat Turner and about 60 other black men killed 58 white men, women and children in Southampton. The incident sparked intense debate in the Virginia House of Delegates
Is it a coincidence that 55 year old David Jr. died in 1831? 70 year old William Albert died in 1832? 52 year old Thomas Taylor Sr died in 1833? 60 year old Benjamin Thomas died in 1838? 65 year old James Daniel died in 1840?
In such a frantic political environment and with so many Castlemans dying over the course of a few years may have been the reason David Frost migrated over one thousand miles south to Oak Grove Louisiana while brothers Charles and Lewis went to Kentucky. The opposite directions of movement illustrate a likely difference in opinion, one favoring the small farmers vs the large farmers and plantation owners. Between 1855 and 1860 David's brother Rev. Thomas T Castleman also moves to Louisiana with his family
At age 26 David was first married 15 April 1841 to 18 year old Mary Frances Freeman 1823-1854 in Louisiana. They had 4 children, 3 that survived to adulthood.
Louisa Frances Castleman, Female 1842–1900 (Marries Thomas Pulley at age 15, 13 Jan 1858)
Charles T. Castleman, Male 1844–1862 - CSA Private Killed and buried in Limestone Alabama
Margaret J. Castleman, Female 1846–
Hannah Elizabeth Castleman, Female 1849–1938
The year after Mary Frances died, in 1854 David marries 18 year old Eliza Ann Beard bringing 13 year old Louisa, 11 year old Charles and 6 year old Hannah to her care.
The children with Eliza Ann
William Henry Castleman, Male 1856–1906
Alice Jane Castleman, Female 1858–1859
George Herbert Castleman Sr, Male 1860–1941, My 1st Great Grandfather
Elizabeth Taylor Castleman, Female 1862–1863
Fannie Castleman, Female 1864–1915
Carrie Mildred Castleman, Female 1867–1965
Thomas Castleman, Male 1870–1934
Annie Newman Castleman, Female 1873–1900
Janie Castleman, Female 1876–1959
The Beard family are Planters and perhaps David is working with them as an overseer as that is the position reported on the 1850 census. On the 1860 census he is a "farmer" with $10,000 "property". An 1860 "slave schedule" shows David owns 7 slaves. No names are recorded just that there are a 30 year old male, a 30 year old female, a 14 year old female, a 10 year old female, males that are are 6 and 3 years old plus a 3 month old. Looking at the slave market at that time the adults would have been valued at about $200 each, the adolescents at about half that and the young children unable to work would have had value mostly to their parents. So Davids "property" surely included land, buildings, tools, animals and other resources beyond this one family.
In January 1867 we find a "Sharecrop" agreement between the "Luck Enough" plantation by LH Pulley, David and Abram Hamilton and family, to wit Preston Taylor, Abram Hamilton, Mildredge Hamilton, Cornelia Hamilton, Emily Taylor, Mandy Taylor and Catherine Randle.
LH Pulley and DF Castleman agree to furnish Land, Team and Tools and Food for Team. Also agree to give half of orchard. Abram Hamilton and the above named freedmen agrees to do all the labor...as would be reasonable to cultivate and cultivate well. Castleman or LH Pulley will direct the foreman all work necessary to carry on the farm is to be done by the above named freedmen. Abram Hamilton and the above named freedmen are to find them selves if the said Abram Hamilton and the above named freedmen are not able. Castleman and LH Pulley are to buy for the above named freedmen. The above named freedmen are to pay for it out of their portion of crop. They paying 12 1/2 percent for all advances paid. Abram and family drawing one half of the corn and cotton after the ..... for provisions are paid for. Corn is to be divided at the end. Cotton at the tin house in bales.
This sharecrop agreement reveals a cooperative interdependence and hardship that existed after the civil war. The newly free blacks had no land, no money, no tools, animals to pull plows or even shelter. The black man Abram is the "foreman" of 6 others that are considered a family with the last names of Hamilton and Taylor. The sentence stating they are to "find" them selves implies that some would not show up to work at times and the others would be responsible to find them to join in the work. The war weary economy caused shortages of everything, for everyone and they knew they had to bring in the crops to survive at all.
Just two years later on the 1870 census we find 54 year old David is still a farmer but now with only $600 "property". Reconstruction and post war liabilities seems to have reduced the Castleman family to near poverty.
On the 1880 census David is still a farmer and sons William, 24 and George, 20 are "Laborers". No property values are requested on the form.
In 1884 David dies. On the 1900 census sons William and George are still farmers that own houses and land. Eliza is found as a Head of household that owns house and farm, she dies in 1902.