Melissa Goings case. She was defended by Abraham Lincoln in the Metamora courthouse in 1849; during a recess the bailiff allowed her a conference with her lawyer and that was the last ever seen of her in Illinois. Cassell accused Lincoln of "running her off." Lincoln said he didn't; that she asked for a drink of water, and Lincoln told her there was "mighty good water in Tennessee" according to the story of Cassell. (See: Ernest East, Illinois State History Social Journal for Spring, 1953 for this trial.)
Admitted to the bar in 1851, Cassell associated with Lincoln, David Davis, A. Gridley, Edward Baker, Stephen A. Douglas, Richard Yates, Sr., John A. Logan and a host of other famous men of that day, forming a law partnership with Robert G. Ingersoll after coming to El Paso about 1867. C. H. Chitty, county surveyor, who staked out El Paso in the spring of 1854, was his friend. Later law partners included his sons, Joseph and Martin, and Henry Grove and E. C. Ingersoll, both noted lawyers of Peoria who were overshadowed by the more famous Robert G. Ingersoll.
By associations and experiences, he is the most interesting pioneer lawyer of Woodford County. In his late days he went to Chicago where his daughter, Mrs. E. C. George cared for him and where he died, April 20, 1890. His body was shipped back to his old home at El Paso. The Rev. George Bell and pioneer Benjamin J. Radford officiated in the Methodist Church, after which the old settler was laid to rest in the Evergreen Cemetery.
CAUSEY, J. S. – A dry goods merchant in Secor at an early unknown date, who came to Illinois from Kentucky in 1835 and to Secor after it was founded.
CAVAN, Judge A. M. and Anna Rule – Judge A. M. Cavan was born in Pennsylvania May 13, 1838 and lived in Madison, Indiana from 1845 to 1851 when he moved to Springfield, Illinois. From 1853-1860 he lived in Canton, and then entered Lombard College, studying law. He moved into El Paso in the post-war days, studying in the offices of Harper, Cassell and Ingersoll, an important law firm of that era. Admitted to the bar in 1867, Cavan was elected to the legislature for one term in 1870, and was city attorney of El Paso for a number of years. He was appointed postmaster in 1887. He was elected County Judge in 1890 and served eight years. Judge Cavan was a prominent Democratic politician. There were six children.
CAWLEY, Bryant – Came from Bedford County, Virginia to Woodford County in 1855, and settled in Greene Twp. He owned the E 1/2 of the SW 1/4 in Section 29. He was the brother of John Cawley.
CAWLEY, John – Brother of Bryant Cawley. He came into Greene Twp. from Roanoke, Virginia in 1854, and settled on the prairie on the south 1/2 of Section 9.
CHAPMAN, E. R. – Came from New York City to Illinois in 1835 and to El Paso in the late 1850's when he operated an early mill.
CHAPMAN, J. P. – Came from another place in Illinois in 1836 to Woodford County. He settled then or later near the Mackinaw, on a timber patch in the east 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 35, Palestine Twp.
CHILDS, Edwin A. and Mary A. Mann (1847-1899) – Edwin was born in Indiana, May 6, 1840. He came to the El Paso area in 1856. He began farming in El Paso Twp. in 1856. Edwin was a member of El Paso's famous Company A., 86th Voluntary Infantry, and was taken prisoner in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain. He fought at Perryville, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, before his capture. He was confined at Andersonville and two other prisons. He was a member of GAR Post 531, and for five years President of the El Paso Fair, and in 1900 was Supervisor of El Paso Twp. He died June 25, 1912 and is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery.
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