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Michael Casey From a History of Tama County, Iowa 1878. Samuel D. Chapman. [Toledo:] Toledo Times Office, 1879. Another prominent settler of 1857 was Michael Casey, who came here from Vermont, and settled on section 29, where he lived seven years and then moved to section 13, where he now resides. He is one of the largest land owners in the county. Michael was born in county Clare, Ireland, in 1819. His early life was spent in tilling the soil of his native country. In 1840 he was married to Miss Margaret Buckley, who bore him two children- James and Mary. In 1845 they emigrated to America. After remaining in Quebec (their landing place) three weeks, they crossed over to the States and settled in Boston, Massachusetts, where, a few months later, his wife died. During 1849 he removed to Vermont, where he was employed on the Burlington & Rutland railroad. While there, Mr. Casey was married, in 1850, to Miss Loraine Madison, of Windsor county, that State. Four children have been born to them- George (who was born in Vermont), Oscar, Henry and Alma, born in Iowa. In 1851, Mr. Casey went south, where he spent five years and five months and then returned to Vermont. In 1857 he came to Tama county, Iowa and settled on section 29, Geneseo township, where he had purchased 80 acres of land. He lived there until 1864, when he sold the farm, removed to section 13, where he bought land and erected the frame house in which he now lives.At the present time he has a large barn and other buildings for stock and grain on his farm, and is now making preparations to erect a new residence during the summer of 1883. Formerly Mr. Casey devoted his many acres to the cultivation of grain, extensively, raising 7,000 bushels per year, but of late years he has turned his attention to stock raising. His farm now consists of nearly 1300 acres. His eldest daughter, Mary, died in Black Hawk county, Iowa, April 23, 1882, leaving a husband and eight children to mourn her death. Submitted by Cathy Joynt Labath |