Indiana McCaslins

In the 1850 US Federal Census for Mountain, Crawford, Arkansas, 46-year-old North Carolina-born farmer Alexander Nortin [sic] [transcribed as Nieters] and his 44-year-old North Carolina-born wife Betty [Elizabeth Dodd] Nordin have in their household their children, 16-year-old Letha, 13-year-old George, 6-year-old Barbara, 4-year-old Rebecka [sic] D, and 3-year-old James K P. Letha was born in Tennessee, but the rest of the children were born in Arkansas, showing that the family moved from Tennessee to Arkansas after 1834 but before 1837. Alexander owns no property of value. Alexander and Elizabeth are illiterate. None of the children have attended school in the past year.

Robert McCaslin and Letha Nordin were married before 1855 as that is the year their first child was born.

In the 1870 US Federal Census for Upper, Crawford, 26-year-old [sic, her age is wrong by 10 years, she is 36] Tennessee-born Lethena [sic] [Nordin] McCaslin is head of a household, which consists of her Arkansas-born children by Richard McCaslin, 15-year-old Spicy Ann named after her aunt, 14-year-old Alexander and 4-year-old [sic, she is probably 5] Fanny, and 60-year-old North Carolina-born Elisabeth Watson whose relationship to this family I do not know. Letha, Spicy Ann and Alexander cannot read or write. Letha is living near Robert's cousin George Washington McCaslin and his wife Frances [Ford] McCaslin as their census information is recorded below hers on the bottom of the page.

Jonathan Swinford married Letha Nordin McCaslin on 20 Dec 1877 in Crawford County, Arkansas.

In the 1880 US Federal Census for Upper, Crawford, Arkansas, 78-year-old South Carolina-born farmer Johnathan [sic] and his 46-year-old wife Lethey [sic] Ann [Nordin McCaslin] Swinford have in their household their 1-year-old Arkansas-born daughter, Mary E. Neither Jonathan nor Lethey can read or write. Jonathan's parents were born in South Carolina, Lethey's in Virginia and Mary's father was born in South Carolina and her mother in Tennessee. The Swinford's are living near Lethey's brother-in-law, Richard McCaslin and his family as their information is recorded on the same page.

In the 1900 US Federal Census for Upper, Crawford, Arkansas, 32-year-old Arkansas-born George W and his 21-year-old Arkansas-born wife Mary [Swinford] Bridges have been married six years. Mary has borne three children and all three are living with them. These Arkansas-born children are 3-year-old Edward, 2-year-old Lilly and 7-month old Adaline. Also in this household is Mary's Arkansas-born widowed mother, Leah [sic Letha] [Nordin McCaslin] Swinford, who has born three children and two are living [sic Letha has borne four children]. George is a farmer who owns his farm free of mortgage and has not had a month out of work in the past year. All the adults can speak English. George can read and write, Mary can read, but not write, and Letha is illiterate.

Ann Letha Nordin McCaslin Swinford applied for Civil War pension benefits in 1901 as the widow of Robert McCaslin. She did not mention her marriage to Jonathan Swinford, filing the papers as Ann Letha McCaslin. One of the witnesses to her claim was George Washington McCaslin, first cousin to Robert W McCaslin, whom Letha asked to identify her. George wrote to the Commissioner of Pensions: "Commissioner of Pensions - Washington D.C. Sir, I will give you a breaf [sic] history of Ann Letha McCaslins case. I am a first cousin to the diseast [sic] Robert McCaslin and know where of I say. Robert McCaslin was married to Ann Letha Norden about 1858 [sic] lived together until the Civil War come up. Deceast [sic] went into the army. Served his time out. and was discharged and never returned to his wife and said Ann Letha married again to one Mr Swinford. Swinford died and said Ann Letha married a again. The name I can not remember [she did not remarry] and said Robert McCaslin died in Missouri having another family. Neither party ever obtained any divorce. These are facts I thought it my duty to inform the office of this as said Ann Letha has called on me to identify her. Said Robert McCaslin was a good soldier. The Writer served in the same Company and regiment. Geo. W. McCaslin in F. L. T."

There is no evidence in the pension papers that Letha got the widow's pension she desired.