Indiana McCaslins

In the 1860 US Federal Census for Jordan, Jasper, Indiana, 34-year-old Almanda McCasland McCaslin, George Franklin McCaslin's widow, has married John W Brooks. They have a blended household of his children, 8-year-old Benjamin F, and 7-year-old Mary E Brooks, and her children, 8-year-old Cornelius and 7-year-old Mary E McCaslin.

In the 1870 US Federal Census for Jordan, Jasper, Indiana, 44-year-old Almanda [McCasland McCaslin] Brooks is head of household with $750 in real estate and $225 in personal property. In her household are her children by George F McCaslin, 19-year-old farmer Cornelius McCaslin (recorded as McCastin) who has $400 worth of personal property, 17- year old Mary E McCaslin (recorded as McCastin) who has $400 worth of personal property, and her childred by John W Brooks, 9-year-old John Wesly, 7-year-old Rachel A, and 2-year-old William D. John W Sr is missing and presumably died between 1868 and 1870. Almanda's farm is close to that of Stearns F Iliff and his wife, Eleanor Hutton Iliff. Eleanor is George F McCaslin's half sister and Almanda's first cousin.

John Brooks is recorded twice on the 1880 Census, first in Blue River, Johnson, Indiana, and second in Wabash, Tippecanoe, Indiana.

In the 1880 US Federal Census for Blue River, Johnson, Indiana, John W Brooks is an 18-year-old farm laborer bording with James K Barnett (a 67-year-old farmer) and his wife, 53-year-old Amelia Barnett. I speculate that Amelia is Almanda McCasland McCaslin Brooks Barnett (her first name is one that the census people have trouble with), but I have no evidence for this.

in the 1880 US Federal Census for Wabash, Tippecanoe, Indiana, 21-year-old Indiana-born farmer Joseph M Erwin and his 17-year-old Indiana-born wife Amanda [sic] [Brooks] Erwin have in their household Amanda's 18-year-old Indiana-born farm laborer brother John Brooks, and a 29-year old Ohio-born boarder Samuel Guinn who was sick the day the census was taken. The birthplace of Joseph's parents in unknown; Amanda and John's father's birthplace is unknown and their mother was born in Indiana; Samuel's parents were born in Pennsylvania.

In the 1900 US Federal Census for Bolivar, Benton, Indiana, 39-year-old, Indiana-born John Brooks and his 31-year-old, Ireland-born wife, Mary [O'Donnell] Brooks have been married five years. Mary has borne four children and three are living. These three Indiana-born children are 4-year-old Joseph, 3-year-old Ernest, and 6-month-old John A. Mary immigrated to the United States in 1893 and has been in this country for six years. John is a railroad section foreman. Both John and Mary are literate and speak English. The family is living in a rented house. The birthplace of John's father is unknown, but his mother was born in Virginia. Mary's parents were born in Ireland. The children's father was born in Indiana and their mother in Ireland.

In the 1910 US Federal Census for Fairfield, Lafayette Township, Tippecanoe, Indiana, 49-year-old, Indiana-born John [Wesley] Brooks and his 34-year-old [sic], Ireland-born wife, Mary [O'Donnell] Brooks have been married sixteen years. Mary has borne twelve children and six are living. These six Indiana-born children are 14-year-old Joseph, 10-year-old John, 8-year-old Edwin, 7-year-old Thresa [sic entered as a son], and 4-year-old twins, Vincent and Paul. The family is living at 418 Manford Street in a house that John W owns, but with a mortgage. Joseph, John, Theresa and Edwin have attended school in the past year. John W, Mary, Joseph and John are literate and speak English. John W is a railroad foreman. Joseph is an apprentice in a wire factory. Both were working on April 15th. John W's parents were born in Kentucky [sic]. Mary's parents were born in Ireland. The children's father was born in Indiana and their mother in Ireland.

John W Brooks, born 1861, died 1929 and was buried in St Marys Cemetery, Lafayette, Tippecanoe, Indiana (Find A Grave Memorial# 22667327).