Among the rows of graves at the Scioto County Infirmary Farm Cemetery is Gravestone #24, and beneath it rests Andrew Kast, who at the time of his death was known as Andrew Cass. Records surrounding Andrew are sparse and research made difficult by the variety of name spellings, combinations, and missing information in known records.
1860 Census
According to the 1860 Federal Census, Andrew Kast was a 50-year-old farmer, born in Germany, who was doing well for himself and his 44-year-old wife, Barbery, and two step-children Elizabeth, 19, and John, 17. Barbery and her two children were both born in Switzerland.
At the time of the census Andrew’s property was estimated to be worth $200 or approximately $6300 when adjusted for 2021 inflation, and his personal estate was estimated to be worth $70 or approximately $2200 when adjusted for 2021 inflation. It is worth noting that some of Andrew’s notable neighbors were William Munn and John Benner.
It would be easy to assume, based on this single record, that all the genealogical i’s are dotted and t’s crossed, and that this was a homogenous immigrant family of single-origin, but the 1880 census shows otherwise.
1870 Federal Census
The 1870 Federal Census begin to introduce some new and possibly erroneous information. The family’s surname is now spelled as “Cost” instead of the 1860 spelling of “Kast.” This is an easy mistake to be made if you consider being a census taker trying to understand a heavy German or Swiss accent. Nonetheless, it is enough of a variation to include it as an alternative name in the research notes. We can also see that Barbery Kast’s name has become more anglicized by the change to “Barbara.” In addition to her name change, we also see that the country of nativity has been changed from Switzerland to the German region of Baden.
The newest piece of information that the census reveals is an additional person in the household: Barbara Freak. Barbara Freak appears was 6 years old at the time of this census so her birth year was about 1864. We can also see that both of her parents are of foreign birth whereas she was born in Ohio. It’s possible that Barbara was a visiting relative, but more than likely she was the daughter of Elizabeth and was Barbara Kast’s namesake.
This census also tolled literacy, and from the tick marks to the right of those tabulated we can see that 28-year-old John cannot read or write.
1880 Federal Census
The 1880 Federal Census changes everything we know about this family, not just the spelling of their surname which reverts back to “Kast.” We also see both Barbaras’ names revert back to Barbery. The country of nativity for Barbery reverts to “Switcherland” or Switzerland, and that a greater level of origin for Andrew is given by the inclusion of Württemberg as the territory from which he originates. The previous region of Baden wouldn’t be wrong, but for the purposes of research, more information is better than less oftentimes.
This census also begins to unravel the mystery of the family structure. We no longer see Elizabeth, who would be 38 at the time of the census, included in the household. It is possible that she married or died. However, 36-year-old John is still a member. Furthermore, we see that John is Andrew’s stepson. However, the census taker neglected to record Andrew’s surname or his biological father’s country of origin. We do see in John’s row a remark that he is disposed to “Fits.” This category was most commonly used to describe epilepsy, but could also include many nervous disorders. Often those affected were cared for by family, while they were living, and once the supportive family died, they would become a ward of the County Infirmary or the Gallipolis Epileptic Hospital. Cursory research has not uncovered John’s fate.
The youngster Barbara from the 1870 census is now 16 years of age, and we can see that the census taker included her father’s country of origin as Prussia. Her mother’s country of origin is left blank. At this point, given the duration that Barbara was in the care of her grandparents and the omitted information, that Elizabeth, mother of Barbara/Barbery is deceased. Additional research supports this supposition.
Taking an expanded view of the census page discloses a neighbor, Barbary Frick who is also 16 years of age, who was born in Ohio and whose father is also from Prussia. The father, Jacob Frick, was a 57-year-old farmer who originated from Prussia. The 1870 census taker may, again, misunderstood a strong Germanic accent and erroneously wrote Freak instead of Frick. With this in mind, it is not difficult to draw the conclusion that Elizabeth, daughter of Barbara and step-daughter to Andrew Kast, either married or simply gave birth to the child of Jacob Frick, to whom she gave her mother’s given name.
The Record of Inmates for the Scioto County Infirmary shoes that Andrew Cass, age 84, was admitted from Jefferson Township, Scioto County, Ohio, on October 31st, 1892.
The following page of the record shows that he died on August 22, 1895, at the age of 87. He was subsequently interred at Grave #24.
Before He Died
“Andrew Cass gave all his money to the Jefferson Township Church. Andrew Cass, of Jefferson township, died at the infirmary this morning, aged 87 years. It is said that Cass formerly had considerable money, but before coming to the infirmary he gave all his money but $75 to the church in Jefferson township, and the $75 was given to the late superintendent of the infirmary, Mr. Foster, to defray funeral expenses. His death was caused by infirmities of old age.”4
Difficult Conclusion
The how’s and why’s of this story are difficult to support without evidence but easy to imagine.
It is my theory that Andrew may have outlived the life or affection of his blended family. We suppose that he outlived his step-daughter, whose maiden name is not known to us. We can also suppose that he may have outlived his afflicted step-son, John, who may have died young or became a ward of an institution. Given Andrew’s advanced age and the age of his spouse, he may have outlived her as well. It is possible with the uncertainty of life, that he may have outlived his grandchild and her father.
It is also certainly possible that Andrew and Barbara, whose maiden name or first married name we do not know, separated. Or that John, whose surname we do not know, lived to be a hundred. We also do not yet know if young Barbara married young and lived a full and happy life. Many of these questions could have been answered by the 1890 Federal Census, but it was largely destroyed and with it the answers to millions of questions.
Any of the above outcomes or combination of outcomes could be correct. What is known, however, is that Andrew Kast, sensing his demise charitably gave of his wealth, was admitted to the Scioto County Infirmary, and paid his way for pauper’s grave #24.
- https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GBSC-VYN?cc=1473181&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMCL4-SVC
- https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-XCMX-FQ?i=13&cc=1438024&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AM6LG-RPK
- https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBX-97PH?i=9&cc=1417683&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AM8SG-9CD
- Before He Died. (1895, August 22). Portsmouth Daily Times, p. 4.
