Phineas McCray Casady (December 3, 1818 – September 2, 1908) was an American pioneer, judge, lawyer, and state senator in Iowa.[1] Casady was one of the earliest white settlers of Pottawattamie County and a member of the influential Casady family who had a strong impact on the early history and legislation of Iowa.[2]
Phineas McCray Casady | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Iowa Senate from the 5th district | |
| In office December 4, 1848 – December 5, 1852 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Baker |
| Succeeded by | Archibald McKinney |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 3, 1818 Connersville, Fayette County, Ohio, US |
| Died | February 9, 1908 (aged 89) Des Moines, Iowa, US |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Wilhelmina Augusta Grimmel |
| Children | 5, including Simon |
| Relatives | Jefferson P. Casady (brother), Samuel H. Casady (brother) |
| Profession | Politician, lawyer, judge |
Early life
editBorn in Connersville, Indiana, Casady migrated to Iowa in 1847. He first traveled to Des Moines, then on to Indigenous Dakota land on the Western frontier. His brother Jefferson P. Casady also served as a judge, lawyer, and state senator. His son Simon was a prominent Des Moines banker.[3] His brother Samuel H. Casady was a politician who served in the Iowa House of Representatives and fought as a Sergeant during the Sioux Wars as part of the Sioux City Cavalry.[4]
Death
editCasady died on September 2, 1908. He is interred in the Casady family mausoleum at Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa.[5] Woodlawn Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Des Moines. The first burial in the cemetery was in 1850 of Casady's one year old son Thomas Casady.[6]
Legacy
editCasady was the first member and longtime Vice President of the Scotch-Irish Society of America and was responsible for the Society's sixth convention being held in Des Moines in 1894. In their proceedings, the Society praised Casady as "one of the pioneers of Iowa, going there in the days of the Indian and the buffalo" and who found "little difficulty inspiring others with his racial pride and enthusiasm."[7]
The Casady School in Oklahoma City is named in honor of Phineas. The school was founded by his grandson Thomas Casady, an Episcopal bishop.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Phineas M. Casady". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ Biographical history of Pottawattamie County, Iowa : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies, history of Iowa, with biographies of the governors, and engravings of prominent citizens of Pottawattamie County. Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing Company. 1997. pp. 431, 439.
- ^ "Simon Casady". State Historical Society of Iowa. Archived from the original on December 1, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "Munson: Lincoln assassination expert scours Iowa for clues". Des Moines Register. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ "Cemetery stories". Iowa Living Magazines. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
- ^ "The Scotch-Irish in America" (PDF). Illinois Library. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
- ^ "Bicentennial Reflections -- The History of the Des Moines Public Schools 1846-1976" (PDF). Des Moines Public Schools. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
External links
edit
- "Phineas M. Casady". Find a Grave. Retrieved May 5, 2021.