Family History by Robert Monroe Fleming (Sr.)
Cayce Family Lineage
(Part 2)
Transcribed by Robert M. Fleming Jr.
Hon. A P CcCormick,
My Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your interesting favor of 19th inst., enclosing letter from Aunt Nancy Parks. I am glad to know you. And indulge the hope that our acquaintance may be more than epistolary in the future. I have never met any of Uncle Thomas'descendents, and know but few of our relatives. Except ones immediate, residing not far away. I regret to say that I am not well versed in our family history. Having been culpably careless in that regard. A carelessness for which I have frequently blamed myself. This ignorance on my part is not because of a lack of interest in desiring to know,. But because of a neglect to avail myself of an opportunity of knowing. My Father possessed quite a fund of knowledge of our ancestry accurate in detail. And often when a boy I heard him speak of that. But the importance of impressing the facts upon my mind did not appear to me then. Hence, I cannot now recall much of his statements about them. I remember that my great grandfather was a Virginian; a soldier in the Revolutionary War. I rather think a captain. He had a brother who was also in the army at same time. He was a survivor of some forlorn party in the assault upon some fort. Congress granted such survivors each a special land warrant. He also had a land warrant issued to him for his general service in the army. Being in good circumstances he paid no special attention to the warrants. Several years after the close of the Revolutionary War a comrade of his was going West to locate. Provided he found desirable land. His comrade went to Kentucky, then just beginning to be settled up. But never returned. And a few years afterwards information was received that the comrade had started to return to Virginia, but had been killed by the Indians. Nothing was known of the disposition of the land warrants at that time. Several years afterward Grandfather moved to Tenn. in Williamson County. I think upon what was known as the Military Road. One day an old man very sick and destitute came by his house and Grandfater took care of him. When he began to convalesce and learned Grandfather's name he told him that he was well acquainted with the comrade who had located the land warrants. Was with him when they were located. And together they had started to return to Virginia. When they were attacked by the Indians. The comrade was killed and he was wounded. But finally made his escape. The records of the location were destroyed by the Indians in the same uprising. And that the city of Frankfort (or Lexington) had been located upon the same ground upon which the land warrants had been placed. Grandfather concluded to take steps in the matter to establish the location. But before anything could be done the old man, who was the only witness, died. And the contemplated suit was abandoned. This all the traditionary circumstances I now recall.
My information is that Aunt Elizabeth Little moved to Missouri (instead of Kentucky as Aunt Nancy remembers it). And as corroborative of the place of her residence in April 1863 my company captured a section of the 1st Missouri (Federal) Artillery. One of the artillerists (a sargeant) hearing my name introduced himself to me as Neal Little. Inquired if my Father was from Middle Tenn.And on receiving an affirmative response said, "We are cousins. My Mother's name was Elizabeth Cayce. I have often heard her speak of her brother Dock". He seemed to be an intelligent, gentlemanly young man. Some what older than I was. He said he was named for his Father. A few days afterward he was sent off with the other prisoners. I never heard of him afterward. Upon my telling my Father of the circumstances he told me theyoung man was my cousin. Up to that time I was not aware I had an Aunt Elizabeth.
My Father moved from Lawrence County, Tenn. to Fulton, Miss. in 1839-40 and resided here until about 1855. When he moved to East Port, Miss. In 1856 he moved to Iuka, Miss. and continued to reside there until about 1872. When he went to Texas. After his return from Texas he remained at this place, (Fulton, Miss.) until his death, Sept.25th, 1884. My oldest brother James Madison Cayce married Miss Elizabeth Bates, in Itawamba County, Miss. in 1860. He entered our (Confederate) army in 1862. He was a member of the 2nd Regt. Miss. Volunteers. He was captured at Gettysburg. He was exchanged and was surrendered at Appomatox. He is now living at Hammond, Texas. My sister, Mary Ann Cayce married in 1837 Mr D W Owen, a brilliant, noble man, a lawyer. He was killed leading a company of his regiment, 10th Miss. Volunteers, Dec. 31, 1862. in the battle of Murfreesborough, Tenn. They had two children: Prentiss, a son, who died in 1862, and Nora Belle, a daughter, who married F J Johnson, an attorney. And is now living in Llano, Texas. Her Mother died Dec. 6, 1868. My sister, Isabella Jane Cayce married about -- 1869, Mr R L Young, then living in New Orleans. They afterwards moved to Texas. She died there about 1874. My brother, George Burgess Cayce, entered the army in the latter part of the war. Joining the 12th Miss. Cav. Shortly after the close of the war he went to Texas, married there, and is now living at Burnet, Texas. I entered the army in April, 1861 and remained there in until the close of the war. On Dec.24, 1868, I married Miss Fannie Graham. Who, under the goodness of God, still blesses and brightens my heart and home. Providence has blessed our union with nine children. Four of them are still with me. And five are "waiting for me". The following are their names and ages: Lizzie Lee Cayce born June 11, 1871; Mabel Graham Cayce born Oct. 22, 1878; Gertrude Kendall Cayce born Oct. 7, 1882; Lillian Sale Cayce born Oct. 6, 1885. The above are living. Malcolm Graham Cayce born Jan. 14, 1870; Mollie Amanda Cayce born Dec. 25, 1873; Fannie Matilda Cayce born Dec. 11, 1875; Norah Belle Cayce born Feb. 14, 1881; Newman Cayce born Aug. 3, 1890, Died Oct 3, 1891.
I began practice of law in 1873. And as now on the bench of this judicial district. And have been since March 1893. We have some relatives living near Columbus, Kentucky. I think descendents of Fleming Cayce. I have met but three of them, Hardy, John, George Cayce. Some of Uncle William's family are living at Franklin, Tenn. Or were when I last heard from them. They were named John and Eldred Cayce. One of their sisters married near Franklin.
I have thus hurriedly given you such brief statement of family matters as now recur to me. Uncle Joel A Cayce died several years since near Iuka, Miss. his widow is living in Arkansas. I will be glad to meet you and your wife. Please present my regards to her. Should you ever pass near us, and can do so, I hope you will call to see us. I will be glad to hear from you at any time and to co-operate in obtaining information of our ancestry.
With best wishes and love to your family, I am sincerely yours, Newman Cayce.
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©2009 Robert M. Fleming Jr.
This page was last revised on 7 November 2009.