A Tribute to Lillian Eichhorn Casell

The only known photo of my great-grandmother, Lillian L. Eichhorn

The Chronology of her life is available here

The first record of Lillian L. Eichhorn's life is a birth certificate in Buffalo, NY for F. Eichhorn.  No first name name, just an "F" for female, indicating that a new child had come into the world on 22 December 1908, an early Christmas present.  Lillian was the fifth child and fifth daughter born to William Fred Eichhorn and Augusta Tross.  If the weather was anything like it is today, 22 December was cold and snowy, but in the excitement of a new baby, I imagine no one minded.

Six years later, the Eichhorn's would welcome their sixth and final child, a boy, William Tross Eichhorn into the family.  Life must have been fun for this young family.  William worked for the railroad, while Augusta took care of the home which they were able to buy while Lillian was still young.  There were aunts, uncles, cousins and grandmothers around to be with.

While in high school Lillian would meet Alfred Marco Casell, three years her senior and son of Italian immigrants.  It is hard to say what her German parents thought of him, but they married when she was just 16.  Like her father, Alfred too worked for the railroad and with the money he made they rented a house on Sherman Street in Buffalo.

Between 1928 and 1935 they had four children, first a girl, followed by three boys.  I always imagine the promise that life had for them.  Then, at 2:45 pm, 19 December 1938, just three days before her 30th birthday, Lillian died of lobar pneumonia at their home on Division Street.  Suddenly, everything changed for Lillian's young family.  Lillian was buried on her 30th birthday in Acadia Park Cemetery, North Tonawanda, NY.  Her young widow could not afford a plot, so her brother-in-law let them have a space in the grave site he had purchased.

Life was not easy for the family she left.  Her mother, Augusta, was so overcome with grief, she died of a broken heart a mere 13 days later, on New Year's day 1939.  Alfred, unable to take care of four young children and work, put them into an orphanage in October of 1939, where they stayed for nearly 8 years.
Alfred died in 1981, never remarrying.  His eldest son, Robert and his wife had purchased four plots in Acadia Cemetery some years earlier, and placed Alfred in one of them.  Until that time, when a cemetery worker happened to mention it, neither Robert, nor any of his siblings knew that that was also where their mother had been buried.  In fact, standing on Alfred's grave, one can see to where Lillian is buried and it is just a short walk.  Using part of their inheritance, the four siblings placed a marker on their mother's grave site, marking her place and short life for those visit there.

Written for the Carnival of Genealogy: A Tribute to Women

Timeline: Lillian Eichhorn Casell

The chronology of my great-grandmother Lillian Eichhorn Casell's life:

22 Dec 1908: Lillian is born in Buffalo, Erie, NY to William Eichhorn and Augusta Tross
10 Apr 1914: Lillian's brother William Tross Eichhorn in Buffalo, NY
18 Feb 1921: Lillian's grandmother Maria Strassheim Tross dies in Buffalo, NY
11 Jul 1925: Lillian marries Alfred Marco Casell in Buffalo, NY
1928 - 1935: Lillian and Alfred have 4 children, 1 girl and 3 boys, in Buffalo, NY (2 are still living, hence no names and dates)
9 Mar 1931: Lillian's father William Eichhorn dies in Buffalo, NY
2 Oct 1934: Alfred's mother Caroline Izzo dies in Buffalo, NY
9 Aug 1936: Lillian's grandmother Katherine Weiss Eichhorn Gorndt dies in Buffalo, NY
26 Nov 1937: Alfred's father Marcantonio Casillo dies in Colden, Erie, NY
19 Dec 1938: Lillian dies of Lobar Pneumonia in Buffalo, NY
22 Dec 1938: Lillian is buried at Acacia Park Cemetery, North Tonawanda, Niagara, NY

Surname Saturday: Casillo/Casell

Each Saturday this year I am posting one of my surnames, going in alphabetical order.  This weeks surname is Casillo, which was changed to Casell after immigration to the US to fit in better on the railroad where my gg grandfather worked.

According to Gens, Casillo is most common in the Campania region of Italy, which is where my family came from.

Looking at Italy in Full Detail, Casillo is most popular in the Napoli province today, although 17.15 people with the surname still live in Roccaromana, Caserta, Italy, where my ancestors came from.

I currently have 2 microfilms on order for Roccaromana, which should be arriving any day now.  I am hopeful these will expand upon this line.


Descendants of Guiseppe Casillo
-------------------------------
1-Guiseppe Casillo d. Bef 1868
 +Unknown
|--2-Pietro Casillo b. Abt 1835
    +Angela Rosa Palmiero b. Abt 1845
   |--3-Marcantonio Maria Casillo (Marco Antonio Casell) b. 11 Jan 1868, Roccaromana, Caserta,
   |    Campania, Italy, d. 26 Nov 1937, Colden, Erie, New York, USA
       +Caroline Izzo b. 3 May 1876, , , , Italy, d. 2 Oct 1934, Buffalo, Erie,
        New York, USA
      |--4-Amelia Angela Maria Casillo b. 14 Jun 1903, Buffalo, Erie, New York,
      |    USA
      |--4-Alfredo Marco Casillo (Alfred Marco Casell) b. 28 Jun 1906, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA,
      |    d. 25 Jan 1981, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
      |--4-Angela Casillo b. 28 Jun 1906, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA
      |--4-Lucia Marian Casillo b. Dec 1910, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA, d.
      |    1993, , , California, USA
      |--4-Clara Casillo b. Abt 1914, Buffalo, Erie, New York, USA

Advent Calender - Opening Day 3

The GeneaBlogger Advent Calender prompt #3: December 3 - Christmas Tree Ornaments
Did your family have heirloom or cherished ornaments? Did you ever string popcorn and cranberries? Did your family or ancestors make Christmas ornaments?

My mother has a multitude of ornaments her grandmother and other female relatives made over the years. Each year we would hang a few of these on the tree along with all of our Hallmark ornaments from more recent years. The ornaments I love the most are those with a story attached and my mom does an excellent job at picking them out for us year after year. My favorite from last year was the "First Christmas Together 2008" she got for Aaron and I and our first apartment together.

We also tell the story each year of when my grandmother bought each family a pickle ornament and my cousin Jake picked one up and it just crushed in his hand. He had the most crestfallen look ever, but after making sure he was okay, we all just laughed and laughed. Glass ornaments around a bunch of active kids did not work out too well. But they received another of the ornaments at a later date and it became family legend.

Wordless Wednesday - Lillian Eichhorn Casell

The only picture I have of my great-grandmother Lillian L. Eichhorn Casell

In Memory

Today would have been the 79th birthday of my grandfather, Robert Alfred Casell. This picture was taken approximately March 1983. I am on the left, just over a year old, and my cousin Erin is a newborn. Unfortunately, he died 29 May 1983, seven months before my sister, his 3rd grandchild, was born.

Growing up I would go through his scrapbook over and over and claimed it as my own at an early age (eventually, at least and before my Uncle's ever asked for it...). It has pictures of him, his parents and siblings, his wedding, my grandmother, his children, Erin and I, and the family tree he put together, as well as other ephemera. Upon his death my grandmother added items about his death, such as cards, flower decorations, etc. It is beyond a doubt what got me interested in genealogy, long before I knew what genealogy was. The start he provided from information he got from living relatives has been invaluable to the start of my search.

Happy birthday Grandpa! You're loved and missed.

Family Lines: Maternal Branches

Thank you to Becky for this wonderful idea!

I mostly research my mother's family, as my father has an aunt and uncle who have traced a lot of his line. Here is where I am at currently. As you can see, I am currently trying to find many of my immigrant ancestors' parents. I am hopeful that next week when I go to Buffalo, I will find obituaries that assist in this. Please leave a message if you would like further information:-)

THE LINEAGE OF MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER (Mom's Father)

Casillo/Casell

Alfredo Marco Casillo (Alfred Marco Casell) [1906-1981] and Lillian L. Eichhorn [1908-1938] ~ Buffalo, Erie, New York

Marcantonio Casillo (Marco Antonio Casell) [1868-1937] and Carolina Izzo [1876-1934] ~ Italy > Buffalo, Erie, New York

John or Peter Casillo [Unknown] and Angelina Unknown [Unknown] ~ Italy

Both Alfred and Marco legally changed their name to Casell. I am not entirely sure who Marco's parents are, these are the names I have found so far. According to my grandfather's family tree, Marco was from RocRoma, Caserta, Italy. No one in my family has been able to find this place, however, familysearch.org has many Casillo's listed under Roccaromana, Caserta, Italy, so this is a possible search option.

Eichhorn/Eichorn

Lillian L. Eichhorn [1908-1938] and Alfred Marco Casell [1906-1981] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

William Fred Eichhorn [1874-1931] and Augusta M. Tross [1877-1939] ~ Ontario > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Charles Herman Eichhorn [1848 - ~1905] and Katharine Weiss/Wise [1869 - ~1905] ~ Germany > Chippewa, Welland, Ontario > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Nicholas Eckorn/Eickhan/Thorn [~1799-1878] and Dorothea Unknown [Unknown] ~ Germany > Ontario

Nicholas and Dorothea are still under investigation, but evidence keeps accumulating.

Izzo

Carolina Izzo [1876-1934] and Marco Antonio Casell [1868-1937] ~ Italy > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Peter Izzo [Unknown] and Catherine Donufrio(sp?) [Unknown] ~ Italy > NY

Tross

Augusta Tross [1877-1939] and William Fred Eichhorn [1874-1931] ~ Germany > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Wenzel/Wesley Tross [Unknown] and Marie/Mary Crosshein(sp?) [~1843-~1913]~ Germany > Buffalo, Erie, NY

THE LINEAGE OF MY MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER (Mom's Mother)

Bond

Emma Bond [~1812-1877] and Charles Whitehead [~1811-1887] ~ Knockholdt, Kent, England > Halstead, Kent, England

Richard Bond [Unknown - Bef. 1841] and Mary Unknown [~1798-1862]

Fink/Finck

Elizabeth L. Fink [1867-1957] and Jacob J. Gress [1869-1932] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

Gottlieb Fink [1838-1910] and Barbara Fleeman [1846-1929] ~ Württemberg, Germany > Buffalo, Erie, NY

John Finck [Unknown] and Barbara Killster [Unknown] ~ Württemberg, Germany

Fleeman

Barbara Fleeman [1846-1929] and Gottlieb Fink [1838-1910] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

Adam Fleeman [~1820-1889] and Barbara Gris [~1824-1870] ~ Hesse, Germany > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Gress/Gresz

Vera Louise Julie Gress [1900-1976] and William Herbert Whitehead [1896-1965] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

Jacob J. Gress [1869-1932] and Elizabeth L. Fink [1867-1957] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

Joseph Gresz [~1841-1899] and Sophia Persales/Possehl [1846-1929] ~ Germany > Eden, Erie, NY > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Joseph Gresz [~1806-~1865] and Catherine Unknown [~1810-~1875] ~ Germany > Eden, Erie, NY

Hayman

Mary Ann Hayman [1845-1877] and Charles Whitehead [1840-1902] ~ Halstead, Kent, England > Ontario

Thomas Hayman [~1799-1867] and Susan Whitehead [~1802-1867] ~ Halstead, Kent, England

Whitehead

William Herbert Whitehead [1896-1965] and Vera Louise Julie Gress [1900-1976] ~ Buffalo, Erie, NY

Charles William Whitehead [1872-1927] and Anna May Sanderson [1871-1928] ~ Ontario > Buffalo, Erie, NY

Charles Whitehead [1840-1902] and Mary Ann Hayman [1845-1877] ~ Halstead, Kent, England > Ontario

Charles Whitehead [~1811-1887] and Emma Bond [~1812-1877] ~ Halstead, Kent, England

Probate File - Carolina Casillo

Carolina (Izzo) Casillo died 2 Oct 1934 in Buffalo, NY.  She left part of her estate to her children Amalia Berni, Alfred M. Casell, Angeline Frascelli, Lucy Murphy and Clara Catalano.  The majority was left to her husband Marco A.

Her estimated personal worth was $ 1400.

Wordless Wednesday - Marcantonio Casillo (Casell)

Marcantonio Casillo (Marco Antonio Casell) - 1868- 1937

My great-great-grandfather

Tombstone Tuesday - Caroline Izzo Casell

Caroline (Izzo) Casell, located in Buffalo Cemetery, Cheektowaga, NY.  Her husband, Marco, is located next to her.  He does not have a stone.

Tombstone Tuesday - Lillian Eichhorn Casell

This is my the tombstone of great-grandmother Lillian L. Eichhorn Casell, located in Acacia Park and Resthaven Cemetery, North Tonawanda, Niagara, New York.  She was born the 22 Dec 1908, died 19 Dec 1938 and was buried on what would have been her 30th birthday.