Creole Casbons

In an earlier post I introduced a large clan of Casbons who presently live, or whose ancestors lived in Louisiana. They were living in Louisiana by the late 1700s, well before any of my English ancestors. In that post, I speculated about their origins and made the statement, “hopefully a member of that family is doing research or will be motivated to do so.”^[1]

Well, I’m happy to say that somebody has been doing research on that family. I was gathering data on the Louisiana Casbons in early February when I came across a book, titled Casborn Creoles of Lousiana: Legally Divided in Black and White, by Anisa Faciane Watts, MLIS, first published in 2017. A preview of the book was available on Google Books, and after reading the preview, I knew that I had to get a copy.^[2] After a little more searching, I learned that it could be purchased from Lulu.com, an online self-publishing website. The website can be accessed here.

I received my copy of the book a little over a week ago. Since then, I’ve corresponded with the author several times. Here’s the cover.

(Click on image to enlarge)

I’m really excited about this book and want to tell you more about it. Ms. Watts was born in Louisiana and now resides in Detroit. The book’s title is based on her mother’s maiden name, Casborn, and it traces the genealogy of that surname. Although, the spelling is slightly different, the surnames Casbon and Casborn have common origins in Louisiana, and should be considered as part of the same extended family. Both spellings of the name appear in the book.

Using a combination of traditional genealogical research and DNA test results, Ms. Watts has done some amazing work on her family’s origins. The fascinating result is that the Casbon/Casborn surname in Louisiana has origins from both Spain and France. Ms. Watts has traced one line of the family to Juan Casabon, born in Spain about 1690 (her eighth great grandfather).^[3] One of her third great grandmothers is descended from this line. On the other hand, a man named Jean or John Marie Cazaubon emigrated to Louisiana from France in the 1830s.^[4] He is a third great grandfather.

Descendants of these men married others with mixed ethnic and racial origins, including various European countries, North and West Africa, and Haiti (a mixture of African & French). This mixing of cultures and races encompasses the definition of Creole. The term doesn’t seem to have an exact meaning, but various definitions include being descendants of French or Spanish settlers, or born in the West Indies of African descent, whether they identify as white or black.^[5] This distinguishes the Creoles from the Cajuns, who have an unmixed ancestry from France or Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia).^[6] According to Ms. Watts, many of her ancestors (even before the American Civil War) were free men and women “of color.” None of her ancestors are known to have been slaves or former slaves.

The descendants of Juan Casabon and John Marie Cazaubon eventually settled in Plaquemines Parish, where they intermarried. I’ve never been to Plaquemines Parish, but it looks like a fascinating place, and I would love to visit someday.

Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana (outlined in red; Google Maps). (Click on image to enlarge)

You can see from the map that the northern border of the parish begins just below New Orleans, and the parish then extends south and east into the Gulf of Mexico, divided in two by the main channel of the Mississippi River. On the map it appears fragile and delicate. Flooding and hurricanes are a perennial threat.

The Casborn spelling seems to be more common in the male lineage of John Marie Cazaubon (French), while Casbon is predominant in the Juan Casabon (Spanish) line. Ms. Watts has done extensive research into both lines and written detailed listings of descendants in the book. Everyone with these surnames and roots in Louisiana would benefit from having this book.

What is of greater interest to me is the introductory material in the book, which takes up about 30 pages. This contains some fascinating background information on the history of Louisiana, important migrations, slave laws, racial history and politics, and definitions of important terms.

One particular discussion is of the “one drop rule,” the idea that a person with any ancestor of sub-Saharan African ancestry (i.e., “one drop” of black blood) was (and still is) considered black.^[7] In the American South, this idea became incorporated into laws that legalized racial discrimination (“Jim Crow laws”). However, the rule has also been applied by those who identify as black to define their own identity or that of their children.^[8]

A side effect of the one-drop rule was that it became advantageous for white or light-skinned people of mixed descent to “pass” as white people. Ms. Watts explains how some of the Louisiana Casbon/Casborns were able to pass as white. This is evident in various censuses over the years, where related families are classified as mulatto, black, Negro, or white. This phenomenon accounts for the second part of the book’s title, Legally Divided in Black and White.^[9]

As a member of the Guild of One-Name Studies, I’m interested in all instances of the Casbon surname, not just those of English origin. I have a much better understanding now of those Casbons who have Louisiana roots. All of our stories reveal a unique and rich heritage, that hopefully helps us to have a better appreciation for who and what we are today.

^[1] Jon Casbon, “The French Connection,” 9 February 2017, Our Casbon Journey (https://casbonjourney.wordpress.com/2017/02/09/the-french-connection/ : accessed 3 March 2018).
^[2] “Casborn Creoles of Louisiana: Legally Divided in Black and White”, online preview, Google Books (https://books.google.com/books/about/Casborn_Creoles_of_Louisiana_Legally_Div.html?id=MDpLDwAAQBAJ : accessed 3 February 2018).
^[3] Anisa Faciane Watts, MLIS, Casborn Creoles of Louisiana: Legally Divided in Black and White, 2d ed. (ZAP Publishing, 2018), p. 32.
^[4] Watts, Casborn Creoles of Louisiana, p. 81.
^[5] Watts, Casborn Creoles of Louisiana, p. 81. p.28.
^[6] Watts, Casborn Creoles of Louisiana, p. 81. p.29.
^[7] “One-drop rule,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-drop_rule : accessed 4 March 2018), rev. 3 Mar 18, 13:31.
^[8] Susan Donaldson James, “Halle Berry Cites ‘One-Drop’ Rule in Battle Over Whether Her Daughter Is Black or White,” 9 Feb 2011, ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/halle-berry-cites-drop-rule-daughter-black-white/story?id=12869789 : accessed 4 March 2018).
^[9] Watts, Casborn Creoles of Louisiana, p. 81. p.29.

The French Connection

Quiz:

1. In which U.S. State did the Casbons first settle and where did they come from?
2. What year is the earliest U.S. Census with the surname Casbon?
3. What is the first U.S. military conflict for which there are service records of a Casbon family member?

Answers:

1. The U.S. State with the earliest records of the Casbon name is Louisiana. Today Louisiana has the second highest number of individuals with the Casbon surname after Indiana.[1] A few of Jesse Casbon’s (1843—1934; son of Thomas Casbon, 1803—1888) descendants now live in Louisiana. Otherwise, the remainder of the Louisiana Casbons are not related to the “Indiana Casbons,” and their ancestors almost certainly did not originate in England.

Many of the given names for this family, especially in early records, are French in origin. It is possible that the family migrated to Louisiana from Acadia, which was the name given to portions of the Canadian maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island) by French settlers in the 1600s.[2] In 1755, the British began to expel the Acadians from their homeland in Canada, and they were dispersed to a variety of locations, including France, Great Britain, the Caribbean, and the American east coast.[3] Gradually, many of them resettled in Louisiana, which had originally been a French Colony, and in 1763 became a possession of Spain following the Seven Years’ War.[4] This became part of the United States in 1803 with the signing of the Louisiana Purchase.[5] In Louisiana, the term Acadian was shortened to Cajun, referring to the descendants of the original Acadians.[6]

It’s also possible that the Louisiana Casbons have Creole origins, which refers to those who were native-born in Louisiana. This originally referred to descendants of French settlers but also “came to be applied to African-descended slaves and Native Americans who were born in Louisiana.”[7]

The 1900 U.S. Census has a record for Francois Casbon, born 1825 in Louisiana.[8] His father’s birthplace is recorded as France, so it’s also possible that some or all of the first Louisiana Casbons migrated directly from France in the late 18th or early 19th century.

I don’t know which of these origins best describes the Casbons of Louisiana. Hopefully this knowledge has been passed down through the generations for the benefit of present-day family members.

Like those of us with English roots, it’s possible that the name has changed over time. There are records for similar French surnames, such as Cassabon, Casabonne and Casbonne.

2. The 1820 U.S. Census has an entry for “Bte [Baptiste] Casbon,” whose age was between 16 and 25 years.[9] This is the earlies census record I have found with the Casbon surname.

Detail from 1820 U.S. Census, St. Jacques Parish, Louisiana. The “1” in the first numbered column denotes a free white male under age 10; the “1” in the 4th numbered column denotes a free white male age 16-25; the “1 in the 9th numbered column denotes a free white female age 16-25. The 16th through 19th numbered columns show numbers of males slaves of different ages; columns 20 through 23 show numbers of female slaves; these are followed by numbers for free male and female “colored persons.”[10] (Click on image to enlarge)

There may be earlier census records with variant spellings of the name, but without more information, such as birth and marriage records, I can’t tell if they are related.

3. Corporal Bte [Baptiste] Casbon is recorded as a member of Colonel Landry’s 6th Louisiana Militia regiment in the War of 1812.[11]

Index card of Corporal Bte Casbon, War of 1812. (Click on image to enlarge)

Corporal Casbon is listed in the rosters of those who fought in the New Orleans Campaign, and he very likely participated in the Battle of New Orleans, January 1815, led by Major General Andrew Jackson.[12]

Is this the same Bte Casbon as the 1820 census? He might be, depending on his age. Since the census only gives his age as 16-25, he could have been anywhere from 8 to 17 years old in 1812, and 11 to 20 when the war ended in 1815. If he was at the older end of this range, it might be possible, though unlikely, that he achieved the rank of Corporal by the age of 20.

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This is only a brief introduction to the Louisiana Casbons. They have not been the focus of my research, but I wanted to mention them in the blog because they also have a story worth preserving. Hopefully a member of that family is doing research or will be motivated to do so.

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Update, posted March 5, 2018

For more information on the Lousiana Casbons, see my post, “Creole Casbons.”

[1] “Casbon Surname Meaning & Statistics,” United States, Forebears (http://forebears.io/surnames/casbon : accessed 8 February 2017).
[2] “History of the Acadians,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org : accessed 8 February 2017), rev. 31 Jan 17, 23:42.
[3] “From Acadian to Cajun,” Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Louisiana (n.d.), National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/jela/learn/historyculture/from-acadian-to-cajun.htm : accessed 8 February 2017).
[4] “History of Louisiana,” Wikipedia (accessed 8 February 2017), rev. 8 Feb 2017, 12:28.
[5] “Louisiana Purchase, 1803,” Office of The Historian (https://history.state.gov/milestones/1801-1829/louisiana-purchase : accessed 9 February 2017).
[6] “Tracing Your Family’s Roots,” Ensemble Encore: The Acadian Memorial Archive (http://www.acadianmemorial.org/ensemble_encore2/cajunroots.htm : accessed 8 February 2017).
[7] “Louisiana Creole people,” Wikipedia (accessed 8 February 2017), rev. 9 Feb 2017, 00:22.
[8] 1900 United States Census, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, Ward 3; p. 265 (stamped), side B, dwelling 328, family 321, Francois Casbon;database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 6 February 2017); citing NARA microfilm publication T623.
[9] “United States Census, 1820,” St Jacques Parish, Louisiana, p. 381 (stamped), line 6, Bte Casbon; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLP-VMX : accessed 9 February 2017); citing p. 384, NARA microfilm publication M33, roll 30; FHL microfilm 181,356.
[10] “1820 United States Census,” Wikipedia (accessed 9 February 2017), rev. 15 Jan 2017, 21:05.
[11] United States War of 1812 Index to Service Records, 1812-1815, Bte Casban; database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 7 February 2017); citing NARA microfilm publication M602, roll 36; FHL microfilm 882,554.
[12], Battle of New Orleans, War of 1812 American Muster and Troop Roster List (N.p.: n.p., n.d.), unpaginated, 41st page, PDF brochure, National Park Service, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (https://www.nps.gov/jela/learn/historyculture/upload/Battle-of-New-Orleans-Muster-Lists-final-copy-01062015.pdf : accessed 9 February 2017).