Descendants of James P. Lasley

Second Generation

2. James Preston LASLEY1. Born ca 1834. James Preston died in Victoria, Victoria Co., TX, on 9 Nov 1865; he was 31. Buried in Alexandria Nat. Cemetery, Pineville, LA.2,3
The Thomas Lassley listed as James P. Lasley’s father is only possibly correct. More research is needed.

James Preston Lasley

A Short Biography
by Greg W. Lasley

Lasley family oral history prepared in 1939 gives the following information: James Preston Lasley was born in 1834 in France. He moved to settlement in or near Uniontown, Kentucky with his father Thomas A. Lasley and family. He married Sarah Jane Austin in 1854 and had six children. He died as soldier in the Civil War in Austin, Texas in 1864. Children’s names included Mamie Lou, Flora Bell, James D., William, Jessie Lee and Jennie Lee; the last two names are reported to have died as infants.

Keep in mind that this history was apparently told to Aunt Sara (Sarah Blanche Lasley Swafford) in 1939 by James Dennis Lasley, who had been told the information by his mother, Sarah, certainly 50 or so years before he told it to Aunt Sara. Some of this overall history is in error, but we are proving that a good bit of it is remarkably accurate.

Facts known after investigations October 2000 through January 2004: Marriage Record Book, C-3, p. 518, Posey Co., IN shows that James P. Lastly married Sarah Austin on May 29, 1855. The index of the book shows J. Lustly, but the “u” in Lustly is a typo and should read “a”. The handwritten name in the marriage record is Lastly, but the person preparing the index typed it wrong. The 1860 census in Point Township, Posey Co., IN shows Preston Lassly 26 (indicating born in Indiana), living with wife Sarah Lassly 19 (born in Indiana), and daughter Sarah F., one year old. James Preston Lasley often used only “Preston” as a first name in some early documents. Also in the same household are Margaret Hazelwood 33 and Sarah L. (I think the initial is an "L" but not certain) Hazelwood 15; unknown what relationship these folks may be to Preston or Sarah. The age of 26 for Preston Lassly in 1860 would tend to support the birth year of 1834 for James Preston Lasley in the oral history. Sarah Austin has been confirmed from the oral history; also see more information about Sarah in her short biography. Posey Co., IN deed book 1, p. 713 indicates that on November 28, 1864, James P. Lasley bought 40 acres of land from Wm. C. & Mary E. Baker of Posey Co. for $400. This land is further identified as SE quarter of NE quarter of section 22, T8S R14 W in Posey Co. Jack Elliott, Jr. and I personally went to that land in January, 2001 and stood on it and took several photographs.

Although there is not a Civil War era soldier with the exact name of James Preston Lasley, there is a James P. Leslie who enlisted in the reorganized 30th Indiana Infantry Regiment in November, 1864 at Evansville, IN, and who died in Victoria, Texas in November, 1865. I received the service records of this soldier in May, 2001, and it is the correct man and is our ancestor. James P. Lasley who resided in Posey Co., IN (name written as Laslie and Leslie in the military records) enlisted on 3 November 1864 for a one year period as a replacement for William C. Baker, also of Posey Co., IN (note the name of who JPL purchased the 40 acres from above). During the Civil War, if a person was drafted, he could pay another person to enlist in his place. This other person was called a “substitute”. James P. Lasley was a substitute for Wm. C. Baker. I suspect that Baker gave Lasley the 40 acres in Posey Co. as payment for enlisting as his replacement. JPL was enlisted in Company A of the 30th Indiana Infantry. The 30th Indiana Regiment was sent to Texas on occupation duty after the close of the war, and James P. Lasley (Leslie) died from disease in Victoria, Texas on 9 November 1865. Throughout the military papers JPL signed his name with an “X” since he was illiterate. He is described as having a dark complexion, being 5 feet 8 inches tall and having gray eyes and black hair. There are discrepancies in his age, however. In the 1860 census he is listed as 26, but when he enlisted in the military in 1864 he is listed as 24 years of age. Also, the 1860 census shows him born in Indiana, however his military records show him born in Kentucky. Still, I am certain this is the same person despite these discrepancies. In September, 2001, I located “Rolls of Honor” or also known as the Alphabetical Index to Places of Interment of Deceased Union Soldiers, a publication of the Quartermaster General’s Office in 1868. In this document I located a list of 26 soldiers (including James P. Leslie) who had been buried “near railroad depot, Victoria, Texas”. I later learned that the federal army had removed the remains of these soldiers sometime in the late 1860s. James P. Leslie’s final resting place is grave site 890B in Alexandria National Cemetery, Pineville, Louisiana. The cemetery advised he has a marker at that location. In September 2002, I went to the Alexandria National Cemetery, located his grave, and took several photos. Sarah “Lesley” later filed a pension claim with the U.S. Government for James P. Lesley, the father of her three children including James Dennis Lasley. Again, refer to the bio on Sarah for more details.

Sarah later used the named Sarah Lastley and Sarah Lesley before remarrying in 1868. The land James P. Lasley purchased in 1864 was later sold by James D. Lasley and Sarah (who are listed as heirs of Jas. P. Lasley, deceased), but refer to accounts for those persons for details. Note that Uniontown, KY is directly across the Ohio River from the James P. Lasley land, only about 3 miles away. It is 13-14 miles to the nearest Indiana town, Mount Vernon ("Point Township" is simply a designation for the southwestern tip of Posey Co., and not really a town). This could easily explain the 1939 oral history statement of them living “in or near” Uniontown, Kentucky.

See <http://www.rootsweb.com/~txvicto2/UnionSoldiers.html#union> for an article about JPL and his final resting place.

On 29 May 1855 when James Preston was 21, he married Sarah Jane AUSTIN1, daughter of Richard AUSTIN (ca1802-) & Sarah (ca1808-<1881), in Posey Co., IN. Born ca 1839 in Indiana. Sarah Jane died in Gallatin Co., IL, ca Feb 1902; she was 63.
Sarah Jane Austin

A Short Biography
by Greg W. Lasley

Lasley family oral history prepared in 1939 gives the following information: Sarah Jane Austin married James Preston Lasley in 1854 and had six children. Children’s names included Mamie Lou, Flora Bell, James D., William, Jessie Lee and Jennie Lee; the last two names are reported to have died as infants. This oral history as a whole has proven to have some inaccuracies, but is fairly accurate overall.

Facts known after investigations October 2000 through September 2002 by Greg Lasley & Jack Elliott, Jr.: Marriage Record Book, C-3, p. 518, Posey Co., IN shows that James P. Lastly married Sarah Austin on May 29, 1855. The index of the book shows J. Lustly, but the “u” in Lustly is a typo and should read “a”. The 1860 census in Point Township, Posey Co., IN shows Preston Lassly 26 (indicating born in Indiana), living with wife Sarah Lassly 19 (born in Indiana), and daughter Sarah F., one year old. Also in the same household are Margaret Hazelwood 33 and Sarah L. (I think the initial is an "L" but not certain) Hazelwood 15; unknown what relationship these folks may be to Preston or Sarah. According to the 1860 census, both Preston and Sarah were illiterate, so the different name spellings are not entirely unexpected. The 1850 Posey Co., Indiana, census records show quite a number of Austins. Two households are of particular interest. Household 896 in Point Township shows Richard Austin, 48, born in New York with wife Sarah, 42, born in Delaware. Also listed are Issac 22, born Delaware, John, 15, Anna 12, Richard 7, and Cornelia 2, all those born Indiana. In a nearby household are John C. Castelberry 34 born Indiana with his wife Mary Austin (Castelberry) 24, born Delaware, Sarah Austin, 12, born Indiana, and Richard Austin, 19, born Delaware. The 12 year old Sarah Austin is most likely "our" Sarah Jane Austin, but this is not certain. Sarah Jane Austin gives an age of 19 on the 1860 census (indicating a birth year of ca 1841), age of 36 on 1880 census (indicating birth year of ca 1844), and age 58 on 1900 census (showing a birth month and year of February 1842). The 12 year old Sarah on the 1850 census may be the correct person (our great grandmother), but at this time this is uncertain. I suspect she was, in fact, born ca 1838 as inferred by the 1850 census since she was married to JPL in 1855. If she had been born from 1841 to 1844 as indicated by ages she reported in 1860, 1880, and 1900, she would have been married between ages 11-14 which seems unlikely. The birth year of ca 1838, which I suspect is correct, would make her 17 at the time of her marriage which seems more reasonable.

James Preston Lasley died in 1865; see short biography on him for details. I have a pension application in which Sarah makes a claim to the federal government since James Preston Lasley (also known as Leslie and Lesley in government papers) died while a soldier. In this application she states that she had three children as of 1865: Sarah Frances Lasley (Lesley) born July 1, 1858; George Richard Lasley (Lesley) born July 29, 1862, and James Dennis Lasley (Lesley) born March 23, 1865.

Posey Co., Indiana Marriage Record Book 5, p. 577 shows that on March 10, 1868, a marriage license was issued to Andrew Taylor and Sarah J. [her last name was originally written as “Lastley” then the “ast” was crossed out and replaced with “es” making it “Lesley”]. The two were married on March 16, 1868 by Adam H. Burleson from “Ministers of the Gospel”.

In the Posey Co., Indiana Appearance Docket of Probate, Andrew Taylor files to become the guardian of the heirs of Jas P. Lesley, deceased. This was granted June 12, 1868 by A.H. Burleson, Security.

We were not able to find Andrew or Sarah Taylor or James Dennis Lasley (or other Lasley/Lesley children) on the 1870 census; they were possibly simply missed by the census takers as we strongly believe they were in fact in Posey Co. in 1870.

I located a Posey Co., Indiana documented directory for 1815-1900 by Carroll and Gloria Cox in the Indiana section of the Texas archives library in Austin. On page 171 under the probate section is listed "Andrew Taylor, 1874," with no additional information. In the 1890s Sarah Jane filed a pension claim on her third husband, Commodore Curtis. In this paperwork is an affidavit which declares that Andrew Taylor, her second husband, died "on or about 9 November 1873 in Posey Co., Indiana." Ironically, November 9 was also the death date of Sarah’s first husband, James P. Lasley.

In the Posey Co. Marriage Book 7, p. 148 we find a marriage license issued on May 30, 1874 to Commodore D. Curtis and Sarah J. Taylor. They were married May 31, 1874 by Elder John A. Bailey.

On February 26, 1878, James Dennis Lasley shot and killed his step father, Commodore Curtis, who was “trying to kill” Sarah. Refer to the biography on James Dennis Lasley for complete details of this incident.

On March 21, 1878, Sarah J. Curtis (hereafter SJC) appeared in Posey Co. court and filed on the estate of Commodore D. Curtis as his heir. Items listed as Commodore’s property were said not to exceed $500 and include, in part: 3 head of cattle ($34), 1 span of mules ($120), 1 wagon ($15), 50 pounds of tobacco ($1.50), 1 cow and calf ($20), 9 head of hogs ($23), 200 bushels of corn ($64), 1 grindstone ($1), 1 table (75 cents), 4 bushels of potatoes ($1), “a lot” of bacon ($2.50), one half barrel of pickles ($1), 50 pounds of lard ($6.24), 1 wash board and tub ($1), 1 plow ($4). A reference to this probate also appears in “A Documented History of Posey Co., Indiana, 1815-1900” by Carroll & Gloria Cox, on page 47. Under the probate section it simply reads “Curtis, Commodore, 1878. Widow: Sarah Jane, a $500 estate”. Note that this is one of several places we have confirmed the middle name “Jane” from the family oral history rather than simply an initial “J”.

The next documented record of SJC is the 1880 Posey Co., IN census when she is listed with Dennis Lasley, 15, her son, and a daughter Mary I. Curtis, 5, and son William Curtis, 2. SJC indicated that her parents were born in Delaware on this census. James Dennis Lasley apparently only used his middle name at this time. We have no information on her other two children, Sarah F. and George R. Lasley (Lesley) and it is thought they did not survive childhood.

The Gallatin Co., Illinois (just west of Posey Co., Indiana) Deed Book 10, p. 576 has an entry on October 18, 1881 indicating “Richard Austin, a widower of the Village of New Haven, Gallatin Co., for $125 has conveyed to Sarah J. Curtis of the Village of New Haven Lot 4 as per the plat of the Village of New Haven”. Richard signed his mark as an “X”. This may be Sarah’s father or brother.

The Gallatin Co. Deed Book 12, p. 208 shows on January 27, 1882, “Sarah J. Curtis of Village of New Haven, Gallatin Co., Ill., conveys to Elisha A. Austin of Herald Prairie, White Co., Ill., for $125 Lot 4 in the Village of New Haven. SJC makes her mark with an “X”.

The Gallatin Co. Deed Book 16, p. 127 indicates that on December 17, 1883, Mary M. Wease and her husband James Wease of the village of New Haven convey to Sarah Jane Curtis (note that this is another documented record where we confirmed the Lasley family oral history account of SJC having a middle name of “Jane” as most other accounts simply give her a middle initial of “J”.) of the Village of New Haven for $125 lots 73 & 80 in the Village of New Haven.

We next have an official record of SJC on August 22, 1884 in the Posey County, Ind., Deed Book 22, p. 330 which reads: Sarah J. Curtis and James D. Lasley of Gallatin Co., IL (the next county west of Posey Co.) sold to Isaac J. Bell of Posey Co., Indiana, 40 acres of land for $500 to wit: SE quarter of NE quarter section 22, T8S, R14W. Being the interest of said grantors in said real estate as the heirs of James P. Lasley late of Posey County, deceased. The deed is signed by JDL; SJC placed her mark as an “X”. Then on April 7, 1886 we have the following in Deed Book 23, pp. 497-498. James D. Lasley of Gallatin Co., IL to Isaac J. Bell of Posey Co., IN for $250. SE quarter of NE quarter section 22, T8S, R 14 W. This deed being given to ratify the one given by said grantor and Sarah J. Curtis to said grantee Isaac J. Bell under date of August 22, 1884.

The federal census of 1900 for household 2 in New Haven township in Gallatin Co., IL shows the following. Sarah J. Curtis, 58, born Feb. 1842, occupation is listed as “domestic help”. In the same household is William A. Curtis, her son, 21, born December 1878 and listed as a farm laborer. On this census it is shown that SJC claims to have born 9 children, but only 3 survived to that date. At this time we only know of 5 children (Sarah F. Lasley born 1858 [apparently did not survive], George Richard Lasley born 1862 [apparently did not survive], James Dennis Lasley, Mary I. Curtis, and William Curtis). So, somewhere are 4 more that we have no knowledge of, all of which died before 1880 apparently since only J. D. Lasley and the two Curtis children are listed then, and she did not remarry. These 4 may have been born to her marriages to Taylor and/or Curtis since her 1865 pension application stats that Sarah F., George R., and James D. Lasley (Lesley) were the only children born of her marriage to James Preston Lasley.

Many of the Gallatin Co., Ill. real estate tax records prior to 1900 were destroyed by a 1937 flood in Shawneetown, IL. However, in the Gallatin Co. Tax Collectors Book of 1900 on p. 56 it shows that SJC owned the west 1/2 of lot 4 with an assessed value of $20. She also owned two very small lots shown as lots 11 & 14 with an assessed value of $2 each. She paid a total real estate tax bill to Gallatin Co. of $1.54 in person on March 2, 1901. In the same book, p. 60 it indicated SJC owned personal taxable property of $5 value for which she paid 26 cents tax the same date.

SJC died in late 1901 or more likely in early (probably February) 1902. We were not able to find a death certificate in either Gallatin or White Cos., IL, however. Still, we are fairly certain she died in Gallatin Co.

The following accounts are the last mentions of SJC that we were able to find: Gallatin Co. Deed Book 29, p. 363, 12 February 1902, “William A. Curtis of the Village of New Haven, one of the heirs at law of Sarah J. Curtis, deceased, late of the Village of New Haven, Illinois to William P. Aldridge of the Village of New Haven for $100, his undivided share in and to the west 1/2 lot 4 and lots 11 & 14 in Hunter’s addition to the Village of New Haven”. Gallatin Co. Deed Book 29, p. 364, 17 February 1902, “James D. Lasley and wife Ella Lasley of McCracken Co. Kentucky (Paducah) as one of the heirs of Sarah J. Curtis, deceased, and sell their undivided interest west 1/2 lot 4 and lots 11 & 14 in Hunter’s addition to the Village of New Haven, IL to a Jarrett Epley for $100”. And finally in Gallatin Co. Deed Book 29, p. 365, 22 February 1902, “Mary I. Oliver (one of the heirs of Sarah J. Curtis, deceased) and formerly Mary I. Curtis and John H. Oliver of Gallatin Co., Ill. to Jarrett Epley of White Co., Ill. for $100 one undivided 1/3 of the west 1/2 lot 4 and lots 11 & 14 in Hunter’s addition to the Village of New Haven”.

They had the following children:

8i.

Sarah Frances (1858->1868)

9ii.

George Richard (1862->1868)

10iii.

James Dennis Sr. (1865-1942)

3. Amos LASSLEY.

4. Calvin LASSLEY.

5. George LASSLEY.

6. John LASSLEY.

7. Julia LASSLEY.

Previous · Next