An article in the Greenfield Argus, dated Friday, May 6, 1892, states: "[Josiah's] father, who was owner and commander of an ocean vessel, was lost in a wreck at sea when Josiah was 4 years of age. The widow, remarrying, young Josiah remained under the care of his step-father up to the age of 19."
1) He had an uncle in Canada whom he went to visit. While there, the war of 1812 broke out and he was drafted into the British Army, but escaped across Lake Erie. Then enlisted to fight against the British, per article written by Parke W. Jackson, published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, vol. 20 (4), pg. 604-607.
2) In 1842 he moved to Greenfield, where he engaged in different business enterprises, at one time conducting a sawmill. He organized a company of cavalry and was elected captain, his company belonging to the 1st battalion of the 18th regiment of state militia. His commission was executed by Governor Thomas Ford, Sept. 23, 1843. On Sept. 24, 1844, he received an order from the governor to march his company to Warsaw, Hancock County, to assist in quelling a difficulty with the Mormons. While on the way, his favorite cavalry horse was accidentally killed by some of the soldiers at target practice. It was an intelligent animal, well trained in Cavalry tactics and its loss grieved the old captain deeply. The company arrived too late to be of any service, Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, having been shot by a mob while he was in the jail at Carthage. Captain Caswell held several offices in civil life, serving in the state legislature in 1846-7. At the time of his death, September 24, 1872, he was past eighty-one years old. -- Article by Parke W. Jackson, published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, vol. 20 (4), pg. 604-607.
[Since Joseph Smith was murdered June 27, 1844, this order on Sept. 24, 1844, to march to Warsaw may refer to the "wolfhunt" planned by anti-Mormon leaders for Sept 27, 1844 at Warsaw.] Excerpt from the Pekin Times, July 20, 2018, by Jared Olar states "Anti-Mormon sentiment grew even more inflamed after Smith's assassination, leading to the outbreak of the Mormon War in Illinois in October 1844. The "war" consisted of an active campaign of harassment and violence intended to pressure the Mormons to leave Illinois. It began with an illegal gathering of anti-Mormon residents of Carthage and Warsaw, who plotted to hunt down and murder or drive all the Mormons out of Hancock County or Illinois. Gov. Ford sent a militia to disperse the anti-Mormons, but many of his militiamen instead joined the anti-Mormons' "wolf hunt." Mormons in the countryside fled for protection to Nauvoo, whose city charter was revoked by the Illinois General Assembly on Jan. 29, 1845, one year to the day after Smith had launched his presidential campaign."
3) Represented Greene County in the Illinois legislature August 1846 for one term shortly after war with Mexico began April 25, 1846, ending February 2, 1848. The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas, which Mexico considered part of its territory despite the 1836 Texas Revolution.
1) He had an uncle in Canada whom he went to visit. While there, the war of 1812 broke out and he was drafted into the British Army, but escaped across Lake Erie. Then enlisted to fight against the British, per article written by Parke W. Jackson, published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, vol. 20 (4), pg. 604-607.
2) In 1842 he moved to Greenfield, where he engaged in different business enterprises, at one time conducting a sawmill. He organized a company of cavalry and was elected captain, his company belonging to the 1st battalion of the 18th regiment of state militia. His commission was executed by Governor Thomas Ford, Sept. 23, 1843. On Sept. 24, 1844, he received an order from the governor to march his company to Warsaw, Hancock County, to assist in quelling a difficulty with the Mormons. While on the way, his favorite cavalry horse was accidentally killed by some of the soldiers at target practice. It was an intelligent animal, well trained in Cavalry tactics and its loss grieved the old captain deeply. The company arrived too late to be of any service, Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, having been shot by a mob while he was in the jail at Carthage. Captain Caswell held several offices in civil life, serving in the state legislature in 1846-7. At the time of his death, September 24, 1872, he was past eighty-one years old. -- Article by Parke W. Jackson, published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, vol. 20 (4), pg. 604-607.
[Since Joseph Smith was murdered June 27, 1844, this order on Sept. 24, 1844, to march to Warsaw may refer to the "wolfhunt" planned by anti-Mormon leaders for Sept 27, 1844 at Warsaw.] Excerpt from the Pekin Times, July 20, 2018, by Jared Olar states "Anti-Mormon sentiment grew even more inflamed after Smith's assassination, leading to the outbreak of the Mormon War in Illinois in October 1844. The "war" consisted of an active campaign of harassment and violence intended to pressure the Mormons to leave Illinois. It began with an illegal gathering of anti-Mormon residents of Carthage and Warsaw, who plotted to hunt down and murder or drive all the Mormons out of Hancock County or Illinois. Gov. Ford sent a militia to disperse the anti-Mormons, but many of his militiamen instead joined the anti-Mormons' "wolf hunt." Mormons in the countryside fled for protection to Nauvoo, whose city charter was revoked by the Illinois General Assembly on Jan. 29, 1845, one year to the day after Smith had launched his presidential campaign."
3) Represented Greene County in the Illinois legislature August 1846 for one term shortly after war with Mexico began April 25, 1846, ending February 2, 1848. The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas, which Mexico considered part of its territory despite the 1836 Texas Revolution.
An article in the Greenfield Argus, dated Friday, May 6, 1892, states: "[Josiah's] father, who was owner and commander of an ocean vessel, was lost in a wreck at sea when Josiah was 4 years of age. The widow, remarrying, young Josiah remained under the care of his step-father up to the age of 19."
1) He had an uncle in Canada whom he went to visit. While there, the war of 1812 broke out and he was drafted into the British Army, but escaped across Lake Erie. Then enlisted to fight against the British, per article written by Parke W. Jackson, published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, vol. 20 (4), pg. 604-607.
2) In 1842 he moved to Greenfield, where he engaged in different business enterprises, at one time conducting a sawmill. He organized a company of cavalry and was elected captain, his company belonging to the 1st battalion of the 18th regiment of state militia. His commission was executed by Governor Thomas Ford, Sept. 23, 1843. On Sept. 24, 1844, he received an order from the governor to march his company to Warsaw, Hancock County, to assist in quelling a difficulty with the Mormons. While on the way, his favorite cavalry horse was accidentally killed by some of the soldiers at target practice. It was an intelligent animal, well trained in Cavalry tactics and its loss grieved the old captain deeply. The company arrived too late to be of any service, Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, having been shot by a mob while he was in the jail at Carthage. Captain Caswell held several offices in civil life, serving in the state legislature in 1846-7. At the time of his death, September 24, 1872, he was past eighty-one years old. -- Article by Parke W. Jackson, published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, vol. 20 (4), pg. 604-607.
[Since Joseph Smith was murdered June 27, 1844, this order on Sept. 24, 1844, to march to Warsaw may refer to the "wolfhunt" planned by anti-Mormon leaders for Sept 27, 1844 at Warsaw.] Excerpt from the Pekin Times, July 20, 2018, by Jared Olar states "Anti-Mormon sentiment grew even more inflamed after Smith's assassination, leading to the outbreak of the Mormon War in Illinois in October 1844. The "war" consisted of an active campaign of harassment and violence intended to pressure the Mormons to leave Illinois. It began with an illegal gathering of anti-Mormon residents of Carthage and Warsaw, who plotted to hunt down and murder or drive all the Mormons out of Hancock County or Illinois. Gov. Ford sent a militia to disperse the anti-Mormons, but many of his militiamen instead joined the anti-Mormons' "wolf hunt." Mormons in the countryside fled for protection to Nauvoo, whose city charter was revoked by the Illinois General Assembly on Jan. 29, 1845, one year to the day after Smith had launched his presidential campaign."
3) Represented Greene County in the Illinois legislature August 1846 for one term shortly after war with Mexico began April 25, 1846, ending February 2, 1848. The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas, which Mexico considered part of its territory despite the 1836 Texas Revolution.
1) He had an uncle in Canada whom he went to visit. While there, the war of 1812 broke out and he was drafted into the British Army, but escaped across Lake Erie. Then enlisted to fight against the British, per article written by Parke W. Jackson, published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, vol. 20 (4), pg. 604-607.
2) In 1842 he moved to Greenfield, where he engaged in different business enterprises, at one time conducting a sawmill. He organized a company of cavalry and was elected captain, his company belonging to the 1st battalion of the 18th regiment of state militia. His commission was executed by Governor Thomas Ford, Sept. 23, 1843. On Sept. 24, 1844, he received an order from the governor to march his company to Warsaw, Hancock County, to assist in quelling a difficulty with the Mormons. While on the way, his favorite cavalry horse was accidentally killed by some of the soldiers at target practice. It was an intelligent animal, well trained in Cavalry tactics and its loss grieved the old captain deeply. The company arrived too late to be of any service, Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, having been shot by a mob while he was in the jail at Carthage. Captain Caswell held several offices in civil life, serving in the state legislature in 1846-7. At the time of his death, September 24, 1872, he was past eighty-one years old. -- Article by Parke W. Jackson, published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, vol. 20 (4), pg. 604-607.
[Since Joseph Smith was murdered June 27, 1844, this order on Sept. 24, 1844, to march to Warsaw may refer to the "wolfhunt" planned by anti-Mormon leaders for Sept 27, 1844 at Warsaw.] Excerpt from the Pekin Times, July 20, 2018, by Jared Olar states "Anti-Mormon sentiment grew even more inflamed after Smith's assassination, leading to the outbreak of the Mormon War in Illinois in October 1844. The "war" consisted of an active campaign of harassment and violence intended to pressure the Mormons to leave Illinois. It began with an illegal gathering of anti-Mormon residents of Carthage and Warsaw, who plotted to hunt down and murder or drive all the Mormons out of Hancock County or Illinois. Gov. Ford sent a militia to disperse the anti-Mormons, but many of his militiamen instead joined the anti-Mormons' "wolf hunt." Mormons in the countryside fled for protection to Nauvoo, whose city charter was revoked by the Illinois General Assembly on Jan. 29, 1845, one year to the day after Smith had launched his presidential campaign."
3) Represented Greene County in the Illinois legislature August 1846 for one term shortly after war with Mexico began April 25, 1846, ending February 2, 1848. The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas, which Mexico considered part of its territory despite the 1836 Texas Revolution.
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