Avarilla Casper

Biographical Summary:

"...Peter Casper, the son of his father, (his name I do not know). My first acquaintance with Peter Casper was in 1809. As well as I can remember he was 82 years old at that time.
I have heard him say that he was in several battles and that he served through most of the Revolutionary War. He also said that he was the only son of his father, that the rest of his father’s children were girls.

Peter Casper and Mary (his wife) had five children, Polly, Catharine, Ann, William and Elizabeth. Polly married a man by the name of Thrailkill by whom she had two children, Benjamin and Margaret. He died, then she married a man by the name of Coons. Ann married a man by the name of Austin Smith. Catharine married a man by the name of Joel Smith. Elizabeth married a man by the name of Hedgeman Smith. William married a girl by the name of Avarilar Durbin. William Casper was born 30 July 1794 and was married 4 March 1809, and died 4 August 1846.

My grandfather, Daniel Durbin, was a resident of Maryland, Harford County. He married a girl by the name of Nancy Scott. They had five children, two boys and three girls. Two of them, a boy and a girl, were killed by the explosion of a powder horn. I do not know their names. The other names were Nancy, Ava Rillar, and Thomas, who was my father.

Thomas married a girl by the name of Clemency Litten. They moved to Pennsylvania about the close of the Revolutionary War. They had fifteen children, nine lived to be men and women, four boys and two girls, Samuel, Ava Rillar, Scott, Elizabeth, Thomas and John. Samule married Rebecca Collins. Ava Rillar married William Casper. Soctt married Margaret Davis. Elizabeth married James Walker. Thomas married Abi Collins. John married Sarah Fitting. Samuel’s wife had seven children. Ava Rillar had eleven children.

Ava Rillar Durbin was born 26 November 1790 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, moved with her father’s family to Ohio when eleven years old. Married when nineteen, went to Virginia to Father Casper’s, lived there three years, had two children in that time, Thomas D. and Scott L. We moved back to Ohio in 1812, about the time of Hill’s surrender in the last war with Britain.

In 1803 I joined the Methodists, lived a Methodist until 1825. Then I found they were not right. I left them and joined the Bible Christians.

In 1826 my father and mother died. Mother died 29 January and was buried the 31st. Father died March 29,ad was buried the 31st.

In 1833 I attached myself to the Campbellites. By this time I had begun to conclude the whole world lay in darkness, with one of the ancients I was ready to say “none right, no not one.” I began to read the Bible and examine it closely for myself. The more I read the plainer I saw the sectarian world was wrong, so I made it a matter of prayer to God to send someone along that had the truth, that would teach it to the people that I might hear the truth and be saved. So it was not long until we heard that there was a people that had found a Golden Bible.

We heard a great deal about these people, at length they came into our neighborhood a preaching. I went to hear the man preach and I knew it was the truth, from that time I went to hear them when I could but did not join them for two or three years. In 1836 Clemency joined. In a little time afterward my husband joined on Sunday, and on Tuesday following I joined.

We had then joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Then (1837) we moved or went to Missouri. Ten in family.

We purchased a home there and stayed until ’39 when Governor Bogg’s exterminating order came. We then had to leave and we went to Illinois, but previous to this time my husband went back on business to Ohio, he was taken sick and did not return until the 7th day of July following. We left Missouri in March, went to Illinois and rented a farm in the neighborhood of Fairfield and stayed on year there, moved to Carthage, stayed one year there, then bought a home in Nauvoo. We moved there in ’41. We enjoyed ourselves first-rate till ’44 when they murdered our Prophet, Joseph Smith and Hyrum, our Patriarch.

Then there was confusion and trouble in Nauvoo and the land round about. In ’46 William Casper my husband died on August 14.

I left Nauvoo in October following and went to Missouri with my two youngest children, Lydia and Joshua.

Previous to this on the first of April our horses were stolen. I could not leave until I wrote my children, then in Missouri, to come after me. Thomas, John and Duncan and my son-in-law John Neel. They sent horses and wagon and Duncan came and I went to Missouri, stayed there until May 15, 1855. I left the States to come to the “Valley of the Mountains of Ephraim.”..."

SOURCE: Casper, Avarilla Durbin; History of Avarilla Durbin Casper. Retrieved from http://neelfamilyhistory.com/ui28.htm

Biographical Summary #2:

"...Ava Rillar Casper lived in Salt Lake County until September 1, 1860* [*online site for the source of this history had the date written as "1890" instead of "1860"] when she made up her mind to go and visit her children for a year or two, who were in the States. She was in hopes her life would be spared to return to her “mountain home.” She did not live to return but died at the home of her daughter, Ann Bonar, 4 Sept 1862.

Previous to her departure to the States she was sealed to her husband, William Casper, her son William W. acting as proxy for his father. She received a blessing from President Young, and it was with his consent and blessing that she went. She had an idea that perhaps she might be the means of bringing some of her children or grandchildren to the knowledge of the truth..."

SOURCE: Neel, Stuart D. (compiler). Retrieved from http://neelfamilyhistory.com/ui28.htm

28. Thomas DURBIN4 Sr. (Daniel3 DURBIN, John2 DURBIN SR., Thomas1 DURBIN) was born Abt. 1758 in
Baltimore Co., MD, and died March 29, 1826 in Richland Co., OH. He married Clemency LITTEN October 05, 1779
in Harford Co., MD, daughter of Samuel LITTEN and Ann CRAWFORD. Children of Thomas Sr. and Clemency LITTEN are:

         + 57 i. Samuel5 DURBIN.  

           58 ii. Scott DURBIN. He married Margaret DAVIS.  

           59 iii. John DURBIN. He married Sarah FITTING. 

         + 60 iv. Avarilla DURBIN, born November 26, 1789 in Washington Co., PA; died September 04, 1862. 

           61 v. Elizabeth DURBIN, born January 16, 1793; died July 18, 1842. She married James WALKER.  

           62 vi. Thomas DURBIN Jr., born September 25, 1795. He married Abi COLLINS.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

60. Avarilla5 DURBIN (Thomas DURBIN4 Sr., Daniel3 DURBIN, John2 DURBIN SR., Thomas1 DURBIN) was born November 26, 1789 in Washington Co., PA, and died September 04, 1862. She married William CASPER March 04, 1809, son of Peter CASPER and Mary HUCKLEBERRY. Children of Avarilla DURBIN and William CASPER are:

       + 130 i. Thomas Durbin6 CASPER, born December 28, 1809. 

         131 ii. Scott D. CASPER, born July 12, 1811; died 1844. He married Catharine CLARK.

         132 iii. Mary E. CASPER, born February 21, 1813. She married Benjamin WHITE.   

         133 iv. Ann Spears CASPER, born June 09, 1814; died August 01, 1887. She married David BONAR.

         134 v. Clemency Litten CASPER, born July 19, 1816. She married John NEEL.  

         135 vi. Averilla CASPER, born March 23, 1819. She married David H. NEEL.   

       + 136 vii. William Wallace CASPER, born March 12, 1821.   

         137 viii. John A. CASPER, born February 09, 1823. He married Rebecca HIGHBARGER. 

         138 ix. Lydia S. CASPER, born February 10, 1825. She married Robert FARLEY. 

         139 x. Duncan Spears CASPER, born December 08, 1825 in Bellville, Richfield Co., OH; died May 22,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

***Discrepancy in death - Nauvoo Project has her dieing in Iowa - FAG has her dieing in Missouri***Avarilla Durbin Illinois, Hancock County, Nauvoo Community Project, 1839-1846 (BYU Center for Family History and Genealogy)

Name: Avarilla Durbin Event Type: Residence Event Date: from 1839 to 1846 Event Place: Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States Birth Date: 26 Nov 1789 Birthplace: Washington, Washington, Pennsylvania Death Date: 4 Sep 1862 Death Place: Osceola, Clarke, Iowa Note: William Casper Affiliate Image Identifier: 25134 External Identifier: KWJL-C6T

Citing this Record "Illinois, Hancock County, Nauvoo Community Project, 1839-1846 (BYU Center for Family History and Genealogy)," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL3Z-5V54 : 23 February 2018), Avarilla Durbin, from 1839 to 1846; citing Residence, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States, from 1839 to 1846, Citing BYU Center for Family History and Genealogy, Provo, Utah.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Avarilla Durbin Casper Find A Grave Index

Name: Avarilla Durbin Casper Maiden Name: Durbin Event Type: Burial Event Date: 1862 Event Place: Osceola, Clarke, Iowa, United States of America Photograph Included: Y Birth Date: 26 Nov 1789 Death Date: 04 Sep 1862 Affiliate Record Identifier: 90749207 Cemetery: Maple Hill Cemetery

Citing this Record "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVL4-6MPL : 11 July 2016), Avarilla Durbin Casper, 1862; Burial, Osceola, Clarke, Iowa, United States of America, Maple Hill Cemetery; citing record ID 90749207, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FIND A GRAVE

Avarilla Durbin Casper Birth: 26 Nov 1789 Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA Death: 4 Sep 1862 (aged 72) Lafayette County, Missouri, USA Burial: Maple Hill Cemetery, Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa, USA Memorial #: 90749207 Family Members

Parents

 Thomas William Durbin                 1755-1826

 Clemency Litten Durbin                 1759-1826

Spouse

 William Casper                 1784-1846

Siblings

 Samuel Durbin                 1782-1822

 Scott H Durbin                 1791-1863

 Elizabeth Durbin McDowell                 1793-1831

 John Durbin                 1794-1897

 Thomas Durbin                 1795-1847

Children

 Ann Spears Casper Bonar                 1814-1888

 Clemency Litten Casper Neel                 1816-1892

 William Wallace Casper                 1821-1908

 Duncan Spears Casper                 1824-1898

 Samuel Joshua Web Casper                 1829-1915 Created by: Fred Hoefer (47788949) Added: 26 May 2012 URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90749207/avarilla-casper Citation: Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 19 February 2020), memorial page for Avarilla Durbin Casper (26 Nov 1789–4 Sep 1862), Find A Grave Memorial no. 90749207, citing Maple Hill Cemetery, Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa, USA ; Maintained by Fred Hoefer (contributor 47788949) .

GEDCOM Note

!Film 000734 Caspar Family Record (owned by Milan M. Casper and brought for microfilming by Gertrude L. Baird. The following is from the pen of Ava Rillar Casper, wife of William Casper, and daughter of Thomas Durbin: "Peter Casper the son of his father his given name I do not know; my first acquaintance with Peter Casper was in 1804. As well as I can remember he was 82 years old at that time. I have heard him say he was in several battles and he said he served through most of the revolutionary war. He also said that he was the only son of his father had the rest of his fathers children were girls. Peter Casper and Mary his wife had five children. Polly, Catharine, Ann, William and Elizabeth. Polly married a man by the name of Thrailkill by whom she had two children (Benjamin and Margaret) he died then she married a man by the name Coons. Ann married a man by the name of Austin Smith. Catharine married a man by the name of Joel Smith. Elizabeth married a man by the name of Hedgman Smith. William married a girl by the name of Ava Rillar Durbin. Willliam Casper was born July the 30th 1784 and was married March the 4th 1809 and died August the 4th 1846. My grandfather Daniel Durbin a resident of Maryland, Harford County he married a girl by the name of Nancy Scott (This is incorrect. It was her great grandfather that married a Scott. This has been checked carefully by several researchers) they had five children two boys and three girls two of them a boy and a girl was killed by the explosion of a powder horn. I donot remember their names. The other names were Nancy, Ava Rillar, and Thomas which was my father. Thomas Durbin he married a girl by the name of Clemency Litten. They moved to Pennsylvania about the close of the revolutionary war. They had 15 children. 9 of them died in infancy. Six lived to be men and women four boys and two girls. Samuel, Ava Rillar, Scott, Elizabeth, Thomas and John. (some sentences crossed out in the record) Samuel married a girl by name Rebecca Collins Ava Rillar married William Casper Scott married Margaret Davis Elizabeth married James Walker Thomas married Abi Collins John married Sarah Fitting. Samuel's wife had 7 children. Ava Rillar had 11 children. Ava Rillar Durbin was born Nov 26, 1789 in Pennsylvania, Washington county moved with her fathers family to Ohio when 11 years old married when 19 went to Virginia to father Caspers lived there two years had two children in that time Thomas D and Scott H. We moved back to Ohio again in 1812 about the time Hulls surrender the last war with Britain in 1803. I joined the Methodists lived a Methodist until 1823 when I found they was not right I left them an joined the Bible Christians in 1826 my father and mother died Mother died the 29th of Jan and was buried the 31st. Father died March 29th and was buried the 31st in 1833. I attaced myself to the Campbellites by this time I begun to conclude the whole world lay in wickedness with one of the Ancients. I was ready to say none right no not one. I began to read the Bible and examine it more closely for myself the more I read the plainer I saw the sectarian world was wrong so i made it a matter of prayer to God to send someone along that had the truth that would teach it to the people that I might hear and be saved so it was not very long until we heard there was a people that had found a Gold Bible we heard a great deal about these people at length they came into our neighborhood a preaching. I went to hear the the man preach and I knew it was the truth from that time. I always went to hear them when I could but did not join them for some time two or three year May 1836 Clemency joined in a little time afterwards my husband joined on Sunday On Tuesday following I joined. We then had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints then 1837 we went or moved to Missouri ten in family we purchased a home there and stayed until 39 when Governor Boggs exterminating order came we then had to leave and went to Illinois (crossed out sentences) but previous to this time my husband went back on business to Ohio he was taken sick and didnot return until the 7th of July following. We left Missouri inMarch went to Illinois and rented a farm and stayed in the Neighborhood of Fairfield one year moved to Carthage lived one year there then bought a home in Nauvoo we move there in 41 we enjoyed ourselves first rate until 44 then they murdered our Prophet Joseph Smith and Hyrum our Patriarch then there was confusion and trouble in Nauvoo and in the country roundabout. In 46 my husband William Casper died Aug 4th I left Nauvoo in October following went to live with my two youngest children Lydia and Joshua previous to this the 1st of Apr our horses was stolen. I couldnot leave until I wrote to my children then in Missouri to come after me. Thomas, John and Duncan and John Neel my son in law they sent horses an wagon after me. Duncan came and I went to Missouri. stayed there until 55 May the 15th I left the States to come to the Valleys of the Mountains of Epriam." ( Note: Punctuation and spelling as in the original as far aspossible.)

!Ava Rillar Casper lived in Salt Lake County (probably with her son William Wallace Casper in the Mill Creek area) until Sept. 1, 1860 when she made up her mind to go and visit her children for a year or two, who were in the States. She was in hopes her life would be spared to return to her 'mountain home'. She did not live to return but died at the home of her daughter, Ann Bonar, Sept. 4, 1862. (The Bonars lived in Lafayette Co. Missouri) Previous to her departure to the states she was sealed to her husband, William Casper, her son William W. acting as proxy for his father. She received a blessing from President Young and it was with his consent and blessing that she went. She had an idea that perhaps she might be the means of bringing some of her children or grandchildren to the knowledge of the truth. She lived and died a Saint.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 23 2024, 20:32:24 UTC