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Frequently I am contacted by
someone who either has the name McCaslin or who has a McCaslin in the
family, and who is hoping to learn more about his or her family tree. I
was born at St. Elizabeth's Home in Beechgrove, Indiana (a suburb of
Indianapolis) on Dec. 22, 1946 and adopted by Russell L. and Lorraine
(Taylor) McCaslin. The only information I've learned about Russell's
father's family is this: His father was named Louis Walker McCaslin and
was from St. Joseph, Missouri. Since Russell was born in 1916, his dad
would have been born sometime in the late 1800s, but I never heard the
year or date. Also, I was told that Louis Walker McCaslin had been
married before he married Russell's mother and had two daughters from
that previous marriage. I don't know where or when he was married the
first time, where the daughters were born - or their names. He left
Russell's family when Russell was 13 and he was never heard from
again. The family had been living just west of Indianapolis and
included Russell's older sister, Florida, and of course their mother,
Ora (Castle) McCaslin. I believe Russell's mother had him declared dead
after 7 years, which apparently is something people can do in order to
remarry or claim any insurance benefits. What is written above is all I know about the McCaslin part of my family. There are many McCaslins in this world and we are not all related. There is even a McCaslin family here in Santa Cruz, California where my husband and I live. The patriarch is named Don McCaslin and he and his son Donny McCaslin play Jazz. Many people here just assume that we're related, because I am also a musician. (Don is a beloved musical fixture in Santa Cruz, playing vibes at various local venues; Donny has gained some renown in the Jazz world.) This is all I know about any McCaslins anywhere. If contacted by anyone seeking "McCaslin information" I will simply refer him or her to this part of this website. I have searched over the years for information about my biological parents, with very little success, and understand how frustrating this can be. Good luck with your search. |