Constant Cachelin

Back, left to right: Elizabeth, Daisy, Edward,Maude, Goldie Front: Nellie, Urban (Father), Frances (Mother), Adah

Great-grandfather Constant Cachelin, (1812-1896) from France, came to America with his wife, Marie Grosboillat (1810-1879). They first settled in Moblie, Alabama. Later they moved to St. Louis, Missouri. In 1855 he came by boat to Omaha, but Omaha being too small at that time for his trade as cabinet maker, he settled at DeSoto, Nebraska, a thriving town of several hundred inhabitants. Satisfied that his future as a carpenter, cabinet maker and undertaker rested in this new land, he built a new house. In the spring of 1856 he brought his wife and children, Urban, Morfey, Edward, Theodore, Josephine, and George to the home he had built. Several pieces of furniture that great-grandfather built are being preserved and viewed at the Washington County Historical Museum at Fort Calhoun. Constance made caskets out of his black walnut trees, and lined them with white satin. The most he received for a casket was fifteen dollars. As ambassador friend to China gave Constance two sorghum seeds he had brought back from China. From these two stocks of sorghum he produced enough seed to plant one acre of sorghum at DeSoto, the first sorghum planted in the United States. When the Civil War began, Urban my grandfather, age 17, lied about his age and enlisted on the Union side, against his father’s wishes because of many relatives living in the south. In the fifteen months of service, he suffered many hardships and saw the cruel desolation of war. At the close of the was, Urban (1844-1924) returned to DeSoto and in 1868 was united in marriage to Frances Church, (1850-1925) daughter of Samuel and Maryette Church. He built a house on Mill Creek and here their children were born and raised. Nelson who died as a baby was buried in the old DeSoto Cemetery. Nellie (1868-1917), Maude (1873-1946), Elizabeth (1875-1943), Daisy (1877-1966), Edward, my father (1879-1959), Goldie (1887-1973), Adah (1887-1968). Nellie grew to womanhood and was found heartlessly slain in 1917. She once operated a store located between Florence and Fort Calhoun. She didn’t know what to call the story. Daisy suggested the "For-Got-Store," which is still operating and is known yet as the For-Got-Store. Maude, Daisy and Goldie taught school throughout Washington County when they were young ladies. Maude married Justin (Frank) Badgerow, and had one son, Bertrand. Daisy was married to Mr. Belding, and had one son Ted. She operated the DeSoto store, and which also housed the Post Office. Daisy was latter married to Edgar Bowled. Elizabeth never married. Elizabeth and Daisy painted many fine paintings. Goldie after teaching, became a secretary to O.C. Reddick, a realtor and land developer in Omaha. In her honor he named a street in Omaha "Cachelin Drive." Goldie married John Miller and had no children. Adah married Chris Siert, had one son Harold. Later she was married to Charles Dalbey and then to Everett Daniels. Edward Daniels. Edward, my father, was married to Hazel Jepperson (1893-1976) in the "Little Brown Church." I was fortunate to be one of their six children. Submitted By Frances (Cachelin) Sheppard

Source: Washington County Nebraska History 1980, page 136. The Washington County Historical Association. Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, Texas, 1980.