Nancy Francis was born 6 Nov 1795 in Lincoln Co KY, daughter of John Francis and Nancy Ann Mounts. With minimal education Nancy helped raise her siblings and barely learned to sign her name, according to her signature on land documents.

On 26 Feb 1816 she married James Alexander McCasland in Wayne Co KY. They were married by Rev. John Jones and the Surety Bond for their marriage was posted by Henry Francis, her brother. When they applied for a license to wed, Nancy's father wrote a note with his consent to the magistrate, stating: "please to grant James lisons to marry to my daughter Nancy, this from your friend the 21st day of February 1816, by John Francis".

James was the son of Andrew McCasland and Mary Richey, born 26 Jul 1791 near the Holstein River in Knox Co TN. A slightly built man, weighing about 140 lbs, he was a well-educated man and was a school teacher, a position he held in high regard and a one of irony, considering his wife was almost illiterate.

Because of his career James moved his family often and great distances. Soon after their marriage Nancy and James moved to Greene County Alabama. James told his family he thought the place, "one of good land and inhabited by enlightened citizens, principally land holders, men of talents, property and industry, good morals and considerable enterprise." Their first five children were born there.

According to his family lore James was a generous person, agreeing to sign and financially back other person's bonds, and unfortunately in doing so, he became nearly bankrupt. He decided to relocate to Tennessee in the late 1820's and the family was enumerated in McMinn Co TN on the 1830 Federal Census as having 2 sons aged 10 -15 years, 3 daughters aged 5 -10 years, and the couple, between the ages of 30 - 40 years. Three more children were born in TN, and one daughter named Julianne "Polly" McCasland born in 1832, died there in 1834.

By 1837 the family had moved again, this time to Murray Co GA, where their last known child was born. They were enumerated on the 1840 Federal Census there, and three daughters were married there. This is where James died, on 2 Sep 1842, at the age of 49.

Nancy was left a widow at the age of 45. Like James, Nancy wanted the best for her family and took it upon herself to make one final, and very long move. By 1847 she had made her way from Georgia to Texas, and was enumerated on the 1850 Kaufman County TX Census with three of her sons in her household:

Household # 235/236
Nancy McCasland 54 F KY
J. D. F. 32 M Farmer AL
James A. F. 19 M Farmer TN
Washington L. 13 M GA

Next door to her was another son and his family:
Household # 236/237
Andrew J. McCasland 30 M Farmer AL
Rebecca 21 F TN
James A. F. 1 M TX

Nancy moved her family to Texas seeking land for her older sons and for herself while alive and passed on to younger boys - a legacy that her husband had not left them. She and her son, Andrew Jackson, each received 640 acres of land through Mercer's Colony. Hers was Certificate #633, his was # 635, and both signed their documents on 2 May 1850 in Kaufman, Texas. Her land was in the northern-most portion of Kaufman County, situated in what became Rockwall County in 1873. It is located where the town of Royse City is now located. To supplement the family's income, Nancy became a seamstress, making men's clothing and gloves. She was described as a large woman, not fat, but strongly built.

In 1860 Nancy was enumerated in the home of her son, James in Henderson Co TX.

Four years later she died at home, 8 SEP 1864 in Rockwall Co, Texas and was buried on her homestead. However, several years later her remains and tombstone were removed to the cemetery next to the United Methodist Church in Royse City by her son, Andrew. His son, Rufus McCasland, donated land for the church in 1890, the first in the town. Moving the bodies of Nancy and others from the home place caused hard feelings between members of the McCasland family. Nancy had the following children with James: 1. John Dealer Fletcher McCasland   7 Apr 1818 Greene Co AL   21 Oct 1878 Rockwall Co TX   Occupation: Teacher & Surveyor   Married - Henderson Co TX - circa 1854    Inger Andersdatter Knutsen 18 Nov 1823 Norway - 1895 Washita I.T. John & Inger McCasland - Circa 1872 2. Andrew Jackson McCasland   28 Feb 1820 Greene Co AL   26 MAY 1898 Royse City, Rockwall Co TX   Married Rebecca Elizabeth Reagan - 1848 Green Co AL   29 JAN 1828 TN - 4 SEP 1894 Royse City, TX   Andrew was a farmer, but he also hauled freight from Jefferson, on the Sabine, to Chandler on the banks of the East Fork of the Trinity. 3. Phoebe Davidson McCasland   29 Aug 1826 (29 Mar 1825) AL    12 NOV 1900    Buried at Young Co TX beside her son Robert (Bob) Fayette Tankersley   Married 3 Aug 1838 Murray Co GA - Rowland Layette Tankersley   ( 7 MAY 1809 IL - 26 JUN 1875 - Buried Long Creek Cemetery, Hood, Texas )   **They lived in Gonzalez Co TX for many years before moving west Nancy Clara McCasland Laymance from a 1/8 plate Ambrotype - made Circa 1850 Donated by Richard M Laymance 4. Nancy Clara "Cleerie" McCasland   1823 AL - 1880 Rockwall Co TX    Married 31 MAR 1844 Murray Co GA    Andrew Jackson Laymance 1817 TN - 1862 - Rogers, MS   **He was Killed in Civil War. Served with Co I 6th TX Cavalry - Stone's Regiment   Son of John Laymance & Phoebe Morris. 5. Mary Anne Elizabeth McCasland   26 Feb 1825 AL    9 JUN 1896 Navarro Co TX   Married #1 5 MAR 1844 Murray Co GA - Allen Hughes 14 Jan 1822 TN - 15 Jul 1860   Married #2 George A Stinson 6. Fayette McCasland   4 Mar 1828 TN   20 JUN 1905 in Davilla, Milam Co, Texas   **NOTE: Not much is known about him 7. James Alexander "Farmer" McCasland   21 Feb 1831 TN   24 OCT 1901 in Throckmorton Co TX - buried Throckmorton Cemetery   He was an Adventurous person. Like his father, James moved his family often. He was a patrotic person, with strong moral and religious convictions. He volunteered for the Confederate States Army - Co G 2nd TX State troops, leaving his wife and 4 children at home. He was wounded in the war.    Married 14 MAR 1855 in Henderson Co, Texas    Madora "Dora" Johnson (25 NOV 1838 in Norway - 16 DEC 1911 Jack Co TX - buried Long Hollow Cemetery, Plainview,TX) ** Note: Dora was a Norwegian with her name translated from Gura Younsen. Dora came to Texas in 1850 with her father, mother, 2 brothers and a sister. Dora was called "Aunt Greer" and she wore a bonnett all the time because she was bald. 8. Juliann "Polly" McCasland    1832 - 1834 TN Washington McCasland - Circa 1860 Image found in Kaufman Co. Library Archives 9. Washington L McCasland    1837 Murray Co GA **Not much is known about him If you have Info on any of these persons, please contact the Coordinator