Casandra Byrd

b. 26 February 1889, d. 14 November 1974
  • Father: David b. 27 February 1862, d. 7 February 1942
  • Mother: Emeline Green b. December 1865, d. August 1923
  • Casandra Byrd was born on 26 February 1889 in Texas or possibly 1886.
  • She was known as Cassie.
  • David and Emeline Green appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Madison County, Texas. Other members of the household included Casandra Byrd, William T. Byrd, Napoleon Byrd, Leonard Anderson Byrd, Beatrice Byrd, Carrie M. Byrd and Gussie Wilson Byrd.
  • She was attending school and working on the farm.
  • David and Emeline Green appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Madison County, Texas, living near Dave's brother James.. Other members of the household included Casandra Byrd, William T. Byrd, Napoleon Byrd, Leonard Anderson Byrd, Beatrice Byrd, Carrie M. Byrd, Gussie Wilson Byrd, James Samuel Byrd, Elizabeth Atkins Byrd, Aaron Byrd and Bob Byrd. Also in the household is niece Mollie Terrell, age 17, whose origins are not yet known.
  • The following appeared on circa 1941 in the Madisonville Meteor: If the Northerners and the Southerners who fought the war between the states had Ex-Slave Dave Byrd of Madison County to offer a remedy for the difficulties, maybe there wouldn't have been a war.
         "I've had a lot of trouble making my people see that the South and the North both was right," Uncle Dave, as he is known by everybody here, explained after he examined an old Springfield army rifle in the Madisonville Meteor office and was asked which side he supposed the gun was used on, his or the other side.
         "Well, Suh, I don't look at it that way," he answered.
         "Slavery was wrong, but the government should have paid the Southern owners for their freedom. That way, there wouldn't have been nothing to fight about."
         Given his freedom by the Emancipation Proclamation when he was three years old, Uncle Dave stayed with his massah, Major Wood of Montgomery County for a while, then moved to Madison County, being able to go to school three months, when he was 17.
         But he made those three months count. Today he can recite a complicated mathematical problem learned on the last day of his schooling, about how far it was from the earth to a cloud if the velocity of light pulsations from a flash of lightning was a certain figure.
         Despite his inability to get any more formal schooling, Uncle Dave kept on studying, and today can discuss the war in Europe or political science or the Bible with a facility ahead of lots of people.
         His love of education is testified to by the fact that all nine of his children have received a college education, five of them being school teachers, one a county agent, and one the wife of a teacher.
         Now 79 years old, Uncle Dave has retired on his farm, which he paid for between preachings. A constant student of the Bible, he began preaching in his early life and has continued until recent years. He would work on his farm until Saturday noon, clean up, ride his horse to his church, preach Saturday night, Sunday morning and night, and then ride home, and be ready for work Monday morning.
         "Lots of times now I wake up with a strong sermon in my system all ready to deliver, but I'se too feeble now," he said.
         Uncle Dave's nine children are William T. Byrd, a farmer; Napoleon Byrd, teacher at Midway; Casey Davidson, Walker County; L. A. Byrd, county agent in Louisiana; Beatrice Mott, teacher in Houston; Carry Simms, teacher in Madisonville; Gussie Smith, farmer teacher and wife of a teacher; James S. Byrd, teacher at Connor; Elizabeth Byrd, who stays at home with her parents.
         Uncle Dave's self-education itself has been recognized, and he was for years president of the board of trustees of the old Oakwood Academy, Negro college no longer in existence.
         Still alert, Uncle Dave listens to his radio and ponders about the world at war. "When a man tells me he's religious, but I knows he hates his brother, I just don't believe him," he says. "I hope Hitler loses, and I'm mighty glad to see Mussolini lose in Ethiopia, but the world needs peace."
         Family clipping shared by descendant Tisha Lyon.
  • Casandra Byrd died on 14 November 1974 at age 85 in Houston, Harris County, Texas, informant Willie A. Divison.
  • She was interred at Falba Cemetery, Baker Lake, Walker County, Texas.
  • Last Edited: 2 Jan 2009