Castle, Joshua Zion, Pvt., was a member of Company E, 39th Kentucky Mounted Infantry (Union). Joshua Zion was born on 3 May, 1845, in Lawrence Co., Kentucky, the son of John Emory Castle, and grandson of Jacob Castle, Jr., great grandson of Jacob Castle, Sr. Dr. Joshua Zion Castle was a physician who lived in Martin Co., Kentucky, until 1872 when he moved his family to Meeker County, Minnesota. He married Armilda Stansburg, b. circa 1850, Virginia, in 1868 and was a member of GAR Post #133 in Dassel, Minnesota. Dr. Joshua Zion and Armilda had the following children: (1) Rufus, b. 1875, Minnesota; (2) Emory, b. 1881, Minnesota; (3) Elizabeth, b. 1880, Minnesota; (4) Unnamed male, b. 1885, Minnesota. Dr. Joshua Zion Castle apparently moved his family to Riverside, California, sometime after 1886 as he died there on 10 January, 1904. He was also a Grand Army of the Republic post member in Riverside, CA.

From the Adjutant General's Report: Enrolled November 3rd, 1862; mustered in on February 16th, 1863, at Peach Orchard, Lawrence County, Kentucky; mustered out on September 15th, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky. No further records.

Gary, I did a bit more looking for data regarding Joshua Zion Cassell and found in the Dassel, MN, newspaper, The Dassel Anchor, Joshua's obituary, or actually three of them! The first was dated January 24, 1907. It was brief:

It mentioned that Joshua Zion Cassell had been living at Riverside, CA, for THREE YEARS. His farm [at Dassel] was owned by Mrs. T. M. Jones and was located about 1/2 mile south of town. His widow and grown children were with him at his death. Sympathies extended, etc.

The second: February 28, 1907, [ page 1, Col. 2] a more complete obituary:

"Joshua Zion Cassel was born at Maysville, Ill., May 8, 1845. With his parents he moved to Martin County, Kentucky, at the age of three years where, as the years passed, he grew to the realization that his country needed an army of patriots to defend its existence and at the age of seventeen years he, moved by the courage of his convictions, staked his life by enlistment in Co. E, 39th Kentucky Vol., USA, in the winter of '61-'62 and served honorably during the war rising to the rank of orderly sergeant and was discharged only at the termination of the war. This act types the man. His father was a Breckinridge Democrat, residing in a slave state. Yet, in an issue of principle, he had his young life in its defense. All through a valuable life Mr. Cassel was found defending, as then, his principles with an earnestness so familiar to all who knew him. In 1868, he was married to Armilda Stansbury. There was no mercenary element in the alliance. Bare-handed they strode together into the forests of Kentucky and whipped in subjugation and built the home where some of their eleven children were born. Later, in the same courageous spirit, in 1872 Mr. Cassel removed to Dassel, Minnesota, where he resided for 30 years, raising a large family and accumulating a competency for them upon a farm which like that in Kentucky was made by the farmer and his helpmate. The family of Mr. Cassel is a fitting monument to the work of life, setting forth forcibly a verification of the promise that a child will not depart from the way in which he should go if he is brought up right. His is a well-reared family. For 25 years he was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. About four years ago he moved to California. Suddenly, on December 2, 1906, he was stricken with urinia complicated with a valvular disease of the heart, with which, after the tender ministrations of all the family during nearly forty days, he died January 8, 1907."

Then on March 7, 1907, the above obituary was run again, but with the following paragraph added, a description of the funeral written by another CW vet:

"Wrapped in the flag of his devotion, smothered in flowers and tears in the home of his love, on the beautiful Magnolia Avenue, in the dignity of death, he held his last reception. The services were conducted by Rev. Hoar of Loma Linda, Cal., and singing by Mrs. Frary Johnson. His white-headed comrades in battle, members of the Riverside Post, G.A.R., concluded impressive cermonies at the grave side. Soldier, husband, father, friend, neighbor, citizen; in all these difficult and noble relations, he would wish for no loftier encomium than, 'well done good and faithful servant.'"--Captain Elijah Hawkins.

There were quite a number of people from the Dassel area [including A.W. Coleman, a son of Richard Dennis Coleman of Co. H, 39th Kentucky Mounted Infantry, my 2nd great-grandpa, who also lived on Magnolia Ave] living in Riverside.