Notes
Agnes and Frank divorced before 1918. The family story is that while Frank was married to Agnes, she discovered he was having an affair. Instead of looking the other way, as many women of that day would, Agnes preferred divorce. They were divorced and Agnes was left nearly penniless, with several minor children to raise. Still, Agnes was determined to raise every single one of them. The battle for custody raged on in the courts for at least four years.
There is a story in 'Nicholas Cobb's Descendants' about Frank and Agnes fighting over the custody of their youngest child, Sammie. Agnes lead a mule-drawn wagon to Frank's, thinking he was not at home, and tried to take Sammie. Frank was not gone, as she had thought, and when he saw what she was doing, "the race was on." The story doesn't tell us who won the race, but it appears Agnes won out in the end. Sam, 5 years old, is listed with Frank in the 1920 Madison County census (January 31) and Sammie, 5 years old, is listed with Agnes in the 1920 Haywood County census (February 10). He is listed with his mother in Haywood County in 1930.
Agnes had the sad task of trying to bring Sammie home a second time, when he died serving his country, in France. In an email I received from Dwayne Castellaw, he writes:
"Another note about him that I meant to tell you was he was originally buried in France. It was due to Ms. Agnes' persistence with the US Government that they shipped his remains back to Tennessee."
It took Agnes more than three and a half years to get Sammie home.
Pictures/Memorabilia
This picture belonged to my mother, Julia Castellaw. It's provided courtesy of my brother, Wayne Straight.
Martha Agnes Parlow Castellaw - 1903 with husband John Frank Castellaw,
son Thomas Jefferson Castellaw, daughter Margaret Arlecie Castellaw
and baby John Frank Castellaw, Jr.
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These are letters Agnes Castellaw wrote to my mother, Julia Castellaw in 1960. It was the year before Agnes died. She was about 87 years old. They are provided courtesy of my niece, Shana Moon.
People mentioned: Mrs. Wayne Straight, Julia ( her granddaughter, Julia Castellaw ), Wayne ( Julia's husband, Wayne Straight ), children Linda - Judy - Pam ( her great grandchildren, Linda Carver, Judy Domenico, Pam Domenico ), Vonnie ( her daughter-in-law, Vonnie Raines Castellaw ), Malcolm and Data ( her son, Malcolm Castellaw, and his wife Data ), Thomas N ( her grandson, Thomas Neil Castellaw ), Grandy ( her son, Thomas Jefferson Castellaw ), Gertrude ( her daughter, Gertrude Castellaw Stewart ), Alice - Manon ( her granddaughters, Alice Stewart, Manon Stewart )
May 1960 - envelope -- letter page 1 -- letter page 2 -- letter page 3 -- letter page 4
June 1960 - envelope -- letter page 1 -- letter page 2
Sources
Julia Laverne Castellaw, granddaughter to Martha Agnes Parlow
Malcolm Dwayne Castellaw, grandson to Martha Agnes Parlow
Jacquelyn Stewart, granddaughter to Martha Agnes Parlow
Wayne Arthur Straight, great grandson to Martha Agnes Parlow
Shana Marie Moon, great great granddaughter to Martha Agnes Parlow
Pat Parlow, great niece to Martha Agnes Parlow
Beverly Raines, first cousin, twice removed to Martha Agnes Parlow
heritagequestonline.com - Madison County, TN 1880 US Federal Census (image)
ancestry.com - Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 (image)
Delayed certificate of birth - Thomas Jefferson Castellaw, courtesy of Shana Moon
heritagequestonline.com - Crockett County, TN 1900 US Federal Census (image)
heritagequestonline.com - Haywood County, TN 1910 US Federal Census (image)
heritagequestonline.com - Haywood County, TN 1920 US Federal Census (image)
heritagequestonline.com - Madison County, TN 1920 US Federal Census (image)
Nicholas Cobb Descendants, Neighbors and Relatives 1613-1983, Some Haywood County History, pg 357
ancestry.com - Tennessee Divorce and Other Records, 1800-1965 (image)
ancestry.com - Haywood County, TN 1930 US Federal Census (image)
register.shelby.tn.us - Tennessee Death Records 1949-2005 (transcription)
findagrave.com - headstone (image)
tn-roots.com - Aaron S Castellaw obituary (transcription)
Thomas Jefferson Castellaw obituary, courtesy of Shana Moon
boards.ancestry.com - Agnes Castellaw obituary (transcription)
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