Boone County Democrat
November 28, 1902 Boone Iowa

C.J. Cassel, one of the pioneers of the southern part of the county, died at his home in Madrid on Tuesday evening, November 25, at 10 o'clock. He had been in poor health for some time but his death was not expected. The deceased settled in Madrid when that place was known as Swede Point and has witnessed the growth of the county form its primeval state to the present time. He was a useful member of the community and his death is regrettable. The funeral was held on Friday from the Lutheran church at 10 o'clock and interment in the Madrid cemetery.
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Carl Johan Cassel's biography/obituary is in a Swedish language book "Prairieblomman Kalendar för 1904", editor A. Schön, published by Lutheran Augustana Book Concern, Rock Island, Illinois. Page 254-256, with a portrait on p. 257.
Translation, summarized:
Carl Johan Cassel was one of the earliest Swedish pioneers during the 1800's, not just in Iowa but in other states as well. He arrived in the middle of the 1840's.
He was born in Kisa Parish, Östergötland, the 26th of December, 1821. His father was the miller Peter Cassel, and there were several in the area who began to think of emigration. Peter Cassel, his 2nd wife Ingeborg, Peter's children including Carl Johan Cassel, Ingeborg's brother and sister, plus others with their families left Sweden in the spring of 1845 for America, with the ship "Superb" from Gothenburg. The voyage took 8 weeks. After a week in New York, the group headed to Pine Lake, Wisconsin. Their route took them from Pittsburg, PA, steamboat on the Ohio to Cairo, Illinois, up the Mississippi to Burlington Iowa, and by horse and wagon to Jefferson County, Wisconsin. They arrived Sept. 13, 1845.
They founded New Sweden.
In the fall of 1846, Carl Johan Cassel began a furniture building firm with A. J. Dalander in Fairfield, Wisconsin. He married Ulla Dalander 21 April 1848. It was considered the first Swedish wedding in the western states. In the spring of 1849, Carl Johan Cassel and wife Ulla moved to Swede Point, now called Madrid, Iowa. The nearest town was Des Moines.
Carl Johan Cassel established himself as a miller.
He took an interesting politics os the Whig Party, later the Republican Party. He held several township and county positions.
He helped found the Swedish Lutheran congregation in Madrid, and participated in the work of the church.
He is survived by three siblings, one of which is his brother Anders [Andrew] F. Cassel, representative from Jefferson County, Wisconsin to the state legislature. Carl also leaves 9 children and 14 grandchildren. His wife died April 3, 1891. He died November 25, 1902.

Note: Carl Johan Petersson Cassel's mother was
Anna Svensdotter
B. 25 NOV 1796, Asby, Östergötland, Sweden
D. 29 MAY 1829, Föllingsö Kvarn, Kisa, Östergötland, Sweden
Carl Johan was her only child who lived to adulthood.
Contributor: Rose (47954131)