He was the youngest son of James Cassteel & Elizabeth Ann Hartman. His mother died when he was two weeks old, and he lived with his father and a step-mother in his early years.
On January 30, 1892 J. W. Casteal (sic), age 22 of Eagle Grove, Wright County, IA and Melissia (sic) Chronister, age 18 of Rolfe were married at Rolfe, Pocahontas County, IA by Rev. G. S. Cole. John's mother's maiden name was shown as "Does not know". Since his mother had died about 2 weeks after he was born, he apparently had no knowledge about her. John & Emma's only child was born in November of that year.
In about 1894 John went to work as a conductor for the Chicago Northwestern Railway Company, and they resided in Eagle Grove, IA. They divorced in 1907.
John married Mrs. Anna E. Reed on January 19, 1922 in Los Angeles, CA. We have virtually no knowledge of the activities of John Casteel after 1907 until his marriage in 1922. In an April, 1919 letter to her parents, Vera Casteel says that Maurice's father visited them in mid-March. They were in Bremerton, WA at the time.
We know that John was a real estate salesman at the time of his death, and he must have been quite successful as he owned several pieces of property in California and in British Columbia, Canada. John's holographic will dated April 2, 1927 reads:
"I, J. W. Casteel, of Los Angeles California make and declare this is my last Will and Testament I. give devise and bequeath all of my Real and Personal estate of every description Whatsoever of Which I shall bee possessed and to Which I Shall be entitled at the time of my death to my Wife Anna E Casteel during her lifeTime, and at her death to my Son Maurice Wyett Casteel now of Minneapolis Minn and I hereby appoint the Said Anna E Casteel Sole Executor With out Bonds.
And She Shall have the right to Sell Such Property as She deames best, at a Reasnable Price but must Ree invest it in Some Safe manner So as it Will not decrees in Value
the Reason I am giving her permision to do this is I have Some property that does not amount to Verry much and it Would not be advisable for to hold it Such as my Property in Canada or the 40 acres near Shafter California I Would advise not to hold them any longer that can get a Reasnable Price her to use her own Judgement ase my Wife Anna E. Casteel has aways helped me both in Work an Financialy I have full faith in her that She is cappable of excuting this Will to my Satsfaction
I Request that my body be Cremated and the ashes be Scatterd to the four Winds as We Were nothing befour We came in to this World and We ar nothing after We go out and I do not believe in burring ded bodys in the ground
Signed this 2nd Day of April 1927 /S/ J. W. Casteel"
John was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery at Los Angeles, but his body was later exhumed and cremated per his wishes. However, his ashes were not "scattered to the four winds" as he had directed in his will, but were inurned at the same cemetery. His ashes are in the Columbarium of Love, Dahlia Terrace, Space 6564. The cemetery confirms that his burial location is unmarked.
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Burial location of John's second wife, Anna, is unknown.
On January 30, 1892 J. W. Casteal (sic), age 22 of Eagle Grove, Wright County, IA and Melissia (sic) Chronister, age 18 of Rolfe were married at Rolfe, Pocahontas County, IA by Rev. G. S. Cole. John's mother's maiden name was shown as "Does not know". Since his mother had died about 2 weeks after he was born, he apparently had no knowledge about her. John & Emma's only child was born in November of that year.
In about 1894 John went to work as a conductor for the Chicago Northwestern Railway Company, and they resided in Eagle Grove, IA. They divorced in 1907.
John married Mrs. Anna E. Reed on January 19, 1922 in Los Angeles, CA. We have virtually no knowledge of the activities of John Casteel after 1907 until his marriage in 1922. In an April, 1919 letter to her parents, Vera Casteel says that Maurice's father visited them in mid-March. They were in Bremerton, WA at the time.
We know that John was a real estate salesman at the time of his death, and he must have been quite successful as he owned several pieces of property in California and in British Columbia, Canada. John's holographic will dated April 2, 1927 reads:
"I, J. W. Casteel, of Los Angeles California make and declare this is my last Will and Testament I. give devise and bequeath all of my Real and Personal estate of every description Whatsoever of Which I shall bee possessed and to Which I Shall be entitled at the time of my death to my Wife Anna E Casteel during her lifeTime, and at her death to my Son Maurice Wyett Casteel now of Minneapolis Minn and I hereby appoint the Said Anna E Casteel Sole Executor With out Bonds.
And She Shall have the right to Sell Such Property as She deames best, at a Reasnable Price but must Ree invest it in Some Safe manner So as it Will not decrees in Value
the Reason I am giving her permision to do this is I have Some property that does not amount to Verry much and it Would not be advisable for to hold it Such as my Property in Canada or the 40 acres near Shafter California I Would advise not to hold them any longer that can get a Reasnable Price her to use her own Judgement ase my Wife Anna E. Casteel has aways helped me both in Work an Financialy I have full faith in her that She is cappable of excuting this Will to my Satsfaction
I Request that my body be Cremated and the ashes be Scatterd to the four Winds as We Were nothing befour We came in to this World and We ar nothing after We go out and I do not believe in burring ded bodys in the ground
Signed this 2nd Day of April 1927 /S/ J. W. Casteel"
John was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery at Los Angeles, but his body was later exhumed and cremated per his wishes. However, his ashes were not "scattered to the four winds" as he had directed in his will, but were inurned at the same cemetery. His ashes are in the Columbarium of Love, Dahlia Terrace, Space 6564. The cemetery confirms that his burial location is unmarked.
***********
Burial location of John's second wife, Anna, is unknown.
He was the youngest son of James Cassteel & Elizabeth Ann Hartman. His mother died when he was two weeks old, and he lived with his father and a step-mother in his early years.
On January 30, 1892 J. W. Casteal (sic), age 22 of Eagle Grove, Wright County, IA and Melissia (sic) Chronister, age 18 of Rolfe were married at Rolfe, Pocahontas County, IA by Rev. G. S. Cole. John's mother's maiden name was shown as "Does not know". Since his mother had died about 2 weeks after he was born, he apparently had no knowledge about her. John & Emma's only child was born in November of that year.
In about 1894 John went to work as a conductor for the Chicago Northwestern Railway Company, and they resided in Eagle Grove, IA. They divorced in 1907.
John married Mrs. Anna E. Reed on January 19, 1922 in Los Angeles, CA. We have virtually no knowledge of the activities of John Casteel after 1907 until his marriage in 1922. In an April, 1919 letter to her parents, Vera Casteel says that Maurice's father visited them in mid-March. They were in Bremerton, WA at the time.
We know that John was a real estate salesman at the time of his death, and he must have been quite successful as he owned several pieces of property in California and in British Columbia, Canada. John's holographic will dated April 2, 1927 reads:
"I, J. W. Casteel, of Los Angeles California make and declare this is my last Will and Testament I. give devise and bequeath all of my Real and Personal estate of every description Whatsoever of Which I shall bee possessed and to Which I Shall be entitled at the time of my death to my Wife Anna E Casteel during her lifeTime, and at her death to my Son Maurice Wyett Casteel now of Minneapolis Minn and I hereby appoint the Said Anna E Casteel Sole Executor With out Bonds.
And She Shall have the right to Sell Such Property as She deames best, at a Reasnable Price but must Ree invest it in Some Safe manner So as it Will not decrees in Value
the Reason I am giving her permision to do this is I have Some property that does not amount to Verry much and it Would not be advisable for to hold it Such as my Property in Canada or the 40 acres near Shafter California I Would advise not to hold them any longer that can get a Reasnable Price her to use her own Judgement ase my Wife Anna E. Casteel has aways helped me both in Work an Financialy I have full faith in her that She is cappable of excuting this Will to my Satsfaction
I Request that my body be Cremated and the ashes be Scatterd to the four Winds as We Were nothing befour We came in to this World and We ar nothing after We go out and I do not believe in burring ded bodys in the ground
Signed this 2nd Day of April 1927 /S/ J. W. Casteel"
John was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery at Los Angeles, but his body was later exhumed and cremated per his wishes. However, his ashes were not "scattered to the four winds" as he had directed in his will, but were inurned at the same cemetery. His ashes are in the Columbarium of Love, Dahlia Terrace, Space 6564. The cemetery confirms that his burial location is unmarked.
***********
Burial location of John's second wife, Anna, is unknown.
On January 30, 1892 J. W. Casteal (sic), age 22 of Eagle Grove, Wright County, IA and Melissia (sic) Chronister, age 18 of Rolfe were married at Rolfe, Pocahontas County, IA by Rev. G. S. Cole. John's mother's maiden name was shown as "Does not know". Since his mother had died about 2 weeks after he was born, he apparently had no knowledge about her. John & Emma's only child was born in November of that year.
In about 1894 John went to work as a conductor for the Chicago Northwestern Railway Company, and they resided in Eagle Grove, IA. They divorced in 1907.
John married Mrs. Anna E. Reed on January 19, 1922 in Los Angeles, CA. We have virtually no knowledge of the activities of John Casteel after 1907 until his marriage in 1922. In an April, 1919 letter to her parents, Vera Casteel says that Maurice's father visited them in mid-March. They were in Bremerton, WA at the time.
We know that John was a real estate salesman at the time of his death, and he must have been quite successful as he owned several pieces of property in California and in British Columbia, Canada. John's holographic will dated April 2, 1927 reads:
"I, J. W. Casteel, of Los Angeles California make and declare this is my last Will and Testament I. give devise and bequeath all of my Real and Personal estate of every description Whatsoever of Which I shall bee possessed and to Which I Shall be entitled at the time of my death to my Wife Anna E Casteel during her lifeTime, and at her death to my Son Maurice Wyett Casteel now of Minneapolis Minn and I hereby appoint the Said Anna E Casteel Sole Executor With out Bonds.
And She Shall have the right to Sell Such Property as She deames best, at a Reasnable Price but must Ree invest it in Some Safe manner So as it Will not decrees in Value
the Reason I am giving her permision to do this is I have Some property that does not amount to Verry much and it Would not be advisable for to hold it Such as my Property in Canada or the 40 acres near Shafter California I Would advise not to hold them any longer that can get a Reasnable Price her to use her own Judgement ase my Wife Anna E. Casteel has aways helped me both in Work an Financialy I have full faith in her that She is cappable of excuting this Will to my Satsfaction
I Request that my body be Cremated and the ashes be Scatterd to the four Winds as We Were nothing befour We came in to this World and We ar nothing after We go out and I do not believe in burring ded bodys in the ground
Signed this 2nd Day of April 1927 /S/ J. W. Casteel"
John was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery at Los Angeles, but his body was later exhumed and cremated per his wishes. However, his ashes were not "scattered to the four winds" as he had directed in his will, but were inurned at the same cemetery. His ashes are in the Columbarium of Love, Dahlia Terrace, Space 6564. The cemetery confirms that his burial location is unmarked.
***********
Burial location of John's second wife, Anna, is unknown.
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Find-A-Grave volunteer has verified with the cemetery office that this burial is unmarked.
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