The Forrest City times., 1891-04-03
OBITUARY.
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The subject of this sketch--R w Casteel- was born in the state of Tennessee. near the city of Knoxville. March 90 ls16, and died at the residence of his daughter, Mrs J. w. Beck, of this city, at midnight, March Q 1891
 Had he lived to celebrate the anniversary of his birthday. on the 2oth inst he would have been seventy-hve years of age He had passed his three-score and ten, gaining five years beyond the limit of mans allotted tmc of life when God in His wisdom called him from time to eternity.
 He came to the state of Arkansas at the age of thirteen, spending the remainder of his life in St Francis and Phillips counties He was n resident of Helena for fifteen years during which time five children three girls and two boys were born into his home, four of whom survive him, his devoted wife and one son having preceded him to the grave During his late illness he was kindly cared for at the homo of his son-in-law Mr J. " Beck. where he received the constant attention of skilled physloions, together with the loving tender ministrations of his daughters Mes danes Beck, Cummings and German all of whom are noble christian women. his son, Mir. Jack Castcel. joining them in watching by his bedside a few days before he died
 Being one of the older citizens of Eastern Arkansas, he had endured the trials and hard ships of pioneer life while engaged in clearing away the dense forest and opening mp this rich, fertile country until where once grew the mammoth oak and stately poplar the fieecy staple was cultivated and grown to per lection. He was man of shrewd business tact and by good management and industry succeeded in accommodating fortune bu, lost heavily by the late war He was scrupuousiy honest, choosing rather to suffer loss than to Gticw the poorest negro who cultivated his 1 lands to become dissatisfied on account of even an imaginary wrong or mistake in final settlement. Casting his lot with the people of the South, he enlisted as d soldier in the Southern army, and was captured in 1864 and held prisoner for more than year at Camp Chase. Not to be daunted or discouraged by the ravages and devastatons of war, he re- turned at its close to gather up the fragments of his shattered fortune and begin life anew He was man of strong convictions but quiet and unobtrusive. During series of meet ings held in the Methodist church by Rev K c. kilgore, in the fail of iSs9 he was pun gently convicted, and manifested an earnest serious, personal interest in the salvation of his soul, often arising in the midst of q large congregation to ask the prayers of the chris- tian people in his behalf. Sometimes hope. full at other times Respondent, he continued in the struggle until God, for Christ's sake pardoned his sins. During the silent hours of the night God spoke peace to the troubled soul. All day previous to the night he died he rejoiced in & Savior's love. and praised God for His goodness and mercy. He forciby realized and freely acknowledged that he had made great mistake in procrastinating from time to time through life the all-important matter of accepting Christ: for observation and experience teach us that most of the men who neglect this matter for lifetime die without hope. As other men, he had his faults. Let us mantle them with charity and forget them, remembering only the good Now. that he sleeps in the silent City of the Dead. let this be the sentiment of every heart Peace to Thy Ashesln W. D. KELLEY