Jonas B. Castiller was born in North Carolina in 1814. He
was married three times. His first wife was Rhoda Solomon, a daughter of James
Solomon, of Cocke County. To this union were born a son and a daughter, William
and Isabelle. His second wife was Mrs. Betsy Solomon, widow of John
Solomon. This second wife had a daughter, Molhe, by her first husband. His third
wife was Mrs. Sarah Solomon, widow of Howard Solomon. Brother Castiller lived near Point Pleasant Church, Cocke County. He was pastor of this
church for a number of years, also of Clay Creek, Pleasant Grove, and other
churches. He spent a great deal of his time holding meetings about over the
country, frequently associated in his work with Elder John Russell, of Sevier,
County. He held a memorable meeting with Bethel Church, which greatly helped to
establish the church in its feeble beginnings. In looking over the records of
the old Friendship Church, I see Jonas B. Castiller was frequently
"Moderator pro tem." When the beloved
C. C. Brown was a young
man, and clerk of the Friendship Church, he was a great admirer of Brother Castiller. Brown was inclined before and after his conversion, to the
Presbyterians,. and but for Castiller's influence would likely have been a
Presbyterian preacher. Castiller was constantly prodding him with some difficult
question with regard to the Presbyterian system: "Crocket, what will you do
with this? and this? and this?" until he got Brown to reading the Bible for
himself, and then led him down into the waters of baptism.
When the East Tennessee Association met with the Big Creek
(Del Rio) Church in 1867, Brother Castiller was a messenger of the Pleasant
Grove Church, and at that meeting be and Elder John Russell were appointed
"Associational missionaries for the ensuing year." About 1870 he moved
to Fackler, Alabama, where he became pastor, and continued his ministerial work,
"preaching to from two to four churches till his death, February 17, 1877.
He lived a Christian soldier, and died as he had lived. He was buried near
Fackler , Jackson County, Alabama." His son, William, moved to Arkansas at
the close of the Civil War. His nephew namesake, Jonas B. Campbell, now 64 years
old, lives at Fackler, Alabama. A host of the Inmans, Holts, Solomons and
others, of Cocke, Jefferson and other counties, are his kith and kin.
The
following incident is a sidelight on the character of Elder Castiller. The
occurrence is a boyhood recollection of Elder P. H. C. Hale. Before the Civil
War Brother Castiller drove hogs (as was the custom in those days) to South
Carolina for Esquire James Hale. Brother Castiller was "conscientious
about keeping the Sabbath," and with the consent and endorsement of Esquire
Hale, gave his drove of hogs their Sunday "rest" until they reached
the market. According to the testimony of both the men, the Sabbath-observing
hogs got to market in a shorter time and in better condition than other droves
that were taken straight along and not allowed their "Sabbath rest."
