A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for Mills Tandy Chastain
"Past and Present of Saline County, Missouri", by William Barclay Napton, B.F. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, 1910, pp. 390-393 (obtained from http://www.archive.org/details/pastpresentofsal00napt):
M. T. CHASTAIN, M. D.
Probably no resident of Saline county, Missouri, enjoys a wider acquaintance or a greater number of warm personal friends than does the subject of this sketch. An honorable record as a soldier in the Civil war, a long and successful professioiial career as a successful physician, an eminently satisfactory administration as postmaster of Marshall, a public-spirited and broad-minded citizen in private life, a faithful friend and genial companion — in every avenue of life's activities in which he has engaged he has stood "four square to every wind that blows" and today is rightfully numbered among the representative men of the county.
M. T. Chastain was born in Logan county, Kentucky, May 13, 1839, and was reared on a farm. His education was commenced in a private school, after which he attended the Warsaw (Missouri) Academy. Returning to Kentucky, he became a student in the Locust Grove Academy and on the completion of his studies there, he, in 1859, went to Calhoun, Missouri, and began the study of medicine in the office and under the direction of Doctor Holland, visiting with his preceptor in the latter's professional visits and in this way gaining much valuable information in a practical way in the diagnosing of diseases. He took a regular course of lectures in 1860-61 and immediately entered upon the practice of his profession. Scarcely had he begun his career, however, before his plans were interrupted by the outbreak of the conflict between the North and the South. He decided to stand by the Union and at once volunteered his services, becoming a private in the Seventh Missouri Cavalry, his company being raised in Calhoun, Missouri, and was commanded by Colonel Phillips and Lieutenant-Colonel Crittenden. Doctor Chastain was at once made orderly sergeant and served as a non-commissioned officer until his promotion to the rank of sergeant-major and later to that of assistant surgeon of the regiment, in which capacity he continued to serve until the close of the war. The Seventh saw much active service in Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas, taking part in a number of hotly contested battles and skirmishes and being subject to much exposure and severe marches. Dr. Chastain was always in the line of duty and escaped with no further injury than slight flesh wounds. His military career was an honorable one and he was mustered out at St. Louis in March, 1865.
On the conclusion of his military experience. Doctor Chastain located at Georgetown, Pettis county, this state, and again took up the active practice of his profession, also being appointed examining surgeon for pensions. In October, 1865, feeling the need of further technical training, the Doctor entered the University Medical College, New York City, where he was graduated in March, 1866. He then located at Marshall, Missouri, where he devoted himself exclusively to the practice of medicine. He met with gratifying success from the start and commanded the confidence of the people throughout the surrounding country. He built up a large and lucrative practice, in which he remained actively engaged until March, 1904, when he received from President Roosevelt the appointment as postmaster of Marshall, in which office he remained until 1909, his administration of the postal affairs meeting with the universal endorsement and approval of the patrons of the office. During his official incumbency he raised the efficiency of the office to a high standard and made a marked increase in the rural free delivery service. During his residence here Doctor Chastain has from time to time invested in real estate and owns a fine large farm located two miles southwest of Marshall, to which he removed after retiring from the postmastership. He is now devoting his attention to the improvement and cultivation of this farm and the raising of live stock, in which he has a deep interest.
During his active practice Doctor Chastain maintained close and pleasant relations with his professional brethren and at one time served as president of the Saline County Medical Society. Reared and educated politically in the old Whig party, his first vote was for Abraham Lincoln for President in 1864 and he afterwards consistently affiliated with the Republican party. Still he is conservative and somewhat independent in his attitude, having later affiliated with the Democratic party and voted for Grover Cleveland once for President and others outside of his own party in local elections, voting for the men whom he considers best fitted for the offices they seek. Being a protectionist, he has voted with the Republican party since 1888.
He has himself filled several offices, such as mayor of Marshall, alderman and member of the school board, and in these positions he stood at all times for the highest interests of all the people, believing firmly in the adage that "public office is a public trust." In religion Doctor Chastain is a member of the Christian church, to which he gives an earnest and liberal support. He served many years as an elder of his church and after the Civil war he assisted materially in the reorganization of the church and its subsequent growth, it being now numbered among the strong and influential religious bodies of the community. He is a member of the time-honored order of Freemasonry, in which he has made considerable advancement, and is also affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in the subordinate lodge of which he has filled all the chairs.
Doctor Chastain has been married three times. His first union was with Louise Sandige, of Saline county, this state, a lady of culture and refinement, and a daughter of Capt. John Sandige, a native of Kentucky and an early and well known settler of Saline county. He was a prominent farmer and large slaveholder and died in this county prior to the Civil war. He was a Whig in politics, but never aspired to office. Mrs. Louise Chastain died February 22, 1867, there having been no issue. In October, 1870, Doctor Chastain married Fratie Holland, who was born in Calhoun, Missouri, the daughter of Dr. W. S. Holland, a prominent and popular physician and who was Doctor Chastain's first preceptor in the study of medicine. Originally he was a prominent Democrat and later a Republican and filled the office of state senator, being also a member of the state constitutional convention. He was widely known throughout the county and state and was influential and highly respected. He came to Saline county in 1874 and remained successfully engaged in the practice until his death in 1903. He became a strong prohibitionist and advocated his sentiments in no uncertain terms. To Doctor M. T. and Fratie Chastain were born two children, namely: Julia, who became the wife of O. E. Grecian, a prominent banker at Stroud, Oklahoma, and Willis A., a printer. Mrs. Chastain died in August, 1893, and in May, 1905, the Doctor married Dora Cartwright, a native of Pettis county, Missouri, and a daughter of Doctor Cartwright, who was for many years a resident of Pettis county, where his death occurred. Mrs. Chastain is a member of the Christian church and takes a helpful interest in the various activities of the church.
Reverting to the ancestral history of the subject, it may be stated that he is a son of Willis W. and Mary E. (Tandy) Chastain, both natives of Kentucky, where they were married. The subject's mother was of Scotch-Irish descent and his paternal ancestors were of honored French Hugnenot stock, being compelled to leave France because of their religious beliefs, locating in the American colonies in an early day. After his marriage, Willis W. Chastain settled down to agricultural pursuits, in which he was successful and which he continued until 1848, when he brought his family and slaves to Missouri, locating in Benton county, where he again engaged in farming. A number of years later he moved to Pettis county and engaged in farming until 1867, when death claimed him. He was a consistent and worthy member of the Christian church, and in each community where he had resided he was highly respected and was influential in the support of all worthy movements for the best interests of the people. His life was characterized by sterling integrity and an honesty of motive that gained for him the unbounded confidence of all who knew him. He was a constitutional Union man and took no part in the secession movement during the Civil war. In his political afifiliations he was a Whig and later a Democrat and took an active interest in local public events, though he never aspired to office. He was, however, induced to fill the office of justice of the peace for a number of years. His children were as follows: M. T., the immediate subject of this sketch; Alice, wife of R. S. Sandidge; Belle, who died in 1884, was the wife of Major G. W. Lankford ; Charles E., who is a successful and popular physician of Plattsburg, Missouri.
Name listed as Millo T. Chastien in marriage record and as M. F. Chastain in Maria's cemetery record. Martin Sandidge gives name as Mills or Milo T. Chastien. He is listed as Dr. M. T. Chastain in "History of Saline County, Missouri" and "Past and Present of Saline County, Missouri". 1881 Missouri State Gazetteer lists Mills T. Chastain as a physician.
Full name is from Ridge Park Cemetery database. Also from www.chastain.us/FamTree and "Christian County, Kentucky", Vol. II (Turner Publishing Co., 1991; portion obtained November 2011 from Google Books).
Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above. ...Mike Wilson
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