Samantha Ann Straley Caddy

Annie was a typical homemaker of the day, and her diary mentions "picking wool, twisting yarn, spinning, knitting, and sewing." She made dresses for herself and Flora, and shirts and pants for Robert.
They apparently lived near her aunt and uncle, Philip and Margaret Creamer, and she stayed with them when Robert was away, which was evidently often.

When Robert went off in the War, she at first stayed in their home. But she moved to his parents' home in Mt. Blanchard, Ohio on June 3, 1863, when it appeared he'd be gone a long time. She disliked the remote village they lived in, but loved his parents, particularly his mother.
Even though Robert's father maintained a journal during her time there, he rarely mentions her, or her daughter. It's clear that he cared for them both, but he doesn't speak much of them, for some reason.

Annie kept a diary for the years 1862-1864, and it speaks graphically of her intense grief at losing her husband, and gives details of her life with Rev. and Mrs. Charles Caddy. In the diary she also mentions that she takes in sewing to help with the family expenses, and that Robert would disapprove, were he alive.Here's the entry for Monday August 29, 1864 from the diary, which describes their parting:
Monday 29th. Monday morning again. Quite cool. Milton went home with Mr. Sockett. Had callers all day. I did nothing but knit tatting, for my pet (Flora) is not well. I am not well either, being so very depressed in mind, for I remember with a bitter sorrow just two years ago this night. It is now half past nine, and just the hour two years ago that I bade my husband a last farewell. Oh, can it be! I look back in memory and I see my husband as he was on that last night. The iron horse flew over the ground with lightning rapidity, hurrying on, as it seemed to me, with fiendish joy, our final separation. I watched him as he passed from one brave boy to another. He was paying them, and as he did so he had a word of kindness for each. And all was shipped with him. I see him yet, my noble husband, his bright full blue eyes, flashing with noble patriotism, as he spoke of our separation. His last words to me were, "Annie, I go from you and my home that I may serve my country in this time of trial. I consider it my duty. And remember," he said, "if I fall, I shall fall at my post. I will carve a name that one I love will not be ashamed of. But, darling Annie, our separation will be short, for I will send for you and our Pet as soon as we get in camp. Be of good cheer. Take good care of yourself and Pet, and remember, I shall always love you." A last kiss for me and Pet -- a smothered sigh, for many husbands and wives were that night parted. I turned my sad heart homward, then into sad seclusion. He was hurled away to the scene of battle -- It is all over now. After a little over twelve months' toils and hardships, while leading his men, the enemy were rushing in, and his body was left in their hands. We have never, as yet, learned whether he was buried or not, but it doubtless lies bleaching on Chickamauga's bloody field. Oh! Where is my noble, handsome husband of two years ago? Where are those dark brown curls that shaded his broad forehead? Where are those brilliant eyes? I look to heaven to see the stars, and fancy I see them there. I kisss his babe and murmur a prayer that she, at least, may be spared, for what would life be to me if I had not that pledge of his love. Life has passed but roughly with me since I saw my Robert. Sad. Oh, sad is my life!
Annie
Annie moved in with her husband's parents in Mt. Blanchard, Hancock Co., Ohio on June 3, 1863, when he went off to fight in the Civil War. After Robert's death, Annie and Flora remained with Robert's parents for a few years, according to Bob Peckinpaugh.
Another relative, Ethel Reiley Rush, says that Annie went to Flora, where her favorite sister-in-law, Julia Caddy Lowry, lived, and that she lived in a boardinghouse with Flora, supporting herself and her daughter by sewing for others in the community. This seems borne out by the fact that Annie Caddy is in Flora, Clay Co., IL on the 1870 census (2nd Ward - Roll 196, p. 72), with her daughter Flora. Annie's occupation is "dress maker." Living with them is her sister-in-law, Julia F. Caddy, a music teacher.

It was there that Annie met and later married Joseph Bowling. Julia didn't understand why she married Bowling, "as she always seems to fear him."
1880 - she and Bowling and their five children are on the federal census in Wayne Co., Illinois, in Lamard, Jeffersonville Twp. Flora Caddy, Annie's daughter by her first husband, is also in the household, listed as a teacher.
Annie died in 1886 at the age of forty-six, shortly after the youngest child was born. This baby was adopted by neighbors, and Joseph moved with the rest of his children to E. St. Louis.

Here's an excerpt from Charles Caddy's journal, from 1869, which depicts Annie's love for her husband, and their daughter:
Fri., Jan. 15. Near Jeffersonville. Visited the old home once occupied by my dear son, Robert D. Caddy, and spent a sad half hour in the old house and tried to pray. I noticed two inscriptions upon the walls, viz.: "Flora Bell Caddy was born in this house seven years ago today, Oct. 4, 1868, and the happiest days I ever knew were spent in this pleasant Oak Grove." Then on another wall, the following, "I loved this spot because he lived here." These inscriptions I presume were written by his widow, Anna Caddy. Dear Anna, her subsequent lot was a hard one. But she is at rest now with the Saviour. [This entry was transcribed from an earlier journal, and the last sentence must have been an addition, since Annie didn't die until well after 1868.]

Bob says that Flora lived with Rev. Caddy and wife for several years as a teenager. He was appointed her guardian in 1876, and remained so until 1879. This was before Annie's death, but after her second marriage.

Ethel recalled, "I can remember visiting Grandmother's house once, and my impression of her had always been one of daintiness. She was fond of floweres and the cottage was surrounded by petunias, four o'clocks an touch-me-nots. There were hollyhocks and flowering vines on the porches, morning glory, a cypress vine that had small red flowers, and a madiera vine with small fragrant white blossoms."
She concludes that "My impression of the Caddy family is that they were people of intelligence, with a love for music, and with a desire for education."
She and second husband Joseph P. Bowling are buried in Geff cemetery, north of Geff (Jeffersonville), IL in Lamard township, on Route 45. Her obituary was published in the Dec. 16, 1886 issue of the Wayne Co. Press.

Robert Dyer Caddy

Robert's father, Charles Caddy, was a Methodist Protestant minister. He served the Jeffersonville circuit, which included the Spring Grove Church where the Creamers and Straleys apparently worshipped, in 1852. Presumably this was when Robert and Annie first met. Annie's mother's Creamer relatives were pillars of this church, frequently serving as delegates to the conferences.

He was a school teacher, beginning at the early age of 16 (according to his obituary). He was teaching school in Fayette Co., Ohio in 1857 or 1858, and this may be when he met and began courting Annie.
He seems to have been a proud and ambitious man, who aspired to run for Congress (from the joint diary that he and Annie kept, March 21, 1862, cited by Ethel Rush in her note). They read to one another from Byron and Shakespeare, and other ambitious works.
Annie was a typical homemaker of the day, and her diary mentions "picking wool, twisting yarn, spinning, knitting, and sewing." She made dresses for herself and Flora, and shirts and pants for Robert. After his death, she supported herself and Flora by working as a seamstress.

They lived in Hamilton Co., OH, near her aunt and uncle, Philip and Margaret Creamer, and she stayed with them when Robert was away, which was evidently often. They appear on the Hamilton Co., OH federal census in 1860

Robert enlisted as a recruiting officer, then resigned that position and enlisted in Co. C of the 19th Ohio volunteer infantry (later designated the 90th Ohio Infantry) on 16 July 1862, for a term of three years. He was elected the Captain of his company. They mustered a month later at Camp Circleville, Ohio. Here is where he had his miniature portrait done, to give to Annie; he left by train the next day, according to her diary (p. 39). In just over a year, he would be dead. Annie and Flora went to the camp to see him off to the war. Here's the entry for Monday, August 29, from Annie Straley Caddy's diary, which describes their parting:
Monday 29th. Monday morning again. Quite cool. Milton went home with Mr. Sockett. Had callers all day. I did nothing but knit tatting, for my pet (Flora) is not well. I am not well either, being so very depressed in mind, for I remember with a bitter sorrow just two years ago this night. It is now half past nine, and just the hour two years ago that I bade my husband a last farewell. Oh, can it be! I look back in memory and I see my husband as he was on that last night. The iron horse flew over the ground with lightning rapidity, hurrying on, as it seemed to me, with fiendish joy, our final separation. I watched him as he passed from one brave boy to another. He was paying them, and as he did so he had a word of kindness for each. And all was shipped with him. I see him yet, my noble husband, his bright full blue eyes, flashing with noble patriotism, as he sopke of our separation. His last words to me were, "Annie, I go from you and my home that I may serve my country in this time of trial. I consider it my duty. And remember," he said, "if I fall, I shall fall at my post. I will carve a name that one I love will not be ashamed of. But, darling Annie, our separation will be short, for I will send for you and our Pet as soon as we get in camp. Be of good cheer. Take good care of yourself and Pet, and remember, I shall always love you." A last kiss for me and Pet -- a smothered sigh, for many husbands and wives were that night parted. I turned my sad heart homward, then into sad seclusion. He was hurled away to the scene of battle -- It is all over now. After a little over twelve months' toils and hardships, while leading his men, the enemy were rushing in, and his body was left in their hands. We have never, as yet, learned whether he was buried or not, but it doubtless lies bleaching on Chickamauga's bloody field. Oh! Where is my noble, handsome husband of two years ago? Where are those dark brown curls that shaded his broad forehead? Where are those brilliant eyes? I look to heaven to see the stars, and fancy I see them there. I kiss his babe and murmur a prayer that she, at least, may be spared, for what would life be to me if I had not that pledge of his love. Life has passed but roughly with me since I saw my Robert. Sad. Oh, sad is my life!
Annie
Annie and Robert were married May 20, 1858.
Flora was born October 4, 1861.
Robert went off to war, and Annie moved in with his parents in Mt. Blanchard, Ohio on June 3, 1863. Less than 4 months later, Robert was killed at the battle of Chickamauga, on Sept. 20, 1863; Annie learned of his death three weeks later, on Oct. 10, 1863 (notes from her diary).

Here is the entry from his father's journal, from Dec. 12, 1865, during a visit to Fayette Co., Ohio:
Tues., Dec. 12. Mailed several letters. One to my wife and Eva, Rena, James, and one to J.C. McGinnis. Rode to the Schoolhouse (Mr. Champlin, instructor) & made an address. Then, with Mr. J. Ott, went to Bloomington, Fayette Co., O., and heard a lecture from Col. J.J. Greer. I opened with prayer. I was then introduced to the audience, and made an address. After which Mr. James Edwards made a speech, and referred to my son Robert D. Caddy in nearly the following words: "I wish to make a few remarks, and I prefer to make them in the presence of Mr. Caddy, the father of Capt. Caddy. The Capt. was teaching school in this county, when the war broke out, and was for some time undecided in deference to going into the army. His mother having suffered on account of her son, Ancel, and she was unwilling that her son Robert should go. Ancel was in poor health, and had suffered much in the terrible marches he had to undergo. Robert finally received a letter from his mother, informing him of the death of Ancel. Subsequently Robert attended a war meeting and read this letter to the audience, and said that he was now decided in reference o his course, and made a speech. He went to Columbus, and obtained a commission from the Governor of Ohio, returned, and recruited a company, and was elected Captain of Company C, 90th Ohio Vol. Infantry, and followed the fortunes of the Army of the Cumberland, and you have just heard the result."