William Casey

William Casey (1754–1816) was an American settler, military officer, and politician who is the namesake of Casey County, Kentucky. Through his daughter Margaret Lampton, he is the great-grandfather of writer and humorist Mark Twain.

Early life and family William Casey was born in Frederick County, Virginia in 1754. In the winter of 1779, Casey arrived in Kentucky and camped in the Dix River area. He was an early settler of the Logan's Station area, where he lived with his family until 1791.

Casey was a prominent landowner in the area, owning over 600 acres and a farm with horses, cattle, and sheep. Casey owned at least six enslaved persons during his adulthood.

Public service In 1792, Casey was commissioned as Lieutenant Colonel of the 16th Regiment of the Green County Militia, serving during the American Revolutionary War in a company of soldier settlers.

Casey held several political posts in the Commonwealth of Kentucky after it achieved statehood. In 1795, he was an early member of the Kentucky House of Representatives.

In 1800, Casey was a member of the Kentucky Senate. In 1802, Casey was elected as a trustee of the town of Columbia. When Casey County was organized in November 1806, it was named in his honor.