Caswell C. Walser is a son of Squire P. and Elizabeth (Wagner) Walser, being the eldest of their five children. He was born in Tennessee, in December, 1825, and when a very small child came with his parents to Missouri, where he early became familiar with farming. He attended the early subscription schools, and in 1846 enlisted in the Mexican War as teamster, and made two trips from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe. In the fall of 1848 he returned, owing to his father's death, and worked the farm for his mother for three years, at which date his mother married Shelby Martin, and is still residing in St. Clair County. Caswell then rented the home farm for seven years, then the farm was divided and sold. In 1852 he married Miss Amanda Francis, who died in March, 1855, and January 17, 1856, he wedded Martha Duncan, who died on the 20th of December of the following year. October 27, 1859, he took for his third wife Ann H. Norfleet, a native of Missouri, and a daughter of Abraham and Margaret Norfleet, who were early settlers of Callaway County from Kentucky. To his first marriage two children were born: Daniel W. and Francis M. His second resulted in the birth of one child: Elizabeth M., and to his last marriage eight children were born: Abraham, Margaret Jane, wife of Smith Lapsey; Eliza Ann, wife of B. Hamlin; Victoria, wife of H. Currence; Elvira, Addison, David F. and William C. After his first marriage Mr. Walser rented land for two years, and in June, 1859, purchased 360 acres on Moreau Creek, known as the Wagner farm. He has cleared at least 300 acres, and the entire tract is under fence. He has since purchased forty acres, and in 1875 erected on his land a handsome residence, besides having good farm buildings and an orchard of four acres. He has been a school director for many years, and has assisted in organizing a number of school districts. He and family are members of the Baptist Church. His father and mother were born in North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively. At the age of twenty-two years the father went to Georgia, and after working as a plantation overseer for four years, he went to Western Tennessee, where he met and married the daughter of John Wagner. After remaining there about four years he sold his farm, and in company with his wife's parents came to Missouri, and, after several changes, located permanently about eight miles from Jefferson City, on a farm of 300 acres, on which he died December 9, 1846.

Transcribed from:
History of Cole, Moniteau, Morgan, Benton, Miller, Maries, and Osage Counties, Missouri, Goodspeed Publishing Company (1889).