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Carothers McCaslin
The patriarch of the McCaslin family and the founder of the McCaslin plantation. Most of the important characters are his descendents, through one of three branches: the male branch (Isaac, descended from Carothers's son Buck), the female branch (the Edmondses, descended from Carothers's daughter and her husband, Edmonds), and the Black branch (Tomey's Turl and his descendents, including Lucas Beauchamp, descended from Carothers's affair with his slave-girl Tomey).
Isaac McCaslin
Carothers McCaslin's grandson, the son of Buck McCaslin and Sophonsiba Beauchamp; born in the late 1860s and raised by his second-cousin McCaslin Edmonds. Taught to hunt as a young boy by Sam Fathers, he remains deeply committed to the wilderness and to hunting. At 21, he renounces his inheritance and gives the plantation to McCaslin Edmonds.
McCaslin Edmonds
The great-grandson of Carothers McCaslin, descended from Carothers's daughter. Raised by his Uncle Buck and Uncle Buddy, he, in turn, raises Buck's son, Isaac McCaslin. He inherits the plantation at the age of 37, when 21-year-old Isaac refuses to take it as his own inheritance.
Lucas Beauchamp
The part-Black grandson of Carothers McCaslin, the son of Tennie and Tomey's Turl. He is a tenant farmer on the old McCaslin plantation when it is owned by Carothers Edmonds.
Theophilus McCaslin
Carothers McCaslin's son, Amodeus McCaslin's twin brother, Isaac McCaslin's father. He runs the McCaslin plantation while Amodeus tends the house. (Theophilus and Amodeus are more usually called "Buck" and "Buddy," respectively.) He eventually marries Sophonsiba Beauchamp, Isaac's mother.
Amodeus McCaslin
Carothers McCaslin's son, Theophilus McCaslin's twin brother. He raises his sister's son, McCaslin Edmonds, and tends to the house while his brother runs the plantation. Usually called "Buddy," just as Theophilus is usually called "Buck." At poker, he is unmatched.
Hubert Beauchamp
The owner of the plantation nearest the McCaslins'. He is a leisurely, childish man. His sister, Sophonsiba, believes he is the true Earl of Warwick.
Sophonsiba Beauchamp
Hubert Beauchamp's sister, eventually Buck McCaslin's wife. She believes her brother is the real Earl of Warwick and insists that his plantation be called "Warwick."
Tennie Beauchamp
The Beauchamp slave who marries Tomey's Turl; Lucas Beauchamp's mother.
Tomey
The slave who becomes Carothers McCaslin's lover; may also be Carothers's daughter if Isaac is right in thinking that Carothers also had an affair with Tomey's mother, Eunice. Tomey gives birth to Turl, Carothers's son, not long after her mother commits suicide by drowning.
Tomey's Turl
Carothers McCaslin's son with the slave-girl Tomey. He marries Tennie and becomes Lucas Beauchamp's father.
Major de Spain
The proprietor of the old Sutpen plantation, also owns the hunting camp described in "The Old People" and "The Bear."
General Compson
The old Civil War general and Jefferson aristocrat who goes on the hunting expeditions. (Also the ancestor of important characters in
Boon Hogganbeck
The ugly, alcoholic hunter who is fiercely loyal to Major de Spain and McCaslin Edmonds. He tends to the dog Lion and eventually kills the bear Old Ben with his hunting knife.
Sam Fathers
The son of Ikkemotubbe, the Choctaw chief, and a slave-girl. Ikkemotubbe sold Sam and his mother into slavery when Sam was very young. Now an expert hunter, Sam tames the dog Lion and teaches Isaac the ways of the forest.
Molly Beauchamp
Lucas Beauchamp's wife, who helps to raise Carothers Edmonds. In the story "Go Down, Moses," her name is spelled "Mollie."
Carothers Edmonds
McCaslin Edmonds's grandson, Carothers McCaslin's great-great-great-grandson. He runs the plantation in the old age of Lucas Beauchamp and Isaac McCaslin.
Zack Edmonds
McCaslin Edmonds's son, Carothers Edmonds's father.
Rider
A huge Black man who works at the sawmill and lives in a house on Carothers Edmonds's property. His wife, Mannie, dies young.
Mannie
Rider's wife, whose death sends him into despair.
Birdsong
The security guard who runs a crooked dice game at the Jefferson sawmill.
Walter Ewell
A hunter who goes on Major de Spain's expeditions. When he shoots, he never misses.
Miss Worsham
An old white woman with whom Molly Beauchamp's brother lives and who asks Gavin Stevens to bring Samuel Beauchamp's body back from Illinois.
Samuel Beauchamp
Molly and Lucas Beauchamp's grandson, a criminal who is executed in Illinois in the final story.
Gavin Stevens
A white lawyer who helps Molly and Miss Worsham bring Samuel Beauchamp's body back from Illinois.
George Wilkens
The man who marries Lucas Beauchamp's daughter.
Old Ben
The bear of "The Bear," a ferocious, gigantic beast who becomes legendary as an immortal force in the forest. Old Ben has one mutilated foot from a bear trap but otherwise seems to be invulnerable. Old Ben is finally killed by Boon Hogganbeck after tearing out the entrails of the dog Lion.
