Elizabeth Dwyer Williams died in a fire, without leaving a will. The
estate was not large, but it was substantial enough to send the lawyers
scurrying for a genealogist. John R.T. Rives, of Alabama, provided
information on the families of John Sikes Cates (1808-1880, of
Shelbyville, Bedford Co., TN) and John S. Dwyer (ca. 1810 - ?, also of
Shelbyville.) I include a copy of the document, as it relates to the
Cates side of the family. I would be interested in contacting anyone
researching either the John Sikes Cates or John S. Dwyer families
Note: Because the formatting can be difficult to follow on an e-mail,
I've put all John Sikes Cates' children's names in caps.
Hope this helps someone!
Kathy
AFFIDAVIT OF HEIRSHIP AS TO MRS. ELIZABETH DWYER WILLIAMS
STATE OF ALABAMA )
COUNTY OF JEFFERSON )
John R.T. Rives, being duly sworn according to law, makes oath and
deposes as follows:
That he is now 87 years of age, having been born June 13, 1875, and
presently resides at the Ridgely Apartments, Birmingham, Alabama. That
over the years he has been interested in his own family history and has
made a thorough study thereof and is completely familiar with the heirs
of Mrs. Elizabeth Dwyer Williams, deceased, who was also known as Mrs.
N.B. Williams, and also known as Lizzie Williams, said Elizabeth Dwyer
Williams being the first cousin of the affiant.
Mrs. Elizabeth Dwyer Williams died intestate a citizen and resident of
Coffee County, Tennessee on November 13, 1957 at the age of 85 years,
having been born in the year 1872. Mrs. Williams¡Š husband, N.B.
Williams, predeceased her by some years; she having been married only
one time and having had no issue born to her. Mrs. Williams had no
sisters and only one brother, John B. Dwyer, who died without having
been married and without children. Mrs. Williams¡Š mother, Lousada Roan
Cates Dwyer, born August 31, 1845, predeceased Mrs. Williams and her
father, Joseph B. Dwyer, predeceased Mrs. Williams.
Lousada Roan Cates Dwyer was one of 11 children born to John Sikes Cates
and his wife, Elizabeth Hime Cates.
Said 11 children and their descendants, who are thus the heirs of
Elizabeth Dwyer Williams through her mother, Lousada Roan Cates Dwyer,
are as follows:
1. CALEDONIA CLEMENTINE CATES DWYER (died in 1897)
a. John Giles Dwyer (died 1897)
1) Frank Mason Dwyer (living on November 13, 1957)
2) Lillie Martin Dwyer (living on November 13, 1957)
3) Joseph Benjamin Dwyer (living on November 13, 1957)
2. JUSTINA ELLIOTT CATES DWYER (died prior to Mrs. Williams)
a. Elizabeth Dwyer (died prior to Mrs. Williams)
b. John Brum Whitthorne Dwyer (living on November 13, 1957) but died
December 13, 1959.
(1) Mrs. J.H. Hopkins (living)
(2) Joseph Dwyer (living)
c. Garnett Tennessee Dwyer Mohring (died in 1942)
(1) Agnes Mohring Cooper (died in 1948; no issue)
d. Elihu Dwyer (died in 1957 -- March 500 [sic]; never married, no
issue)
e. Alvia Adeline Dwyer Breier (living)
f. Irene Funkhouse (died in 1940)
(1) Levia Funkhouser (died in 1947; no issue)
(2) A.D. Funkhouser (living)
g. Asero Burnett Dwyer (died in 1956)
(1) Charles E. Dwyer (living)
(2) Garnett T. Dwyer Dugan (living)
(3) Dorothy I. Dwyer Barnes (living)
(4) Catherine A. Dwyer (living)
3. FINETTA FRANCES CATES THOMAS (died before Mrs. Williams)
a. Henry Whitthorne Thomas (living)
4. GILES PRESTON CATES married Martha Hastings; he died July 20, 1968;
no issue
5. JAMES POLK CATES (died 1863; unmarried, without issue)
6. JOSEPH H. CATES (died prior to Mrs. Williams)
a. John Sanford Cates (living)
b. William P. Cates (died in 1955 prior to Mrs. Williams)
(1) Paul Cates (living)
(2) Irene Cates (living)
(3) Doris Cates Hicks (living)
7. DANIEL ENOCH CATES (died before Mrs. Williams)
a. John Hampton Cates (died before Mrs. Williams; no issue, wife
deceased)
b. Zourilda Florentine Cates Whitehurst (died before Mrs. Williams)
(1) Gracie Edna Whitehurst (died as an infant, before Mrs. Williams)
(2) Sarah Elizabeth Whitehurst Wyche (living)
(3) David Carl Whitehurst (living)
(4) Una Vada Whitehurst (living)
(5) Elson Whitehurst (living)
(6) Claude Whitehurst (died in 1932)
(a) Max Eugene Wilson (living)
(d) David Wilson (living)
(7) Daniel Walter Whitehurst (died as an infant)
c. Giles Greer Cates (died in 1947)
(1) Harry Cates (living)
8. MARTHA JANE CATES PARKER RIVES (died before Mrs. Williams)
a. John R.T. Rives (living)
b. Benjamin Joseph Rives (died prior to Mrs. Williams)
(1) Harry Monroe Rives (living)
(2) Ida Mae Rives Parker (living)
(3) George Rives (living)
(4) Robert B. Rives (living)
(5) Ernest Hall Rives (died in 1946, no issue)
(6) Herman H. Rives (died in 1898, no issue)
9. JOHN REASON CATES (died prior to Mrs. Williams)
a. William Cates (died prior to Mrs. Williams)
(1) Emma Cates Prock (living)
b. Elizabeth Cates Wilson (died prior to Mrs. Williams; no issue)
c. Daniel Cates (died in 1895)
(1) Bertie Pearl Cates Phillips (living)
(2) Inez Cates Owens Bartlerr (died in 1958, after Mrs. Williams)
(a) Montie Pauline Owens Williams (died in 1958, after Mrs. Williams)
[1] Monte Williams (living)
(b) Irene Owens Taylor (died in 1954; no issue)
(3) Jesse More Cates (died in 1952, not married, no issue)
(4) Georgia Adaline Cates Endicott (died in 1916; no issue)
10. MARY ANN CATES BROWN (died April 10, 1891)
a. Ella Audenia Brown (died in 1875; no issue)
b. Paschal Cooper Brown (died prior to Mrs. Williams)
(1) Macon Brown Prince (living)
(2) Mary Brown Hazelwood (living)
(3) Estell Brown Ruffell (living)
11. LOUSADA ROAN CATES DWYER (died prior to Mrs. Williams)
a. Elizabeth Dwyer Williams (died November 13, 1957)
b. Joseph B. Dwyer (died prior to Mrs. Williams)
It will be noted from reading the above that three (3) of the Cates
sisters married three (3) of the Dwyer brothers, as follows:
(1) Joseph B. Dwyer married LOUSADA ROAN CATES;
(2) Daniel Dwyer married JUSTINA ELLIOTT CATES and
(3) John F. Dwyer married CALEDONIA CLEMENTINE CATES;
therefore the children and their descendants of Daniel Dwyer and JUSTINA
ELLIOTT CATES (DWYER), and the children and their descendants of John F.
Dwyer and CALEDONIA CLEMENTINE CATES (DWYER) are heirs of Elizabeth
Dwyer Williams, deceased, through both Joseph B. Dwyer (the father of
Elizabeth Dwyer Williams) and LOUSADA ROAN CATES DWYER (the mother of
Elizabeth Dwyer Williams).
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