Hey Karon and Pam!
The military pension file had very little new information for us,
nothing on his origins or early life. It was submitted by his second
wife on behalf of his (still minor) youngest son after William's death.
He was in the 15th Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps. I do have some
information about the company he enlisted in, but I don't know which
box/pile my copy is in. It was definitely a McLean County regiment.
Married on 10 June 1849, McLean County,Illinois, to Elizabeth G
Whitelock <
http://fileserver:2317/stidham-dare_w?i=621> 1830-ca 1855
(she died) then married on 27 September 1855, McLean
County,Illinois,United States of America, to Alice Caroline Mahan
<
http://fileserver:2317/stidham-dare_w?i=622> 1839-1889.
I have so little other information about him that I can make no
connection between him and other Catletts, it seems he was the only one
in Chenoa, McLean County in 1850. He knew the Whitelocks before he was
married -- he and Garret (or Garnet?) Whitelock/Whitlock, the father of
Elizabeth, were both listed as carpenters.
The 1850 census transcription I found years ago lists him as "Willian C
Catlin". But his middle name (or initial) was O. 1860 census has him
as 30 years old. His eldest son, Thomas G Catlett (was a lawyer in
Iowa) doesn't appear to have ever married. His eldest daughter, Amelia
Evelyn "Eva" married John Blaine Wright and moved to Nebraska and
California. His second family lived in Nebraska also, some time after
William's death in Iowa. To further confuse things, his second
daughter also appears to have gone by the name "Eva" -- she married a
man with the last name of Beal in Nebraska.
In the 1830 Census his son edward indicated that his father was born in
West Virginia.
If details are sketchy it is because I also had a computer failure years
ago and haven't had time to go back and rediscover things.
Anyway, if and when you have time, I would appreciate any further info
you can send on. Even the just names of books I could look up when I am
next in a genealogical library would be helpful.
Thanks so much!
Kathleen