Bonnie,
I think we are thinking along the same lines. However, relative to
Nathan Cato, b. 1778 in SC, remember that there was a Nathan Cato
left in SC, who was in the 1810 census, age 26-45 (b. 1765-1784) with
6 children under 10 yrs. of age. He seems to me to be most probably
Henry's son. If so, then Nathan in Christian Co., Ky. must be the son
of Sterling, his oldest son most likely.
You are misquoting the 1810 census. Henry Cato Sr. had no son under
10 yrs., that was Henry Jr. with the youth under 10 yrs. I presently
think that Henry Jr. probably was married twice, the marriage to
Polly Ladd 1/18/1810 being his second marriage and that the youth
under 10 yrs. was a son by his first marriage. I think that his name
was probably Uriah Cato who was born before 1810 (married Nancy Ladd
in 1827, voted in 1829). I have not found him in the 1830 or 1840
censuses. He was probably dead before 1850 and his widow is probably
the Nancy Cato in the 1850 census of Boone Co., Mo. with the
following children
JOHN F. CATO, b. 1833 in Ky.
MARY C. CATO, b. 1835 in Ky.
TABITHA F. CATO, b. 1840 in Mo.
W.W. CATO, b. 1842 in Mo.
H.S. CATO, b. 1844 in Mo. (Henry Sterling?)
Relative to the John Cato on the tax roll of 1810 Christian Co., Ky.,
as you point out, that is the last we see him in the records. I think
that he is the son of John and Elizabeth Cato, the latter who is also
on the Tax rolls of Christian Co. She left a will in 1812, naming
daughters Elizabeth Shelton, Sally Smith, Polly Knox and
granddaughter Susan Cato (father must be dead). I think Susan was the
daughter of the John of the 1810 tax list and that he died before the
1810 census. That Elizabeth Cato was the widow of John Cato, son of
Daniel Cato has been well proven by court records both in Greensville
Co., Va. and Christian Co., Ky. So the John Cato of the 1810 tax list
would be John Cato Jr.
How does this sound to you?
Henry.