DR HENRY B BRACKIN JR wrote:
Yeah, confusing isn't it!! Also, we know that Nehemiah was in the Miss.
Territory:
Nehemiah Cato/Catoe From "Records of Choctaw Trading Post, St. Stephens,
M. T. (Mississippi Territory) 1816-1824, Book 2" Compiled by Ben & Jean
Strickland. Nehemiah Cato 9/30/1816; Nehemiah Catoe 6/14/1817; Nehemia
Catoe 12/31/1817; Nehemia Cato 5/13/1818; Nehemia Cato 12/31/1818. The
following year is when Ransom & James signed the petition in AR, which
shows them living in the southern part of AR as described in the
petition... Nehemiah got his grant in AR for "defending the Sabine
Frontier" which would certainly match the above. Funny thing is that
the person who had this info also mentioned on the phone that it sounded
like he was an Indian since he was getting paid off in whisky
partially!! Also, just as a side note, the census age was hard to read
on Needham/Nelson in AR, but I think ca 1781 was his correct birth
date.
The information below shows clearly that Needham and Nehemiah were
two separate people, one living in Christian Co., Ky. and served in
the War of 1812 from Kentucky while the other was living in Stewart
Co., Tn. and served in the War of 1812 from Tennessee.
I'm going to see if they have these original records at the Clayton
Library Tues. I'd like to see the exact info & compare it. I'm also
checking for the Choctaw Trading Post records to photocopy the originals
on that, also.
NEEDHAM CATO, b. ca 1790 in S.C. He was surety in the marriage of
Frances Ladd to Tabitha Cato in 1811. He was taxed on 100 acres of
land in 1812 on the Muddy Fork in Christain Co., Ky. He enlisted
9/18/1812 in the War of 1812, in Capt. Thomas Alsbury's Co., 1st Reg.,
Ky. Mounted Militia. He is in the 1830 census of Wayne Co., Mo. (30-
40 yrs.) with 1 son (b. 1825-30).
NEHEMIAH CATO, b. before 1790, was on the tax list of Stewart Co., Tn.
in 1810 and served in the War of 1812 in Capt. Gray's Co., the same
Co. that Henry Cato served in. He obtained a Military Land Grant,
Warrant # 23,675, for 160 acres, dated 2/14/1825 in Faulkner Co., Ark.
In the 1837, 1838, 1839 tax lists of Van Buren Co., Ark. there was a
Nedum (Nedom, Nedam) Cato. Was this the Needham from Christian Co who
went to Wayne Co., Mo. or the Nehemiah from Stewart Co. who obtained
a War grant of land in Faulkner Co., Ark. in 1825?
The ages & places of birth of Needham's children seem to match up as
this being the same person in MO, in Van Buren Co., AR & then in Pulaski
Co., AR... It's not proof, but it sure leads one to believe they are
the same person, especially considering his wife Anne is about 20 years
younger than him & this also seems to match from census to census. I
just don't understand why Needham is on Nehemiah's land or at the very
least, next door, once he gets to Pulaski Co... I've wondered if maybe
Nehemiah was a father to Needham, but if so, why would he be in TN &
Needham in KY?? But then you have James apparently in TN & then in MO
with the rest of the KY bunch & then he & Needham end up in AR together
so I guess that's not a valid arguement! Also, you'd think one or more
person(s) would name their children Nehemiah in his honor - of course,
they might have hated him or something!!! It's just 'turribly cunfuzin'
at this point!
There seems to have been two Needham Catos, one which was called
Nehemiah sometime, sometime was called Nelson and sometime called
Needham. What bothers me is that the Nehemiah - Needham from Stewart
Co. who seems to have gone to Arkansas and owned land granted to
Nehemiah Cato for military service should have been born in NC but
the 1850 and 1860 census has him born in SC. The Needham in Christian
Co., Ky.should have been born in SC. This would suggest that the
Needham - Nelson Cato in Ark. came from Christian Co. if so but how
did he get the land that the Nehemiah of Stewart Co. received. Again
the census may be wrong.
Sounds like you're at the same point I'm at with this! Trying to figure
out the WHY!! If you have a lightbulb go off, please let me know!
Later!
Bonnie