John,
Thank you very much for this information, and for the Christian County marriages, very
interesting and helpful. It's too bad that the Catos do not appear to have been
members of the Bethel Baptist Church in Missouri. Perhaps there is something more in the
Minutes.
I do notice some Johnsons listed in papers relating to the New Madrid earthquake, which
genealogist Peggy Reeves (who has been helping me with research at NARA) searched for
Catos and related families of Christian County and Missouri. Peggy found no Catos or
Ladds so far, but there are these references to one David Johnson. Perhaps you will find
them interesting. A William, Joshua, and Agnew Massey are also found in these papers.
NARA. Record Group 49. Records of the Bureau of Land Management.
Division "D" Private Land Claims Division. Item #346.
"A List of the Relinquishments of Land Materially Injured by Earthquakes in the Late
County of New Madrid in Missouri. Act of February 17, 1815 (Vol. 67), 1 vol."
#364. David Johnson
200 Arpens (Note: 1 French arpent = 5/6 of an acre)
Lake St. Mary
Richard H. Waters
Power of Attorney of Elizabeth Ordway, Widow of David Johnson, Isadore Johnson, and David
Johnson all Lawful Heirs and Representatives of David Johnson, Dec'd. to Richard H.
Waters Dated 4 February 1818 and the Affidavit of Robert McCoy Certifying That these are
the Lawful Heirs. Dated 4 February 1818.
Division "D", Private Land Claims, Item #347
"Index to Confirmed Private Land Claims in Missouri, 1815-1863 (1 vol)"
Confirmation certificate: #A-634, 3 April 1811
Confirmee: David Johnson
Original Claimant: David Johnson
Quantity Claimed: 200 Arpens
Nature of Claim: Order of Survey, 7 Dec 1799
Confirmatory Date: 3 March 1807
Act Section: 4th
References to Books in Recorders Office: A pg 387 Minutes #5 p 132
Number of Survey/Township/Range: #634 (the rest blank)
Confirmed Area of Survey: 200 Arpens
Date of Execution of Survey/Return to Recorders Office: (blank)
Comments: Injured by Earthquakes, see A#F-364
Same Book. This page, heading said: "New Madrid Claims"
Number on List: #F-364
Claimants and Confirmees: David Johnson
Certificate Issued: 10 March 1818
Date of Location of Certificate: 21 Apr 1823
Date of Act Confirming Original Claim: 3 March 1807, 364 Ex. A
Number of Survey/Township/Range: #2846, 49-N, 16-W
Quantity Given and Contained: 200 Arpens; Area of Survey 160 acres
Date of Return of Survey: 30 Dec 1823
Reference to Books in Recorder's Office: Testimony pg. 67
Note: Location calls only for the NE 1/4 of Section 11
Best,
Cynthia
Hi Cynthia,
We just returned from a trip and read your post concerning Bethel Baptist
Church in Jackson, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. I obtained a transcript of
the Minutes of Bethel Baptist Church from the St. Louis Public Library and it
is also available on microfilm at FHC. I do not see any Cato members by
checking the index but will review the Minutes page by page in the near future to
be sure and send you a note.
I doubt that David and Margaret Johnson (my 5g grandparents) joined the
church as a result of the New Madrid earthquakes as they were Baptists prior to
moving to southeast Missouri. They were received by Letter on June 14, 1812,
which means that David Johnson had a written statement of recommendation and
verification of membership obtained from their previous church. Their son
Davis Johnson was also received by letter, along with son-in-law John Baker and
his wife Willie Elmey (Johnson) Baker. William Johnson and his wife Jane McGee
(various spellings including McGeehee) were received by "experience" which
means they were baptized members of the faith but did not present written
documentation of previous membership. I just obtained the records of West Fork in
Christian County, KY, which might be the church they attended before moving
to MO.
There was a David Johnson who received a certificate for a tract of land in
New Madrid just prior to the earthquake (American State Papers and other
sources). However, I have also located litigation involving a David Johnson and
his wife Isadore concerning a certificate issued by the Commissioner, New
Madrid Earthquake, that was filed in Howard County MO in 1837, fourteen years
after my David Johnson died in Cape Girardeau County, survived by his wife
Margaret. I am obtaining the civil case file in order to compare the facts as
there was more than one David Johnson in the mix during the same time and place.
In addition, a Hugh Johnson was also granted a certificate for land in New
Madrid and he was also in Christian County, KY, and I believe he is either an
uncle or older brother of my David Johnson. So it remains to be determined
whether David and Margaret were in New Madrid prior to Cape G, but it is clear
that they were devoted Baptists prior to moving to MO. I was the researcher
who found the estate records for David Johnson (and the estates for his sons
Willliam and Jonathan) and the Christian County KY connection and marriages
about fifteen years ago. It seems that I harvested all the Christian County
marriages for Cato, Ladd, Rushing, McGee, and Johnson. I will look for it and
send it to you.
I have not researched the issue of whether Jane McGee, wife of William
Johnson, is related to the McGees of southeast Mo but for your information I do
recall that there are two McGee males in the 1803 census of Cape Girardeau
District, John Magee and Joseph Magee. There are no Catos on the 1803 census.
John
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