John, I have to study your message for a while, but here's another strange twist:
On 21 April 1920, Elizabeth Cato applied for a pension based on her husband Nathaniel
Cato's service in an "Unknown Cavalry US Volunteers" (Civil War). Elizabeth
says that she is 90 years old, born Dec 1830 at Rockingham County, VA, and married under
the name Mrs. Elizabeth Gentry near Harrisonburg, Rockingham County VA. She first married
Franklin BLACK of Rockingham, Aug 1846, then married 2. Frank Gentry of Rockingham County
about 1853. Nathaniel CATO died 2 April 1898 at Springfield. He enlisted at Wayne County
MO. Widow's affidavit is made from Creek County, Oklahoma. She states that her
husband (Nathaniel Cato's) father was killed in the Civil War. (abstract of pension
application #1156666 by Peggy Reeves. The pension was denied.)
I don't know how this fits into the big picture, but the Black family-Virginia
connection seems a strange coincidence, especially since in the census record for William
G. Black who was the first husband of this Tabitha ___ who married 2. Robert H. Cato in
Missouri states on the 1860 census that his birthplace is Virginia.
Who this Missouri Robert H. Cato is really has me puzzled. As you have noted, there is a
Robert Cato in Davidson County TN in 1880 (who is, I believe, the son of Roland Cato JR
and Nancy Vinson Cato and a grandson of Old Rolin/Roland of VA). This Robert Cato is
found in the Davidson County census records at least 1850-1880, and in 1850 at hh332 you
find Robt Cato, at hh331 John Cato his brother, and at hh330 is Roland Cato age 65 born VA
with wife Nancy age 63 born VA. In 1860, Mrs. Cato age 75 is living alone one household
away from her son Robert Cato. In 1870, she is shown as age 84, living in the household
of son John Cato, next household to Robert Cato. In 1880 in Davidson County, there is a
Robert Cato JR enumerated, probably the son of this Robert Sr.
Then there's the other TN Robert Cato, found in the census records of Smith County
TN. I have traced him 1850-1880. He is shown as "Robert H. Cato" 1850, 1860
and 1870, and as "Robert Cato" age 66 widower born TN; father born VA; mother
born VA. He is, I believe, another grandson of Old Rolin Cato, probably through Old
Rolin's son Robert. This Robert H. also has a son listed as "Robert A.",
born about 1848 in TN, and found on the census 1850-1870 with his father Robert H. Cato,
but he appears to be the Robert Cato age 32 found in the 1880 Rome- Smith County -TN
census, working as a clerk in a store.
So none of these identified Robert Catos in TN can be the one found in Stoddard County MO
in 1880. He seems to just appear in the records, but I am going to make a more thorough
search and see if I can't find him under some alternate spelling in 1850-1870. His
census record seems to imply that he was in Arkansas in 1864, because son Augustus is
listed on the 1880 as being born in Arkansas. Then just to confuse things, the record
states that he has two daughters born after that (in 1866 and 1876) in TN.
I'll also check the 1850 for William G. Black the Virginia-born school teacher and
first husband of Tabitha.
On a side note: my SC Cato family stayed in the area of Lancaster/Kershaw Counties from
the 1700's-present day. They intermarried with all the names mentioned in the message
you sent me re: early church records and deeds: Cannington/Kennington, Welsh/Welch,
Deason, Blackmon, Knight, Fail, Hough, Hilton, Henson, Horton. There is a definite tie
between the Kenningtons and the Welchs which we have struggled to work out. My 3xgreat
grandfather Reverend John Fail (1822-1899) married Martha Jane Kennington (1822-1903).
Martha Jane Kennington's parents are thought to be Samuel Kennington and Sallie Welsh,
but I can't prove it. Their daughter Jeroma Fail married my gg-grandfather John C.
CATO. I have quite a bit of paperwork re: the Welch/Welsh family and will look it over
for more clues to the early connections. I know there is a lawsuit in 1859 involving the
heirs of William Welsh Sr, in which Fails, Knights (heirs of Vincent Knight), Weavers,
Stevens, and Kenningtons are a!
ll mentioned. I find it so interesting that a Welch is found in the Bethel Baptist
Church Minutes in Missouri, with the Johnsons, and wonder if/how he ties in.
Best,
Cynthia
----- Original Message -----
From: CoarseAU@aol.com<mailto:CoarseAU@aol.com>
To: CATO-L@rootsweb.com<mailto:CATO-L@rootsweb.com>
Sent: Monday, April 24, 2006 9:33 PM
Subject: Re: [CATO] Robert Cato MO wife Tabitha Black
Cynthia,
The Black family in Stoddard County has been of interest to me for sometime.
I don't wish to muddy the water here but there is a definite Black-Johnson
connection in Stoddard County and during the administration of the estate of
Davis Johnson in 1853 a promissory note was presented for payment that was
signed by William Black, Johnson Black, and Davis Johnson in 1851. They may be
related to a Samuel Black who was also an early settler in Wayne County, MO.
When Jonathan Calvin Luther Johnson (son of Wm Johnson and Jane McGee died
his wife Nancy Jane Johnson was issued letters of admin on January 31, 1859,
and I have placed her as being the daughter of John Black who was born about
1812 in SC and probably Union County. His wife appears to be Mary York born
about 1821 in TN according to other researchers. Living in the household of
Jonathan Johnson in 1850 (he has yet to have a wife) is Johnson Black born about
1830 MO and Jane Black born about 1832. After Jonathan's death, Nancy Jane
Johnson married second John Henry Brewington on May 27, 1860.
Included in the household of Jonathan Johnson's bro Wilson Johnson in 1850
(also Stoddard County) is John Black age 17 (1833), Jackson Black age 12
(1838), and Wm Black age 22 (1828) all born MO.
I did a quick check of the 1870 census in TN and found a Robert H. Cato in
Dixon Springs, Smith County, TN but he is not the right one (age 56 b TN and
wife Amanda) Also checked Hudson Cato and he didn't match up either, as well as
Robert Cato in Davidson County, TN. There is an interesting Nancy Cato age
84 b VA with a John or James (ink blot right over the given name) Cato age 29
b TN in Davidson County. Sorry not to be able to find your Robert H. Cato and
will try again later when there is more time.
John
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