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