Adruain, thanks so much for posting the deed transcripts as I did not have
some of them and they are very helpful.
I don't recall whether I ever gave you my take regarding the marriage of
Sterling Cato and Jemimah (various spellings) Frizzell, July 10, 1829, Madison
County, MO. While it is true that Thomas Frizzell (born 1770-1780) had a
daughter with the same given name, he referred to his daughter in both his Will
and Codicil as "Jemima Frizell" and his Will and Codicil were written and signed
1839 and 1842 respectively, well after the marriage in 1829. By comparison,
all his married daughters were listed along with the name of their husbands.
In addition, Sterling Cato's wife would be the female enumerated in his
household in 1830 age 50-60 which is the same age bracket as Thomas Frizzell (
born 1770-1780) and thus too old to be his daughter. Sterling Cato is age
80-90. Reading the 1830 census for Thomas Frizzell the unmarried daughters appear
to be 10/15 Louise, 5/10 Nancy, and 0/5 Jemimah. Before the 1830 census
Marilla was married to John Clubb, Clarrisa had married Uriah Johnson, and Maria
married Thomas Moore but I lack a date for her marriage. So it would seem
that the Jemimah Frizzell who married Sterling Cato is not the daughter of
Thomas Frizzell and instead is a widowed sister-in-law or less likely a spinster
sister and I believe this is in accord with your analysis.
Jemimah was born during Thomas Frizzell's first marriage and he remarried
second April 25, 1839, Madison County, MO, Mary Ann Parker and had four
additional children. Thomas probably died within a week prior to the proving of his
Will which was February 8, 1845 (the Codicil was forgotten and was not
offered and proved until May 1, 1848, which causes some researchers to be confused
as to his actual death). The young Sterling Cato is enumerated in Wayne
County, MO in 1830 with neighbors that include Richard Cato, Henry Cato, Ransom
Ladd, Davis Johnson, and the widow Jane Johnson. The more the family ties are
considered and migration pattern weighed, the more I lean to old Sterling
being the father of Elizabeth Cato, wife of Davis Johnson.
It seems to me that your analysis included a determination that Jemimah
Frizzell married Nathaniel M. Cato. In 1857 a Nathaniel Cato patented 40 acres in
Wayne Twp, Bollinger County, MO and in 1860 there is a Milton N. Cato, age
36 born MO, with wife "Miania" also age 36 born MO. Phonetically Jemima and
Miania are quite similar and her age fits as being born between Nancy (about
1823) and Salathiel (about 1828). Is this Milton Cato in Bollinger County the
one you believe married Jemimah Frizzell?
Thanks again!
John