Just thought I'd share what I discovered about one of my Caton ancestors
because he had at least 11 children and I thought there might be others
looking for him. He proved to be a bit tricky to pin down.
Andrew (AKA Matthew Edward) or Matthew Edward (AKA Andrew) Caton are one
and the same person. It looks like he sired 6 children in NY, and 5 (maybe
6) in Ohio.
Another family line led me to Orleans County NY. where I first found Andrew
and family on the Orleans County GenWeb
Clarendon, NY Orleans County 1865 Census
Andrew M. 31 M Steuben Farmer
(which would make his probable birth year 1834)
Priscilla (Salisbury) 30 Wife Orleans
Harriet 9 Daughter Orleans
Marnie 6 Daughter Orleans (AKA Marianne Rose)
Charles 4 Son Orleans (my great grandfather)
William 1 Son Orleans
Daughters Lillian and Calista (AKA Kitty) were born after this census
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I posted a query here about whether anyone had an Andrew Caton in their
database. The following was supplied to the list in response to my query by
Lisa ljluke(a)worldnet.att.net
Oct. 1870: Andrew Caton sentenced to 2 years for bigamy from Clark Co.
Ohio. Discharged Aug. 2, 1872; age 36, born New York, a traveler; 2nd
wife, Dora, Columbus, Ohio; 1st wife Ellen (don't want to see her);
father William T. Caton, Conquest, Cayuga Co., NY; 1 brother, 3 sisters.
(Ohio Penitentiary Register, #6, p. 181)
Hmmmm, interesting I thought to myself. I don't know if it is significant
yet, but Andrew was born in Steuben County and there is a Caton NY in this
county as well. Caton NY was essentially a "development" started by Richard
Caton of Maryland. I don't know if Maryland Catons moved there or not. I
don't know how William T. Caton got to NY, nor do I know who his parents
are yet.
I found William T. and family at Orleans County GenWeb
1850 Census Clarendon - Orleans County NY
CATON, WILLIAM T. 37 M NY MINISTER 658
CALISTA 36 F NY
M.H. 16 M NY
MARTHA A. 10 F NY
PHILINA D. 5 F NY
M.H. is most likely AKA Matthew Edward AKA Andrew M. Caton
There are several William Catons in NY -- some can be found in Wayne County
-- but I did find Rev. William T. Caton specifically.
The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 by Elliot Storke
Page 272-Town of Victory
The Westbury Christian Church was organized Jan. 27, 1843 by Rev. W. T.
Caton, the first pastor.
From GenWeb as well.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF MARION (NY)
organized as "The Church of God," Nov. 1, 1820
The pastor from 1820 to 1828, inclusive, was Oliver True; 1829
<snip>
Wm. T. Caton 1847 to 1848,
I found Pricilla/Priscilla's family in Orleans County 1850 census as well.
SALISBURY, GEORGE S. 47 M PENN FARMER 569
AMANDA 42 F NY
ANNIE 19 F NY
GEORGE 17 M NY
PRICILLA 15 F NY
STEPHEN 13 M NY
HARMON 12 M NY
MARY A. 10 F NY
ALEXANDER 6 M NY
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I do not know what happened to Priscilla Salisbury. I am at a dead end
there. She could have died (in childbirth perhaps?), but she is not buried
in the same cemetary as her parents, nor any others I could access on the
GenWeb. Could be another interesting story there, but I don't know yet.
I did find two of Andrew and Priscilla's children, Calista and Charles in
the 1875 Clarendon census, living with Salisbury relatives.
Priscilla's parents, George S. & Amanda (Ennis) Salisbury adopted Calista
S. Caton. She was 8 years old and they were 72 and 68 respectively in 1875.
My ancestor, aged 14, was living with his uncle, Stephen Salisbury, for the
1875 census.
Some of the NY children may have stayed with William and Calista Caton in
Cayuga County.
Recently I made a connection via the
Ancestry.com Caton message board with
a descendent of Andrew and Priscilla's daughter Marnie or Marianne Rose.
She had posted information from her great grandmother's journal at this
site. The journal mentioned Priscilla Salisbury and Matthew Edward (not
Andrew) Caton, my ancestor Charles, and two of my great uncles whose names
I was familiar with and had met. We started e-mailing privately and she
added that the journal makes a reference to Dora as Matthew Edward's second
wife. We confirmed to our satisfaction that Andrew and Matthew Edward are
the same person.
I wrote to thank Lisa once again for providing one of the early keys to
unraveling this family mystery and informed her that I learned Andrew was
also Matthew Edward Caton. She sent me the following info:
Dora S. Sidell and Matthew Edward Caton's children lived in the Hamilton &
Dayton, Ohio area
Clara P. Caton
Howard L. Caton
Mabel D. Caton
Raymond S. Caton (b. 1873)
Walter S. A. Caton
I say possibly 6 Ohio offspring because after I told my mother and aunt
about what I had discovered they both remembered a NY visit from one of my
great grandfather's half-sisters from Ohio (possibly w/ her mother). They
thought they were both named Dora, but the visits were few and this was
quite some time ago. These visits and Marianne Rose's journal indicate to
me that the families maintained some sort of contact and there wasn't
exactly an irrepairable rift over this turn of events. (I would think
there might be some pretty hard feelings about Andrew/Matthew leaving his
NY children with his in-laws, only to go on to Ohio to have another family
(after taking time out to serve time for bigamy first, of course).
If this info finds its way to any relatives, I'd love to hear what family
info you might have.
Rosemary