William Cathey Jr. RN691

William Cathey Jr. RN691 in Cathey book

I am the 3 great grandson ofWiliam Cathey Jr

 

The following is from martygrany.com

·        28 Apr 2008 – Reformatted by Marty Grant

Special thanks to Lawrence Wood (deceased), Guy Davenport, Dottie Jackson and others for data shared on this family.

William Cathey was born 15 Apr 1782 (per his Family Bible). His birth place is somewhat interesting. His 1850 census entry gives his birth place as Virginia, though by all accounts, he ought to have been born in Burke (later Buncombe, now Haywood) Co, NC as that is where his parents were in that time-frame. However, since the 1850 census is the only primary record we have for his birth place, I’m going to leave it as Virginia, but with a question mark attached. His father was an officer during the Revolutionary War, and it is quite possible that while he was off involved in that, that his wife went to Virginia to visit relatives and had William Jr while there. There is also the possibility that the 1850 census record is in error.

William Cathey is a proven son of William Cathey and Rebecca Holeman. He was named in two deeds naming the heirs of old William.

William (Jr) would have been about 8 years old by the time of the 1790 census. His father William had 4 sons in the “under 16” age group (born ca 1774/90) with him in Burke County, North Carolina, one of them is certainly William Jr.

In 1791, Buncombe County was formed from a portion of Burke County, including where the Catheys resided.

For the 1800 census, William (Jr) would have been about 18 years old. His father William had two sons age 16-25 (born ca 1774/84) with him that year, one of them was certainly William Jr.

William Cathey Jr signed an 1806 Petition asking for the creation of a new county from western Buncombe County. This county (Haywood) was formed in 1808, and included the area where most of the Catheys lived.

Sometime between 1800 and 1809, William Cathey married Elizabeth Bryson, in either Buncombe or Haywood County. No marriage record has been found, but her great grandson James Harrison Cathey (1866-1929) wrote up a family history recorded in his Family Bible, and he mentioned her (he was 6 years old when she died) and he spoke of her being a Bryson and gave other information on her family. Elizabeth Bryson was born 3 Apr 1787 (per William Cathey Family Bible) in Rowan (now Iredell) Co, NC. She is a daughter of Andrew Bryson and Agness Naill

Other than James H. Cathey’s writings, I have seen no direct evidence that Elizabeth was a Bryson. The family bible record did not give her maiden name, nor a marriage date for her and William Cathey. However, I have no doubts that she was a Bryson. This is what he wrote about her. This was published in some book or newsletter, but I don’t know where, for I only have a photocopy of one page. An old letter dated 23 Jun 1958 from F. A. Cathey of Gastonia, NC to Mrs. Ann Deaver Johnston mentions this family bible, and says that he copied it from the original James H. Cathey Family Bible in the possession of Humphry Posey Cathey of Sylva, NC.

“My father’s grandmother on his father’s side was a Bryson. She was a brave, chaste, fullblooded Irishwoman. I remember distinctly in my childhood of sleeping with her at my grandfather’s house … Her father Andrew Bryson was a Revolutionary soldier. He was a most intense patriot, a man of great personal bravery. Of course he was a Whig of the most prominent views. He hated King George and the name Tory with an undying hatred. The Brysons were Protestants. The best I can say for the men who compass the immediate lines of my ancestry on the Bryson side is that they were and are whole soul, impetous, rugged and true Irishmen, the most guileless race of people on God’s great earth.”

They were listed on the 1810 census in Haywood County. There were three William’s listed. William Sr (his father), William Jr (his cousin William Cathey-1777) and this William Cathey. The census was alphabetical, so I can’t determine who were neighbors to who. William had one extra male and extra female with him, who could be siblings of his or of his wife.

1810 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1810 Haywood Co, NC pg 60 William Cathy 11010-10200

Analysis:

1 Male(s) 26-44       (1765-1784)     William CATHEY (1782) s/o William & Rebecca

1 Male(s) 10-15       (1794-1800)     Jacob CATHEY (1790/94) brother

1 Male(s) 0-9         (1800-1810)     Andrew Deaver CATHEY (1809) son

2 Female(s) 16-25     (1784-1794)     Elizabeth BRYSON Cathey (1787) wife

                                      Sister? (1784/94) –> gone by 1820

1 Female(s) 0-9       (1800-1810)     Daughter? (1800/10) –> gone by 1820

There are several deeds and other records found in Haywood County for the various William Catheys but it isn’t always easy to tell which is which. There was William Cathey Sr (1741-1812), William Cathey (1777-1864) and this William Cathey (1782-1850/60) under study here. They had no middle initials, so if they attempted to distinguish themselves, it was by “Sr” or “Jr” to reflect the elder and younger, but not to distinguish any particular relationship between themselves. For example, after the death of William Sr (1741-1812), the next William (1777) began using “Sr” and our William (1782) began using “Jr”. These two men were 2^nd cousins to one another.

William’s father William Cathey Sr died in 1812, and in three deeds William Sr gave 1/6th of his estate each to three of his sons, including William Cathey Jr (and also to James Cathey and Daniel Cathey). I don’t have the details of these deeds yet. (Haywood Co, NC Deed Book A page 255).

There was a William Cathey who served in the War of 1812 as a 1^st Major in the 7^th Regiment of Lincoln and Rutherford County, North Carolina. I don’t think that was this same William Cathey, but it could be.

In 1814 a deed was made from William Cathey Sr’s estate to William Cathey Jr. I don’t have the details yet. (Haywood Co, NC Deed Book A page 303).

William Cathey was listed on the 1820 census in Haywood County. Once again the census was alphabetical, so I can’t determine who his neighbors were.

1820 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1820 Haywood Co, NC pg 215 William Cathey 310010-00010

Analysis:

1 Male(s) 26-44       (1775-1794)     William CATHEY (1782) s/o William & Rebecca

1 Male(s) 10-15       (1804-1810)     Andrew Deaver CATHEY (1809) son

3 Male(s) 0-9         (1810-1820)     James CATHEY (1812) son

                                      William H. CATHEY (1815) son

                                      Samuel B. CATHEY (1818) son

1 Female(s) 26-44     (1775-1794)     Elizabeth BRYSON Cathey (1787) wife

William Cathey was listed on the 1830 census in Haywood County. He was just two houses from his brother James Cathey (1784) and he was about 15 houses from his cousin William Cathey (1777).

An undated deed (from 1826)shows all the heirs of William Cathey (Sr) selling a part of their inheritance to their brother Jacob Cathey. The deed was from Ann Allen of Alabama; George Cathey; the heirs of Daniel Cathey, deceased; Elizabeth Mahaffey wife of William Mahaffey; William Cathey; James Cathey; Sarah Robinson wife of Samuel Robinson; Margaret Campbell wife of Allen Campbell and Thomas Cathey, all of Haywood Co, NC to Jacob Cathey of Haywood, 37 acres on Main Fork Richland Creek. The signatures of the deed were the same as above, but also including Andrew Cathey, Violet Cathey and Jane Cathey, who were the heirs of Daniel Cathey, deceased. (Haywood Co, NC Deed Book B page 398).

Another deed dated 26 Jun 1827 was also from various heirs of William Cathey Sr: William Cathey; James Cathey; heirs of Daniel Cathey, deceased; Jacob Cathey and Thomas Cathey all of Haywood to Benjamin E. Hatfield, 160 acres. (Haywood Co, NC Deed Book B page 414).

1830 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1830 Haywood Co, NC pg 364 William Cathey 0012101000000-0100001000000

 

 

 

Analysis:

1 Male(s) 40-49        (1780-1790)    William CATHEY (1782) s/o William & Rebecca

1 Male(s) 20-29        (1800-1810)    Andrew Dever CATHEY (1809) son

2 Male(s) 15-19        (1810-1815)    James CATHEY (1812) son

                                      William H. CATHEY (1815) son

1 Male(s) 10-14        (1815-1820)    Samuel B. CATHEY (1818) son

1 Female(s) 40-49      (1780-1790)    Elizabeth BRYSON Cathey (1787) wife

1 Female(s) 5-9        (1820-1825)    Rebecca CATHEY (1820) daughter

In the mid to late 1830’s, William Cathey moved his family south west to Union County, Georgia settling near the Gum Log community, or just east of there, for they were in the section that later became Towns County (in 1856).

William Cathey was listed on the 1840 census in Union County, Georgia. He appears to have his son William H. Cathey and his family residing with them. They were next door to John Bryson (1800-1874)  who was Elizabeth Bryson Cathey’s cousin.

1840 census analysis (based on available evidence): (Explanation of this census)

1840 Union Co, GA pg 12 William Cathey 0000400100000-1001100100000

Analysis:

1 Male(s) 50-59        (1780-1790)    William CATHEY (1782) s/o William & Rebecca

4 Male(s) 20-29        (1810-1820)    James CATHEY (1812) son

                                      William H. CATHEY (1815) son

                                      Samuel B. CATHEY (1818) son

                                      Son?, Son-in-law?

1 Female(s) 50-59      (1780-1790)    Elizabeth BRYSON Cathey (1787) wife

1 Female(s) 20-29      (1810-1820)    Matilda CARTER Cathey (1814) wife of Wm H.

1 Female(s) 15-19      (1820-1825)    Rebecca CATHEY (1820) daughter

1 Female(s) 0-4        (1835-1840)    Rebecca CATHEY (1838/39) d/o William H.

They were still in Union County, Georgia for the 1850 census, and residing with their son James Cathey. Their son Andrew D. Cathey was next door, and son William H. Cathey was just two houses away.

1850 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)

(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)

1850 UNION CO, GA Page   House/Family #  241/ 241 — 85TH DISTRICT Twp

 

CATHEY WILLIAM        68 M W FARMER                     VA           1781/1782

CATHEY ELIZABETH      63 F W                            NC           1786/1787

CATHEY JAMES          38 M W FARMER                     NC           1811/1812

 

CATHEY EMILY          22 F W                            NC           1827/1828

CATHEY JULIUS          2 M W                            GA           1847/1848

In 1856, Towns County was formed from the eastern portion of Union County. The Catheys fell into this new county, but just barely, for Gum Log Mountain was part of the boundary, and they seemed to be on the east side of the mountain somewhere.

William Cathey died sometime between 1850 and 1860 in Towns County, Georgia.

Elizabeth Bryson Cathey was listed on the 1860 census in Towns County residing with daughter Rebecca Cathey Parker.

1860 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)

(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)

1860 TOWNS CO, GA Page 130   House/Family #  113/ 113 —  Twp   P.O.

 

PARKER JOHN           35 M W FARMER                   100 NC         1824/1825

PARKER REBECCA        39 F W                              NC         1820/1821

PARKER WILLIAM        13 M W                              GA         1846/1847

PARKER ANDREW         10 M W                              GA         1849/1850

PARKER SAMUEL          8 M W                              GA         1851/1852

PARKER ELISABETH       6 F W                              GA         1853/1854

PARKER ALFRED          1 M W                              GA         1858/1859

CATHEY ELISABETH      70 F W                              SC         1789/1790

In the 1860’s, Elizabeth joined her son Andrew D. Cathey in Jackson County, North Carolina. He lived in the Quallatown region which is now found in both Jackson and Swain County, but then was completely in Jackson.

Elizabeth was listed on the 1870 census in Jackson Co, NC with her son Andrew D. Cathey.

1870 census abstract: (Explanation of this census)

(Note: The dates at the end of each line are not part of the original census, but are approximate birth years based on age)

1870 JACKSON CO, NC Page 267B  House/Family #   28/  28–QUALLATOWN Twp

 

CATHY ANDREW D        61 M W FARMER                 400   315 NC     1808/1809

CATHY MARY J          61 F W KEEPING HOUSE                    NC     1808/1809

CATHY REBECCA         25 F W WORKS AT HOME                    NC     1844/1845

CATHY MONTRAVILLE     19 M W WORKS ON FARM                    GA     1850/1851

CATHY MARCUSS L       15 M W WORKS ON FARM                    NC     1854/1855

CATHY ELIZABETH       83 F W AT HOME                          NC     1786/1787

According to some source (which I can’t locate), Elizabeth Bryson Cathey died ca 1872, either in Jackson County or in the newly formed Swain County (created in 1871).

Children of William Cathey and Elizabeth Bryson. William Cathey and wife Elizabeth Bryson had 5 children as proven by their family Bible, and confirmed by various other sources. I have a copy of the births from of a very old Bible which is apparently an original King James version which used the old style “s” which looked like an “f”, for example, the word “supply” was written “fupply”. The births were written in at the bottom of one of the pages, original spelling used:

William Cathey was born Aprile tha 15 1782

Elizabeth Cathey was born Aprile tha 3 1787

Andrew D. Cathey was born aprile tha 16 1809

James Cathey was born march tha 11 1812

William H. Cathey was born August that 22 1815

Samual B. Cathey was born September that 13 1818

Rebecky h. Cathey was born November tha 17 1820