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David Cathcart
m. Melissa Hollinger

Cathcart Groups | Basic Info | Families/Photos | Notes

David Cathcart is one of our Cathcart "brick wall" individuals with many connections to my own line of Cathcarts.

Basic Info

David was born between 1763-66 in County Antrim, Ireland, and arrived in the US (South Carolina) between 18001 and perhaps as late as 1812.  He left SC for Illinois around 1818, and then settled in the Plumb Creek area of Randolph County.

1830 Illinois
1830 census: Randolph County Illinois; page 148
(hover mouse over different family members of the for information)

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Notes from my data

"Cathcart" Sparta Lib:
By trade David was a weaver, lived in SC. then came to Randolph Co, IL in 1818, entered land 160 acres, in NW 1/4 Sec 35 Twp. 4 R5, on 12/31/1818 in the name of his son Joseph.
He then returned to SC, and then in 1819 returned to Ill and settled in lower end of Flat Pr. Being a native of Ireland, he first came to PA, then SC, then IL."


History of Randolph County and Coulterville (1883) (from John R Campbell email Jan 2003)

Early Settlements
The earliest settler to locate in what is now known as Coulterville precinct was David Cathcart. He made the trip to the county in 1818, and selected and entered a tract of land consisting of 160 acres, the N.W.1/4 of section 35, T.4, R.5W., December 3, 1818, which was entered in the name of his son Joseph. Mr. Cathcart was a native of Ireland and came here from South Carolina early in the spring of 1819. He built his rude log cabin in the edge of the timber, near the present residence of Mrs.John Edgar, his granddaughter. He brought his family with him. His children were: Mary, who married James Munford; Rosanna, who became the wife of William Campbell in South Carolina; Elizabeth married William Stormont, and one son, Joseph. They are all deceased. Joseph reared a family, of whom Robert, Francais, Margaret, the wife of William Woodside, And Agnes, the wife of John Edgar, are living in the vicinity. Mr. Cathcart was a weaver by trade, and followed that occupation in the Carolinas. He improved a good farm, where he died about 1845, over 90 years of age. William Campbell his son-in-law, who came with the family to Illinois in 1819, located about a mile south of Mr. Cathcart, section 2, of T.5, R.5, where he made a farm and resided until his death. James Munford, also a son-in-law of Mr.Cathcart, arrived and made a settlement in the same neighborhood, in December, 1819. He died in January 1840, at the age of seventy-six.

A source of Combined History of Randolph, Monroe, And Perry Counties. Published by J.L/McDonough and Co., Philadelphia, Penn.,1883 is sighted although it isn't clear to me if all this information originally came from that book.

from Illinois State Archives (online www.cyberdiveillinois.com). Land purchase by David Cathcart (MAY not be correct one)

Lot / Section / Township / Range / Meridian / County / Acres / Price / Date / Volume, Page
NWDSIC / 35 / 04S / 05W / 3 / Randolph County / 160acres / $320 / April 30, 1819 / Vol. 9, p. 470

see land sales in Chester County, SC Apr 1805 to Joseph Sr., etc.

1825: listed in Township of Plumb Creek (also Son Joseph, and SonLs: William Campbell, James Mundord, William Stormant)
Link)

see also: (Link) Bethel RP Church Sparta, IL:
David Cathcart and his son-in-law, William Campbell, from South Carolina, came in the spring of 1819, and settled in the lower end of Grand Cote Prairie. Alexander Alexander arrived in the spring of 1819, and bought land near the old grave-yard, and after improving his place, returned to South Carolina and brought out his family in the latter part of 1819. His father-in-law, John McDill, Sr., James Munford and John Dickey, with their families came at the same time. John McMillan, of the Associate church, also came with them and settled between Eden and Sparta, and Munford and Dickey settled northeast of Eden. James Strahan, from western Pennsylvania, came in the spring of 1819, and settled first down toward Kaskaskia, but finally in the west end of Grand Cote."
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"Combined History of Randolph, Monroe & Perry Counties of Illinois":

In a Randolph County census, dated 25 Nov 1825, there is David Cathcart listed as head of family in Plum-Creek Township. (pg 116)

"David Cathcart and his son-in-law, William Campbell, from South Carolina, came in the spring of 1819, and settled in the lower end of Grand Cote Prairie (Randolph County)." (pg 243)

David Cathcart is listed among others as subscribing $10 attached to a call for a Rev. J. Wylie to serve as pastor of their newly organized Associate Reformed/Covenanters congregation. (pg 243)

"All the names of those contributing for ministerial support on the former call (of Mr Wylie) are .....William Campbell, who came in the spring of 1819 with his father-in-law, David Cathcart, and James Mcwillan, also from South Carolina.... " (pg 244)

"The earliest settler to locate in what is now known as Coulterville precinct (Randolph Co.) was David Cathcart. He made a trip to the county in 1818, and selected & entered a tract of land consisting of 160 acres--the N.W. 1 of section 35, T.4, R.5 W., December 3, 1818--which was
entered in the name of his son, Joseph. Mr. Cathcart was a native of Ireland, and came here from South Carolina early in the spring of 1819.

He built his rude log cabin in the end of the timber, near the present residence of Mrs. John Edgar, his grand-daughter. He brought his family with him. His children were: Mary, who married James Munford; Rosanna, who became the wife of William Campbell in South Carolina; Elizabeth married William Stormont, and one son Joseph. They are all deceased. (book published 1883) Joseph reared a family, of whom Robert, Francis, Margaret, the wife of William Woodside, and Agnes, the wife of John Edgar, are living in the vicinity. Mr. Cathcart was a weaver by trade, and followed that occupation in the Carolinas. He improved a good farm, where he died about 1845, over 90 years of age. (therefore born before 1755). William Campbell, his son-in-law, who came with the family to Illinois in 1819, located about a mile south of Mr. Cathcart, in section 2, of T.5, R.5, where he made a farm and resided until his death. James Munford, also a son-in-law of Mr. Cathcart, arrived & made a settlement in the same neighborhood, in December 1819. He died in January, 1840 at the age of 76 years.

Hugh McKelvey, the 2nd pioneer of Coulterville, like Mr. Cathcart, had visited the county in 1818 & purchased land. He came in the same spring & about the time of Mr. Cathcart's arrival, & located on section 26, their cabins being about one mile distant from each other. ..... (pg 369)
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Passenger & Immigration Lists Index (possible match):
Has a David Cathcart who arrived in SC in 1812, aged 47.

 

Family Information and Photos

I have recently been in touch with a descendent of David and Melissa Hollinger Cathcart, named Randy Davis.  He graciously provided this photo of Robert Thomas and Esther Torrens Cathcart and family.  According to Randy,  the following names were written on the back of the photo: Cathcart Family, Myrtle, May, Nell, Bert, Ollie, Ren.

David Arthur Cathcart
brother of David Arthur Cathcart and family—need more details of these individuals are
click image for larger version

William James Cathcart
William James Cathcart and wife,
Vera Lale Easton Cathcart

 

 

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Footnotes

  1. War of 1812 Papers, shows age 47, Chester County

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