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1820

Name Free White Males Free White Females Ag Slaves Page Image Notes
< 10 10-16 16-18 16-26 26-45 >45 < 10 10-16 16-18 16-26 26-45 >45
Charleston, Clark County
Hugh Cathcart 1 2     1   2 1     1   1        
                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   

1830 Census

Name Free White Males Free White Females Slaves
M/F/T		 Pg/i Notes
< 5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80-90 90-100 ≥ 100 < 5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80-90 90-100 ≥ 100      
Monroe County
                                                               
                                                               
Putnam County
William Cathcart         1                       1                            
Washington County
Pearson Cathcart     1     1               1 1     1                         1
John Cathcart                 1               1       1                   1
Wm Cathcart 1         1               1 1   1 1 1                       1
Adam Simmons 1 1     1 1               1 1 1   1                         1
                                                               
Wayne County
James Cathcart 2   2       1     1       1 1 1     1                       2
                                                               
                                                               

1830 Notes:

  1. John Cathcart appears on the same census page for Washington County as his sons, Pearson and William.  Note that the surname was rendered as "Cithcart" or perhaps "Cethcart" in this enumeration. click here for digital image of census page.
    1. Pearson Cathcart (1795-1834):  Pearson Cathcart is enumerated in the appropriate 30-40 age group, given his birth year of 1795.  His son, John McMunn Cathcart is the 10-15-year-old male.  The females enumerated (youngest to eldest): Mary Ellen  (although given her birth year of 1823, she should be included in the 5-10 year group); Sarah Ann; and finally his wife, Mary Smith Cathcart.
    2. John Cathcart (1763-1834) and his wife (Mary Boulger Cathcart, are listed in the appropriate age blocks
      1.  I am not sure who the 15-20-year-old female might be, as John and Mary youngest daughter (also named Mary) was born in 1802. see Adam Simmons, paragraph d below
    3. William Cathcart (1797-1889):
    4. Adam Simmons  (1794-1863):  this is very likely the same Adam Simmons who married Mary Cathcart (1802-1843; the daughter of John and Mary Cathcart above).
  2. James Cathcart (Washington, Wayne County).  James Cathcart (1786-1839) is the head of household and is listed in the 40-50 age block.   It is his father, Robert Cathcart (1755-1834) who appears in the 70-80 age block.

1840 Census

Name Free White Males Free White Females Page Image Notes
  < 5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80-90 90-100 ≥ 100 < 5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80-90 90-100 ≥ 100      
Monroe Co.
Samuel Little   2 3 2     1                   1       1           235 62/110 1
John Cathcart         1                         1     1           235 62/110 2
James Faris   2           1             1   2 2                 235 62/110 3
David Faris 1 1 1 235 62/110 4
Archibald Wilson 2 1       1                       1                 238 66/110 5
David Cathcart 3           1             1 2 1 1 1                 238 66/110 6
                                                           
Orange County
Wm Cathcart 1   1     1 1             1 1 1     1     1         46 1/9 7
                                                           
Washington County
J M Cathcart 1       1                   1     1                 153 9/22 8
Joseph Cathcart 1       1                 1       1                 163 7/10 9

Notes

  1. I believe this is Samuel Little, father of Sarah B. Little, who married John Cathcart (four doors down, and next entry in this table).
  2. John  & Sarah (Little) Cathcart
    1. John Cathcart (1812-1861) is the son of Matthew Cathcart, Sr. (one of the "Big four" Cathcart brothers); and first cousin of David Cathcart, below.
    2. John's wife, Sarah (born October 1820), would appropriately fit in the 20-30 age column.  As to the identity of the 50-60 year-old woman enumerated in this census, there is no record of either of John's parents having emigrated from County Antrim, Ireland.  This likely means that it is Sarah's mother.
  3. James Faris (c1779-1852) m. Margaret McDill (1792-1839)
  4. David Faris (son of James above, 1813-1887) m. Elizabeth Smith.  1 male <5 is James M. Faris (c1839-?)
  5. I believe this is the father of John Hemphill Wilson who married Elizabeth Jane Cathcart (son of David below)
  6. David Cathcart (born in 1790 @sea-1862) & second wife, Mary Junkin (1812-1887)
    1. As noted above, David was first cousin to John Cathcart, also listed above.
    2. David had recently moved with his family from Dallas County, Alabama; where he was enumerated in the 1830s census.
  7. Southwest Township
  8. J M Cathcart (Vernon Township). John McMunn Cathcart (1819-1888) and his wife, Nancy Sherwood Cathcart. The <5 male is eldest son, John Kerns Cathcart (1840-1912). I'm not sure who the female in the same age group is; perhaps it is a young daughter who would die in childhood and who is not mentioned in other online genealogical databases.
  9.  Joseph Cathcart (Gibson Township). This is almost certainly Joseph Cathcart (~1809-1894) who married Matilda Johnson in about 1833. Joseph and Matilda show up in successive census enumerations in 1850/1860/1870/1880 in Gibson Township, Washington County, Indiana. In each of these census enumerations, his place of birth is given as South Carolina.

 

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Land Records

In the Index of Deeds, Monroe County, Indiana, searchable online:

Date/Seller/Buyer/Record Location

Date Seller Buyer Description Notes
         
5/21/1839 EEli and Zarelda Worley 
David Cathcart G 397 3, 4
5/27/1839 Eli and Zarelda Worley  David Cathcart G 400 3, 4
1/16/1840 James Faris John Cathcart H 060 3, 5
2/26/1841 Isaac & Nancy Langhead John Kithcart H638 3, 5
         
3/21/1849 John Cathcart P/O Record 685-L474  675
12/27/1849 John Cathcart Samuel Moffatt M220  724  
5/31/1847 M. Gamble and C. J. Back Robert (Robert Back?)      
7/12/1848 John Gamble James Robinson   2
         
8/25/1849 Charles Swearingen Van Henderson Swearingen M61 2837  
         
4/24/1857 Jane Gambell Guard [Guardian?] Thomas Thomas Crabbs Q667 1
4/24/1857 Jane Gambell   1825 Guard P/O Record Q667  
         
         
         
         
         
  1. This should be Jane Cathcart after the death of Martin Gamble).
  2.  Is this our James Robinson who married Barbara Cathcart?
  3. Monroe History website (searchable database, in this case Deeds of Monroe county 1811-1841)
  4. David Cathcart (son of B4 John)
  5. John, son of David above (note name variation in 2nd sale above)
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Other Information

Slavery, Moving "West," and the Underground Railroad

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Cathcarts related to my own line and who lived in Indiana is their opposition to slavery and resultant connection to the Underground Railroad.  There is ample evidence to believe that the groups of Cathcarts left South Carolina and Alabama to head "west" (which at the time included Illinois and Indiana), did so based on their opposition to slavery.  It's not clear to what extent their move from South Carolina was based on the strident position of the Presbyterian Church (to which they belonged) on the "peculiar institution"; but it certainly played a major, if not the major, part in their decision.
 
On many occasions – and with varying degrees of success; beginning as early as 1790 and continuing through the Civil War – the Presbyterian Church had pointed out the evil nature of the institution of slavery and called for its members to stop the practice.  Clearly, the decision to emancipate one's slaves – or at least to attempt to continue to farm the land without using slaves – would be a very difficult and life-changing one.  To do so, and at the same time remain competitive with their fellow farmers in South Carolina who continued to rely on slave labor, would have been nearly impossible.  At the least, they would have suffered a tremendous relative disadvantage.  In other words, being on the high moral ground had a definite and devastating economic impact.  Renouncing the lifestyle associated with the "peculiar institution" would, for all intents and purposes, require that the families sell their land, pack up their families and belongings, and make the arduous and dangerous journey to the West.  Many of my Cathcart ancestors made the decision and live with the results.
 
There are accounts of the relationship between the Presbyterian Church's position on slavery, and the difficulties in instituting that position in the short paper entitled, "Sketch of the Covenanters," as well as other historical papers and books from the era.  Several of those papers can be found on this site.
 
There were clearly strong opinions on either side of the argument, and the slavery/abolition issue caused both the country in general, and the Cathcart family in particular, a great deal of stress and conflict.  The family's history in this regard is mixed.  Several groups of Cathcarts (my own line in particular) remained involved with slavery – and in fact owned in number of slaves over the years.  At least modern Cathcarts can take solace in the fact that a significant number of our ancestors not only opposed the institution of slavery, but were actively involved in righting its wrongs through the Underground Railroad.

More details and articles:

 

Covenanters Cemetery, Bloomington, Monroe, Indiana

 

The Scotch-Irish Presbyterians in Monroe County, Indiana

A Paper Read before the Monroe County Historical Society
November and December 1908
 James Alber Woodburn
Professor of American History, Indiana University

Notes:

  1. Preface/Intro
    1. six distinct and rival churches in Bloomington:
      1. "Old School" and
      2. "New School" Presbyterian Church
      3. "Old Side"  (sometimes "Old Light") and
      4. "New Side" (sometimes "New Light") Covenanter, or Reformed Presbyterian Church
      5. Associate Presbyterians called "Seceders"
      6. Associate Reformed Presbyterians
    2. who are Scotch-Irish
    3. Sacramental Test Act of 1704 (p. 446)
    4. Reformed Presbyterians or Covenanters
    5. United Presbyterians
    6. Seceders and Covenanters... "the majority of the Irish Presbyterians of these churches who settled in Rocky Creen and Fishing Creek in Chester District South Carolina were from County Derry, county down and County Antrim, Ireland.  some had been members of a covenanter church in Balymoney, Ireland and some of a chrch near Colleraine, in county Derry." p. 468
    7. Bloomington Congregation orgainized by the Western Presbytery  Oct. 10, 1821.  Rev. James Faris was pastor from 11/22/1825 until 5/20/1855.
    8. Reformed Pres history... families: Alexander, Blair, Bratney, Craig, Dinsmore, Faris, Fullerton, Glenn, Hemphill, Kenny, McKinley, McQuiston, Moore, Russell, Small, Stormont, Semple, Tate, Woodborn, Wylie
    9. Associate or Seceders (475) families mentioned as well
  2. The Associate Reformed Presbyterians (p477)
    1. United Pres Church was the Union of congregation of the ARP church.  Named "Union" after the Union congregation in Chester District, SC.
    2. under care of Rev. John Hemphill, minister at Chester, SC
    3. groups migrate in 1834/35/36 and are accepted into the congregation.
      1. names mentioned: Jennet Hemphill, Strong, Cherry, Millen, McCaw, Curry
      2. principle families: Archers, Allens, Alexanders, Baxters, Bonners, Brows, Calhouns, Campbells, Cathcarts, Cherrys, Cirgins, Collins, Crabbs, Craigs, Creas, Currys, Dicksons, Douglass's, Farringtons, Fees, Fullertons, Galloways, Gettys, Gibsons, Gillespys, Gordans, Glenns, Grahams, harbisoins, Hemphills, HenrysHenderson, Hunters, Jamisons, Johnstons, Junkins, Kerrs, Meeks, Millns, Millers, Moffatts, McCaws, McKissocks, McMichaels, Orrs, Reeds, Corks, Smeples, Smiths, Stongs, Swearingens, Turners, Weirs, Westbrooks, Wilsons.
  3. Characteristics of Scotch-Irish Churches (482)
    1. Interesting quote about the friction between Presbyterian Church factions...
      1. A Seceder minister, who was belated one Saturday night in finding the home of Mr. Robert Gourley, a Seceder elder, was entertained over night at the home of Mr. James Blair, who was a Covenanter.  The minister and Mr. Blair engaged in a controversy on the sin of "occasional hearing," and Mr. Blair was led to say that since the minister so insisted upon his doctrine, he, Mr. Blair, and his family would not be able to go to hear him preach on the Sabbath, as they had hoped to do, if it were a sin for a man to hear any preacher not of his own denomination.  The preacher probably thought that Seceder preaching do aa Covenanter no harm, but was well convinced that covenanter preaching should be avoided by all Seceders.
  4. VI. Church Discipline among the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians -- Sabbath-Keeping -- Tokens
    1. Preparations days before Sabbath, long on preaching, sermons long and argumentative often an hour or two long.  More old then New Testament.
    2. Tokens:
      1. given out the Saturday before communion.  Small retangular piece of lead bearing the initials of the congregation.  If you couldnt' make it on Sat, had to ask a relative to pick it up for you.
      2. Used by early Covenanters as early as 1635.
      3. Church of Scotland rule "So many as intend to be partakers of the Holy Communion shall receive these tokens from the minister the night before." 
      4. The custom descended from these early times in Scotland, from a period of religious rivalry and persecution, when the people came great distances to the communoin and were largely strangers to one another, and when it was deemed necessary to guard their church services from the presence of spies ready to report them to the government, or from other hostile intruders.
      5. Became a custom that continued long after needed... abused, many lost and eventually many were found in slot machines!
  5. Church Trials (VII.)
    1. p. 501 case of David Junkin (father of Mary Junkin, who m. David Cathcart).  Takes tobacco from store, but he's done it before in presence ot store owner.  Admonished.
    2. temperance
  6. Scotch-Irish and Politics (VIII.)
    1. "Old Side" Covenanters prohibited from voting/holding office
    2. strongly union, anti-slavery, Republican
    3. Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America one fo few small churches to condemn slavery.
    4. Includes a letter outlining church's position on slavery from Rev. Hugh McMillan of the Little Rocky Creek Meeting House, May 4th, 1825.
      1. Slavery immoral
      2. no membership of slave owners "until the connection betwixt such persons and slavery be righteously dissolved."
      3. wife of slave holder not admitted to communion
      4. if congregants have slaves they must petition state for emancipation and become their guardians if necessary
      5. must act towards persons of color as freedmen, and give them lawful compensation for their services.
      6. raise persons of colors in state of minority in all respects as white minors, according to the laws of christianity
      7. removal of persons of color to Liberia and Republic of Hayti is approved of by the Presbytery
    5. long discussion of Civil War politics and John Moffet case, refer to southern slavery-supporters as "copperheads," secessionists," and "rebels."
    6. Monroe County population 1840: 10,140; in 1850: 11,280.
  7.  

 

Peter Cuffley's Notes

You will remember how we got the death of Mrs. James Robinson (Barbara Cathcart) from the website of the Monroe County Historical Society Inc. Well, I went searching through it again for Gamble, Cathcart, Robinson etc. Up comes the most amazing pile of stuff, including James Robinson's compete will signed 20 October 1881, a really interesting biography of Robert Melville Gamble (son of Jane Cathcart), the obituary of Margaret Swearingen (daughter of Barbara Cathcart), the obituary of Sarah Batie (Beattie?) Cathcart (Little) wife of Samuel Rutherford Cathcart and a lot more. Both the Margaret Swearingen and Sarah B. Cathcart notices have their date and place of birth and potted biographies. Also we learn that James Robinson married again after the death of his wife Barbara in 1872. There is also the will of Samuel T. W. Smith, the husband of Sarah Ellen (Ella) Cathcart born 1854 (daughter of John 1812-1861). We learn that Margaret Robinson, daughter of Barbara Cathcart and James Robinson, was born September 10th 1831, at West Troy, New York.

Given that we have only just found the gamble family, there is a lot of really good information, including their graduation dates. Robert Melville Gamble was the storekeeper in Bloomington. He was born September 6th 1841 and was a private soldier under the command of Rosencranz and Sherman during the Civil War. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Tennessee; Perryville, Kentucky; Chickamanga, Atlanta and Lovejoy Station.

The site URL is:   a href="http://www.kiva.net/~mchm/monroe.html">http://www.kiva.net/~mchm/monroe.html      

TThe lists also include names from the records of Indiana University of people from Monroe County: James Gamble, 1859; Henry C. Gamble (Henry Cathcart?) 1868; Samuel R. Cathcart 1868. Robert M. Gamble 1869. Henry C. Gamble's death is reported in the Bloomington Progress Jan. 25th 1871. Wayne Cathcart graduated with the class of 1916 from the Bloomington High School. Sadie (Cathcart) Robinson, of Spencer, Indiana was in the class of 1898. It seems that John Wylie Cathcart the son of Samuel R. Cathcart was called 'Wylie'. He lived at Bedford and was a railroad employee. I love the newspaper report from the Bloomington Evening World, Sept. 4, 1914, p3: 'Samuel Cathcart and wife today left their daughter, Mrs. James Robinson and son Henry Cathcart. They will visit other points of interest in the west and will return to this city in two or three months.'

I have tried all sorts of avenues to see if I can track the descendants of Jane Cathcart who married Martin Gamble c1832. I did find references to Robert M. (Martin?) Gamble born c1842 in Indiana. The 1880 Census says he has a grocery store. There is a book called: 'Biographical Sketches, Bloomington Township and City', edited by Charles Blanchard, published by F. A. Battey & Co. Chicago 1884. Someone has an extract on the net about W.W. Wicks, born Indiana 1843. It states that he went into the grocery business and about 1878, he formed a partnership with R. M. Gamble and C. B. Mitchell, in a general merchandise store in Bloomington, Indiana. It seems that in January 1882, R. M. Gamble sold his share to Wicks and Mitchell. This is from the 'INMONROE-L Archive'. I also found a site for the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Bloomington, Indiana. The brief history given says that the first Covenanters to come to the area were John and Thomas Moore who arrived in March 1820. 'Others soon followed. Most had left South Carolina because of their anti-slavery views and chose to settle in Indiana because the state did not allow slavery. The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Bloomington, Indiana was organized on October 10, 1821.' This is really interesting as it is part of that story you have been unearthing in South Carolina. I wonder if the 1884 book on Bloomington has anything on the Cathcarts or their connections.

There are some great sites relating to Indiana and Bloomington history on the net:/p>

http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/isl/whoweare/genealogy.html also: http://199.8.200.90:591/FMPro

One site has an index of obituaries in newspapers and lists that Bessie Cathcart at Bloomington that Ross and Lola Keys refer to in the letter about their visit there. Bessie M. Cathcart (maiden name Fawcett), died age 95 on 10th January 1992. This is from the Bloomington Herald-Times. Monroe County Library will send full printouts of obituaries in their index. The only other Cathcart in this index is 'Richard "Dick" Cathcart' who died 16th December 1993. That's a new full date for our databases. Charles Richard (Dick) Cathcart was born November 6th 1924, the son of John Wylie Cathcart. He was one of the four brothers who went to Hollywood.

I found the Cathcart news update really interesting. I agree that it needs a complete survey of all available early evidence to help sort out the Cathcarts in Antrim and their migration to America. You have transcribed an amazing amount of material. I will soon send you my re-types (some with added notes) of the letters you have scanned relating to the descendants of Matthew Sr. and Matthew Jr.

John Cathcart of Lavin is showing up in enough records to be one to find a link for:

1818 John Cathcart subscribes to the rebuilding of the Kilraughts Presbyterian Church (Rebuilt 1819-1820).

1832 John Cathcart, Lavin Townland, Parish of Loughguile in Tithe Applotment records (Just south of Kilraughts Church).

1862 Ann Cathcart daughter of John marries Robert P. Adams at Ballymoney.

The big question is, who was John's father? He seems to be the last Cathcart at Lavin.

 

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