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General Information

History

Mecklenburg/Anson/Lincoln County area

In the 1750s, when the first settlers began to arrive in the area, there was no settled boundary between North and South Carolina. See York County History (includes history of NC).

The First American Declaration of Independence? The Disputed History of the Mecklenburg Declaration of May 20, 1775; Scott Syfert. Includes interesting background on Covenanters, New/Old Light Presbyterians in colonial North Carolina.
The History of Steele Creek Presbyterian Church; Historical Committee of 1899; First Edition 1872

Maps

1790 Census Map of area around Charlotte

1895 State Map (with Counties)

Census Data

1790 | 1800 | 1810 | 1820 | 1830 | 1840

1790

Name	Free White Males		Free White Females	other free	Image	Notes
Name	>= 16	< 16

Mecklenburg County
John Kithcart	1	2	1		2/19	1
Wm Berryhill	1	4		1	1/19	2
John Berryhill	3	3	3		"	"

Notes

John Kithcart must be the single male above 16 (<= 1774), along with two males less than 16, and one female.
1. There is no certainty associated with exactly who this John is. Some think he is the father of Allen Cathcart, who appears in the 1820 through 1850 censuses for Warren County, TN.
2. Others, including myself, have this John being the John who married Mary/Felicity Fisher.
I've added the two Berryhills based on proximity and the fact that John's daughter Margaret "Polly" Elizabeth Cathcart would go on to marry David F Berryhill.

1800

Name	Free White Males					Free White Females					Page	Image	Notes
	<10	10-15	16-25	26-44	>44	<10	10-15	16-25	26-44	>44
Mecklenburg County (Salisbury)
John Cithcart		2		1		5				1	532	9/87	1
William Berryhill	2		1	1		1		1				"	2
John Hopeworth	1			1		2	1			1			3

Notes

John Cathcart's age of 26-44 means that he was born between 1756-1774. Likely candidates:
1. John Cathcart, who m. Mary/Felicity Fisher
  1. I've created a separate page for this John (see especially the notes about John and Mary)
  2. I favor this choice because...
    
    1) John Cathcart, Jr. staying in Mecklenburg for the succeeding census listings (through 1850). If this is John C. Cathcart's father, then who is the John Cathcart who keeps showing up in Mecklenburg County after John Senior's death in 1818?
    
    2) The Berryhill connection: (daughter Margaret marries David F. Berryhill; William and John Berryhill witness his will).
    
    3) If Robert Allen was a son (see "b" below), he should appear in the above census, but doesn't.
2. John Cathcart, father of Robert Allen Cathcart (who went to Warren County, Tennessee)
  1. Robert Allen appears in the Warren County, TN census every decade from 1820-1850.
  2. His birth year is about 1796; however, notice that there are no males in the 10 and younger age group in the 1800 census.
I've included William Berryhill (listed next to John) because of the connections to the daughter of John Cathcart, who m. Mary/Felicity Fisher.
John Hopeworth is likely the same John Hipworth/Hepworth who appears as a witness to a murder case involving a slave in 1808. Perhaps this is the daughter of Elizabeth Hepworth, who would marry John Cathcart's son, John, Jr.

1810

Name	Free White Males					Free White Females					slaves	Page	Notes
	<10	10-15	16-25	26-44	>44	<10	10-15	16-25	26-44	>44
Mecklenburg Co
Jno Cathcart	3		2		1	1	2	2	1			483, i2/4	1

Randolph Co.
John Cathcart	1	1		1		4			1		1	5/32	2
Beverly Cathcart		1	1		1			1			4	"

Notes

John Cathcart now shows up in the 45 and greater age group, which means 1766 or earlier. Combining this information with the 1800 census, we can narrow John's birth year to 1756-1766.
1. Location given is Capt. Thomas Spratt Company District of Mecklenburg Co.
2. p. 482 has Samuel and Andrew Berryhill
3. the large gap between male children MAY indicate that John has indeed re-married.
NOTE!!! John and Beverly are Probably Callicotts, not Cathcarts
- Randolph County is northeast of Charlotte/Mecklenburg and south of Greensboro. NC County Map 1895

1820

Name	Free White Males					Free White Females					Page	Image	Notes
	<10	10-15	16-25	26-44	>44	<10	10-15	16-25	26-44	>44
Mecklenburg Co.
John Cathcart	1			1		2			1		177	15/38	1
James L Cathcart				1		2		1			177	15/38	2
James Cithcart				1						1	163	1/38	3
Mary Cithcart	2		1	1		1		1	1		180	18/38	4

Ruben Johnston	2				1				1	1		17/38	5

Notes

John Cathcart, Jr. The 26-44 age group for the oldest male in this household indicates that this is John, Jr. and that his father, John (see the prior three censuses) has either died... or as some assert, moved to Franklin County, Tennessee.
James Leander (hard to read—under tape strip at bottom of page)
This James Cithcart is a mystery (for now). There is also a female of 45 and greater in the household, so it may be a wife or maybe his mother?
Assuming Mary (the listed head of household) is the eldest female, her birth year would be 1775-1794. If true and correct, that would rules out Mary (AKA Felicity) Fisher, wife of John Cathcart. However, there are no other likely candidates, so I think it is Mary wife of John.
According to the NC death certificate of his daughter, Margaret (Irene or Elizabeth):
1. Ruben Johnston (b. NC) married a Jane/June/Jinni Cathcart, b. in Ireland
2. Margaret (1828-1913) m. John Robert Cathcart (c1830-1864, son of James Leander Cathcart and Mary A. Kimble; grandson of John and Mary or Felicity Fisher).

1830

Name	Free White Males													Free White Females													Slaves			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	M	F	T
Mecklenburg Co.
Cithcart, John							1								1	1	1		1											374	124/161	1

Notes

1840

Name	Free White Males													Free White Females													Slaves			Page	Image	Notes
	< 5	5-10	10-15	15-20	20-30	30-40	40-50	50-60	60-70	70-80	80-90	90-10	≥	< 5	5-10	10-15	15-20	20-30	30-40	40-50	50-60	60-70	70-80	80-90	90-10	≥	M	F	T
Mecklenburg Co.
Cathcart, John		1						1							1		1	1			1									268	25/177	1
Cathcart, Matthew N	1	1				1								2	2				1											268	25/177	2
Cathcart, Robert	1					1								1	1				1	1										268	25/177	3
Cathcart, James L	2	1	1					1							1			2												268	25/177	4
Cathcart*, Alexander			2		2				1								2				1									268	25/177	5

Overall Notes: These are the four sons of John Cathcart b. C1764 in Ireland, d. 1818 in Mecklenburg County. I have listed neighbors; but these are obviously alphabetically listed enumerations.

Neighbors: Thomas Capps, Andrew Clark
Neighbors: Cynthia Cathey, Samuel Clark
Neighbors: Samuel Clark, Robert Collins
James Leander Cathcart
The last name may be Cathey and not Cathcart... it looks a bit different, but is right below Jas L's listing

Other Information

Samuel Cithcart mentioned in tax roles of Rowan County 1770.¹
Burke County Tax List 1796: William Cathcart 182,960²
Deed Book 12:
p.19 19 Jan 1770 William Cathcart Esq of NoHampton in NC to James Holderness of Halifax. In Consideration of the rents hereinafter. 12 years from 1st Jan 1771. parcel in Halifax part of Broadneck. Conoconary Swamp ...to the Roundabout. 100 acres. To occupy for twelve years from 1st Jan 1771. 10# yearly rent. Signed: Will Cathcart, Jas. Holderness. Witness: Eleanor Mackay, Margaret Cathcart, Wm Johnston. Acknowledged by James Holderness & proved by William Johnston³
Bulletin Board message⁴
- I am searching (2 yrs now) for the parents of Lauson Hughey Kimbirl of Mecklenburg County, NC. The last name has been spelled various ways. Once census record has it Kimbrell another Kimble. His marriage bond dated 1848 is spelled Kimbirl. He married Sarah A. Coldiron in Mecklenburg County. One census record shows he was born in NC. The family Bible shows DOB as 4/1/1822. Later census records indicate he may have been born 1824. He lived in Mecklenburg County all his life. He died in 1877. I have searched every Kimball, Kimbrell, etc. family I can find in NC and York County SC. Lauson had close ties to the Cathcart family. He served as bondsman for Ann R Cathcart marriage to a Spratt. He and his wife shared their home with John Robert Cathcart in 1850. Their son married John Robert Cathcart's daughter. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
Carolina Watchman (29 January 1847; page 2) under the section covering Acts and Resolutions of the Legislature of NC: "57. Relating to the claim of the devisees of Wm Cathcart, dec'd: refers the investigation of the claim of the Attorney General, who shall report to next legislature."

Footnotes

U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820
(http://www.roperld.com/rncbc1g.htm)
(http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~katy/mckinnie/d12349.html)
(http://www.cousinconnect.com/d/a/20778)