James Cathey (abt. 1670 - bef. 1759)

Born about 1670 in Ulster, Ireland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died before 6 Sep 1759 before about age 89 in Rowan County, Colony of North Carolina

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Biography

James Cathey was part of a Southern Pioneer Family.

James Cathey was born in Ireland.

James was born about 1670. James Cathey ... He passed away about 1757. ^[1]

Carolina Cradle: Settlement of the Northwest Carolina Frontier, 1747-1762, Robert Ramsey^[2]

"In addition to the Bryan settlement, two other centers of population developed before 1752 on the northwestern Carolina frontier. The first of these was the so-called “Irish settlement,” located in the headwaters of Second Creek thirty miles southwest of the shallow ford. The second evolved in the vicinity of Davidson’s Creek, with its center near the Catawba River approximately twelve miles southwest of the Irish settlement."

"By the spring of 1749, the Irish settlement consisted of at least fourteen families, including those of James Cathey, George Cathey, George Cathey, Jr., Richard Graham, John Brandon, Thomas Gillespie, John Sill, James Marlin, John Holmes, Thomas Bell, Felix Kennedy, Alexander Dobbin, and John Withrow. In addition (because of the close family relationships involved), it seems highly probable that the settlement included Alexander Cathey, Andrew Cathey, James Graham, James Graham, Jr., and John Graham, bringing the total number of families to twenty."

"With respect to the settlement process, few names carry greater significance than that of James Cathey. He and his son George were the leaders in the organization of what was probably the first English-speaking settlement to be established in North Carolina (or, indeed, in the entire South, exclusive of Virginia) so far from a navigable river. Moreover, it was on George Cathey’s land that the settlers constructed the earliest known religious edifice west of the Yadkin— Thyatira Presbyterian Church."

"James Cathey’s first place of residence seems to have been Cecil County, where he purchased a tract of land from one James Scott sometime between 1719 and 1724. In the latter year he was referred to as James Cathey “of Chester County, Pennsylvania,” but his son George was living in Cecil County as late as 1734. By 1736, James and George were in Lancaster County, the home of John Cathey. Accompained by his sons George, William, and Andrew, James Cathey removed to the Shenandoah Valley in 1738, where the family settled on a tract of land adjoining the northern boundary of the Beverly Patent.^[3] John Cathey died in Lancaster County in 1743, whereupon his son Alexander joined the other Cathey’s in Virginia."

Spouse & Children

• Ann (abt 1690–1763)

- John Cathey (abt 1709–1764) m. Jean

- Elizabeth Cathey (abt 1710–1733)

- Andrew Cathey (abt 1714–aft Jan 1786) m. Margaret

- George Cathey (abt 1715–1765) m. Jean

- Margaret Cathey (abt 1716–1760) m. Coburn

- Anna Cathey (abt 1717–1790) m. Bashford

Will

Will of James Cathey^[4], Rowan Co., NC, 6 Dec 1756. Probated 6 Sep 1759

In the name of God amen the 6th Day of December 1756 I James Cathey of the County of Rowan farmer being aged sick and weak in Body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God therefor Calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to dye Do make and ordain this my Last Will and testament that is to lay princbaly and first of all I give and Recommend my Soul unto the hands of God that give it and my Body I Recommend to the Earth to be Buried in Decant Christian Burial at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but att the general Reserction I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give devize and dispose of the saim in the following manner and form.

Impremis I give and bequeth to Ann Cathey my Dearly Beloved Wife the half of the plantation that I now live on with half of the Mill during hir natural life and att her deceas I order it to John Brandon my nephew to him and his hars for ever and further more I give unto my Wife three cows and three calves, plow, Whiteface and Lonely with one grayhound? and all the household etc of to hir and hir heirs for ever. Item. I give and Bequeth unto my well beloved nephew John Brandon an one gray mear now living att (illeg) to him and his heirs. Item I give to Margat Cathey daughter to my son George one three year old hefer to hir and hir heirs forever. Item I give to Ann Cathey daughter to my son Andrew one three year old hefer to hir and her heirs forever. Item I give to John Kilpaterck one matar? And one axe to him and his heirs for ever. Item I give to my well beloved son John Cathey and George Cathey and Andrew Cathey and Margat Coburn and Ann Bashford all reast of my moveble estate to be equally divided among them to them and their ears for ever and I likewise constitute (illeg) and ordain my son John Cathey and my son George Cathey my solde Executors of this my Last Will and testament and I do hereby utterly disavow revoke and illeg all and every other named Willis and Bequethed redefining and confirming this one no other to be my Last Will and testament. In witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the and eyar above written. Signed sealed and published promissed and declared by the said James Cathey to be his last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers

James Cathey

Thomas Basford

James* Gillespie (or *Tomas Gillespie)

Notes

The Cathey families were in Rowan County, NC certainly before the 1751/1752 time frame when they received their first land grants. Usually the creeks were named for the first settlers in an area, so James Cathey's Creek in Rowan County (named in early land grants and shown in "Carolina Cradle"), now called Kerr's Creek would indicate that he was a first settler.

Sources

1. ↑ Entered by Scott New, Aug 19, 2011
2. ↑ Ramsey, Robert W.. Carolina Cradle: Settlement of the Northwest Carolina Frontier, 1747-1762 (p. 37). The University of North Carolina Press. Kindle Edition.
3. ↑ Importation Oath for Orange County (later Augusta) dated 28 Feb 1739, where he declares he came "from Ireland to Philadephia and thus unto this colony", https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4F-NSQK-2?cat=402491
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.[1]. original Data - NC State Archives, Raleigh, NC.Rowan Co., Wills on Microfilm - Xathey.