Cato West (abt. 1765 - 1819)

Born about 1765 in Halifax, Halifax, Virginia,

Ancestors

Died 1819 at about age 54 in Adams or Jefferson County, Mississippi

Col Cato West served for Mississippi Territory in the War of 1812
Service started:
Unit(s):
Service ended:

Biography

Cato West was born in Fairfax,Virginia, where he married his wife, and moved with father in law Thomas Green first to Georgia, then South Carolina, where they lived on the Wateree. Here, with 32 other men, Cato West volunteered in writing, addressed to "Mr. Robert Ellison, between the Wateree and Congaree Rivers on Simpson's Creek" "to make up a company to march to any part of the Province to defend it against the enemies of its liberty", dated 2nd Sept. 1775. Cato served as a 1st Lieutenant in the 5th Regiment, South Carolina.

He and his father in law, Thomas Marston Green, were instrumental in forming Bourbon county the 2nd largest county in the United States history when he had the Bourbon Act of 1785 passed.

After conceiving a plan with George Clark, Thomas Green gathered a small army on the Holston River where they built a small fleet of boats. After floating down the river the party did not find George Clark as expected so they continued on to Natchez, Mississippi.

Broadhorn or Kentucky Boat on Ohio ~ circa 1788

The family is said to have "lived on the waters."

Cato West married Martha Wills Green, b. Abt 1750, James City Co, Virginia, d. Aft 1810 (Age ~ 61 years)

Children

(needs more research)

1. Mary Jane West, b. Abt 1781, Mississippi Territory, d. Aft 1810 (Age ~ 30 years) married Edward Turner
2. Martha Wills West, b. 1785, d. 1808 (Age 23 years), married John Davidson
3. Thomas West, b. 1790, d. 1845 (Age 55 years)
4. Elizabeth West, b. 1792, d. 1850 (Age 58 years)
5. John Smith West, b. 1794, d. 1860 (Age 66 years)
6. Anna D. West, b. 1796, d. 1860 (Age 64 years) married Joseph Winn of Franklin County
7. Susan West, b. 1796, d. 1856 (Age 60 years)
8. Charles C. West, b. Abt 1798, d. Aft 1850 (Age ~ 53 years)married Charlotte Neilley
9. Richard Claiborne West, b. 1800, d. 1877 (Age 77 years)
10. Benjamin Franklin West, b. 1802, d. 1829 (Age 27 years) married Pauline Wing
11. Cato West, Jr., b. 1805, d. 1845 (Age 40 years)
12. Martha Elizabeth West, b. 1808, d. Aft 1810 (Age 3 years)^[1][2]

Through his in laws the Greens, Cato was related to brother in law Gen. Cowles Meade. Brother Capt. Littleberry West owned a plantation in Bogue Chitto, Mississippi/ Louisiana as well as in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana.

After the victory of the Americans at the Battle of New Orleans, Andy Jackson and American soldiers including Gen. Meade, Col. Cato West, Capt. Littleberry West as well as Littleberry's sons privates Gadi, Berry Bayne, and Richard West celebrated with a large barbecue in Old Greenville, Mississippi, before the American troops disbanded. These sons later emigrated to Bevil District, Nacogdoches, Texas, Mexican Territory and fought in the Texas War of Independence in 1836 under Sam Houston, receiving large land grants for their service.

Sources

1. ↑ http://sherrysharp.com/gentree/getperson.php?personID=I28325&tree=Roots
2. ↑ http://www.archive.org/stream/ewinggenealogywi00ewinrich/ewinggenealogyw page 140