Catherine (Robinson) Grigsby (1807 - 1880)

Born 25 Jun 1807 in Warren County, Tennessee

Descendants

Died 11 Aug 1880 at age 73 in Laclede, Missouri, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mary Jo Freeman [send private message]

Biography

Catherine "Katie" was born in 1807 In Tennessee, maybe in Warren County (Middle TN) where her brother was born in 1816,^[1] though it could have been in Carter County (East TN) where her parents may have been before moving to Warren County.
She was the daughter of Andrew Robinson & Emily R. Newby.
(Warren county was established in Nov 1807 from White county in Middle Tennessee.)

Most of the 1810 Tennessee Census was lost in 1812 fire in Washington DC.

This is Catherine's brother:
from History of Laclede County, Missouri:^[2]
"Zepheniah Blackford Robinson #629 --
Zepheniah Blackford Robinson was born in Warren County, TN on Nov 6, 1816. He was the youngest of 14 children born to Andrew and Emily (Newby) Robinson. This family came to Missouri in an early day settling first in Pulaski County and moving to Laclede County in 1845. Most of the family stayed only a short while and returned to Tennessee, but Zepheniah, his parents and his sister, Catherine Robinson Grigsby, remained in Laclede County. This sister, “Katie” Grigsby, was well known for her services as a midwife in the early days of Laclede County..."
Another History of Laclede County^[3] says that Andrew & Emily had 2 daughters (Elizabeth & Catherine) and 6 sons, and that all the sons were left handed and played the fiddle.

Andrew Robinson and family lived on Sinking Creek in Warren Co, TN (maybe about 7 miles SE of McMinnville). Maybe they attended the Sinking Creek Baptist Church^[4]
There seem to have been other locations named Sinking Creek in Tennessee.

1820 Census Half of the 1820 Tennessee census records are missing -- 22 counties in East Tennessee are missing.

Katie married 1st about 1826 to John? McInturff in Tennessee.
(Warren county, TN marriages records were lost in a fire in 1852, includes 1808-1851)
Maybe he was the John McInturff born 1803 in TN and son of John David McInturff III and Judith Carder, who had married in Washington County, TN in 1789.

1830 Census
There are 10 McInturff families on the 1830 TN census: 5 in Carter County, 4 in Washington County, and 1 in Roane County. Carter & Washington counties are in the NE corner of the state.
Seems like they would have been in Warren County with her parents. There was an Andrew McIngturf in Warren County--1 male - 30-40, 1 female - 20-30, 1 male - 0-5, 1 female - 0-5 (daug Mary Ann named a son Andrew Columbus in 1856; daug Elizabeth named a son Columbus in 1848).
There was a John McInturff in East Tennessee, who was the only McInturff on the 1830 TN census who was the right age and children sort of match. But this may not be the right man.
1830 Carter County, (East) TN, p 4^[5]
John McInturff - 10001 - 10011 (20-30)
. . . male 20-30 (John)
. . . female 20-30 (Catherine? 23)
. . . female 15-20 (must be a sibling)
. . . male 0-5 (did they have a son?)
. . . female 0-5 (Elizabeth-0)

A John McInturff is also listed on the Washington County, (East) Tn census. When you look at the actual page, they both say page "No. 4" and the ages are exactly the same - 10001-10011, but the other people's names on the page are different. ^[6] Carter and Washington counties are both on the east end of Tennessee. Carter was created out of Washington in 1796, and they are right next to each other, so maybe they got recorded on both censuses.
However, Warren County (where maybe Catherine was born) is in Middle Tennessee, a long ways from Carter/Washington.
Also, John McInturff is still in Carter County in 1840, when, if he was Catherine's husband, he would have died by then.

Catherine Robinson and her McInturff husband had 4 McInturff children:

1. daug (maybe Catherine?) abt 1827, TN. She was on the 1840 census (age 10-15) with her mother and grandfather. But she is not with her mother in 1850, so she either died or married.
2. Elizabeth, b about 1830 TN; on 1840 census with her mother and grandfather; m John A. Johnson abt 1845 (prob Pulaski Co, MO); d aft 1900, Birch Tree, Shannon Co, MO. the 1900 census says she had 10 children.
3. Sarah F., b abt 1835 Tn; on 1850 census with her mother; whereabouts unk in 1860 and 1870; maybe she m James A. Nicholson in 1885, Shannon Co, MO.
4. Mary Ann, b 1838 Tn; maybe she had 2 illegitimate children--Andrew Columbus-1856 & Sarah McInturff-1865; 1860 she & son were living with her mother; (Andrew married in 1892 to Emma M. Hess, Lebanon, Laclede Co, Mo.^[7]). Mary Ann m Owen McAllen, 1867, Laclede Co, MO; son Leroy was born in 1868; daughter Ada C. was born in 1870. (Assuming the last 2 were children of Owen McAllen, but on the 1880 census she called her first 4 children McInturff). She m George Cossom, 1872. Children: Florence-1872, Ida-1874, George W-1876.

Elizabeth and Mary Ann both had sons named Columbus. Did this name have family significance? Mary Ann's son Columbus was born in 1856.

Catherine's father, Andrew Robinson was in Warren County, TN in 1830^[8], though this reference has him about 40 years old, which is a bit young. He should have been 55. There was also an Andrew Robertson (50-60) there in 1830. There are no McInturffs in Warren County in 1830. All the McInturffs in Tennessee were in Carter and Washington counties on the east end of TN, and one in Roane county towards the middle. (He was Manuel McInturff 50-60 with wife 40-50, no children, so this couldn't have been Catherine.)

Her McInturff husband must been born about 1800 and died in 1839 or before 1840 in TN.
Warren County, Tennessee had probate records from 1827. Perhaps something would be in the records there about him, but dying young, he probably didn't have a will.

Probably after her husband died, Catherine moved with her parents and brother to Pulaski County, Missouri about 1840.

1840 Census
Catherine was a widow in 1840 and maybe she was living with her parents, Andrew & Emily Robinson in Pulaski County, MO:
1840 Pulaski Co, MO^[9]
Andrew Robinson - 1000000001 - 011001
. . . 1 male 60-70 (Andrew, abt 70)
. . . 1 woman 30-40 - Probably daug. Catherine McInturff-37 with her children
. . . 1 female 10-15 -  ?- abt 13
. . . 1 female 5-10 - Elizabeth McInturff-10
. . . 1 male 0-5 - Sarah F-5, Mary Ann-1
(Emily, age 64, should be with him, but is not marked on the census.
Catherine should also have Sarah F.-5, and Mary Ann-1, no record of a son)

She married 2nd to ? Grigsby (prob a son of George) in 1840, probably in Pulaski County, MO.
In 1840 there is a John Grigsby (son of George) in Pulaski Co, Mo. (from which Laclede Co was formed in 1849), but he married Nancy Wilson.
If she married in Missouri their marriage records were probably in Pulaski County, MO since Laclede county wasn't formed until 1849. But all Pulaski County records were lost in a courthouse fire in 1903, probably including daughter Elizabeth's marriage.

Perhaps this story is about Catherine's 2nd husband's Grigsby family:
In 1836 a group of families came to Pulaski county, Missouri in a wagon train. This group included the family of Robert Faires, (3-4 of) the children of Aaron Grigsby, and the family of John Brownlow (wife Nancy Jane Grigsby). It was led by John Walker Alexander, who was married to Brownlow's sister. They settled on the Gasconade River in a place named Onyx. About 1839 Robert Faires had a mill and a store on the Osage Fork. Onyx was destroyed by a flood in 1840, so they all moved to higher ground in the Drynob area.
(Aaron Grisby 1757-1836 d in TN. 3-4 of his children moved to Missouri, the year he died. They were:
George-1781 moved to MO then CA,
Amos-1783 stayed in TN,
Nancy Jane Brownlow-1792 moved to MO,
Samuel Harrison-1794 moved to MO then CA,
William J-1796 know nothing about -- maybe William is the father of Catherine's Grigsby children, or maybe there was also a Daniel.
In Laclede Co. there was a place called 'Old Grigsby Farm' on the Osage Fork of the Gasconade just below the mouth of Bear Creek.)

It's very likely that Catherine's husband was one of Nancy Jane Grigsby Brownlow's brothers. It was likely a 2nd marriage for him, too.

They had 2 Grigsby daughters:

1. Emily Susan, b 1841 MO; m William Smith 1860, Laclede Co, Mo^[10] She may have had a daughter, Missouri T. Grigsby,^[11] b 1858. Missouri was living with Emily's mother Catherine in 1870.
2. Millie Jane, b 1844 MO; m Thomas Crahan, 1871, Laclede Co, Mo.^[12] She was 27 when she married. She probably was the mother of Missouri Grigsby, b 1860, both living with her mother Catherine in 1870.

The Robinson family moved from Pulaski County, MO to Laclede County, Missouri in 1845.
Catherine's Grigsby husband must have died before 1850.

Daughter Elizabeth married about 1845 to John A. Johnson. He died before 1870.

1850 Census
1850 Laclede County, MO
Grigsby, Catharine - 42 b TN 1808
McInturff, Sarah F - 15 b Tn 1835
. . . . . Mary Ann - 11 b TN 1839
Grigsby, Emily S. - 9 b MO 1841 (Emily Susan)
. . . . Milly Jane - 6 b MO 1844
Robinson, Emily - 76 b VA 1774 (Catherine's mother) (not sure where daug Catherine is. Elizabeth is married)

In 1856 her daughter, Millie McInturff had a son, Andrew C, probably illegitimate.
In 1860 her daughter Millie Grigsby probably had a daughter, Missouri T., probably illegitimate.

1860 Laclede Co, MO, Smith twp.^[13]
Davis Reuben - 23 IL
. . . . Lavina - 22 Oh
Lewis, Sarah J - 21 Mo
Grigsby, Catherine - 33 TN (should be 52/b1807)
Mactiff, Mary A. - 21 (McInturff)
Grigsby, Susan - 18 (b 1842) (Emily Susan)
. . . . Milly J - 16
Mactiff, Andrew C - 4 (Mary Ann's son)
(daug Elizabeth is married. Not sure where Sarah F is.)

1867, Jan 12 - daughter Mary A. "McEntuff," married Owen McAllen, Laclede Co^[14]. Her son, Andrew C. is living with them in 1870.

1869, Mar 1 - daughter Emily Susan Grigsby married William Smith, Laclede Co, Mo^[15]
(Emily is not with her mother in 1870 because she is married. But Emily's husband must have died or they divorced because she is back with her mother in 1880 and with her maiden name)

1870 Census
1870 Laclede Co, Mo, Lebanon
Grigsby, Catharine - 62 TN 1808, midwife
. . . . Milla - 26 MO
Johnson, Fallis - 17 Mo (b1853) (grandson? This must be Elizabeth’s son. Her husband had died by then and she was living and working on the Thomas Honssinger farm.)
Grigsby, Missouri (female) - 10 Mo (granddaughter? She was not on the 1860 census. Catherine had no husband in 1860. Missouri was probably the illegitimate daughter of Catherine's daughter, Millie Grigsby. She would have been 16 when Missouri was born.

daughter Mary Ann lived next door
1870 MO census, Laclede Co, Lebanon^[16]
McAllen, Mary A. - 31 b TN abt 1839
. . . . Andrew C - 14 b MO
. . . . Femander A. -9
. . . . Sarah J. - 5
. . . . Levi L. - 2
. . . . Ida - 3 mos

1871, Jan 1 - daughter Millie Jane Grigsby married Thomas Crahan, Laclede Co, MO^[17]

1879, May 11 - granddaughter Missouri T. Grigsby married Joshua Vincent, Laclede Co, Mo^[18].

1880 Census
1880 Laclede Co, MO, Lebanon
Grigsby, Kate - 73 Tn, par b NC/Va
. . . . Emily - 38, b 1842 MO, single, daug., par b VA/TN

daughter Millie was nearby:
1880 MO census, Laclede county, Lebanon
Crahan, Thomas - 46
. . . . Millie (wife) - 36 b TN abt 1844, par b VA/TN
. . . . Catherine (daug) - 9
. . . . George (son) - 8
. . . . John (son) - 6
. . . . James (son) - 4
. . . . Andrew (son) - 11 mos

Catherine had 6 daughters and she and her daughters had a hard time keeping a man in their lives, either through death or divorce. She seems to have had 2 illegitimate grandchildren (Mary Ann's son Andrew Columbus McInturff, and Millie Jane's daughter, Missouri Grigsby)

Catherine passed away in 1880, age 73 in Laclede County, MO
She was buried in Fitzsimmons cem in Laclede Co.
Find A Grave: Memorial #30904127

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LTH2-Q55
2. ↑ from History of Laclede County, Missouri, 1998, pg 490
3. ↑ History of Laclede County, MO, Vol 1, pub 2000, p268
4. ↑ https://www.anamericanfamilyhistory.com/TennesseeFamilies&Places/Sinking%20Creek.html
5. ↑ 1830 - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBW-C62?i=28&cc=1803958
6. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBW-818?i=33&cc=1803958
7. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4W8Q-34N2
8. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHP4-BNG
9. ↑ 1840 - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHT3-SXQ
10. ↑ Emily Grigsby m William Smith, Mar 1, 1869, Laclede Co, Mo --https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V28K-N2B
11. ↑ Missouri T Griggsby m Joshua Vincent, May 11, 1879, Laclede Co, Mo - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V282-7WZ
12. ↑ Millie J. Grigsby m Thomas Crahan, Jan 1, 1871, Laclede Co, MO -- https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V282-XWV
13. ↑ 1860 - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHZF-WFY
14. ↑ Image 107 - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G98M-BF72?i=106&cc=2060668
15. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V28K-N2B
16. ↑ 1870 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M466-5J7,
17. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V282-XWV
18. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V282-7WZ

Missouri probate Records - Laclede county --
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89LM-9WDK?i=22&wc=QZ9D-4SQ%3A1328014801%2C1328096872&cc=2399107
image 23a - Catherine Grigsby, afc - May 1853, book A, p 73, 204, 255, D21
image 23a - T. L. Grigsby, afc - Feb 1858, book A, p 335
image 122 - Missouri Griggsby, lunatic - E108