CATO, WILLIAM R.
WILLIAM R. CATO
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My 2x great grandfather, William R. Cato, Jr., was born @1854 in GA. He was married to Mary Frances Ward. I’m not sure when (or if) he got to Collin Co., but I do know that he was in GA with the birth of his last child (Edgar) in 1894 and according to his mother’s obit on Dec. 1, 1898, William Jr. “is in the West.” I have a marriage certificate for his oldest son James J. Cato to Mary E. Reeves dated August 31, 1896 in Collin Co., (performed by N. C. Little, ordained Deacon of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.) This leads me to believe that the family may already be in Collin Co. by 1896. The 1900 Collin Co., census (Justice Precinct #5) shows 2nd son John H. Cato, to be head of the house and widowed at age 24 – along with his mother Mary f., widowed, sisters, Bessie, Pearl, Lula, and brother Edgar. Also on the same census page with John H. and his mom (and living right next to them ) is his older brother James J. and family, and his married sister India Skelton (with her husband Charles and their children.). So, it would appear that William brought his family to Texas sometime after 1894 and may be in Collin Co. by 1896 (James’ wedding). Since his mom’s obit in late 1898 mentions William, I’m inclined to believe that he is still alive at that time. It would appear that he died sometime in 1899 or early 1900.... [William] was fairly young when he died – mid 40's, which is very unusual for a Cato. Also, I would be interested in any info on John H.’s first wife that left him a widower at the age of 24.... Mary F. and Edgar (at age 16) show up on the 1910 census (I think it says she worked in sales) on Railroad St. in Wylie – but after that I don’t know what happened to them. My grandfather, Henry W. Cato (son of John H. & Minnie <Hawkins> Cato) was born and grew up in the McKinney/Wylie area and all 3 are buried in Denison....
E-mail.
My 2x great grandfather, William R. Cato, Jr., was born @1854 in GA. He was married to Mary Frances Ward. I’m not sure when (or if) he got to Collin Co., but I do know that he was in GA with the birth of his last child (Edgar) in 1894 and according to his mother’s obit on Dec. 1, 1898, William Jr. “is in the West.” I have a marriage certificate for his oldest son James J. Cato to Mary E. Reeves dated August 31, 1896 in Collin Co., (performed by N. C. Little, ordained Deacon of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.) This leads me to believe that the family may already be in Collin Co. by 1896. The 1900 Collin Co., census (Justice Precinct #5) shows 2nd son John H. Cato, to be head of the house and widowed at age 24 – along with his mother Mary f., widowed, sisters, Bessie, Pearl, Lula, and brother Edgar. Also on the same census page with John H. and his mom (and living right next to them ) is his older brother James J. and family, and his married sister India Skelton (with her husband Charles and their children.). So, it would appear that William brought his family to Texas sometime after 1894 and may be in Collin Co. by 1896 (James’ wedding). Since his mom’s obit in late 1898 mentions William, I’m inclined to believe that he is still alive at that time. It would appear that he died sometime in 1899 or early 1900.... [William] was fairly young when he died – mid 40's, which is very unusual for a Cato. Also, I would be interested in any info on John H.’s first wife that left him a widower at the age of 24.... Mary F. and Edgar (at age 16) show up on the 1910 census (I think it says she worked in sales) on Railroad St. in Wylie – but after that I don’t know what happened to them. My grandfather, Henry W. Cato (son of John H. & Minnie <Hawkins> Cato) was born and grew up in the McKinney/Wylie area and all 3 are buried in Denison....
