Several weeks ago I received an email from a DNA cousin who matches on my Cathey line. She was asking if I knew much about the Catheys in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina since her ancestor is on the census in 1830 in said county, wedged between Sarah Cathey and George Cathey.
1830 US Federal Census, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, p. 374
Peggy Cathey
Free colored males under 10: 1
Free colored females under 10: 2
Free colored females 10-23: 3
Free colored females 24-35: 2
Free colored females 36-54: 1
I know that the George Cathey who Peggy lives by is not my 5th great-grandfather George (son of Josiah Cathey and Rachel Clark), because by 1830 he was already living in Stewart County, Tennessee.
According to the 1850 census, Peggy was born about 1795. I have already gone through several Cathey wills, and I am going to check out several other surnames. I have also searched the Race & Slavery Project maintained by The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. My next step is to contact Mecklenburg County to see if they are able to find any information. Back in the 1830s in North Carolina there would have been a will granting freedom, or a court record of some sort.
I would love to find the connection, for myself as well as for my distant DNA cousin!
