Cator and McGaha Families

Are you related to this line? If so, please contact Cynthia Jean Cator,
a direct descendant of this lineage and me. Thanks.

CATORS AND McGAHA FAMILY

SORTING OUT THE CATORS IN MARYLAND/VIRGINIA/DC

Updated January 2015 UPDATED 3/16/2017

Background thanks to Heirlooms Reunited

JEREMIAH MaGAHA of IRELAND (GGGGGG GRANDPARENTS) (IMMIGRANT)

Jeremiah is the son of Manasseh MaGahay of IRELAND. Manasseh was born in the 1730s and died June 13, 1787. His son, Jeremiah was born before 1755 in Londenderry, Ireland. Jeremiah died in Loudoun County, Virginia. Jeremiah is the Immigrant! Jeremiah came to America as an indentured servant.

No further information known on Jeremiah or Manasseh.

DAVID MAGAHA and DORCAS LOUISE CHANEY of IRELAND (GGGGG GRANDPARENTS)

David A. Magaha was born in 1790 in Virginia. His father is Jeremiah. David married Dorcas Louise Chaney of Ireland. They had four sons and four daughters between 1812 and 1833. David died in 1846 in Loudoun Co, VA (Thanks to the Bond family for this correction found when researching court records in Loudoun Co.) In 1820 he was living in Waterford, VA; in 1830, Leesburg VA, and in 1840 Loudoun VA.

JOHN WESLEY MAGAHA, SR and SAVILLA COOPER (GGGG GRANDPARENTS)

John Sr. was born on July 1st 1822 in Loudon County, VA. He died on December 1st in 1891 in Frederick County, MD at the age of 69. His mom Dorcas was 33 when he was born and his dad David Magaha was 32. John and Savilla are buried at Monocacy Cemetery in Maryland. Same stone, shown on two sides here. They died approximately 1 year apart, she passing away first.

Burial:
Monocacy Cemetery, Beallsville, Montgomery County, MD
Plot: Row D, Lot 25, Site 3

John married Savilla Cooper on October 31, 1847 in Loudoun, VA. They had 12 children in 24 years. Twenty years later they were living in Medleys, MD. Unknown how long they resided there. Savilla's mother's name was Sarah McPherson and she married a Cooper, first name unknown.

Savilla was born June 11, 1827 in Loudoun VA and died on March 28 1890 in Frederick County, MD.

John served in the military as of 27 Jun 1861 at Camp Allen, VA. Information from the Civil War records of that time.

The 2nd Virginia was assembled at Charles Town in April, 1861, then moved to Harper's Ferry to seize the armory. The unit was accepted into Confederate service in July of 1861, so Magaha was a Confederate soldier. Its companies were from the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Floyd, Jefferson, and Berkeley. It became part of the Stonewall Brigade and served under Generals T.J. Jackson, R.B. Garnett, Winder, Paxton, J.A. Walker, and W. Terry. The 2nd fought at First Manassas, First Kernstown, and in Jackson's Valley Campaign. It went on to fight with the Army of Northern Virginia from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor except during the Maryland Campaign when it was detached to Martinsburg as provost guards. Later the unit was involved in Early's operations in the Shenandoah Valley and the Appomattox operations. It is not known to me when Magaha left the service.

JOHN WESLEY MAGAHA, JR and MARIA H. VEIRS (GGG GRANDPARENTS)

John Wesley McGaha, Jr. was born on October 3, 1848 in Loudon County, VA. He died in Bethesda, Montgomery County, MD on November 18 1920 at the age of 70. When he was born, his father was 26 (John Sr.) and his mother (Savilla) was 21.

In 1875, John married Maria H. Veirs who was born in 1846 on October 13 in Poolesville, Montgomery County, MD. She died there on December 13, 1881. They had two sons and two daughters together between 1876 and 1879.

Walter V. McGaha was born in 1876 and died in 1912.

For Benjamin Wesley, see the next generation.

Nannie Estella McGaha was born in 1878 and died in 1959.

Emma Savilla McGaha was born in October 15, 1879 in Medleys, Maryland; married her husband Marion Edward Moxley on January 10 in 1901 in DC; and died in August 10, 1901 at the age of 21 in Maryland, likely from or during childbirth.

In the 1920 census for John when he was 72 and living with his daughter Nannie McGaha Moxley. At various times he and his wife and children had lived in Medleys and Poolesville, MD.

Grave of Maria Veirs Magaha in Monocacy Cemetery Montgomery Co. MD

BENJAMIN WESLEY McGAHA and CLARA BELL NICHOLSON McGAHA (GG GRANDPARENTS)

BENJAMIN WESLEY McGAHA was born Dec 12, 1876 in MD. He married CLARA BELL NICHOLSON who was born Aug. 9, 1868 in MD. Their daughter, KATHERINE B. McGAHA was born on August 17th, 1908 in DC. She lived till age 85, d. March 13th 1994 at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville, Maryland and is buried at Potomac Methodist Cemetery in MD. Benjamin Wesley McGaha died suddenly on New Year's Eve in 1952. Benjamin and Clara are also buried at Potomac Cemetery in Montgomery County, MD. Clara Bell McGaha was born August 9, 1868 (before husband Benjamin) and died Oct 1, 1951.

WWI Registration Card for Benjamin Wesley McGaha shows that he lived at 1413 36th St., NW in DC. He was born on December 31, 1877 (and died on same day years later!) Benjamin McGaha worked as a street car conductor for Capital Traction Co on 36th and M. Streets NW. His wife is listed as Clara B. McGaha, same address. This form shows his signature. Benjamin is listed also as having blue eyes and light born hair, medium build and height, and no scars.

Note: To find the history of Capital Tractor:

This is the 1910 Washington DC Census on Katherine and her parents, Benjamin W. McGaha and Catherine Bell Nicholson McGaha: Catherine (Katherine) was born in 1908 in DC. Her parents were born in Maryland, to Maryland-born parents. Her father, Benjamin W. McGaha was 31 and had been married 4 years (about 1906) and he and Clara had one child (Catherine). Benjamin McGaha worked as a Streetcar Conductor.

In the 1920 Census for Washington DC Clara Bell Nicholson and her husband Benjamin McGaha live at 1408 36th Street in DC. Living with Benjamin and Clara are their daughter Catherine who is now 11, and their "cousins", Morris and Marian (Female) Nicholson, ages 18 and 16 respectively. Benjamin is still a Conductor for the street cars railway; and Morris is a Clerk for a Cigar Store and his wife Marion is a cashier. It is interesting to note that with their own 11 year old daughter, Catherine, they are now a "family" of 5 now living at 1408 36th Street. Catherine is typically spelled Katherine.

JOHN ERNEST and KATHERINE McGAHA CATOR

KATHERINE B. McGAHA married JOHN ERNEST CATOR when she was 15 and he was 32! When widowed, she married JESSE HIGGINS. While married to Jesse, she worked as a fountain clerk at People's Drug Store in Gaithersburg, MD, and then retired. Here is the Cator McGaha marriage certificate and application for marriage:

KATHERINE B. McGAHA's husband, JOHN ERNEST CATOR was born May 8, 1890 in Manassas, Virginia. Per the 1930 Census, he was a carpenter. John died 22 Jun 1959, before his son BENJAMIN WESLEY CATOR died in 1969. John Ernest Cator is buried at Potomac United Methodist Church Cemetery in Montgomery County MD.

His son Benjamin, was called "Benny" at the time of the 1940 census, when Benjamin was 15 years old:

In 1940, John was 45 and his wife Katherine was 31. Benny was 15; John Jr. was 12; Catherine was 9; Barbara was 2 and single. John (Dad) was born in Virginia; the rest of the family reigned from the District of Columbia. Son Norman would not be born until the last day of 1940.

Children of KATHERINE MCGAHA and JOHN ERNEST CATOR who were married in 1923

BENJAMIN WESLEY CATOR was born March 15, 1925 in Washington DC. He married PHYLLIS MAE QUINLAN and worked as a Carpenter for Carpenter's Local #132. In 1969 he and his wife were living at 4700 Holly Ridge Road in Rockville, Maryland. This is the year that Benjamin died before his parents, when he passed away on November 19th 1969 at Holy Cross Hospital; interred at Rockville Cemetery. Obit.Wash.Post 11/21/1969:

BARBARA CATOR

CATHERINE CATOR

NORMAN A. CATOR: obit...

JOHN ERNEST CATOR, JR., was born 12 Jun 1927 in Washington DC. He was still living when his mom died.   He married a Shirley L. LNU, who was born on 13 Dec 1926.   They were married 62 years. John was a US Army WWII veteran and a retired sheet metal master craftsman per his obit. John Ernest Cator Jr., 79 of Rockville, died May 4, 2007, at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring from injuries sustained in an auto collision on Dec. 19, 2006. He is interred at the Columbarium at Arlington National Cemetery (with military honors). His children are Carol, Shirley and John III.

NEW: The Cator name was originally DeCator of Virginia, but some dropped the De and became simply Cator prior to the placement of the family within Washington DC. John Ernest Cator's brother Milton DeCator remained in VA and kept the De portion of the name, as an example.

OBITUARY OF
KATHERINE B. CATOR/Higgins, wife of John Ernest Cator; mother of Benjamin Wesley Cator

Katherine B. Cator/Higgins:
The Frederick Post in MD March 14, 1994

Catherine and her son Benjamin Wesley Cator

Benjamin Wesley Cator

The Frederick Post in MD March 17, 1994:



1930 Census - John E.Cator, Son-in-Law in DC

Draft C Card for JOHN ERNEST CATOR, JR. 1917-1919

WWII Registration Card for John Ernest Cator in 1942:

John was living in Washington Grove, Montgomery County, DC in 1942 when this card was completed. He was 51 years old, born on 5/8/1890 in Manassas, VA. He was employed by Butler Contractors in DC.

Obituary of John Ernest Cator, Jr. May 2007:

TIME LINE

DATE PERSONS MISC.

May 8, 1890 JOHN ERNEST CATOR born In VA

August 17, 1908 KATHERINE B. McGAHA born In DC

15 Mar 1925 Benjamin Wesley Cator born

22 Jun 1959 JOHN ERNEST CATOR dies Buried Potomac Cemetery in Montgomery County, MD

1969 Benjamin Wesley Cator dies

1969

Katherine Cator when her son Benjamin Wesley Cator died. Residence: Washington Grove, MD

March 13 1994 KATHERINE B. McGAHA died Age 85.
Died at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville, MD. Buried at Potomac Methodist Cemetery in MD.

12/19/06
John Ernest Cator, Jr. Involved in auto collision. Age 79.

5/4/07
John Ernest Cator, Jr. dies Died at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring MD from injuries sustained in Dec. 06 auto collision.

9/13/09 Norman A. Cator dies at the age of 68

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