SORTING OUT THE CATORS IN MARYLAND/VIRGINIA/DC:
 
JOHN NANNY/NANNEY LINE AND THE CATOR LINE OF VIRGINIA
             NEW:     May 22/2004
Thanks to Sue Nanney King for sharing some of the following information! 

 

Some say the Nanny/Nanney family of Brunswick County, VA, originated in London England with Robert and Catherine Wheelwright Nanny - both born in London and immigrating to New Hampshire in the 1600s.  Robert and Catherine are said to have had a son, Samuel Nanney who was born in Boston MA.  Samuel was 4 years old when his father Robert Nanny II died.  Samuel died in the West Indies, supposedly on a business trip to Bermuda, but the dates are unknown.  Nor do I know if there are any siblings. Samuel married /unknown wife/ and they had John Wyatt Nanney in 1724 in Prince George County VA.   Another "some say" is that a "Hugh" Nanney was the father of John Wyatt Nanney.  Oh well...and the search goes on!

Children of John Wyatt Nanny/Nanney (Sr.) and Francis Howard are:

John Wyatt Nanny, Jr. 1746 - 1804  married  Ellie Cator or Ellie Moore born @ 1745
                  Ellie also has been written as Alse and Aisley.


Elizabeth Nanny born 1750 who married and Unknown Cator;  Still living in 1789 per her father's Will. 
   Children unknown 

Silvanus Nanny born between 1750 and 1754 who married a John Moore.


William Nanny who married (wife's name unknown)
Frances Nanny who married Unknown Massey
Amos Nanny
Uriah Nanny (also called Hugh)

Children of John Wyatt Nanny/Nanney (JR) and ELLIE CATOR (or ELLIE MOORE) are:  
Note:  John Jr.'s Will was written in Brunswick County, Virginia on February 11, 1804, and probated on September 24, 1804.  The will names his wife Ellen, his sons Drury, Jordan, and Shadrack Nanney. It list his daughters as Molly Whitey, Rody Moore, Salley Wasson, and Rebecca Wasson.   

Rebecca Nanny (married a Wesson)
Drury Nanny b. about 1763 in Brunswick Cty, VA m. Millie Wesson and had daughter Middy Nanny who m. Robert Whitby December 11, 1809 in VA; Middy and Robert had 5 children)

Sarah/Sally Nanny born 3/17/1765 in Brunswick Cty VA; m. Isaac Wesson on 10/3/1782. 

Shadrach Nanny 1769 - 1836 married Mary Wheeler born 1770.

Nicholas Nanny 1771 - 1804

Molly Nanny born 1773  m. Burwell Whitby on December 26, 1796 in Brunswick Cty, VA

Rodah "Rody" Nanny born about 1775 in VA; married Thomas Moore on 1/24/1803

Jordan Abel Nanney* 1775 in Brunswick County VA;  d. 10/7/1845 in Graves Co., KY;  m. Oney Gregory on 12/3/1800 in Brunswick County, VA

*"In 1820 Jordon and Oney lived in Hardin County, Tennessee. In 1823 he was 
appointed over a road being built from Hardinsville to Rudd's Ferry. On October 01, 1831, he became a member of Trace Creek Baptist Church. Trace Creek was organized in 1824. Oney was received by letter on June 05, 1825. On December 13, 1832, he received a land grant from Graves County, Ky. Oney lived with Martha after Jordon's death. According to the 1820 Census they had eleven children. In 1822-1858 Land Grants West of the Tennessee River, he acquired 160 acres, Book 5, page 82, SE Qtr., Sec 24, T4, R3E."  Per Paul Johnston paulc01@core.com (2003)

In John Wyatt Nanney Sr.'s Will dated 26th of January 1789, he named his children:

John Nanny Jr.
    (In John Jr,'s Will his wife is listed as "Elcy" instead of Ellie Nanny) 
William Nanny
ELIZABETH NANNY CATOR  
Frances Nanny Massey
Silvanus Nanny Moore
Amos Nanny
Uriah Nanny (Executor) All children received 1 shilling each, except Uriah who received the plantation of 246 acres, one slave named Hagan and all livestock and household goods. 

John Nanny made his X mark in presence of Christopher Mason, DRURY NANNY (John Jr.'s son) and SHADRACH NANNY (who made his mark; also John Jr.'s son). 

NOTE:  Mary Moore's 1784 Will named a daughter as Alse Nanny...and Mary Moore's son John married Silvanus Nanny per a deed.

NOTE:  When John Nanny Sr. gave 150 acres to his sons, William and John Jr., the wives families witnessed the deeds -- in John's case it was a Moore.

NOTE:  John Jr. named a son, Drury for his wife's brother, Drury Moore. 

---

Many times over the years I have read that Elizabeth Nanny was the wife of John Cato (Cator) of VA.  They are both of the same county, Brunswick.  John was born 1710 in Brunswick and died in his 90s in 1806.  One marriage was to Elizabeth Nanny; another to Jane Cooke born about 1720 as the daughter of Henry Cooke and Mary Clarke.  Jane died 1803 in South Carolina.  I am unaware at this time of any children born to Elizabeth Nanny and John Cator.  This possible line is not sourced by me but has come from others on web.   In John Nanney's Will Elizabeth Nanny Cator is listed as his daughter and heir in 1789.  The dates below indicate that John and Jane are more likely the parents of all the children and that if this John Cator did in fact ever marry Elizabeth Nanny Cator, he must have divorced his first wife, the mother of his children, as Jane is still living after the alleged date of the marriage of John and Elizabeth Nanney Cator. Help!! 

Per Sue King 8/14/05:  Many say John Nanny Jr. married Ellie Cator, but nobody shows proof.  The typewritten (printed) version of his Will says "Ellie" Nanny, but on my copy of his actual Will (where the clerk scribbled between the lines trying to add all the kids) the wife's name is spelled "ELCY."  Like everybody else I thought it was "Eley." 

Then years later somebody challenged it by producing a Will of Mary Moore dated 1784,.in which she named her daughter "ALSE" Nanny. Mary's son, John Moore, also married John Jr.'s sister, Silvanus Nanny (proved by John Nanny Sr.'s Will) and a deed of John Moore.

To top it all off, John Jr.'s sons named a daughter, "Ailsey" for their mother.  I can't prove John Jr. was never married to an Ellie Cator, but I'm sure he married "Ailsey" Moore by at least 1784...probably years earlier.

The spelling of names always depends on who's doing the writing...so Elcy, Alse or Ailsey...it's all the same.....hope this helps...

Oh, John Jr. had a sister who did marry a Cator....Elizabeth Nanny Cator. We're not positive which one she married.   She was already married to him when John wrote his ill in 1786. He didn't die until 1789...

TIMELINE:
1710 Born: John Cator of Brunswick VA
1720 Born Est: Jane Cooke born to Henry and Mary Clarke Cooke.
1724 Born John Wyatt Nanney, Brunswick VA (father of Elizabeth Nanney) 
1750 Born Elizabeth Nanney of Brunswick VA (her father abt 26 years old).

Children of John Cato(r) and Jane Cooke Cato(r) supposedly are:  
1733: DANIEL CATO, Brunswick County, VA. (Jane about 13; Elizabeth unborn)
1735: MARY CATO, Samson County, N.C.  (Elizabeth unborn)
1736: BURWELL CATO, VA.(Elizabeth unborn)
1736: JOHN CATO VA. (Elizabeth unborn)
1740 Est:  GEORGE CATO, VA; d. 1831 NC (Elizabeth unborn)
          Father of William Cato/Cator born 1757 who married Susannah Echols
          William and Susannah are parents of Stephen Francis Cato/Cator b 1787
          in SC.  Stephen married an Elizabeth and they had children Phillip,
          Stephen Francis, Jemima, Nancy, Sarah, Elizabeth and William.
1740 Est:  HENRY CATO, Kernshaw County, SC (Elizabeth unborn)
1755:   STERLING CATO,  Kernshaw County, SC (Elizabeth would be just 5)
1757:  WILLIAM CATO,    Kernshaw County, SC (Elizabeth would be just 7)

1778 John Cator and Elizabeth Nanney marry (He would be 68 and she 28).
           Note Jane Cook still alive at age 58.
July 17, 1786 Will of John Nanney Sr probated per Mary Ann Nanney
1789 Date of Elizabeth's father Will (he is 65 years old; Elizabeth is 39)
           per Sue King 
1803 Jane Cook died in South Carolina (she is 83 years old)
1806 John Cator dies (he is age 96)

Please share information....  Questions? Comments?        catorfamily@bellsouth.net