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1790 CENSUS
The earliest Cator in a Maryland Census is
WILLIAM
CATOR in the year 1790 for Maryland (page 93). He is
listed as
the Head of the family with 3 free white males of 16 years and upward, including
heads of family and 4 free white males under 16 years. There are 3 free
white females listed, and 1 other free person, for a total of 11 persons in the
family..
In 1820 the Queen Anne district covered all of the east central part of Prince
George's County, including the then active port town of Queen Anne, and the
present town of Bowie.
DESCENDANTS
OF THOMAS AND SARAH CATOR
Generation No. 1


|
1834
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THOMAS
CATOR
born in Maryland to
Maryland-born parents.
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1843
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SARAH
E.(last name unknown) born
in Maryland 9 years later.
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Early
1860s
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Sarah E. and Thomas became Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas Cator.
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1861
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Son, JAMES H. CATOR, born
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1862
Feb
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Son,
JAMES WILLIAM CATOR born in
Maryland.
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1863
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Son, CHARLES CONRAD
CATOR, SR.,
born in Washington DC.
See
Generation 2 below.
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1870
Jul 10 |
Forestville, Spauldings District, Prince Georges
County, MD Census |
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Thomas, a farmer, and his
family (Sarah, James W.
Charles C.
& Mary E.)
were living in Forestville. The 1870 Census indicates that Sarah E. is unable to
write, but can read. Their oldest son, James W. Cator, is 9, so he was
born in around 1861, and they likely were married in 1860s.
 |
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1876
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Thomas and Sarah lived in Suitland (home shown in
History of Suitland
Maryland) near the present day Cedar Hill Cemetery. Book mentions
Thomas sold 5 1/2 acres to an unrelated family.
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1880 Jun 18 |
Thomas
and Sarah E. Cator are together in Prince George's County, but their son
Charles
Conrad Cator, Sr., is no longer living at the home (he is now age
19 approximately). James W. Cator
seems to be "William Cator"
who is now 18 (born abt. 1862 in Maryland).
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Note:
I did a duration calculation using July 10, 1870 Census and February 10,
1862 for birthdate for James W. Cator and got 8 years 5 months.
Then I did the calculation for 10 years later, June 18, 1880 and
February 10, 1862 for birthdate of "William Cator" and got 18
years 4 months and 8 days. Conclusion: James W. and William
Cator are in fact the same person, James William Cator!
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Mary E, who would be 13 is not listed. ELLA is as
"adopted daughter". Could Mary E and Ella be one and the
same??? |
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And, who is the niece Florence? |
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The John
Thomas Ridgeway
listed in 1880 census is likely the John T. Ridgeway buried in St. Barnabas
Cemetery in Sec. III, Range 7, Site 2. Burial 3/11/1921 at age 76 |
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 |
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1891
Oct 5
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Sarah died
at age 48.
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1910
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Thomas is now "75" (born 1834-35)
& is widowed. He is listed as a "boarder with his own
income" with Charles and Lurania Cator, who are living at 713 G Street,
DC. . Seems
strange that he is not listed as "Father," but as mean as Lurania
is supposed to have been, she may have only thought of Thomas as a
"boarder." It seems unlikely this would be a different
Thomas. Proper spelling is "Cator"...not "Cater."
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1912
Feb 13
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Twenty-one
years later at the age of "75" (born 1837?), Thomas
died. He and Sarah are in neighboring graves located at St. Barnabas Episcopal
Church, Temple Hills, MD. Below are photos of St. Barnabas
Church with photo of grave of Sarah E. Cator

Census ED 93, Washington, DC, T624, 151, Part 3, Page
175A
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1915
Apr 23 |
James William Cator
Washington Post article
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The known children of Thomas and Sarah are:
1) JAMES WILLIAM CATOR, age 9 in
1870, b. February 1862 in MD, is attending school. For further
information on "William" and his family, go to the
CATOR/LISTON
webpage
2)
CHARLES
CONRAD CATOR, SR.,
b. 1863; d. 1943, Washington DC. For further information on
Charles, see Generation 2 on this webpage.
NOTE: Living next door to
the Cators in 1870 Census is Frederick Conradt, age 44, a farmer who was
born in "Wurstenburg", with his wife Mary E. and 2 children. Is
Charles Conrad Cator's middle name is some honor to the Conradt
family??
3)
ELLA CATOR (Adopted), b.
1866.
4) MARY E. CATOR, b.
about 1867. Possible that Mary E.
and Ella are same person. 5)
FLORENCE
CATOR (Niece), b. 1874.
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|
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Generation No. 2 Charles C. Cator, Sr. is our paternal direct line.
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1863
May |
CHARLES CONRAD CATOR, SR.
born. |
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1876
April
|
Rachel Lurania
____ born. |
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____
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Charles and Sarah F. marry.
|
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1891
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Washington DC City Directory
Charles C. Cator (Sr. and
Sarah) living at 911
11th Southeast, DC;
Occupation Driver |
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1893
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MABEL E. CATOR born.
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1895
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CHARLES CONRAD CATOR,
JR. born at Silver Hill, MD. NOTE:
He
and Mabel were the only children that lived, but there were other
unknown siblings who died young.
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1898 |
SARAH F. CATOR
died. Tombstone says " Sarah
F. Cator and children, 1871-1898." |
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Shortly
within 1898
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Charles Conrad Cator, Sr.,
and Rachel Lurania
______
marry.
They are listed in the June 1900 Census as being
married for 2 years.
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1900
June 6
|
DC Wash. Dist. 10 Census shows Charles and Lurania as
living at 330 Polk Street
(same street that brother William and his wife
Charity Cator are living on). Series
T623 -223
|
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 |
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Charles C. Cator, Sr. is our
paternal direct line. Charles Cator
(Sr.), Head,
b. May 1863 MD to MD parents. Age 37. Seems Charles Cator, Sr., was working at the Navy Yard. (Census difficult to read).
Lurania Cator, b. April 1876, age 24. No children from this
marriage. MABEL CATOR, dau. of
SARAH
F. CATOR, b. May 1893, age 7, born in DC to MD parents.
Charles Cator, Jr., Son of
SARAH
F. CATOR, b. Feb "1896" (instead of actual 1895), age
4. Joseph Clifton, Nephew- in-Law, b. Aug 1876 (age
23) worked as a milk driver. |
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1905 Dec 19 |
Washington Post Deed of
Trust
 |
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1910: |
Census 713 G Street, Washington, DC, ED 93, T624, 151, Part
3, Page 175A;

Charles C. Cator, Jr. is our paternal direct
line.
Charles and Lurania Cator (not Cater) have moved since 1900 Census to 713 G
Street. Charlie Jr. is now 14 and his sister Mabel about two years
older (16). Both single. Their Grandfather Thomas Cator (age 75)
is now living in the house with the family. Charles Sr. was listed as
a "furnaceman" for the "Navy Yard". Thomas listed
as having "own income." They are still living here
when Charles, Jr. elopes in 1913. |
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Note: While living at 713 G
Street, Charles Conrad Cator, Sr., filed a Civil War Pension claim
per the Index on Ancestry. This would be as a result of his
father, Thomas Cator's service. Thomas is believed to have been a fort builder for the
union army.
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1915 Aug 8
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Washington Post, Charles
Conrad Cator, Sr. buys a "Baby Grand" Chevrolet:

Charlie Jr. would go drinking with his
father, Charles Sr. and would drive them home with Charles Sr. saying "Watch it!" at every
intersection. At one such intersection, someone hit their vehicle and Charles Sr. said
to his son, "G__ D___ It! I told you to watch it!!
|
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1918
Jan. 23
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Washington Post info indicates that C. C. Cator (Sr?) got a
license for a 1915 Chevrolet on this date. It is assumed by me to be
Sr. due to the address and I am not aware that Charles and Ruth lived with
his father and Lurania (stepmother) after marrying.

 |
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1920
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DC Wash. County 229 Dist Census Series
T625 T625, Roll 208 Page 71
Charles Cator (Sr.)
Age 56, Male, Race: White, Born: DC

It's been 10 years since the last Census and Charles is on
the move again. They are now living at 624 Sixth Street in DC,
although he is still working on heaters at the Navy Yard. Ralph, his
son-in-law (Mabel's husband) works as a baker, and James, his nephew, as a
dairy salesman. Charles and James were both born in DC to parents who were
born in MD. Lurania was born in Maryland to a Kentuckian father and a
Maryland mother. Lorraine Swann, a Ward, was born in Maryland to Maryland parents. See
Generation 3 below for 1920 census listing Ruth and Charlie, Jr. as
married.
Was Lorraine his daughter?
He had a lady friend named Nellie
Swann (girlfriend). |
|
|
|
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1928 |
RACHEL LURANIA CATOR dies. At that time she was living at 624 Sixth Street, NE
in DC. She is buried in
at St. Barnabas Cemetery, but not in the area where Sarah F., Charles Sr's
first wife is buried.
 |
|
|
|
|
1943 |
CHARLES
CONRAD CATOR, SR.
died at old Providence Hospital in DC. Charles
Sr. chose to be buried by his first wife, Sarah
F. at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Temple Hills, Maryland.
Lurania
Cator
is buried in a different section of the same cemetery. |
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|
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Generation No.
3 Charles C. Cator, Sr. is our paternal direct line.
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 |
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|
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1894
(possibly 1896) March |
RUTH
RIDGEWAY
born in MD. She is the daughter of Henry
Ridgeway and Ida Willett (Martin). She will become
Charlie's first wife. |
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|
|
|
1895
Feb 10 |
CHARLES CONRAD CATOR, JR.
born in Silver Hill, MD. He becomes known as "Buck"
or "Charlie" Cator. |
| |
Being curious, I decided to see what other
"great" men were born in the year 1895...some are |
| |
Jan. 1,1895 J. Edgar Hoover,
FBI
|
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February 6, 1895 Babe Ruth, Baseball
|
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May 6, 1895 Rudolph Valentino, Actor
|
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May 8,1895 Bishop Fulton Sheen
|
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July 12, 1895 Oscar Hammerstein II, Composer/Musician
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October 2, 1895 Bud Abbott, Actor
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Oct 4, 1895 Buster Keaton is "Tarzan"
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1899 May 27 |
FLORENCE BEATRICE O'TOOLE is born daughter of Patrick
O'Toole
and Cora Robinson. She will become Charlie's second
wife |
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|
|
About
1912 |
Around age 17, Buck was working as a dispatcher
for the railroad and was accidentally coupled between two train cars.
The injuries were brutal and he spent a year in the hospital
(Providence). Physical Therapy was unlike today - for example, to
strengthen his arm a rock was placed in a bucket on his arm and as he
progressed more rocks were placed in the bucket! He left the hospital
with a plate in his head, his left arm shorter than his right arm, his left
leg shorter than his right leg and he lived with pain all the rest of his
life but rarely complained of it. Over his lifetime he would return to
the dispatcher job (had it when married Ruth); lit old gas street
lights for the gas company; worked at Pepsi Cola (Pepsico) in DC as a bottle
machine repairman and at one time was there only repairman for the city
despite being color blind; he worked as appliance repairman for Naylor
gardens apartment complex during WW II (his injuries from the train accident
prevented him from enlisting or being drafted);
and he worked for the Potomac Electric Power Co. as a troubleshooter (he
retired from this job in 1956)
|
|
1914 March |
Charlie and Ruth marry. The following
three Post articles seem to tell the story of their elopement! Charles
Cator loved Ruth Ridgeway very much throughout their marriage. She was
remembered as being a fun person - lots of vitality and sparkle. Washington
Post March 7, 1914: |
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Same
day and same paper: Washington Post March 8, 1914:
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Next day: Washington Post March 10, 1914:
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1915
June 12 |
Ruth and Buck have their first
child, BERNICE LUCILLE CATOR,
born in DC. |
|
1917 Jan 5 |
Ruth
and Buck have their second child, EVELYN
ESTELLE CATOR, born in DC. Washington Post, Under Births
Reported on January 10th, 1917 newspaper :
|
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24
Jan 1918 |
Ruth and Buck have their third child, MARY
ALICE CATOR, born in DC. Alice Ruth's
middle name also.
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1920
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DC Wash. County 113 Dist Census Series T625, Roll 207 Page 232:
Charles C. Cator, age 23, born in
DC. He and his wife Ruth A. Ridgeway Cator
(23) lived at 905 Ninth Street in DC with their daughters Bernice
L., Evelyn E., and Mary A. Cator.
Boarding with them were Russell DeYankin(?) and George D. Fowler, a rigger. Ruth worked as a cashier at the movie theater and Charlie
worked as a dispatcher for the railroad. |
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|

Note: In a couple
of years from this Census, Charlie and Ruth will divorce and Ruth will later
marry George D. Fowler.
Charlie remarried later to Florence B. O'Toole
|
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1922 |
Divorce
of Ruth and Charles C. Cator, Circuit Court/Fairfax
County, VA, 9/25/1922 |
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1922:
Divorce of Ruth and Charles C. Cator: In the Circuit Court of Fairfax County, Virginia, September 25, 1922 Charles C. Cator.........Complainant vs. Ruth Cator...................Defendant In Chancery
An
Affidavit having been made and filed showing that the Defendant in the
above entitled suit is not a resident of the State of Virginia, and
written application, showing the grounds for said suit, having been made
to the Clerk of this Court for an order of publication against said
defendant, the object of said suit is to obtain a divorce a vinculo
matrimonia from the Defendant for the Complainant, on the ground of
adultery, and for general relief.
It is therefore ordered, that the said defendant do appear here within
ten days after the due publication of this order and do what is
necessary to protect her in erest in this suit.
It is also ordered that a copy of this order be published once a week
for four consecutive weeks in the Fairfax Herald, a newspaper published
in Fairfax County, Virginia, and that the Clerk of this Court do post at
the front door of the Court House of said County, a duly certified copy
of this order, on or before the next succeeding Rule day after this
order is entered and send by registered mail a like certified copy,
therefore to the said defendant at her last known post office address,
to-wit: 732 10th Street, S.E. Washington DC, as set out in the affidavit
for this order of publication.
A
copy Teste F. W. Richardson, Clerk By E. R. Holbrook, Deputy Clerk John C. Foster, solicitor for complain- ant - September 29.
|
| About
1923? |
Buck marries Florence
O'Toole. At one point, they lived at 916 "G"
Street in Washington, DC, but also owned the lots at 914 and 918 G Street.
|
| 24
Dec 1929 |
Buck's ex-wife Ruth Ridgeway
(Cator) Fowler dies of pneumonia, following an auto
accident. Ruth
was brought home on a stretcher and "Aunt Elvie (Ruth's sister)"
told the fa mily
about the accident. George and Ruth had been going around the circle
in Washington DC and revenuers, chasing bootleggers, hit their car which
caused Ruth to hit her head very hard. Ruth refused to stay in the hospital,
but the accident took a lot out of her. One of her friends cared for her at
home. While recovering, Ruth got the flu and worsened. She was
taken to a hospital (Providence) and died. Ruth Ridgeway (Cator)
Fowler is buried at the Epiphany
Episcopal Church Cemetery
in Forestville MD. |
|
1930:
|
DC Census 916 G St , Series T626, 295 ED 129
|
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 |
| |
Charles is an electrician; no other members of the family
are employed.
Interesting that Florence B. "O'Toole" Cator lists her parents
as merely born in the "United States."
Florence & Charles are parents of
Jessamine (Jerri), Dorothy, & Cora Cator
For more on Cora Cator who married Vernon Long, go
to bottom of webpage.
|
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04 Aug
1978
|
FLORENCE O'TOOLE CATOR
dies in Westmoreland County, VA. She had been a member of
the Eastern Star. Twice past president of the Ladies Auxiliary of the
Colonial Beach Volunteer Fire Department. Florence O'Toole, through
her mother, Cora Robinson,
was descendant of Robert E.
Lee.
|
|
1984
|
MABEL E.
CATOR
dies at Whitestone, VA |
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|
|
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1987
Jan 17 |
CHARLES CONRAD CATOR, JR, dies
at Westmoreland County, VA at approximately 4;10 pm. He is buried at
Cedar Hill Cemetery in Suitland, MD (Sec
30C, Lot 421, Site 1). He died at age 91, less
than a month before his 92nd birthday. He had been a member of Masonic Hope
Lodge Chapter 20, Washington, DC. Believed to have been a 32nd degree
Mason.
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|
|
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Generation No.
4
Bernice Lucille Cator, Sr. is part of our paternal direct line |
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See
Our Hills for
more on Bernice Cator (Hill) |
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 |
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|
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1915
Jun 12 |
BERNICE
LUCILLE CATOR born to Charles Conrad
Cator Jr.
and his first wife, Ruth Ridgeway Cator.
|
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Before
1936 |
BERNICE
LUCILLE CATOR marries
CHARLES THOMAS HILL, SR.,
son of Thomas Domick Hill
and Anna Greenfield.
|
|
After 1938 |
BERNICE
LUCILLE CATOR marries JOHN JOSEPH GATELY, JR.,
son of
John Gately
and Florence Harvey.
|
|
1943 |
JOHN JOSEPH GATELY, JR.,
dies at sea near Kwajalein Island, a
beautiful and isolated island which is part of Kwajalein Atoll
in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
|
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1992
Jun 11 |
BERNICE
LUCILLE CATOR dies in Winter Springs,
FL |
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|
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AUGUST 2006

Cora Lee Cator and her husband, Vernon Long
Cora Lee was the daughter of Charles Conrad Cator, Jr., and his second
wife, Florence O'toole Cator. Her maternal grandmother was Cora Lee
Robinson O'Toole, for whom she was named.
CORA LEE CATOR
was born in March of 1925 in
Washington, D.C. Cora married VERNON ROSS LONG, who was born
April 23, 1919 in Fairfax, VA.
Cora Cator Long died several years after her husband passed away. She
died in July 2000 whereas he had died in November 1994 in VA.
They were married a total of 49 years.
During her life, she and Vernon had one daughter. While giving birth
Cora suffered a stroke, but was ultimately able to recover, other than some
partial facial paralysis. Cora evidently was a timid girl with
pretty light brown hair and green eyes. Cora was a member of the
Eastern Star; and prior to her marriage worked for a short time at the
telephone company. Vernon was a member of the Masons - sponsored by
Charles Conrad Cator, Jr. He retired from the army.
During WWII Vernon, who was in the United States Army, was captured as a
prisoner of war in the Philippines by the Japanese. He spent three
years in captivity.
Her
husband Vernon was stationed in Japan in the mid 1950s and she and her
daughter were able to be in that country with him.


See Also








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Copyright ©2003-2006. All Rights Reserved.
Click here to send mail to Donna
and Patrick Cator with questions or comments.
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1900s hardware store in Anacostia, DC

Bernice Cator

Charles Conrad Cator, Jr.

Charles Conrad Cator, Sr.

Ruth Ridgeway Cator

Grave of Sarah E. Cator,
wife of Thomas Cator.
She died October 5, 1891

Grave of Sarah F. Cator, first wife
of Charles Conrad Cator, Sr. Sarah was born 1871; died 1898.

Grave of Rachel "Lurania" Cator,
second wife of Charles Conrad Cator, Sr.

Evelyn, Bernice and Mary (nee Cators) with
Patrick in front of a monument in DC
inscribed with name "Samuel Compers"

Charles Cator, Jr. and 2nd wife, Florence
Cator

Charlie Cator Obit
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