UNDER CONSTRUCTION
CATHCART
ROBERT CATHCART was b. about 1650 in Scotland, and died between 16 Jan & 24 Mar of 1718 while "off island" in Boston. He resided Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard. His birthplace in Scotland is unknown. Banks reported that Cathcart family tradition was "that he had been engaged in some of the numerous border or clan wars of the period, and received a wound from a bullet which he carried to his death."[1]
His earliest documented presence on the Vineyard was on 2 Dec. 1690 when he purchased 20 acres of land in Tisbury from Arthur Biven "in the northernmost home lot on the west side of Old Mill brook"[1][2/1-101]. This was part or all of a parcel of land which Bivins had bought of Thomas West in 1682.
He married in about 1691 on Nantucket to PHOEBE COLEMAN, the daughter of JOHN COLEMAN and JOANNA FOLGER of Nantucket. Banks speculates that this marriage might have been an indication that Robert had resided on Nantucket before he arrived on the Vineyard.[1] Phoebe was born 15 Jun 1674 on Nantucket and would have been aged about seventeen when she married Robert who was about forty-one at the time[1].
After Robert's death Phoebe married again to Samuel Athearn of the Vineyard on 16 Sep 1719. He was a merchant who resided in Tisbury. It was a first marriage for Samuel. There were no children from this marriage. Phoebe died before 24 Nov.1739 in Tisbury. Samuel never remarried and died on 4 Mar. 1766.[1][3/3-20].
Robert settled into the fabric of Tisbury life very quickly. In 1693 he was chosen as Town Clerk of Tisbury and continued in that office for twenty one years , again until his death[1]. In his capacity as Inn Keeper and Town Clerk he is mentioned by Judge Samuel Sewall in his diary in noting his visits to the Vineyard[1][4].
At some point between his arrival and 1696 he set up an "ordinary" or Inn, because in that year the court renewed his license to sell "strong drink". He continued in that occupation until his death[1].
In 1696 he also purchased and moved to a new homestead lot in Tisbury where he "conducted a "shop,"', ran his inn and continued in his capacity as "town and proprietor's clerk" Banks described the lots location as "on the west side of the South (Chilmark) road, just south of the Whiting estate", (wherever that was). In 1706 he added the other half of this lot raising his total acreage to about 30.[1].
Robert's death in early 1618 was complicated by the fact that he hadn't made a will and administration of his estate wasn't granted to his widow until about a year and a half had passed on 1 Oct 1719. His family heirs subsequently had to wait for more than twenty years to elapse after his death until final division of his estate was accomplished in 1639 when his youngest child, Susannah, was 27. Phoebe's date of death, given as being before 24 Nov 1739, would seem to date this division of Roberts estate and as she is said to have died prior to that date it can be assumed that she was not mentioned in the documents that record this event.[1][2]
CHILDREN:[1][2]
1. Thomas Cathcart, b. in 1692 in Tisbury, Dukes Co., MA; he married Jane Smith on 15 May 1724. She was born abt 1685 and was the widow of Thomas Chase whom she married 21 Feb 1704, and who died while in Virginia during a visit on his sloop "Vineyard".[2]
2. MARY CATHCART b. 1693, Martha's Vineyard, Dukes Co., Mass., d. Falmouth, Mass.; m. abt 1710 in Martha's Vineyard to THOMAS HATCH JR. He was born 25 Apr.1685 in Falmouth, Barnstable Co., MA, the son of THOMAS HATCH SR and ABIGAIL CODMAN. He married mary Cathcart of Marthas Vineyard, Mass. about the year 1710. She was born in 1693 in Marthas Vineyard, the daughter of Robert Cathcart of Scotland, and Marthas Vineyard, and Phoebe Colemen, of Nantucket. Thomas and Mary resided in Falmouth, Mass. Children, THOMAS, Sillus, Robard, Miriam, Eunice.
3. Robert Cathcart, born in 1695 in West Tisbury, Dukes Co., MA
4. Jane Cathcart, was born in 1697 in West Tisbury, Dukes Co., MA. She married Thomas Trapp on 04 Sep 1719 in West Tisbury. He was born abt 1683 in Edgartown, Dukes Co., MA. Thomas Trapp removed to Norwich, CT and was living there in 1766. He and Jane had: Mary, Abigail, Thomas, Bethuel and Abigail.
4. Gershom Cathcart was born in 1698 in West Tisbury, Dukes Co., MA, and died on 06 Dec 1792 in Tisbury. He married Martha Manter on 12 Feb 1719/20 on Martha's Vineyard. Martha was born on 13 Feb 1695/96 on Martha's Vineyard and died 23 Feb 1732/33 in Tisbury. They had: Benjamin, Love, Phebe, Robert, Huldah.
6. Phoebe Cathcart was born in 1700 in West Tisbury, Dukes Co., MA. She married Henry Luce on 18 Oct 1722 on Martha's Vineyard. He was born on 01 Jan 1699/00 in Edgartown, Dukes Co., MA, and his will was probated in 1788 on Martha's Vineyard. They had: Lois, Barnabas, Joseph, Matthew, Susanna, Paul, Eunice, Anna, Benjamin, Phebe.
7. Miriam Cathcart, was born on 11 Feb 1700/01 in West Tisbury, Dukes Co., MA, and died on 26 Jul 1791 in Tisbury, Dukes Co., MA. She married Whitten Manter on 16 Mar 1721/22 on Martha's Vineyard. He was born on 05 Sep 1699 in Tisbury, and died on 13 Oct 1781 in Tisbury. They had: John, Robert, Joseph, Mary, Jeremiah, Rebecca, Abigail. The inscription on Miriam's gravestone reads: "In Memory of Mrs Miriam Manter wife of Mr. Whitten Manter, she died July 26th 1790 Aged 88 Years 8 Months & 5 Days." Whitten's gravestone inscription reads, "In Memory of Whitten Manter who died Oct. 13 1781 aged 82 years 1 month and 0 days"
8. HUGH CATHCART
9. Joseph Cathcart was born in 1705 in West Tisbury, Dukes Co., MA.
10. Abigail Cathcart was born in 1707 in West Tisbury, Dukes Co., MA
11 Susannah Cathcart was born in 1709 in West Tisbury, Dukes Co., MA. and died on 22 Aug 1790 in Nantucket, Nantucket Co., MA. She married Elijah Swain on 23 Jul 1735, probably in Tisbury. Elijah died on 26 Mar 1789 in Nantucket. He was the son of John Swain and Susanna Swett. [1][2][5]
HUGH CATHCART was born about 1703 on Martha's Vineyard, Duke Co., MA and died on Nantucket, Nantucket Co., MA. He married DIANA SWAIN on 12 Aug. 1730 on Nantucket, she was the daughter of JOHN SWAIN and PATIENCE SKIFFE of Nantucket.
CHILDREN:
1. Abigail Cathcart was born on 29 Sep 1732 Nantucket, Nantucket Co., MA and died on 13 Aug 1804 in Nantucket. She married Edward Wyer in 1753 on Nantucket. He was born on 08 Nov 1731 in Nantucket, and died in Dec 1806 in Nantucket. He was the son of Timothy Wyer and Mary Sillevan. Abigail Cathcart was named after her paternal aunt, Abigail Cathcart who died 18 Aug 1732, about six weeks before she was born.They Had: Dinah, Mary and Phebe Wyer, all born on Nantucket.[5]
2. SUSANNAH CATHCART
3. Anna Cathcart was born on 16 Apr 1737 and died on 24 Jun 1823 in Nantucket, Nantucket Co., MA. She married Greenleaf Marshall about 1757 in Nantucket. He was born on 12 Sep 1736, probably in Nantucket, and died on 08 Sep 1816 in Nantucket. He was the son of James Marshall and Patience Rider
4. Phebe Cathcart was born in 1740 on Nantucket, She married Samuel Cash on 09 May 1771 on Nantucket.
5. Gershom Cathcart was born on 11 Sep 1744 on Nantucket Island, and died 10 Jan 1831 on Nantucket. He married Hepsabeth Ellis in about 1765. She died on 20 Aug 1783 on Nantucket Island. She was the daughter of John Ellis and Dinah Bunker. They had children: Robert and Hepsabah. [5/ V3 p 186-189; V5 p. 111-112]
6. Joseph Cathcart was born on 11 Jun 1747 on Nantucket Island. He married Susannah Swain as her second husband on 16 Nov 1772 on Nantucket. She died on 28 Jan 1780 on Nantucket. She was the daughter of Jethro Swain and Dorcas Ryder. Susannah had married (1) Benjamin Meader 21 Nov 1765 on Nantucket. Joseph Cathcart married (2) Susannah Cleveland on 04 Dec 1783 Nantucket, Nantucket Co., MA. She was born on 13 Jun 1753 Nantucket and died on 27 Oct 1841 Nantucket. She was the daughter of Ebenezer Cleveland, and Susannah Folger. Susannah Cleveland had married as her first husband Paul Long on 10 Jan 1771 on Nantucket. Children of Joseph and (2) Susannah Cleveland: Davie, Obed and Seth. [5/ V3 p 186-189, V5 p 111-112]
7. John Cathcart was born in 1750 on Nantucket and died 19 Jul 1783 on Nantucket. He married Mary Swain the daugnter of Jethro Swain and Dorcas Ryder. They had: Susan. Mary (Swain) Cathcart married (2) Benjamin Hathaway on 16 Dec 1787 on Nantucket.[5/ V3 p186-189]
SUSANNA CATHCART b. 1735 Nantucket, Nantucket Co., MA [6]and died on 25 Apr 1809 in Nantucket.[7]; She married THOMAS MOOERS on 9 Jan. 1755 in Nantucket. He was born on 20 Dec. 1733 in Nantucket, Nanntucket Co., MA, and was lost at sea returning from a fishing trip to the Grand Banks. He was the son of JONATHAN MOOERS III and ELIZABETH ODAR of Nantucket.[6]
Thomas is said to have been a Quaker and to have resided both on Nantucket and Bristol Co., Ma.[7]
CHILDREN:
26. Unknown Mooers, died on 05 May 1759, Nantucket.
27. DAVID MOOERS*
28. Rebecca Mooers, died - "Rebecca (Moore (Morse)"), d. Tho(ma)s, 10th, 2 mo. 1760. P.R. 63"[6]
29. Tristram Mooers, born abt 1764, Nantucket.[6]
30. Abigail Mooers, b. 1766, Nantucket. [6]
31. John Mooers, b. 1768, Nantucket.[6]
SOURCES:
"The History of Martha's Vineyard", Dr. Charles E. Banks, V.2, Annals of West Tisbury
The History of Martha's Vineyard by Dr. Charles Banks: Volume III Family Genealogies
Dukes Deeds, I, 101.
The History of Martha's Vineyard", Dr. Charles Banks:V.3, Family Genealogies: pp. 20 - 27
Judge Samuel Sewall's Diarys
Nantucket Vital Records - 5 volumes.
A letter from Leon W. Mooers to Wallace Atkins dated 23 Apr. 1967, which briefly laid out the ancestry of the Mooers fam