Misc. Notes
The New York Town Clerks’ Registers of Men Who Service in the Civil War
72 (Ancestry; apparently from around 1865) lists a handwritten record for William Cath. It lists his residence as Glenville, and his time and place of birth as Feb. 16, 1830 [clearly wrong year], in Glenville, NY. It gives his present rank and regiment as private, 77th Inf. NY, Co. H. He was enlisted Sept. 27, 1861, and mustered Oct. 10, 1861, as a private. He enlisted for 3 years, as Saratoga, NY. The bounty paid by the county was $50 (which appears to have been standard). The relief granted the family by the Town was none. He was married. His parents were named Sampson, and Charlotte King, and his previous occupation was laborer. Under “Promotions, Resignations, Discharges, Deaths, &c.,” was the following:
“With Gen. McClellan at 7 days fight - before Richmond at the battle of Gettysburgh. With Gen Grant till the close of the war. Reenlisted. Was honorable discharged at Albany July 7/65. Still living. P Office address Glenville N.Y.”
From the NYS Adjutant-General’s report on the 77th NY Volunteers:
CATH, WILLIAM H. -- Age, 27 years. Enlisted at Charlton, to serve three years, and mustered in as private, Co. H, October 1, 1861; re-enlisted as a veteran, January 2, 1864; transferred to Co. D, November 19, 1864; mustered out with company, June 27, 1865, in defences of Washington, D.C.
73According to 1890 special census, he enlisted either Sep 20 or Oct 1 1862 as a private in Company H of the 77th NY Infantry (I think this is also given as 77th NY Volunteers.) Discharged June 10, 1865; listed his service as 2 years, 9 months, 19 days. His disability was listed as rheumatism; remarks: “reenlisted veteran.”
74The easily found 1866 map of Glenville, Reesville and Scotia shows W. Cath where, if I'm reading right, West Glenville Road meets Sacandaga (roads are unnamed on the map), on the east side of the road, across from J.V. Romeyn's hotel (approx. where a grocery store once was, on the northwest corner of the intersection). A Mrs. Seaman is listed on a road intersecting North Road, north of W. Glenville Road, next to C. Weaver. P.R. Toll is shown in about the right place.
His Civil War information would put his birthdate as appr. 1834; however, 1880 census put him at age 52 at last birthday between 6/1/1879 and 5/31/1880. Some other source had put his birthdate as 1827, but I’ve lost that source at this point. 1880 Census info would confirm 1827 or 1828. Perhaps 34 was too old to enlist. 1860 census said he was 26, which would be 1834.
1900 Census listed his birth as Feb. 1827, and listed his place of birth as New York, and that his parents were from New York.
He was mustered out (
Ancestry.com, Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900). Record for enlisted indicates “Transf’d from Co. H. Hov 19/64” and that he was mustered in as a private in Company D of “Battle 77 Inf.” He “Left the Organization” (”mustered out”) on 27 June ‘65, as a private, with his company at Washington, D.C. Under remarks, the record notes “Present, Vet Vol. Bloomsmith [??] Div. Ambulance Train M.R. Dec. ‘64; Present M.R. Feby ‘65: April ‘65: T.R.”
In 1860 Federal Census, he listed occupation as day laborer, and personal estate at $150, though he did not list any real estate.
23In the 1870 Gazetteer and business directory of Albany & Schenectady Co., NY, he is listed in Glenville simply as “farmer 1 1/2 [acres]”.
In 1892 NYS Census, he gave place of birth as England, but this is inconsistent with all other info, which includes that his parents were born in NY.
39He shows up twice in the Civil War Pension Index on
Ancestry.com. I cannot view either image and must verify on film sometime. In one, he is listed as William D. Cath; his widow is Selenia Cath, the state filed is Kentucky (likely mistake for NY), and relative is “Helpless Child Cora Cath.” Unfortunately, the synopsis does not include the filing dates. The second record is William H. Cath, widow Selenia Cath, and minor Cora Cath.
75He attended the reunion of the 77th in 1893 in Schenectady (document found in Library of Congress’s American Memory project: “The brave seventy-seventh. A jolly reunion held by the “boys” at Schenectady. [1893]” He is only mentioned as having answered roll call, W.H. Cath.
From same source, W.H. Cath attended 1897 reunion (25th) in Gloversville. From same source, William H. Cath attended the 1903 reunion in Schenectady.
Schenectady Reflector of 2/21/1884, p. 4, according to
scpl.org, lists Wm. H. Cath’s death date as 15 Feb 1884. This conflicts with his having attended reunions of the 77th later than that on three occasions.
In the 1880 federal census, he is in Glenville with wife Selena, and William J., Edward, Jacob, Teunis, Annie, Mary, Andrew, Lottie, Ida, and Nettie, and in-laws Jeremiah and Julia Cramer.
24None of the Caths are shown in the Baptisms listing for the Glenville Reformed Church from 1814-1904 (
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~vanepsgenealogy/)
He attended the Reunion of Survivors Association, 77th foot regiment NYS Volunteers at Schenectady, Sept. 22, 1903.
76Gazetteer and business directory of Albany & Schenectady County for 1870-71, listed “Cath, William H., (Glenville,) farmer 1-1/2 [acres]”
77 He was the only Cath listed.
In the 1900 Federal Census, he is 73 years old, born Feb 1827, he and his parents are from New York, and he lists himself as a day laborer. He owns his home unmortgaged, and it is a home, not a farm. He is living with wife Selina, who says she had 11 children, 10 of whom are living. They have been married 42 years; she is 9 years younger than William. With them are son “Andron F.” (certainly Andrew), 31, and daughter “Cora Ed”, 19. Also with them are Thomas Plummerand wife Ida.
10In the 1910 census, he is 83 years old, living with wife Salinia and daughter Cora as well as the Plummers. Here he says he was born in New York, but lists his parents as English. He lists his occupation as laborer on a farm. Owns his home free, non-farm. He has been married 55 years.
61Amsterdam Evening Recorder has an item dated Jan. 27, 1910 (dateline, not publication) that says “William Cath has been quite seriously ill for the past week.”
Amsterdam Evening Recorder, Monday, Feb. 25, 1907: “Edward Cath, of Milwaukee, is visiting hs father, William Cath.”
Amsterdam Daily Democrat, datelined Oct. 17, 1907: “Mr. and Mrs. William Cath are both ill.”
Ancestry now has a database of U.S. IRS Tax Assessment lists 1862-1918. William Cath is listed for 1863, New York, District 14, but the scan is illegible, and the business enterprise being taxed can’t really be read.
A biography of a William Henry Keane (
http://www.scoilgaeilge.org/lasmuigh/CivilWar/wktime.htm) potentially cites Sgt. William Cath:
“9/11/64 - had been terribly rainy for some days. Clothing poor, etc. Fighting at Bunker Hill? Court martial (again) - charged with disobedience of orders - refused to go on picket duty. Officer preferring the charges was Arthur S. Handcastle, 1st Lt., 1st Sgt. William Cath(?) and Sgt. Charles Farmineau were witnesses.” Keane was supposedly in 40th NY, Company G and then Company I.
In the 1851 England Census (available but for a charge at Ancestry), there are William Caths of approximately the right birthdate listed in Lancashire, Norfolk and Kent, England.
There is a William Cath who arrived in New York from London, England on 12 May 1857 at age 23 (b. app. 1834) aboard the Palestine. He was listed as a carpenter. It says that he occupied the “forward upper deck.”
78 Ancestry reports that most Cath immigrants came in 1852, and that most of them left from Liverpool (total of 46).
Misc. Notes
Amsterday Daily Democrat and Recorder, Sept. 26, 1907:
Glenville:
Mr. and Mrs. James Sexton, of Gloversville were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. William Cath, last week.