Grant Clover Cathcart and Family

Written by Marian Cathcart for the Decatur County History book.

Grant and Lenora Cathcart and five children arrived early in 1892 from Johnson County, Nebraska to establish their home in the Miller school district, Harlan Township. They bought the NE 1/4, S.20, T1 from Perry Cathcart who earlier had purchased the homestead rights of Elizabeth Cathcart, cousins. At that time their small four room house was the only frame dwelling between the Metcalf Ranch and Danbury.

In 1904 they moved to SE 1/4, S.32,T1 in the Decatur school district, where new larger improvements had been constructed. That quarter of school land was patented directly to Grant at a cost of $560.   Previously it had been occupied by a Spears family. In 1917 the couple moved to Oberlin.

Grant (1851-1948) (Robert/Catherine Marshall), born in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, in 1859 accompanied his parents to Rock Island County Illinois. His father's death in the Civil War ended his formal education at the age of eleven. Then he assumed the responsibility for his livelihood for the remainder of his life. Current events held a great interest for him. The more than fifteen grandsons who served in World War II and the ensuing conflicts were a source of pride.

Grant's community activities included service on church, school, and township boards. As a farmer he tried new crops, maintained land fertility, and provided for his livestock. An orchard was planted at each of his three residences. His was an optimistic point of view.
The Cathcart home was hospitable. Among the most frequent visitors; because of the distance to the Norcatur parsonage, were the local ministers and families who came for the weekend.

The ancestry of both Grant and Lenora were of early colonial stock as all family lines were established here prior to the revolution, in which war more than a dozen antecedents served.

Family of Joy Votapka