Elizabeth Cathey (1752-1819) and Cpt. John Sehorn of Shenandoah Co., VA and Jefferson Co., TN

Marty and Karla Grant

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Elizabeth Cathey (1752-1819) and Cpt. John Sehorn (1748-1831) of Shenandoah Co., VA and Jefferson Co., TN

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I don’t know how I’m related to Elizabeth Cathey. She is probably a 1^st cousin many times removed.

Elizabeth Cathey was born before ca 1752, probably in Frederick Co., VA likely in the part that is now Shenandoah Co., VA. Some online trees give her birth date as 15 May 1752 which is incorrect. That is the proven birth date of a different Elizabeth Cathey, wife of Maj. John Carruth. That other Elizabeth is a daughter of George Cathey (1724-1801) and Frances Henry of Mecklenburg Co., NC and clearly not the same woman from Shenandoah Co., VA. That Elizabeth’s birth date is proven by a Bible record that lists all of George and Frances’s children.

I base her birth of “before ca 1752" on her 1773 marriage record to John Sehorn. The marriage bond was dated 10 Jul 1773. All women under 21 had to have a parent or guardian consent to the marriage. While those consent records are often lost, there is one for Elizabeth where she gave her own consent to the marriage. That meant she was 21 or older in 1773, thus born ca 1752 or before.

I don’t know who Elizabeth’s parents were, but John Cathey would be the prime candidate. If correct, that would probably make her a sibling to Henry, George, Archibald and William Cathey “Jr” of Shenandoah Co., VA. (See John Cathey’s page for more on them.)

Others list Elizabeth as a child of William Cathey “Sr” which can easily be understood. However, William Cathey Sr was actually around the same age as she. He was only listed as “Sr” to distinguish himself from Elizabeth’s likely brother who was barely 10 years younger than he. See the page for William Cathey “Sr” (c1750/54-1812) and William Cathey “Jr” (c1762-aft 1826) for more on the two Williams of Shenandoah.

On 10 Jul 1773, John Sehorn obtained a marriage bond in Dunmore Co., VA (now Shenandoah) to marry Elizabeth Cathey. William Bullitt was bondsman. Elizabeth Cathey signed her own consent to the marriage meaning she was over 21.

Cpt. John Sehorn was born 21 Jun 1748 per his tombstone. I don’t know where he was born. He is a son of Nicholas Sehorn.

Nicholas Sehorn (Zahaun, Zehorn, Zehurn, Seahorn), from Germany to Shenandoah, had Capt. John Sehorn and Nicholas Seehorn, Jr., who went to Camden district, S.C.

Capt. John Sehorn, born 1748, was captain of Shenandoah militia in the Revolution; went to Sehorn’s Ferry, near Dandridge, Tenn.; was entry-taker of Caswell county, State of Franklin, 1787; sided with Governor Sevier and was applied to in 1788 by him to raise the militia of Sevier county, N.C., during the governor’s last attempts, in the Tipton-sevier affair; and was a member of the Tennessee legislature. Captain Sehorn married Elizabeth Cathey, of the Catheys of Cathey’s river.

A History of Shenandoah County, Virginia, John Walter Wayland, 1927, p. 640.

Note that the above says Elizabeth is of the Catheys of Cathey’s River. That is present day Augusta Co., VA, including parts of Beverly Manor, however, the Cathey’s for whom Cathey’s River was named moved to North Carolina before Elizabeth was born. She’s related to them, I’m sure.

On – Oct 1776, Nicholas Sehorn Senr and wife Catherine deeded land to Nicholas Sehorn Junr. John Sehorn was a witness along with Cuthbert Harrison, Edwin Young, Geo. Harrison and James Hord. (Shenandoah Co., VA Deed Book 1, p. 393).

On 16 Oct 1776, Nicholas Sehorn Senior and wife Catherine, of Dunmore, deeded 200 acres to John Sehorn, the land being part of a 400 acre tract granted to Nicholas Sehorn. Witnesses were Edwin Young, Adam Jackman, Nicholas Zehorn, and Cuthbert Harrison. (Shenandoah Co., VA Deed Book 1, p. 413).

On 25 Mar 1777, the court ordered Jacob Holeman, Evin Dobkin, Mounce Bird and John Sehorn to appraise the estate of Mary Durst, deceased. (Shenandoah Co., VA Minute Book 1, p. 29.)

In Apr 1778 court, Evan Dobbins was appointed constable in the room of (place of) John Seahorn. (Shenandoah Co., VA Minute Book 1, p. 45.)

On 27 Jul 1780, John Crookshanks and John Sehorn took the oath of Captain of Militia for the county. (Shenandoah Co., VA Minute Book 1, p. 151.)

In Sep 1780 court,

On a complaint of John Tipton Gent. against John Seahorn for assaulting and otherwise abusing him in the Execution of his duty as a Magistrate. The court on hearing the testimony of divers witnesses are of opinion that said Seahorn be bound to his good behavior for a year & a day ... in the sum of Twenty thousand pounds & his securities in the sum of fourteen pounds on condition that ... John Seahorn together with George Rootes & Edwin Young acknowledge themselves severally indebted to his Exy. Thomas Jefferson, Esq.

(Shenandoah Co., VA Minute Book 1, p. 160.)

John Sehorn is listed on the 1782 tax list in Shenandoah.

1782	Total Tithables	Horses	Cattle
John Seahorn	1	2	7

For some reason Elizabeth is listed on the 1783 tax list instead of John.

1783

White

Tithes

Slaves

16+

Slaves

-16

Horses

Cattle

Elizabeth Seahorn

There is an alternate 1783 tax list that was published as a replacement for the lost 1790 census. John Sehorn is listed, though badly transcribed.

1783 from “First Census of The United States 1790 Records of The State Enumerations: 1782 to 1785 Virginia”

John Seatron 5 whites, 0 blacks

John is listed on the 1784 tax list in Shenandoah.

1784

White

Tithes

Slaves

16+

Slaves

-16

Horses

Cattle

John Seahorn

On 24 and 25 Nov 1784, John and Elizabeth Sehorn of Shenandoah Co., VA made a deed to Lewis Zirkell of Rockingham Co., VA. They sold the 200 acres John had gotten from his father in 1776. John and Elizabeth signed. There were no witnesses meaning John and Elizabeth acknowledged the deed themselves.

The above is the last record I found for John and Elizabeth in Shenandoah Co., VA. This was about the time they moved to what is now Tennessee, but was then still part of North Carolina, technically. The locals had created the State of Franklin in 1784 which didn’t last long.

The area they moved to would have been Greene Co., NC (now TN) at the time. In 1785, Caswell County was created from Greene. In 1787/1788 Franklin ceased to exist and the area reverted to North Carolina. Caswell County reverted back to Greene County. In 1790, North Carolina ceded Tennessee to the Federal Government. They named it the Territory South of the Ohio River, a rather unwieldy name.

The 1790 census is lost for Tennessee.

Jefferson County was formed in 1792 from Greene and other counties.

In 1796 the State of Tennessee was created.

The 1800 census is lost for Tennessee, but they were probably in Jefferson Co., TN.

The 1810 census is lost for Tennessee, but they were probably in Jefferson Co., TN.

Elizabeth Cathey Sehorn died on 4 Jan 1819 in Jefferson Co., TN and is buried at the Graham Cemetery.

The 1820 census is lost for eastern Tennessee including Jefferson County.

John Sehorn is listed on the 1822 tax list in Jefferson Co., TN as were two of his sons. They are listed in 1823 also. John was not listed in 1824, but his sons were. Same for 1825. John may have been in a different district (I didn’t look), or perhaps since he was now over 75 he was no longer subject to tax.

1822 Cpt. Copland’s Company	Land	Whites	Blacks
John Sehorn	556 ½	0	0
Cathy Sehorn	-	1	0
Alexander Sehorn	-	1	0
1823 Cpt. Copeland’s Company	Land	Whites	Blacks
John Sehorn	556 ½	0	0
Alexander Sehorn	-	1	0
Cathey Sehorn	-	1	0
1824 Cpt. Copeland’s Company	Land	Whites	Blacks
Alexr Seahorn	-	1	0
Cathey Seahorn	-	1	0
1825 Cpt. Copeland’s Company	Land	Whites	Blacks
Catha Sehorn	-	1	0
Alexr Sehorn	-	1	0

The tax lists continued beyond 1825, but I didn’t look for John on any of those.

The 1830 census is the first federal census extant for Jefferson Co., TN. John Sehorn is listed.

1830 Census - Jefferson County, Tennessee

Page

Name

(Males first row, females on second)

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50-59

60-69

70-79

80-89

90-99

100+

49/302

John Sehorn

Slaves=000010-000010

My analysis (who each person *might* be)

1m 80-89 (1740/1750 John Sehorn (1748)

1m 5-9 (1820/1825) Grandson?

1m 0-4 (1825/1830) Grandson?

2f 20-29 (1800/1810) 1. Daughter?

2. Daughter?

1f 5-9 (1820/1825) Granddaughter?

John Sehorn made his Will on 28 Nov 1830 in Jefferson Co., TN. He named:

∙ my son Cathey Sehorn

∙ my son George

∙ son Alexander B. Sehorn

∙ my son John Sehorn's heirs

∙ dau Catherine Denton

∙ dau Mahala Collins

∙ my Negro man Harry & his wife Lucy to be free

∙ my son George and N. B. Bradford my executors

He signed as Jno Sehorn. Witnesses were David R. Graham and William G. Sehorn. The Will was proven by them in July 1831 court showing he died by then.

His tombstone at the Graham Cemetery shows that he died on 23 May 1831.

Children

John Sehorn and Elizabeth Cathey had six children as proven by his Will. Other researchers also include two more children (Jacob and Martin) for a total of eight. I don’t know what the proof is for Jacob and Martin so I’m leaving them off pending some evidence to include them.

1. John Sehorn (1779-1809). He married Mary Graham in 1799 in Jefferson Co., TN and shortly moved to Jackson Co., TN. He was listed on the 1802 tax list right next door to Reuben Dobkins, who was also formerly of Shenandoah Co., VA, married to Elizabeth Holeman, daughter of Jacob Holeman and Margaret (who married 2^nd, William Cathey, Jr.) I think that made them step 1^st cousins. In 1806 their part of Jackson County became Overton County where John died in 1809. Mary married Benjamin Walker sometime after the death of John Sehorn. John was dead by the time of his father’s Will (1830), but his father left $2 each to John’s heirs (not named).

2. Catherine Sehorn (1782-1873). She married Josiah Denton 1802 in Jefferson Co., TN. She was named in her father’s 1830 Will. They are listed on the 1830, 1840, 1850 and 1860 censuses in Jefferson Co.,TN. Josiah died in 1866. Catherine is listed on the 1870 census in Jefferson Co., TN.

3. Mahala Sehorn (1785-aft 1860). She married John Fain Collins in 1805 in Jefferson Co., TN. I found them on the 1830, 1840 and 1850 censuses in Morgan Co., AL, and in 1860 living with a daughter in Bossier Parish, LA.

4. Dr. Cathey Sehorn (1790-1831). He married Elizabeth Montgomery in 1812 in Rockbridge Co., VA. He was listed on the 1822, 1823, 1824 and 1825 tax lists in Jefferson Co., TN (perhaps others, but I didn’t look). A brief biography:

... Dr. Cathey Sehorn, born 1790, was a pioneer physician of Clark (now Crawford) county, Ill., where he died in 1831. He married Elizabeth Montgomery, daughter of Humphrey Montgomery of Rockbridge county, Va., and Jane Gay, sister of Major John Gay, of the same county.

A History of Shenandoah County, Virginia, John Walter Wayland, 1927, p. 640.

Elizabeth Montgomery Sehorn apparently went back to Rockbridge Co., VA where she died in 1854.

5. George Sehorn (1793-1843). He married Frances Hoskins in 1814 in Jefferson Co., TN. I found them on the 1830 census in Jefferson Co., TN and in McMinn Co., TN in 1840 which is where he died in 1843. Frances is listed there on the 1850 census. I didn’t find her after that. (Some of the Hoskins in Jefferson Co., TN came from Pittsylvania Co., VA, perhaps Frances is part of that same family?)

6. Alexander Blair Sehorn (1795-1879). He married Mary Long in 1823 in Jefferson Co., TN. He was listed on the 1822, 1823, 1824 and 1825 tax lists in Jefferson Co., TN (perhaps others, but I didn’t look). I was unable to find them on the 1830 or 1840 censuses, but by 1850 he was in Scott Co., AR and still there for the 1860 and 1870 census.

For Family Group Sheet and other notes see my database pages for John Sehorn and Elizabeth Cathey.

Revised: September 8, 2023

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