| Sources |
- [S5] 1850 Cocke County, Tennessee Census, Hannibal, (WWW), 960-820, 1850.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 12 Aug 1998.
Caton's Grove church carries name of it's founder
The Caton's Grove United Methodist Church is located in the Cosby Circuit of the Morristown District of the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Rev. Jack Edwards, superintendent of the Morristown district, said there are 110 churches in the district, and 965 churches make up the Holston Conference.
All of those 965 churches have a history behind them. All of them have hidden memories that can bring tears to the eyes or smiles that can warm the heart.
Caton's Grove United Methodist Church is one that has such precious memories.
These memories are roots, and these roots are what holds the church, as well as the community it serves, together. Just as a plant will die if its roots are cut, a community will die without its roots and memories.
Alongside Caton's Grove Church lies its cemetery. The church and the cemetery are part of what makes a community strong, stable, and secure.
Thomas R. Caton was born December 24, 1819, in Buncombe County, North Carolina. He died on May 10, 1911, in Cocke County.
Caton did not live and die without accomplishments. He married the former Margaret McGaha around 1840. The Catons had nine children, seven of them boys.
According to the history of the Caton family, Thomas and his sons went through some perilous times during the Civil War. Thomas was chased and beaten so badly that one of his eyes fell out of its socket.
One of his sons, Robert, was reportedly killed in Illinois while serving in the Union Army.
Although Thomas Caton was never officially ordained into the ministry, he was a preacher. A certificate which bears his name reads, "preach the word, feed the sheep" and was among his possessions.
Thomas Caton lived to be over ninety years old in an era when few people lived past the age of fifty. It is reported that just before he died, he was helping haul rock with which to build the parsonage for the church which bears his name.
With the closing and selling of Large's Chapel and Jenkins Chapel in recent months, "It is only natural for the people of Caton's Grove to be concerned," said church member Paralee Shultz.
"The Holston Conference was wrong when they sold those churches," Shultz said. "They had no money invested in them and they should not get any money from the sales.
"I don't think they should sell them and keep the money. I don't think it is right. What are they going to do with the money? That is the next question," Shultz said.
Shultz said she is concerned about what would happen if the conference sold Caton's Grove.
"If they put it up for public auction, then anyone could buy it and do whatever they wanted to with it," she said. "There are some devil-worshippers not far from here in Sevier County. What would we do it they bought the church at an auction?"
Shultz said she does not blame the circuit's pastor, Elizabeth Fox, for the closing of the two churches.
"When they sent her here, people resented a woman preacher, so people were not friendly with her," Shultz said. "I think she is a good woman and she has tried hard.
"People quit the church and when they quit she just could not carry on," Shultz said. "You cannot blame that on her. I feel that the people who went against her and blamed her with the closings done her wrong."
Shults said she does not blame the Methodist church for closing the two churches.
"What can they do? They called the people and invited them to come and there is nobody there to have services. They can't help but close it," Shultz said.
"But it was wrong to sell the building," she said.
"Years ago the people turned these churches over to the conference," Shultz said. "It was before my time, but years ago the Caton family turned the church over to the conference so they would get them a preacher. It was a Baptist church, but they turned it over to them so they would have a preacher. The denomination did not matter them, I don't think, so they gave them a preacher.
"Their name was up over the door and they had the deed for it," Shultz said. "I don't think that is right. I don't care if they are a denomination or a religious organization."
© 1998 The Newport Plain Talk
- [S92] Cocke County, Tennessee Census, 448A, 1880.
Census Place: Upper Cosby, Cocke, Tennessee
Source: FHL Film 1255248 National Archives Film T9-1248 Page 448A
Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
Thos. CATON Self M M W 60 NC
Occ: Farmer Fa: NC Mo: NC
Margaret CATON Wife F M W 59 TN
Occ: Keeping House Fa: TN Mo: TN
Grenbury CATON Son M S W 27 TN
Occ: Works On Farm Fa: NC Mo: TN
William M. CATON Son M S W 20 TN
Occ: Works On Farm Fa: NC Mo: TN
Elizabeth CATON Sister F S W 46 TN
Occ: Keeping House Fa: NC Mo: NC
- [S112] Census, 1910.
Name: Thomas Caton
Birthplace: North Carolina
Relationship to Head of Household: Father
Residence: Civil District 9, Cocke, Tennessee
Marital Status: Widowed
Race : White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year:
Father's Birthplace: England
Mother's Birthplace: North Carolina
Family Number: 162
Page Number: 10
Household Gender Age
Child George T Caton M 53y
Elisabeth Caton F 53y
Herman L Caton M 24y
Arlene Caton F 18y
Earnest Caton M 15y
Unane Caton F 12y
Thomas Caton M 90y
- [S147] Find a Grave, (Memorial: 47398111).
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