Life History

Notes

• In most records, her name is spelled with a C.  The name on her grave is Katherine.
  
  "I have copies of the marriage license of James C. Edmonds and Catherine White date 26 November 1859, in Jefferson County Tennessee.  My grandmother copied these from the originals."
  --  Suzanne Kennedy, Geneanet Messageing to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 7 August 2015
  
  Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002
  Catharine White
  Spouse James C Edmonds
  Marriage 26 Nov 1859 Jefferson County, Tennessee
  
  In the 1860 census, household members appear under only their initials.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee, 3 September, Locality and PO not reported, page 313, Hse #2222, Fam #2262
  J C Edmonds 33 M Laborer $50 Personal Estate b Tennessee
  C Edmonds 21 F b North Carolina Cannot read or write
  E Edmonds 14 F b Tennessee
  F E Edmonds 12 F b Tennessee
  
  The two children in the 1860 household are the children of Delilah Hall.  In 1870, Catherine has three children.
  
  1870 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee, 21 July, p 2, PO Dandridge, Hse/Fam #13
  Edmonds, James C 49 M W Farm Laborer $No Real Estate $No Personal Estate b Tennessee Cannot read or write [b abt 1821]
  Edmonds, Catharine 28 F W  Keeping House b Kentucky Cannot read or write [born abt 1842]
  Edmonds, William 9 M W b Tennessee [b abt 1861]
  Edmonds, Elijah R 5 M W b Tennessee [b abt 1865]
  Edmonds, Martha M 2 F W b Tennessee [b abt 1868]
  
  Note that in this 1870 census, Catherine is reported born in North Carolina, whereas the 1860 census says it was Kentucky.  The 1880 census says she and both her parents were born in North Carolina.  Later censuses and her North Carolina death certificate report she was born in Kentucky.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina, 10 June, Upper Laurel, District 131, page 9, No Hse/Fam #s
  Edmonds, Catharine  W F 40 Widow   Works on Farm and Keeps House NC NC NC
  Edmonds, William  W M 18 Son Works on Farm NC TN NC
  Edmonds, Elijah W M 15 Son Works on Farm TN TN NC
  -- page 10 --
  Edmonds, Marcena  W F 13 Dau NC TN NC
  Edmonds, Sarry E  W F 6 Dau NC TN NC
  Edmonds, Thomas  W M 3 Son NC TN NC
  White, Polly W F 75 Mother House Work NC SC SC
  
  Note that William is reported born in North Carolina, although the family was living in Jefferson County, Tennessee at the time he was born.  Likewise Martha, reported here under her middle name Marcena.  However, born between them was Elijah, and here he is reported born in Tennessee, as were all three in 1870.  Two younger children are reported born in North Carolina.  Catherine's mother Polly White is living in the household.
  
  With some varying reporting, it would at first appear to be thoughtful, and thus probably accurate.  But the birthplace of the three oldest certainly was Tennessee.
  
  The birth of the two younger children might indicate that the family moved to North Carolina about 1865, and that James died there.  The discrepancies in the birth states of the older children makes that report less reliable. Family sources report that James died in Jefferson County, Tennessee.  There is also a story that Catherine walked to North Carolina with the children to because the government (county? state?) was going to take the children away from her.  Perhaps they were in a state of destitution after James' death, and the county was threatening to take the children form Catherine.
  
  Living next door is John Reed (Reid) and his wife Parthena.  John is 70.  After the death of Parthena, Catherine will marry John.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina, 10 June, Upper Laurel, District 131, page 9, No Hse/Fam #s
  Reid, John W M 70   Farmer and Merchant VA NC NC
  Reid, Parthena W F 50 Wife Keeps House SC SC SC
  
  John H Reed & Catherine White Edmonds Reed
  Marriage to Catherine White 1897 14 Jul
  Age 50 Madison Co. NC
  Marriage performed by William H. Ray in Madison Co., NC
  Catherine's last name is transcribed as Edwards.  This is a common mistake between Edmonds/Edwards when being interpreted.
  John Reed is listed as age 65. (I doubt the ages are correct)
  --  Suzy Crews, Comment on this genealogy on Ancestry.com,  2 November 2013
  
  Catherine is a widow again by the time of the 1900 census, enumerated under the name Reed.  Her mother is in her household, as in 1880.
  
  1900 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina, 30 June, Upper Laurel, District 8, page 12A, Hse/Fam #212
  Reed, Cathern [sic]  Head W F March 1837 63 Widow 8 children/5 living NC NC NC Farmer Owns
  Hensley, Sue Grand-Daughter W M May 1891  9 Single NC NC NC
  White, Polly Mother W F March 1798  102 Widow  12 children/4 living NC NC NC
  
  Several of Catherine's sons are nearby.  Her son William is on the previous page.  In his household is nephew William M Hensley, Sue Hensley's brother.  On the page before William are his brothers Elijah and Thomas.
  
  1900 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina, 30 June, Upper Laurel Township, District 84, page 11B, Hse/Fam #207
  Edmonds, William Head W M March 1861  89 Married 15 years NC NC NC Farmer Owns
  Edmonds, Mary E Wife W M Oct 1870  29 Married 15 years 9 child/7 living NC NC NC
  Edmonds, Eddie M Dau W F Apr 1886 14 Single NC NC NC
  Edmonds, James E  Son W M May 1888 12 Single NC NC NC Farm Laborer
  Edmonds, William A  Son W M Nov 1890 9 Single NC NC NC
  Edmonds, Mary M Dau W F Nov 1892 7 Single NC NC NC
  Edmonds, Zenobia C Dau W F May 1895 5 Single NC NC NC
  Edmonds, Ethel Dau W F May 1898 2 Single NC NC NC
  Edmonds, Elijah L  Son W M Feb 1900 3mos Single NC NC NC
  Hensley, William M  Nephew W M May 1896 4 Single NC NC NC
  
  I have not found a census record for Catherine in 1910.  She is not in the household of her son William, where we find her in 1920.  In 1920, she is enumerated in William's home, with her 2nd married name Reed.  Note that William's mother-in-law is also in the household, giving us Mary Ellen's maiden name of Thomas.
  
  1920 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina, 5 January, Upper Laurel, District 127, page 1B, Hse/Fam #18
  Edmonds, William Head Owns M W  58 TN TN KY Farmer [b abt 1962]
  Edmonds, Mary E Wife F W  50 NC NC NC [b abt 1870]
  Edmonds, Mary M Dau F W  27 Single NC TN NC [b abt 1893]
  Edmonds, Fuchsia I Dau F W  17 Single NC TN NC [b abt 1903]
  Edmonds, Fred Son M W  12 NC TN NC [b abt 1908]
  Edmonds, Jacob E Son M W  9 NC TN NC [b abt 1911]
  Reed, Catherine Mother F W  84 Widow KY NC SC [b abt 1936]
  Thomas, Martha C Mother-in-law F W  74 Widow NC TN NC [b abt 1846]
  
  Later in 1930 when she is living with her son William, she is reported under his surname of Edmonds.  Her death certificate records her name as Katherine Reed, widow of John Reed.
  
  1930 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina, 16 April, Upper Laurel Township, District 19, page 9A, Flag Pond, Tenn, Rt 1, Hse #164, Fam #170
  Edmonds, William M Head Owns M W  69 Widowed NC TN KY Farmer [b abt 1861]
  Edmonds, Fred Son M W  23 First married at age 18 NC NC NC [b abt 1907]
  Edmonds, Ellen Dau-in-law F W  21 First married at age 16 NC NC NC [b abt 1909]
  Edmonds, Billie Son M W  2yrs1mo NC NC NC [b abt March 1927]
  Edmonds, Katherine F W  94 Widow KY NC SC [b abt 1836]
  
  Katherine Reed
  Birth 1835 Kentucky
  Death 31 Dec 1930 Faust, Madison County, North Carolina
  Widow of John Reed
  Occupation Housewife
  Name of Father White, born Kentucky
  Name and Birthplace of Mother unknown
  Informant Ellen Edmonds, Flag Pond, Tenn, Rt 2
  Burial 1 Jan 1931 Boone Cemetery], Flag Pond, Tenn
  [Boone Cemetery is southeast in Yancey County, it actually was at the Divide, or Sams Gap, Cemetery, address Flag Pond, Unicoi, Tennessee, on the border.]
  
  The informant on Catherine's Death Certificate appears to be Mary Ellen Thomas, the wife of Catherine's son William Edmonds, with whom she had been living for some time.
  
  Note that the death certificate records the intended place of burial as Boone Cemetery.  The only Boone Cemetery I can find reference to is southeast of there in Burnsville, Yancey County.  There are several references to her burial on the state line.  Shirley, an Edmonds researcher I have worked with on the Edmonds-Strange lines, has been onsite and recorded her grave side by side with that of her mother Polly White.  Polly is buried on the Tennessee side of the border and Catherine is on the North Carolina side.  So this has to be some cemetery other than the Boone Cemetery in Burnsville.
  
  One genealogy makes reference to "Divide Cemetery" in Sam's Gap, North Carolina.  But for its source documentation, this genealogy links to the North Carolina Death Index and Katherine's birth certificate.  The former reports nothing related to a cemetery, and the birth certificate reports burial as in Boone Cemetery (and seems to indicate Flag Pond as the location).  This is just south of Flag Pond and near the border.  With this clue for Divide Cemetery I was able to find an online listing for that cemetery.
  
  The page header places the formal address of this in Flag Pond, Unicoi, Tennessee:  "Divide Cemetery of Sams Gap, TN-NC Border, Unicoi County, Tennessee."  The online listing or the cemetery places it thus:
  
  "The Divide Cemetery [also known as State Line or Sam's Creek Cemetery] is located off Rt. 23W at Sams Gap at the NC-TN border, about 5 miles south of Flag Pond, TN.  From the town of Erwin, take I-26 towards Asheville, NC and exit Temple Hill Road.  This is old US Highway 19-23W which splits at Ernestville, TN.  Continue straight on US 23W heading east towards Flag Pond for about 20 minutes.  The cemetery is about 150 feet off US Hwy 23W. "
  --   Divide Cemetery Listing, http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnunicoi/dividecemetery/Dividecemetery23W.html
  
  The online listing has this entry for Catherine, spelled Katherine, next to her mother.  Note that it also comments, from some unstated source, that her husband (Cam Edmonds) died about 1876.  This may be based on the report in Thomas Edmonds' birth certificate that John Reed was his father, and the census reports of his birth around 1876-1877 (though his death certificate gives an alternative birth date in 1872, possibly due to a misreading of info, when it was typed in).
  
  EDMONDS-REED, Katherine [WHITE]
  b. October 30, 1836 - d. December 31, 1930
  [d/o Mary "Polly" #5 and Frank White; children: William, Elijah, Marcena, Sarah E., Thomas]
  NOTE:  During the 1880 Census, husband is gone [died about 1876] and Katherine is listed as a widow; mother, Polly, is living in the household with Katherine's children.
  
  5.  WHITE, Polly
  b.  1800 - d. 1894
  [w/o Frank White]
  
  "Katherine White Edmonds Reed, my great grandmother, is buried at the Divide Cemetery as you say. I have been there and have pictures of her headstone."
  --  Suzy Crews, Ancestry Messaging to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 13 Sep 2011

Sources

• 1. Suzy Crews
• 2. Divide Cemetery Listing, Flag Pond, Unicoi, Tennessee
  • Location: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnunicoi/dividecemetery/Dividecemetery23W.html;
• 3. 1870 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee
  • 21 July, p 2, PO Dandridge, Hse/Fam #13
• 4. 1880 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 10 June, Upper Laurel, District 131, page 9, No Hse/Fam #s
• 5. 1900 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 30 June, Upper Laurel, District 8, page 12A, Hse/Fam #212
• 6. 1930 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 16 April, Upper Laurel Township, District 19, page 9A, Flag Pond, Tenn, Rt 1, Hse #164, Fam #170
• 7. 1920 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 5 January, Upper Laurel, District 127, page 1B, Hse/Fam #18
• 8. North Carolina, Death Certificates, 1909-1975
• 9. 1860 Federal Census, Jefferson County, Tennessee
  • 3 September, Locality and PO not reported, page 313, Hse #2222, Fam #2262
• 10. Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002
• 11. Geneanet Messaging
• 12. Ancestry Messaging
• 13. 1910 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 28 April, Upper Laurel Township, District 92, page 6B, Upper Laurel Rd, Hse #103, Fam #104
• 14. Ancestry Trees
  • Cooper, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/7403945/person/2005018009
• 15. 1900 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 30 June, Upper Laurel Township, District 84, page 11B, Hse/Fam #207
• 16. South Carolina Death Records, 1821-1955
• 17. 1920 Federal Census, Spartanburg County, Arkansas
  • 20 January, Campobello Township, District 82, page 11B, Hse/Fam #138
• 18. 1910 Federal Census, Spartanburg County, South Carolina
  • 22 April, Campobello Township, District 73, page 9B, Hse #159, Fam #161
• 19. 1900 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 29 June, Upper Laurel Township, District 84, page 11A, Hse/Fam #192
• 20. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 21. Obituary of Elizabeth (Lizzie) Webb Edmonds Spartanburg 1949
• 22. Obituary of Elijah L Edmonds Chesnee SC 1938
• 23. 1880 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 10 June, Upper Laurel, District 131, page 10, No Hse/Fam #s
• 24. 1930 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • no date, Upper Laurel Township, District 19, page 9B, Hse #174, Fam #181
• 25. 1930 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 18 April, Upper Laurel Township, District 19, page 9B, Flag Pond, Tennessee, Hse #164, Fam #170
• 26. 1910 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 3 May, Upper Laurel Township, District 92, page 8B, Upper Laurel Rd, Hse #148, Fam #149
• 27. 1920 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 10 January, Upper Laurel, District 127, page 2B, Hse/Fam #37
• 28. 1940 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 11 April, Township 11, District 8-24, Page 3B, Lower Laurel Rd, Hse #42, Owns $300