Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

Catherine Graybill

Female 1814 - 1886  (72 years)


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  • Name Catherine Graybill 
    Born 9 Jun 1814  , Ashe, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died 1 Dec 1886  Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried 4 Dec 1886  Graybill-Stoker Cemetery, Garner Township, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I312  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Father Michael Graybill,   b. 14 May 1787, , Wilkes (now Ashe), North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Sep 1856, Kanesville (now Council Bluffs), Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 69 years) 
    Mother Mary or Polly Stoker,   b. 24 Nov 1792, , Wilkes (now Ashe), North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Feb 1864, Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 71 years) 
    Married May 1811  Jefferson, Ashe, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F264  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Phillip Gatrost,   b. 16 May 1811, Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Nov 1870, of Garner Township, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 59 years) 
    Married Abt 1843  of, , Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F259  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. Reviewed 6 Jun 2002 Rootsweb.com Worldconnect.

      2. Censuses:
      1820 US: Bloomfield Township, Jackson, Ohio, pg. 195, township had a little over 40 families; related families include James Lackey, Michael Stoker, and Michael Graybill. In neighboring Madison Township, related families David Stoker, Peter Graybill, Nancy (Graybill) Henson, and James McDaniel are found. Columns are male 0-10, 10-16, 16-18, 16-26, 26-45, 45+// female 0-10, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+:
      Michael Stoker: 2,1,0,1,0,1//1,1,0,1,0.
      Michael Graybill: 3,0,0,0,1,0//1,0,0,1,0. [Appears to be Michael, his wife Polly, and their children David, Catherine, Simeon and Levi.]
      James Lackey: 2,2,1,2,0,1//1,2,1,1,5.

      1830 US: Bloomfield Township, Jackson, Ohio, pg. 109-112, note whole township had 527 people living in it, related families include Michael Stoker, Michael Stoker Jr., Alexander Lackey, James Welker, Michael Graybill, and John Stoker:
      Michael Graybill. Males 0-5:1; 5-10:2; 10-15:2; 15-20:1 40-50:1. Females 0-5:1; 15-20:1; 30-40:1. [Appears to Michael, his wife Polly, and their children David, Catherine, Simeon, Levi, George, William, Juliana, and Michael.]

      1850 US: Dist. 21, Pottawattamie, Iowa, p. 134b, dwelling 1136, household 1136:
      Philip Gaytrost, 37, Ger.
      Catherine, 36, Ger.
      Elizabeth, 5, IL.
      Henry, 2, IA.
      Michael, 1, IA.

      1851 Iowa State: Pottawattamie County. FHL film 1022203. The entire state was counted but only Pottawattamie listed everyone by name in the household and their ages; other counties only listed the head of the household and a numerical count without names of the various ages by sex in the household. No date is given when the census was taken but it was certified in Dec. 1851; however, the other counties show a Sep 1851 date which also appears more likely for Pottawattamie as well in light of ages given some children with known birthdays in October. Census return:
      Gatrost: Phillip 39, Catherine 37, Elizabeth 6, Henry 3, Michael 1. [Note that the following related families are in this census and very close neighbors: Simeon P. Graybill, Michael/Polly Graybill with Polly's mother Catherine Eller Stoker, Eller/Margaret Stoker, Jacob/Catherine Stoker, Philip/Catherine Gatrost, David/Barbara Stoker, Edward/Sarah Davis, and William/Almira Stoker. Other relatives in same county but separated by several pages of census include the following families: Thomas/Hannah Pilling whose daughter Hannah, later marries William Lenore Graybill, Levi/Patience Graybill, John W./Sarah Stoker, Hannah Ford whose son Martin later marries Zibiah M. Stoker, and John/Sarah Smith.]

      1854 Iowa: Kane, Pottawattamie, Iowa, FHL film 1022207. Next door neighbors include Philip "Gastrop," Simeon "Grabill," and Eller Stoker. Neighbor a couple of census pages away include M. Stoker and M. Ford. Census return:
      Philip Gastrop, 3 males, 2 females, 1 voter, 1 militia, 5 total.

      1860 US: Council Bluffs Post Office, Kane Township, Pottawattamie, Iowa, p. 363, dwelling 476, family 419, living in close proximity to the Simeon P. Graybill and George W. Graybill families:
      Phillip Gatrost, 49, farmer, $1300 real estate, $535 personal property, Hesse Damstadt Germany.
      Catharine, 46, housewife, OH.
      Elizabeth, 16, housework, IL
      Henry, 11, IA.
      Michael, 10, IA.
      Lizzie J., 5, IA.
      Henry Fisher, 22, carpenter, PA.

      1870 US: Council Bluffs Post Office, Kane Township, Pottawattamie, Iowa, p. 172b, dwelling 52, family 53; the following families were neighbors: Simeon Graybill, Margaret Stoker, George Graybill, William L. Graybill, Phillip Gatrost, Henry Gatrost:
      Phillip Gatrost, 59, farmer, $5000 real estate, $2000 personal property, Armstat, Germany.
      Catherin, 55, keeping house, NC.
      Elizabeth, 25, IL.
      Michael, 20, $300 personal property, IA.
      Elizabeth Aver, 14, IA.
      L. Peckenpaugh, 20, domestic servant, IL.

      1880 US: Garner, Pottawattamie, Iowa; NA film T9-0361, p. 22C:
      Henry Katrost, farmer, self, 31, IA Ger NC.
      Emily, wife, 31, IL IL IL. [Emily Downs]
      Alvin, son, 10, IA IA IL.
      Michael E., son, 8, IA IA IL.
      Ada L., dau, 6, IA IA IL.
      Ira E., son, 5, IA IA IL.
      John W., son, 4, IA IA IL.
      Caroline I., dau, 1, IA IA IL.
      Henry Slomaker, laborer, single, 21, PA PA PA.
      Catherine Katrost, mother, widow, 60, NC NC NC.
      M. S. Graybill, uncle, single, 52, OH NC NC.

      3. FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 17-31, clarifies early North Carolina counties and land grant practices:
      "Land grants in North Carolina originated with an entry application which was filed in the county where the land was situated and if not lost are now on file there. This was followed, sometimes soon and sometimes years later by an order from the land office for the tract to be surveyed. Sometimes soon and sometimes years later the survey was made and a surveyor's plat filed with the Secretary of State in Raleigh. Then came the grant which may have been issued reasonably near the date of the survey or sometimes several years later. These grants, orders to survey and the survey itself are on file now in the Secretary of State's office at Raleigh...
      Many counties were formed from what originally was Rowan County, namely Surry and Guilford in 1770, Burke and Wilkes in 1777, Randolph in 1779, Iridell in 1788, Stokes in 1789, Buncomb in 1791, Ashe in1799, Davidson in 1822, Yancey in 1833, Davie in 1836 and Yadkin in 1850. Some of these counties were grandchildren of Rowan County; for instance Wilkes was taken partly from Burke and partly from Surry, Randolph from Guilford, Buncomb and Yancy form Burke, Ashe from Wilkes and Stokes and Yadkin from Surry. These facts must be kept in mind when tracing early Rowan County families."

      4. 20 May 2002 Ancestry.com database ":1254781" indicates four children born: Elizabeth Gatrost b. 1844, Henry Gatrost b. 31 Jul 1848 in IA, Michael [Elmer] Gatrost b. 1850 [31 May 1850 at Pottawattamie Co., Iowa per Ord. Ind.], and Lizzie J. b. 1855. Ord. Ind. adds Rebecca b. 25 Sep 1843 in Adams Co., Illinois.

      5. A partial quote from the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT, from an article entitled "Polly Stoker":
      "Vivian Graybill, of Independence, Missouri, has worked on the Graybill genealogy for many years and since he plans to publish a book with a great amount of detailed information I will not list the names of their complete families. I will note the names of Michael and Polly's children and how they relate to other families in this book. I do have most family names if anyone wants to check it. [Kerry's note: the author lists each child and grandchild of Polly. See her file for the complete listing. I include only the immediate family in this individual's note.]
      "Catherine Graybill, b. 6/9/1814, Ashe Co., N.C. m. Philip Gatrost
      1. Henry Gatrost, b. 1848 m. Emily Downs
      2. Michael Elmer Gatrost, b. 1850 m. Anna Carlisle."

      6. From Susan Easton Black's book of Members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of LDS: "Catherine Gatrost. Birth: 9 June 1814. Death: 1 Dec 1886. Catherine Gatrost was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by E.C. Briggs. Source: Early Reorganization Minutes, 1852-1871, Book A, p. 302, and 1872-1905, Book C, p. 8." Appears that several of her children were also members.

      7. From the publication "Journal of History" of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, vol. 4, num. 1, Jan, 1911, pp. 104-110: Testimony of Elder Levi Graybill. Levi was the younger brother of Catherine and he refers to her in this partial quotation (see his notes for full citation): "The first of the g[i]fts I ever witnessed I was in Jackson County, Ohio, shortly after I was baptized. My own sister Catherine, afterwards the wife of Philip Gatrost, spoke in tongues. Sometime after this the same sister spoke tongues again, when there was a linguist present by the name John D. Baker, and he said the tongue spoken was Hebrew and that she had evidently learned the language; but I know she had not."

      8. Mentioned in son's biography from FHL book 977.771 H2 "History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa," 1883, O.L. Baskin and Co., Historical Publishers, Chicago, p. 201: "Henry Gatrost, farmer, P.O. Weston, was born in this county July 31, 1848; he is the son of Philip and Catherine (Graybill) Gatrost. His father was a native of Germany and came to Pennsylvania when he was a boy. From there he moved to Illinois and afterward to this county, locating in Garner Township in 1846. His mother was born in Ashe County, N.C., in 1814; was brought to Ohio when an infant, and is still living in this county. Our subject was educated in the common schools of this county, and was an unusually diligent and attentive student. He worked on his father's farm till he was twenty years of age, when he was married to Emily, daughter of Asa and Drusilla Downs, who settled in this county in 1852. Our subject then farmed his father's place for five years, since which he has been engaged in farming on lands which he rents. His mother became connected with the Latter-Day Saints Church, in Ohio, in 1833; came to Caldwell County, Mo., where she experienced all the hardships of that people. They were mobbed and driven out of Missouri, when they went to Adams County, Ill., near Quincy. She came with the colony that founded Kanesville, this county, in 1846. Our subject's father was connected with the same church, after coming to Iowa, and died in that faith, November 5, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Gatrost have eight children - Alvin J., Michael E., Ira E., John W., Forest A., Ada A., Laura M. (deceased), Caroline I. and Eva J. Mr. Gatrost is a member of the Latter-Day Saints Church. In politics, he is a Republican."

      9. The book "The Howard Leytham Stoker Von Dollen Family Histories," FHL 929.273 H833a, by Doris Lewis, 2017 So. 80th Ave., Omaha, Nebraska, 68124, pp. 90-91: "Catherine Graybill, b. 9 Jun 1814, Ashe Co., NC, m. Philip Gatrost. [Children:] Henry Gatrost, b. 1848, m. Emily Downs; Michael Elmer Gatrost, b. 1850, m. Anna Carlisle."

      10. FHL book 929.273 P684pn: "Graybill/Stoker/Eller/Smith/Koons/Pitt Connections," by Norman E. 'Gene' Pitt, 1996, pp. 26-32, note that this book has a very detailed downline of the children of this couple: "Catherine Graybill, b. 9 Jun 1814, Ashe Co., NC; d. 1 Dec 1886, Council Bluffs, Potta. Co., IA; md. 18 Oct 1845, Wythe Twp., Hancock Co., IL to Phillip Gatrost... Phillip was born 10 May 1811, Hesse, Darmstadt, Germany; d. 1870 Council Bluffs, Potta. Co., IA. Both are buried in Council Bluffs, IA. Their children were Rebecca, Anna Elizabeth, George, Henry, Henrietta, Michael Elmer, Leonard and Elizabeth Jane."

      11. FHL film 702: "Journal of John Stoker, b. 1817; Journal starts November 1, 1869." John was the son of David Stoker and Barbara Graybill. The first 35 pages detail his mission taken from Utah to Virginia and Tennessee through Council Bluffs, Iowa, which I have summarized and included with his notes in this database. Pp. 36-227, the balance of John's journal, are genealogical notations of family. Many pages are blank. Besides family, the journal also notes many other unrelated Stokers who were probably gleaned from books and other sources. It appears as if maybe his son David may have taken over the book later. Many entries are repetitive at different times. Pertinent data for this family or individual is quoted verbatim as follows on pages:
      102: Michael Graybill, born May 1787 North Carolina. Polly Stoker Graybill, born Nov. 24, 1792, died Feb. 7, 1864. Children:
      Simeon Peter Graybill, born Mar. 25, 1813, died 27 June 1889.
      Catherine Graybill, born June 8, 1814.
      Sidney Rigdon Graybill, born April 6, 1836.
      Elizabeth Graybill, born Sept. 15, 1833.
      Michael Graybill Jr., born July 5, 1828.
      184-186: Polly Graybill, daughter of Michael Stoker, Sen. and Catherine Eller was born Nov. 24th, 1792, State of North Carolina, Ashe County, died 7th Feb 1864.
      Catherine Graybill, daughter of Michael Graybill and Polly Stoker was born June the 9th 1814, State of North Carolina, Ashe County.
      Sidney Rigdon Graybill, son of Michael Graybill and Polly Stoker was born April 6th, 1836, State of Ohio, Jackson County, Bloomfield Township.
      Elizabeth Graybill, daughter of Michael Graybill and Polly Stoker was born Sept. 16th, 1833, State of Ohio, Jackson County, Bloomfield Township.
      Michael S. Stoker, son of Michael Graybill Sen. and Polly Stoker, was born July 5th, 1828, State of Ohio, Jackson County, Bloomfield Township.

      12. From an article entitled "The Family" from the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT. For the full transcriptional listing of the descendants of Michael Stoker and Catherine Stoker, see the notes of Michael Stoker - the following only pertains to this immediate family. Generation "1" is Michael Stoker and Catherine Eller:
      "The Michael Stoker Family as existed at the time of his death. Those names that are [bracketed] probably were involved in the Missouri experience...
      2-[Polly Mary Stoker], born on 24 Nov. 1792 in Ashe Co., NC, married [Michael Graybill] (14 May 1787- 24 Sep 1856), son of John Peter Graybill and Christina Wampler, on May 1811 in Jefferson, Ashe Co., NC. She lived in Ashe Co., NC; Jackson Co., OH; Caldwell Co., MO; Adams Co., IL; and Pottawattamie Co. IA. She died 18 Feb 1864 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie Co., IA. Both Michael and Polly are buried in the Graybill/Stoker Cemetery.
      3-[David Graybill], born 24 Sept 1812 in Ashe Co., NC, married Mahala Hill. Both died in Illinois. In December 1848 David's brother, Simeon Graybill whose wife, Amanda Hill, had died, took David's children and his own making seven altogether in a wagon to settle in Kanesville, Iowa.
      3-[Catherine Graybill], born 9 Jun 1814 in Ashe Co., NC, married [Philip Gatrost]. Philip and Catherine moved to Missouri with her parents. They built a brick house in Blue Grass Hollow on the edge of her father's land in Pottawattamie Co., IA. She died Dec. 1, 1886 at Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, IA and is buried in the Graybill/Stoker Cemetery.
      3-[Simeon Peter Graybill], born 26 Mar 1816 in Jackson Co., OH. Reared to manhood on a farm. For a time engaged in mining at Mt. Vernon, OH. Married [Amanda Hill] on 16 Mar 1837 in Jackson Co., OH. They moved to Caldwell Co., MO then to Adams Co., IL where Amanda died on Feb 21, 1848. In the fall of 1848, Simeon moved to a farm in Pottawattamie Co, IA. He married Frances (Graham) Downs. While serving a short term LDS mission his cousin, John Stoker of Bountiful, UT visited him on Nov 8, 1869. Simeon resided on the farm until his death, June 27, 1889.
      4-[Rachel Graybill], born Mar 1838 probably in Caldwell Co., MO, and died in 1848 near Quincy, Adams Co., IL.
      3-[Joseph Levi Graybill], born 12 Mar 1818 in Jackson Co., OH. Baptized by John A. Fisher on 17 November 1833. Ordained an Elder in 1836. Moved to Caldwell Co., MO in 1837. Moved to IL in 1839. Ordained a seventy on May 3, 1839. Married Patience Smith on Jun 20, 1841. Moved to Nauvoo, IL in 1845 and to Pottawattamie Co., IA in 1846. He was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 6 August 1861 by W. W. Blair.
      3-[George Washington Graybill], born 26 Jun 1821 in Jackson Co., OH. Married Mary Smith. In 1862 after she died (Feb 16, 1860 in Iowa), George married her sister, Hannah, who had been twice widowed. She had six children and George had ten, together they had three more. George was buried in the cemetery at Underwood, Iowa. Mary is buried in the Graybill/Stoker Cemetery near Council Bluffs.
      3-[William Lenore Graybill], born 25 Jan 1825, married Hanna Pilling who was born 3 Mar 1835 in Lancashire, England. William died January 25, 1880 and is buried in the Stoker/Graybill Cemetery.
      3-[Juliana Graybill], born 19 Jan 1826, married Wilford Heath Hudson. Went to Utah. Died 8 May 1851.
      3-[Michael Graybill], born 19 Jan 1825. Living in Harrison Co., IA on Feb 27, 1870 when John Stoker of Bountiful, Utah, visited him. He never married. At age 40 he was injured in a runaway accident and lived as an invalid until age 82. He resembled his cousin, Michael Stoker, so closely that Polly Brittann Hughes upon meeting her future husband thought he was Michael Graybill whom she had known.
      3-[Mary Ann Graybill], born 25 Feb 1830, married Wilford Heath Hudson. Went to Utah.
      3-[Elizabeth Graybill], born 16 Sep 1833, was living in Harrison Co., IA on Feb 27, 1870 when her cousin, John Stoker of Bountiful, visited her at which time she was living with her brothers, Sidney Rigdon and Michael.
      3-[Sidney Rigdon Graybill], born 6 Apr 1836 in Jackson Co., OH, was living in Harrison Co., IA when his cousin, John Stoker, visited him on Feb 27, 1870. He married Jane Davis."

      BIRTH:
      1. Per biographical notes cited above. John Stoker's Journal uses a variant date of 8 Jun 1814; however, the 8 of Jun looks like it was overwritten over a 9.

      MARRIAGE:
      1. Surmised only without any documentation. I use "abt. 1842" since this would be about a year before Rebecca, the eldest Child, was born in Sept. 1843 in Illinois as cited above from the LDS Ordinance Index. Rebecca must have died before the 1850 census; however, the age of five and the birth place of Illinois of Elizabeth, the eldest living child in the 1850 census, would also confirm an early 1840's marriage in Illinois. It is also noted in their son Henry's biography in 1883 that Phillip, his father, went from Pennsylvania to Illinois; since Catherine was not in Pennsylvania and Phillip was not in Ohio or Missouri where Catherine had been, this would leave Illinois as the logical choice. Note that the Pitt book quoted above uses 18 Oct 1845 at Wythe Twp., Hancock, IL; however, the book also notes the first child b. 25 Sep 1843 in Adams Co., IL.

      DEATH:
      1. Per biographical notes cited above and burial record cited below.

      BURIAL:
      1. The following name is found on a new memorial stone with 33 other related family members at Graybill/Stoker Cemetery: "Catherine Gatrost 1814-1886." It is 3 miles east of Council Bluffs, Iowa in Garner Township on old Highway 6 (also known as McPherson Highway - not to be confused with the new Highway 6), then a right (south) on State Orchard Road for 9/10ths of a mile, then left (east) on Cedar Lane to the first driveway on the left (north). The address is 21090 Cedar Lane and the cemetery is in their backyard. Get permission from the homeowner first. These directions were corrected from previous directions after my visit May 8, 2007.

      2. Tombstone at Graybill Cemetery, Garner Township, Pottawattamie, Iowa: "Phillip Gatrost d. 5 Nov 1870, 59 y 5 m 20 d. Catherine wife of P. Gatrost d. 1 Dec 1886, 72 y 5 m 22 d."

      SOURCES_MISC:
      1. FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, p. 97.