Mam-ma's Southern Family

Introduction: Nathan Thomas and Catharine Lancaster married 1 August 1867 in Kaufman County, Texas. [1] Two known children were born to them: Ida Belle Thomas, 3 May 1868 [2] Wilson Franklin Thomas, 11 Jun 1870 [3] Catharine Lancaster died shortly after Wilson’s birth on 12 Feb 1871. [4] No known cemetery record has been found for her. No census record for Nathan with his two children in 1880 has been found either. The previous post described the resulting research on the whereabouts of Catharine and Nathan. Check it out here . What happened to their children? This post continues the story. Ida Bell Thomas In 1880, eleven-year-old Ida Thomas was living with her aunt, Martha and uncle, Charles Fletcher in Rockwall County. [5] Martha was the younger sister of Catharine Lancaster. Ida continued to live with her aunt, Martha, perhaps to help take care of Martha’s young children. Her husband died between 1891 and 1900.  In 1908, Ida Belle married John A. Nas

Early Years Catharine Susan Lancaster was born about 1847 in Missouri to Ellis Wilson Lancaster and Elizabeth S. Neel. [1]   Based on the two census records where she appeared with her parents, Catharine was their sixth child and third daughter. [2]  Her family lived in Lewis County, Missouri where her father was a farmer. Around 1858, when she was about ten years old, the family moved to Kaufman County, Texas. [3] 1850 Lewis County, Missouri 1860 Kaufman County, Texas Marriage At the age of twenty, she married Nathan Thomas on 1 August 1867. [4]   They had two known children: Ida Belle  born 3 May 1868 and Wilson Franklin born 11 Jun 1870. The census entry for this family in 1870 has not been found yet. Death She died sometime in 1871 in Kaufman County. Her burial place has not been found. There are few surviving newspapers available for this area and time period. She was young when she died. Could it have been due to childbirth? Could she have contracted an il