NOAH CATON

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Photo incorrectly identified (at this link) as Noah and Fannie Caton.  There are no known photographs of Noah Caton and his wife Frances "Fanny" McDermid. 

No genealogical proof documents have been found which give a middle name to the Noah Caton who married Frances "Fannie" McDermid.  "Lafayette" and "Alfonso" have been given to this Noah Caton by several researchers but without proof. Middle names Lafayette and Alfonso belong to descendants of Noah Caton. If any researcher can prove a middle name, please contact the County Coordinator.

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The following notes from Theresa Caton Barnett (daughter of Hugh M. Caton, granddaughter of Noah Caton) written Dec 20, 1933, Underwood, IA, were provided by D. J. Miles.  Her spelling was kept intact.

 November 24, 1814 marriage record of Noah Caton and Frances McDermid, St. Charles County, Missouri, Marriage Record Book I, page 37.

(Click on image for larger view.)

This is the Vernon County, Missouri cabin where Noah Caton and his wife Frances McDermid Caton lived, about four miles north of Nevada and near the Marmaton River. Nothing now remains of the cabin.  A water well marks the location of this pioneer homeplace which was used as the meeting location of the first court during the organization of Vernon as a separate county in 1855.

This log house was no longer used as a dwelling when this picture was taken. Some split-rail fence can be seen and also a lean-to type structure or porch on the left side. There are boards covering part of the window on the right side. A portion of the roof appears to have light reflecting on it and can hardly be seen. If anyone has any other view of this pioneer log house, please contact the Vernon Co, MO County Coordinator.

The following excerpts pertain to Noah Caton and are from the History of Vernon County, Missouri, Brown & Co. 1887.  If you have noted other mentions of Noah Caton in the 1887 history, please email the page number so that information can be added. 

p. 170. [Chapter 5, Leading Historic Incidents from 1840 to 1850. Early Settlements and Life as it was Lived in Them.]  ... Noah Caton was on the Marmaton, at the Caton ford, north of Nevada, in 1839, and near him were J. B. Logan and Samuel Son in 1842.  ...  The settlers lived easily and comfortably, even if they did not fare sumptuously and surround themselves with luxuries. ... In forty-nine cases out of fifty the land they lived on was not entered, and they paid no taxes on it. ... In a vast majority of instances the land was not entered until after the year 1850.

p. 196. [Chapter VI, Prominent Incidents from 1850 to 1860. This pertains to organization of Vernon County.]  An Act to Form a New County, to be Called Vernon. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows: ... Section 4. The county and circuit court shall be held at the dwelling house of Noah Caton, until a seat of justice shall be selected and a house provided there. ... Section 6. The commissioners aforesaid shall be allowed $2.50 a day for time spent touching said location of the seat of justice, and a majority of said commissioners shall be sufficient to make such location; and they shall meet within the time provided in section 2 of this act at the dwelling house of Noah Caton; but should one or more of the commissioners fail to act for any reason whatever, it shall be lawful for the county court of the county in which such delinquent commissioners reside to supply the place by appointment. ... Approved February 27, 1855.

p. 197-200. [Chapter VI. First Sessions of the Vernon County Court.]  Following after the organization of the county the next event in its political history was the first session of the county court, which, pursuant to the organizing act, was held "at the dwelling house of Noah Caton," which building is still standing about four miles north of Nevada, in Washington township, south of the Marmaton. Mr. Caton had been in the country about 16 years, was considered an old settler, and moreover his large log house was rather roomy and its location was very near the geographical center of the county and was well-know.

   The court convened July 9, 1855. There were present but two of the justices, James Grace and Conrad G. Carr, who produced their commissions from Gov. Price, and were sworn in by Dewitt C. Hunter, the clerk of the circuit court. ...

   Not much business, beyond organizing, was transacted the first day ... the county courts of Cass, Bates, and Jasper were requested to appoint suitable persons ... to discharge the duties of said commissioners, and the new commissioners to meet at the house of Noah Caton, Monday, October 1, 1855, to locate the county seat, according to law.

   At this session, which lasted three days, the county was divided into civil townships ... and justices of the peace appointed as follows:

   Center Township -- ... Voting place, at Noah Caton's ...

   Drywood Township -- ...judges, Wm. Caton, John Hale, and David Woods. ...

   The following county officials were appointed: ... Treasurer, Reuben H. Williams; sureties, Jas. H. Moore, Joseph Moore, Noah Caton. ... Public Administrator, James H. Moore; sureties, Joseph Moore, R. H. Williams, A. Journey, James Bryan, Noah Caton, Jesse A. Lowe.

   The sheriff was ordered to issue five merchant's licenses and the county clerk was ordered to hold his office at Noah Caton's. ...

   The second term of the county court convened August 7, 1855. ...

p. 485. [Chapter XVIII. Washington Township. Early Settlers and Settlements.]  Noah Caton came in 1839 to section 20, in the southwestern quarter of the township. It was at his house where the first term of the Vernon county court was held. Mr. Caton died in March, 1862. ...

p. 595. [Chapter XXIV. The City of Nevada.]  The commissioners appointed to select the permanent county seat of Vernon county, Messrs. John W. Boyd, of Jasper; and Abram Cassell, of Cass, proceeded on the 1st of October, 1855, to the discharge of their duties ... [land for a county seat was selected and purchased.]

   The following day the commissioners made report of their action to the county court, then in session at Noah Caton's, and that body approved everything that had been done. ...  [The county seat of Vernon County, Nevada City, was laid out. D. C. Hunter built the first house within the new town, and his house was used as the court house when court was first held in Nevada in 1856. He built a smoke house in which he allowed the grand jury to deliberate.]

From 20th Century Carroll County, Vol. 1, Turner. pp. 112, 113.

"Wakenda Township, Carroll County, MO

Wakenda Township derives its name from the Wakenda Creek, which runs through the northern part of the township. The name of the creek is also spelled Wakanda and was formerly known as Wyconda Creek... The earliest settlement of this township was by Nathaniel Cary in 1818, who settled on Section 13, on the banks of the Wakenda Creek. In the same year John Maberry and John Riffe settled in Section 1... Bartlett H. Pitts located in Sections 32 and 33...In the spring of 1833 Noah Caton established a landing on the Missouri River south of Carrollton. Capt. William Hill, in a short time afterward, obtained Caton's interest in the landing, and thereafter it was known as Hill's Landing."

 This section provided by D. J. Miles

1881 History of Carroll County, Missouri, p. 482; Sugar-Tree Township:

The first child born was a daughter to Noah and Fannie Caton, in 1835, name unknown.

Federal Land Patents for Noah Caton can be searched at https://glorecords.blm.gov/

An ejectment court case was filed by Nancy E. Bracken (purported granddaughter of Noah Caton) and Charles F. Bracken, her husband, against Emily Wray (daughter of Noah Caton and Fannie McDermid Caton) and her husband John Wray and B. Y. Estes in the Vernon County, Missouri Circuit Court, February term 1875.  A brief synopsis of the documents is at this link.  A copy of the documents in the court file packet are at this link (a large file).

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Please contact the County Coordinator if you have family information or photos that can be displayed on this page.